2011 Compact Cars Ranked in the Top 5 Category

There a number of things to look for when purchasing a new car. It's often a good idea to check over some of the ratings and reviews given by the professionals if you want to know exactly what you will be getting when you're handed over the keys to that new car. Here is a list of the top 5 best compact cars according to US News Best Cars, rankings and reviews.

1. 2011 Honda Civic: The Honda Civic was listed as one of the 5 best compact cars on the market today both in 2011 and 2010.The analysis of 83 published reviews and test drives gave the Honda Civic the badge of 2011 Best Compact Car for the money. Some of the pros of this car in the compact category included responsive and fun to ride for a compact car, impressive list of interior features, as well as excellent mileage in this class of cars. Of course there are always a few negatives to owning a vehicle and some of them for the Honda Civic were its minimal cargo capacity and its somewhat complicated navigation system. It has a MSRP of $15,800 to $25,490 with an MPG of 26 city and 34 for highway driving. Amenities include tilt and telescopic steering column, stereo controls,anti lock brakes and electronic brake distribution and active head restraints for driver and front passengers.

2. 2011 Ford Fiesta: This car was rated #1 as the best subcompact car for the money on today's market. Reviewers were nearly unanimous in saying that the Ford Fiesta sets new benchmarks for affordable small cars.It was said to have a fun driving experience, comfortable upscale cabin, high built quality, and hybrid-like fuel economy with 30 mpg for city driving and 40 mpg for highway. These features led Consumer Guide to name it "2011 Best Buy". The base model was said to be sparsely- equipped. Amenities include a stereo system with audio input jack for MP3 players and it also has a surprising amount of seating space. The MSRP is $13,320 to $17,120.

3. 2011 Honda Fit: The Honda Fit won best hatchback for the money award in both 2010 and 2011and Consumer Guide named it as a "2011 Best Buy" in this category. It's reviews said it was fun to drive, had spacious rear seats, excellent fuel economy for the class and numerous storage options. The interior is said to be a winner with the exceptional back seats and standard tilt and telescopic steering wheel which is considered a luxury in this class.On the downside, it was said to have a lot of engine noise and no stability control or anti skid option on the base model. The MSRP is $15,100 to $19,240.

4. Volkswagon Golf: The Volkswagon Golf was ranked 2 out of 33 affordable small cars. The powerful engine and near-luxury cabin is said to be worth its higher price in this category, reviewers said.The 2010 Golf was named Best in Class for cars under $20,000 and Best New Model under $ 20,000 by Kiplinger. The 2011 Golf maintains the same award wining reputation. Features include the Bluetooth system and the Insurance industry gives the Golf the highest possible score in frontal offset, side impact crash tests. The Golf was said to have poor fuel economy in this class and was also expensive for its class. The MSRP is $17,995 to $24,985 with a MPG of 23 city and 33 highway driving.

5. 2011 Chevrolet Cruze: The Cruze ranked 5 out of 33 affordable small cars. It has mid-size space in a compact as well as near-hybrid fuel economy. Edmunds Research says it provides comfort, space, and quality never before seen in this segment at this price. The interior got high marks for its space and upscale ambiance, as well as its safety features which include 10 airbags. It was a top pick for safety in 2011 by the insurance industry. One of the cons for the Cruze was that it was described as having a somewhat bland driving experience. The MSRP runs from $16,275 to $21,975. The Chevrolet Cruze was a favorite of mine in this class of cars.

All these ratings were based on in-depth analysis by US News Editors of all published auto ratings, reviews and test drives.

Source: usnews.rankingsandreviews.com