Talks About Cars

Consumer Reports judged the Hyundai Elantra SE best with an "Excellent" overall road test score after giving tests to a group of compacts and subcompacts. However, three other compact cars, Subaru Impreza, Toyota Corolla and Ford Focus, also obtained "Very Good" ratings in recent information on gas-saving sedans published in the July issue. The Corolla got a very remarkable 32 mpg overall in Consumer Reports' real-world fuel economy tests. The record set by the Corolla is among the finest gas mileage CR has ever accounted in a standard gasoline-powered car with an automatic transmission. On the other hand, only the smaller Honda Fit (32 mpg) and Toyota Yaris (33 mpg) subcompacts recorded fair enough remarks.

Two Chevrolets, the Cobalt and Aveo, has also undergone tests as part of this class. Both Chevy models ranked close to the bottom of the group. The Cobalt ranks 17th out of 19 vehicles tested among compact sedans. Among subcompacts, the Aveo ranks last among the 12 vehicles tested.

Prices for the six cars in CR's tests range from $16,205 for the subcompact Aveo LT to $19,106 for the Impreza 2.5i which is all wheel drive. The best of the present’s small cars offer several convenience features, comfy interiors, high-quality modification, and enhanced fuel economy even with prices under $20,000.

Full tests and ratings of the test group will come out in the July issue of Consumer Reports, which will land on various stores on June 3. The issue showcases a cover package of stories on gas-saving cars, with CR's ratings on a overall of 31 small sedans and 21 most used cars with superior mpg numbers.