The best-selling subcompact cars in North America were born in Europe, where all have proven track records. Their price and size may be small, but their safety, design, handling, performance, creature comforts and fuel economy are all giant size.
Here are the top four for 2012 – Fiat 500, Ford Fiesta, Mazda2 and Chevrolet Cruze
The 2012 Fiat 500 marks the return of the iconic Italian brand to North America after more than 30 years. The new 500 is sleek and stylish, designed to appeal to a wide mix of millenials, boomers and seniors. Enthusiasts are drawn to Fiat’s award-winning Multair engine, which increases horsepower and fuel efficiency by as much as 15% while also reducing carbon emissions up to 40%. The Fiat 500 is rated at 30/38 MPG for the manual and 27/34 for the automatic.
Even at a starting price of $15,500, there are such must-have features as iPod integration, hands-free communication, keyless entry and a navigation system. With 14 colors and dozens of interior choices and accessories, there are more than 500,000 ways to customize and personalize the Fiat 500, including chrome exhaust tips, a sleek two-tone dashboard, and a fixed glass sunroof.
The Ford Fiesta has been Europe’s number two best selling car, and it is performing nearly as well in North America, where Ford introduced it with the 2011 models, as a five-door hatchback and four-door sedan. The 2012 Ford Fiesta, with its efficient 1.6 liter I-4 engine, is rated at 40mpg highway, which beats the Toyota Yaris and Honda Fit. The 2012 Ford Fiesta also is available in fiesta-like bright colors, including lime and magenta, and as with Fiat, Ford is encouraging buyers to personalize their Fiestas with options like side panel ‘tattoos’ or an interior designed by Stella McCartney.
Ford says 40% of Fiesta buyers have purchased at least one accessory. The Fiesta also is the only car in its segment to earn a Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Starting price is $15,500. Models for North America are produced in Mexico, in a former Ford truck assembly plant that’s been retrofitted for the Fiesta.
The Mazda 2 is built on the same global platform as the Fiesta, but the similarities end there, since everything else is designed and engineered by Mazda. The Mazda 2 has been recognized as Car of the Year in nearly two dozen countries and has sold more than 370,000 units in the first three years since it went on sale in 2007. The 2012 Mazda 2 is powered by a small but efficient 1.5 liter 100hp 4-cylinder engine rated at 27/33 mpg with the five-speed manual and 27/33 with the five-speed automatic. Pricing starts at just $14,180, and includes traction control and stability control as standard equipment.
The Chevrolet Cruze replaced the Cobalt as Chevy’s compact sedan in 2011, and has won more ‘best buy’ and safety awards in its first year than Cobalt ever did. The 2012 Cruze boasts segment-leading fuel economy of 35 to 40 mpg highway on GM’s Ecotec 1.4 liter turbo engine and either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. The Cruze Eco version delivers an EPA-estimated 42 mpg highway, which makes this the most fuel-efficient gasoline-powered car in the United States, excluding hybrids, extended range hybrids like sibling Chevrolet Volt, and diesels.
The Cruze also has more interior space and cargo area than the Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla, its competitors in the price and size segment. The Cruze already has logged four million customer miles in Europe, Asia and South America. The North America version is being produced at GM’s Lordstown, Ohio plant, which got a $350 million upgrade so the Cruze can cruise. The Cruze has a starting price of $16,720
2012 Fiat 500, 2012 Ford Fiesta, 2012 Mazda 2 and 2012 Chevrolet Cruze — worth checking out.