Compact cars compared: all 28 current models side by side

Compact cars split into three groups by what you pay. The everyday group runs from the Nissan Versa at $18,530 to the Mazda 3 at $25,885 on Kelley Blue Book's base prices; the premium group is led by the BMW M3 at $80,650; and the exotic and electric group tops out at the Porsche Taycan at $102,550. The practical question is which group you are shopping in, because the table mixes them.

Kelley Blue Book (opens in a new tab) says the 2026 Hyundai Elantra has a starting price of $23,870, the most affordable option on its list of the best compact cars, and that with 35 mpg combined it is the most fuel-efficient vehicle on that list. Kelley Blue Book also says the editors ranked the Elantra one of the best compact cars based on performance, reliability, safety and more.

At the top of the efficiency ranking are electric cars: the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class rates 126 MPGe, the BMW i4 118 and the BMW i5 116, with annual electricity costs of $600 to $650 on the EPA's assumptions. At the bottom are the BMW M3 at 19 mpg and the Ferrari Purosangue at 12. Between them, the gas and hybrid sedans that most people buy sit in the 30s. A shopper who does not have home charging should compare gas and hybrid models, since the electric figures assume cheap electricity.

Fuel economy and base price are only two of the numbers that matter. Check each model's page for its recall and complaint record, and compare the specific engine and drivetrain you would buy on fueleconomy.gov, because a compact car's mpg range covers versions that differ by several mpg.