Affordable Small Downtown Car Reccomendations

[Shrugged]

I'm in the market for a new small vehicle for getting around the city, downtown, dvp, gardiner etc.
I was hoping to pick some brains on your personal favorites/least liked that you've seen around town or driven in.

When I say small cars I'm referring to something like this list...
http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/rankings/Affordable-Small-Cars/

I never noticed but there really are a TON to choose from!
What I'm looking for is...

Good Handling
Easy to park
Great interior with lots of Bells and Whistles
An exterior that stands out and gets noticed in a crowd of cars

Ive driven a motorcycle for years now and TTC'd in the winter... but having to get on the bus/subway during the freezing months has finally gotten to me... I want something I can drive all year round.

 

[TeasePlease]

VW Golf GTi

Mini Cooper

BMW 135

 

[Steve~]

Honda Civic 99-2005

 

[whitewaterguy]

I have rented Ford Focus' a lot over the past year while travelling and have been exceedingly impressed with it on so many levels. Great technology, comfortable, roomy and handles nicely.

ditto....rented a new Focus in Nfld. this summer was very impressed by overall quality of build, ride and interior materials. i run a fairly new Civic as a third vehicle/grocery getter, and must say that the Focus is a better car. That being said, i want to try a FIAT 500...they look like a blast especially with the convertible top and apparently have more rear seat room than the Mini

 

[zacasmith]

i've driven my friends mazda 3 hatch..pretty good bang for its buck. But i'd probably go with the impreza, awd on dt roads during winter are almost a must. also, subaru. longevity.

 

[poorboy]

All the Honda Fit owners I know love their car.

Volkswagens rank consistently bad on the dependability ratings, but GTI owners think they own a BMW and believe their car is superior German technology.

Hyundai Elantra is very radical in design, and offers good dependability. They've come a long way.

Wouldn't buy any small cars GM has to offer, and I'm a GM man.

Worked on a Mazda 3 several times. Half the car is stamped FoMoCo. OK I guess, but I wouldn't buy one.

The Fiat and Mini do no offer good value for money. More image cars.

Never driven a Focus or Fiesta, but others seem to like them, and hey, it was good enough for James Bond to rent!

 

[simon482]

smart car. decent price, peppy, good on gas. not a lot of storage space but good for fucking around the city.

 

[Anynym]

The Echo seems to draw attention from bystanders. As the comic says, it's called an Echo because everywhere you go you hear the echoes: "what a piece of s#!%"

Seriously, the Smart ForTwo seems popular enough.

 

[Mod100]

The Sonic but make sure the brakes have been installed. Some got out of the factory without front brake pads.

 

[rafterman]

Elantra and Fit are top picks in the 2011 Consumer Reports car buying issue.

 

[Powershot]

Good Handling
Easy to park
Great interior with lots of Bells and Whistles
An exterior that stands out and gets noticed in a crowd of cars

I cannot think of a vehicle in the economy car class that meets all of these requirements... On the more expensive end of compacts is the GTI. I don't know how much you can load up a Fiat 500 or Mini Cooper with "bells and whistles" and their interiors are pretty polarizing.

 

[fiesta519]

I would agree with the Golf. If you want all the bells and whistles along with speed then go with the GTI. If you want a basic car then the golf base model has been voted car of the year for many years.

 

[FirstCaveman]

Check out the Titanium version of the Ford Focus - great looking, well reviewed and lots of 'bells & whistles' - especially in red

 

[afterhours]

I cannot think of a vehicle in the economy car class that meets all of these requirements... On the more expensive end of compacts is the GTI. I don't know how much you can load up a Fiat 500 or Mini Cooper with "bells and whistles" and their interiors are pretty polarizing.

I tend to agree, you can't have it all.
Mini is a great driver's car with decent heritage but interior is shitty, at least was couple of years ago.
Maybe a BMW X1? I drove it recently and it was not too bad. Bimmers probably would have more bells and whistles than many.

 

[Brill]

I wouldn't consider the Smart car or the Mini because they require premium gas.

Paying that hefty extra with every tankful would piss me off.

 

[great bear]

I wouldn't consider the Smart car or the Mini because they require premium gas.

Paying that hefty extra with every tankful would piss me off.

New Pic Brill!!! You are the Terb melon man.

 

[afterhours]

I wouldn't consider the Smart car or the Mini because they require premium gas.

Paying that hefty extra with every tankful would piss me off.

I would rather steal than allowed myself to be bothered by pennies.

 

[whitewaterguy]

I would agree with the Golf. If you want all the bells and whistles along with speed then go with the GTI. If you want a basic car then the golf base model has been voted car of the year for many years.

not exactly what you need when your driving around mainly downtown...some sort of revved up speedster

 

[afterhours]

there is also a small lexus hatchback; it should have bells and whistles.

 

[AZN_LOVER]

What I'm looking for is...

Good Handling
Easy to park
Great interior with lots of Bells and Whistles
An exterior that stands out and gets noticed in a crowd of cars

Hyundai Velostar

Yea, Yea I KNOW all the "Pony" jokes, but the Koreans have come a LONG way and the Velostar is pretty funky looking