When it comes to buying a new compact sedan, Consumer Reports thinks there are plenty of options on the market right now. Popular sedans such as the Mazda3 and the Honda Civic should be a satisfying purchase for most folks. However, these may not be the best options. Here’s a look at the many competent compact sedans Consumer Reports recommend over the Honda Civic and the Mazda3.
The Honda Civic and Mazda3 are still good options
2022 Honda Civic | Getty Images
Like Consumer Reports said, both the Civic and the Mazda3 are good choices, as both sedans are still recommended. The Civic currently has a good overall score of 70 out of 100, and its other scores are decent, too. It got 71 out of 100 on its road test score and 4 out of 5 for its predicted owner satisfaction score. While Hondas are known to be reliable, the Civic’s predicted reliability rating was only a 3 out of 5.
The Mazda3 wasn’t much different from the Civic. It received a nice overall score of 69 out of 100 and a road test score of 75 out of 100. However, Mazda3’s predicted owner satisfaction score and predicted reliability rating were both only 3 out of 5.
There are better compact sedans out there
There are currently five better compact sedans compared to the rest of the segment. The Volkswagen Jetta received a 3 out of 5 on its predicted owner satisfaction scores and predicted reliability rating. However, the Jetta received a 78 out of 100 on its road-test score, which allowed its overall score to be 73 out of 100.
The Toyota Corolla was also a better option. Its predicted owner satisfaction score was only 3 out of 5 and road-test score a mere 68 out of 100, but its predicted reliability rating was 4 out of 5. This pushed the Toyota to an overall score of 73 out of 100.
The Hyundai Elantra was a better pick as well. Its predicted owner satisfaction score was 4 out of 5, its predicted reliability rating was 3 out of 5, and its road-test score was 76 out of 100. These scores gave Elantra an overall score of 74 out of 100.
Another good choice is the Nissan Sentra, which had pretty mediocre predicted reliability scores of 3 out of 5 and predicted owner satisfaction scores of 2 out of 5. However, its impressive 81 out of 100 road-test rating gave it an overall 77 out of 100.
According to Consumer Reports, the best compact car was the Subaru Impreza. Its predicted owner satisfaction score was a mere 2 out of 5, but its predicted reliability score was 4 out of 5, and its road-test score was a remarkable 85 out of 100. As a result, its overall score was a class-best of 81 out of 100.
Avoid this compact sedan at all costs
According to Consumer Reports, all five of those sedans are better than the Civic and the Mazda3, and there are only eight models in the compact sedan segment right now. This means there’s one sedan worse than the rest.
The Kia Forte seems to be the one to avoid. It scored dramatically worse than its peers. Its predicted owner satisfaction score and its predicted reliability rating are 1 out of 5. That said, its road test score was much better at 67 out of 100. Regardless, those poor scores ultimately mean that this Kia has an overall score of 39 out of 100.
Keyword: Consumer Reports Recommends These Competent Compact Sedans Over the Honda Civic and Mazda3