Kbb.com Names Top Compact Sedan

March 31, 2009

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IRVINE, Calif. — After extensive evaluation of seven 2009 models, Kelley Blue Book's Kbb.com has named the winner of its compact sedan comparison test.

Taking the No.1 spot this year is the Honda Civic, which topped fellow 2009 model-year versions of the Mazda3, Toyota Corolla, Hyundai Elantra, Nissan Sentra, Ford Focus and Chevrolet Cobalt.

These models — which are the top-selling vehicles in the compact sedan segment — were evaluated by the following criteria: exterior, interior, driving dynamics, safety, crash-test ratings, value, on-ramp acceleration, passing acceleration, braking from 60 mph, evasive lane change, cornering limits, and interior noise at idle, 30 mph and 60 mph.

According to officials, each of the specific units tested included an automatic transmission, four-cylinder engine, and highway fuel economy of at least 30 miles per gallon, as estimated by the Environmental Protection Agency.

The units were driven more than 1,500 miles throughout the comparison tests.

Moving on, compact sedans, such as the ones included in these tests, have become a key part of the new-vehicle market, as the segment has become more and more popular, not only because of price, but for fuel-economy and environmental reasons, officials indicated.

"Compact sedans appeal to a wide variety of consumers, and given the economic downturn and fluctuating fuel costs over the past months, the already mammoth segment has seen a growth in interest," stated Jack Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book and Kbb.com.

"Those looking to downsize might be surprised by the amenities the new compact sedans offer," he continued. "We were impressed with all of the cars we tested, but our team found that the 2009 Honda Civic, despite the improvements of its competitors, is simply the best all-around in its class."

The following is the complete compact sedan comparison test rankings with editorial commentary included:

First Place: 2009 Honda Civic

"Its reputation as reliable and economical transportation is so strong that it's easy to overlook just how well it does everything else, as we realized during our most recent time behind the wheel of the freshened, fourth-year Civic," editors stated.

"Its shape is interesting but not particularly polarizing. Its interior manages to be innovative, attractive and simple at once. The engine combines adequate power with exceptional fuel economy," they continued. "The backseat and trunk both qualify as accommodating. Everything the Civic does, it does well. If you're looking for performance, you can do better. If you want the softest ride, the Civic can be beat."

Second Place: 2009 Mazda3

"The Mazda3 might have come up No. 2 on our score sheets, but it's the small sedan most of the kbb.com editors would buy for themselves," analysts commented. "Compared with the rest of the cars in this test — and the entire segment — the Mazda3's fun factor is off the charts.

"That it looks so good inside and out is, by comparison, just icing on the cake. Our lesser-powered 'i' model was only fourth-fastest in our zero-to-60 mph tests, but it finished a decisive first in cornering and braking," they added.

"Where were the weak spots? The trunk and rear seating area were among the tightest in the test, and its crash test ratings weren't at the top of the chart," they pointed out. "So maybe the Mazda3 isn't the first choice for families. For fun-seekers, though, it's the obvious choice."

Third Place: 2009 Toyota Corolla

"Behold the electroluminescent gauge cluster and attractive faux wood trim from the Corolla's comfortable driver's seat and it'd be easy to believe you were sitting in a pricier, larger mid-size sedan," officials highlighted.

"By foregoing look-at-me styling or progressive interior design, the latest Corolla maintains its reputation as the confidently conservative grown-up of the group," they added.

"As such, it did prove a more willing and capable driving partner than most of us expected. So how did one of the category's gold standards finish third? By playing it safe," editors continued.

"The Corolla finished tops in value, but middle-of-the-pack in categories like performance, styling and even safety," they noted. "Playing it safe, however, is exactly how the Corolla became — and continues to be — one of the best-selling vehicles in the country."

Fourth Place: 2008 Hyundai Elantra

"Anyone who thinks Hyundai still competes on price alone would be enlightened by a drive in the Elantra. Highlights include an attractive, roomy interior, excellent crash test scores and a long list of standard safety features," analysts shared.

"In our instrumented testing the Elantra excelled in braking and highway noise levels, but proved slowest to 60 miles per hour and demonstrated the least cornering grip," they added. "Sticker price is another Elantra strong suit, although lagging resale values mostly offset that advantage. As marketplace perception slowly (but surely) catches up with product reality, the Elantra will continue to become increasingly attractive."

Fifth Place: 2009 Nissan Sentra

"The Nissan Sentra is supposed to be one of the sportiest small cars out there. And while its instrumented test numbers weren't great — aside from the second-fastest run to 60 mph — several editors did indeed praise the Sentra's overall handling and the smoothness of its continuously variable transmission," editors pointed out.

"Inside, front and rear seat roominess and comfort were highlights of an interior that was otherwise regarded as middling overall," they shared. "The Sentra's crash test ratings are strong, but it lost points for not offering, at any price, electronic stability or traction control. (We like the idea of avoiding the accident in the first place.)

"Overall value was another weak point, relegating the Sentra to a more disappointing finish than some testers expected going into it," they continued.

Sixth Place: 2009 Ford Focus

"If we had a category for the most surprising vehicle in the test, the 2009 Ford Focus would have won it going away. None of the testers wrote home about the car's exterior styling, but the SYNC infotainment system is the best bit of high-tech in the category, its front seats are comfortable, and the controls and instruments are straightforward," officials indicated.

"Similarly, the Focus was among the slowest in our acceleration tests, but its handling characteristics and overall feel were refreshingly European-like," they added.

"The Focus also finished above average in the value category. The fact that a car we found so pleasantly surprising finished sixth of seven demonstrates just how strong the category has become," editors pointed out. "Shoppers in the category now have the luxury of choosing the right small car amongst many good small cars."

Seventh Place: 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt

"The Chevy Cobalt is the most competitive small car General Motors has ever built. In a sign of just how far GM's four-cylinder engines have come, some testers felt the Cobalt's engine was the best of the bunch," editors commented. "Indeed, the Cobalt was the fastest in both our on-ramp and highway passing acceleration tests.

"Most found the sheet-metal inoffensive but unexciting, but the interior was generally regarded as having been surpassed by the competition (the Cobalt is one of the oldest vehicles in the comparison)," they highlighted.

"Rear-seat and cargo accommodations were unremarkable, and the Cobalt's lone safety highlight is its exclusive availability of OnStar," officials added. "On the value front, the Cobalt's low purchase price is mitigated by its below-par resale value."

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