Best Small Cars For 2021

People used to buy small cars primarily for fuel and space efficiency, and the Bolt is a heavy hitter in both departments. Though it’s the only EV on this list, the Bolt’s 259-mile range compares very well to many other EVs and makes it easy to live with as a first-time EV purchase. EV or not, the Bolt also excels on two other traditional small-car virtues: Fun and space-efficiency. The tall hatchback Bolt is just 164 inches long, but it packs in a very roomy and comfortable interior that yields 16.9 cubic-feet of cargo space behind the rear seats and a vast 56.6 cubic-feet with them folded. The Bolt is a compelling drive, too, with sharp handling and instantaneous power.

Though it is a big car by the standards of this list, the Volkswagen Golf delivers a predictable, even-keeled blend of practicality and engaging driver dynamics, just like previous Golfs dating back to the 1970s. Though some of its competitors are flashier and its basic design is the oldest in the class, the Golf an excellent choice for buyers seeking an eminently usable, finely tuned economy car that also happens to be fun to drive. A no-nonsense machine, there are also somewhat limited choices, with just one engine and trim. Buyers looking for more performance or variety may also be interested in the Golf GTI. 2021 is the final year of availability for the non-GTI Golf in the United States.

It’s true that the Fit was discontinued in 2020, but a large number of brand new 2020 model year Fits are still available on dealer lots at bargain prices as of late April, 2021. This generation of the Fit rides softer but isn’t as fun to drive as the first two, which are both bargain used vehicles, but it’s amazingly space and fuel-efficient. The Honda’s tall, boxy shape is sort of like a scaled-down minivan, and its comfy rear seat folds into a flat load floor. There are 16.6 cubic-feet of space behind that seat, and 52.7 with it folded. The Fit’s revvy 1.5-liter engine makes 130 horsepower with the manual transmission, and 128 with less-engaging CVT. The CVT gets up to 36 mpg combined while the manual only manages 31, but the stick shift is a much more fun option. The Fit also comes with a healthy safety suite.

The seemingly ageless Mini looks just like it did when the first modern Mini debuted in 2000, but it’s been through two total redesigns then and lost none of its charm. Even base model Mini Coopers are fun to drive, but there are also different levels of power in the Cooper S and the fearsome 302-horsepower John Cooper Works (JCW) edition. The smallest Mini also comes as a convertible, and the cool exterior is backed up by a premium interior full of pretty design touches. The downside is a tight interior and a lack of cargo space, particularly in the droptop. The premium-priced Mini also lacks some tech features, like Android Auto compatibility. For 2021, a manual transmission option has rejoined the Mini hardtop line, but an updated 2022 model will arrive this summer.

The Hyundai Accent is an attractively priced compact sedan for budget-minded shoppers who prioritize value over size. The interior is basic but tastefully designed and comfy, and the 13.7 cubic-foot trunk feels larger than it looks on paper. The Accent’s 120-horsepower four-cylinder engine doesn’t deliver much performance and a manual transmission is only available on the base model (higher trims get CVTs), but it has nimble handling, communicative steering and returns up to 41 mpg on the highway. Base models get a 5-inch infotainment screen and unlike the larger Hyundais, the Accent skimps on active safety features. 

The current Nissan Versa, brand new in 2020, is a vastly better car than outgoing model. At 177 inches long it’s no longer truly a subcompact, and indeed it’s the biggest car on this list. But it still primarily competes with the cheapest small cars in the marketplace. It has less of a bare-bones feel than the previous Versa, and the cabin quality and styling are nicer than its price suggests. The Versa’s weak four-cylinder engine makes highway passing a chore, but its CVT makes the most of what it has and returns good gas mileage. Nissan ladles on standard driver-assist systems, and even more are optional, which is a big value proposition.

The Kia Rio is a close relative of Hyundai’s Accent, but it comes with a sophisticated style all its own and a handy, and pretty, hatchback option. Freshly updated for 2021, it has slightly revised front and rear styling and a new 8-inch infotainment screen that can run wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Like the Accent, the interior is simple but nicely detailed. Power comes from a 120-horsepower 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine mated to a CVT, there’s no manual transmission choice. The Rio is cheap, under $20,000 fully loaded, but it skimps on active safety features and space. The sedan has a 13.7 cubic-feet of cargo space, and the hatchback can open up to 32.8 cubic-feet, but both have a slightly tight back seat.

The Chevrolet Spark draws attention with its tiny size and alluring base price. At $14,395 for a base-model manual LS, the Spark is the cheapest new car you can buy, and at a hair over 143 inches long, the smallest. That base model is seriously basic, however, with roll-up windows and no driver-assist gear. The Spark’s only active-safety systems are reserved for the $17,995 2LT, and they’re extra-cost there. The car’s tiny footprint makes it fun to zip around in, although there isn’t much highway passing power. The Spark offers playful colors and a fairly nice interior for such a small machine, but adding options quickly puts it into competition with larger, and better-equipped, cars.

The Mirage is one of the cheapest cars on the market, and it feels it. While the base model starts at just $15,290 and Mirages come with a 5-year, 60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, adding options quickly boosts the price into the range of better equipped and more refined cars. That said, the Mirage has gotten a nice visual update for 2021 and gets some nice new standard features, including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection and a 7-inch infotainment screen with standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. All Mirages are powered by a 78-horsepower 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine with either manual or CVT transmission. The Mirage is nimble about town and gets good gas mileage, but slow. The hatchback, smaller overall than the sedan, has more cargo room.