2014 Kia Forte LX (Gallery)

What They Liked: Why did the Forte win? « It stands out, » Geiger said, « in a good way. Its dynamic exterior styling gives it an edge among conservatively styled competitors. » And that’s not all. « The Forte vies with the Elantra in terms of many interior options and standard features at this price, » Jackson said, and that sentiment was often echoed. « The interior is sporty yet simple, with nice materials and not overdesigned, Meier said. « The echoed curves in the dash and door panels are a nice touch. » « The ride and handling are excellent, » Bragman said, « second only to the Focus in driving fun and chassis sophistication. In fact, the Eco mode doesn’t seem to affect drivability. » The Forte’s ride and handling mix was a winner for Robinson, who thought it was « better than most recent Kias. » He also found the seats to be « some of the most comfortable » in the Challenge.

What They Didn’t: « All its good looks were wasted outside, » Geiger said, and Robinson agreed. ‘The look of the interior is not nearly as nice as most cars here, » he said. And, he added, « red radio display: I’m not a fan. » « The price for that tight handling was some bump and hop on rough surfaces, » Meier said. Noise was an issue for Bragman, who found that « the Forte has a lot of it on the highway and under hard acceleration. » « Visibility is not the greatest, » Jackson said, and Gluckman was concerned about the Forte not doing as well as other Challenge cars in recent crash tests.

The Verdict: « The Forte wins the Challenge for me with its good looks and mix of features, » Jackson said, « and by being more understated than the Hyundai. »

Key Details

• All-new for 2014
• $19,100, as-tested
• Observed 34.65 mpg
• Has an Active Eco mode
• IIHS Top Safety Pick/NHTSA four-star overall safety rating
• Best warranty (tied with Elantra) of 5 years/60,000 miles bumper-to-bumper, 10 years/100,000 miles powertrain and 5 years/60,000 miles roadside assistance
• USB/aux input/iPod and Bluetooth connectivity and streaming audio, satellite radio with three months complimentary service
• One of two cars tested with alloy wheels instead of steel wheels with covers
• 60/40-split folding backseat with trunk release

Payment Facts

Price as tested: $19,100
Monthly Payment*: $392.88

2013 Hyundai Elantra GLS (Gallery)

What They Liked: The Elantra came into this Challenge with a title to defend: It won the $20,000 compact comparison two years ago. And Hyundai is on something of a roll with our « real-life » testers as well; this is the third Challenge in a row where that judge (or judges) has chosen the Hyundai as his/her personal favorite. It was ultimately Gluckman’s first choice too, although for her it was a down-to-the-wire decision between the Elantra and the Forte; she gave the nod to the Hyundai because she found it « sportier »: « I love it! It’s sporty, » she said, « and sporty is what I want. » Given all that love from our real-world testers Hyundai might want us to give them a larger share of the voting weight. Sorry, Hyundai. The other judges liked it as well, of course; it missed the top spot by less than 20 points to its corporate cousin. « The Elantra has lovely interior design, great material quality, copious front seat room, Bragman said. « This is the luxury car of the group. » « The electronics are A-1, » Healey noted, « especially the ridiculously easy phone pairing. » « There are plenty of places to store your stuff, » Meier added. « It looks like it should be more expensive than it is, » Jackson said. A boatload of features led to that observation: « The Elantra is loaded with convenience features like heated seats, remote start and satellite radio, » Geiger said.

What They Didn’t: The Elantra’s ride and handling drew enough complaints that they may have kept the title just out of reach. « The Elantra’s handling does not inspire confidence, » Jackson said. Healey called the handling « soggy, tippy, » and Geiger said that « the ride quality could use some work. It’s on the firm side and can feel jittery over bumps. » Bragman noted that « that swoopy exterior styling means compromised headroom for rear-seat passengers, which is the price you pay for form over function. » Robinson added that « the hatchback style makes getting in the rear seat cumbersome. »

The Verdict: « Hyundai knows how to appeal to shoppers looking to stretch a dollar, » Geiger said. « Not only is it affordable, it also looks great, drives nicely and is loaded with features. »

Key Details

• $19,870, as-tested
• Observed 32.31 mpg
• Has an Active Eco mode
• IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus/NHTSA five-star overall safety rating
• Best warranty (tied with Forte) of 5 years/60,000 miles bumper-to-bumper, 10 years/100,000 miles powertrain and 5 years/unlimited miles roadside assistance
• USB/aux input/iPod and Bluetooth connectivity and streaming audio, satellite radio with three months complimentary service
• Only car with heated seats and remote start
• One of two cars tested with alloy wheels instead of steel wheels with covers
• 60/40-split folding backseat with trunk release

Payment Facts

Price as tested: $19,870
Monthly Payment*: $408.71

2013 Honda Civic LX (Gallery)

What They Liked: « Honda’s reputation for quality is well-deserved, » Robinson said, and that was very much the feeling for most judges. It’s like a utility infielder; the Civic plays all positions well, but isn’t a superstar in any of them. « The ride is on the firm, more composed side, » Jackson said, « and I like that. » « I’d never call the Civic sporty, » Geiger weighed in, « but it’s near the top of my list in terms of handling. » And « the interior is nicely executed, even among some of these standouts in the Challenge, » Healey said. « It accelerates smoothly with crisp shifts, » Meier noted. « The engine sounds smooth, not coarse, and the steering is responsive with a linear feel. » With that engine came pretty good gas economy. « The Civic consistently returns numbers better than the EPA’s, » Geiger said. « It’s very smooth; I can see why it’s a popular car, » Gluckman said. But …

What They Didn’t: « The dash is really funky! » Gluckman exclaimed. « It almost looks like an arcade game. » That split dash wasn’t the only drawback, the judges found. « Acceleration is great, but the brakes feel wooden and disappointing, » Robinson said. « The ‘econ’ mode could easily be labeled with another four-letter word, ‘slow,’  » Bragman said. « The electronics setup can be complicated, » Meier said. « Phone pairing took navigating three menus. » Speaking of electronics, « the Civic’s control panel suffers from a common Honda ailment, » Geiger said, « button overload. »

The Verdict: « The Civic does everything reasonably well, but it doesn’t stand out in any one area, » Bragman said. « Given the sophistication of some of the other cars, it feels a generation behind. »

Key Details

• $19,755, as-tested
• Observed 36.83 mpg
• IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus/NHTSA five-star overall safety rating
• One of three cars tested with a backup camera
• One of two cars tested with Pandora integration
• USB/aux input/iPod and Bluetooth connectivity and streaming audio
• One-piece folding backseat released from trunk
• Active Eco mode
• Hands-free text messaging assistant

Payment Facts

Price as tested: $19,755
Monthly Payment*: $406.35

2013 Nissan Sentra SV (Gallery)

What They Liked: The Sentra would take home the « bang for your buck » award — if we gave such a thing. « The interior amenities are the best in class, Bragman said. « The ability to get a nav system for less than $20,000 is impressive. » « The interior is really pretty, » Gluckman said, noting that the Sentra « seems more sumptuous than some others. » « Be prepared to drive around your friends and all of their stuff. This car has loads of backseat head- and legroom, » Geiger noted, « and an enormous trunk. » « The air conditioning is notably powerful without much fan noise, » Healey noted, but he was fascinated by a more arcane discovery: the « 25 dentents to fine-tune the fan, not just the one to four as in most cars. » Robinson said that « the understated style works well in this segment. »

What They Didn’t: The drone. Make no mistake: The Sentra’s continuously variable automatic transmission makes noise, and lots of it. Five of seven judges used that very word to describe it. « Loud, loud, loud, even under moderate throttle, » Bragman said. In addition, Robinson noted, « the seat fabric feels cheap and not durable at all. » « Handling is a big problem, » Geiger said. « The Sentra felt incredibly sloppy in corners. » « There’s inconsistent throttle/transmission response, » Jackson said. « It wants to zoom away from a stop, but then it quickly loses power. » « It rides a bit rougher than the others, » Gluckman said, « and I don’t like the Sport mode — it just makes more engine noise. »

The Verdict: « The Sentra is an almost unbelievable upgrade from its predecessor, but it lacks the driving feel of the best in this Challenge, » Healey said.

Key Details

• Highest as-tested price at $19,945
• Observed 34.33 mpg
• 15.1 cubic feet of cargo volume is largest trunk tested
• Active Eco and Sport modes
• IIHS Top Safety Pick/NHTSA four-star overall safety rating
• CVT
• Only car tested with navigation, push-button start and smart keyless access
• One of two cars tested with Pandora integration and hands-free text messaging assistant
• USB/aux input/iPod and Bluetooth connectivity and streaming audio, satellite radio with three months complimentary service
• LED taillights and headlamp accents
• One of three cars tested with a backup camera
• 60/40-split folding backseat

Payment Facts

Price as tested: $19,945
Monthly Payment*: $410.26

2014 Toyota Corolla LE Eco (Gallery)

What They Liked: The Corolla is the newest compact in this Challenge, and its new looks are very different from the last generation. « The exterior design looks better than any Corolla in recent memory, » Robinson said. Bragman noted that the « Corolla’s interior has gone from drab to fab. This is Toyota? » Jackson agreed. « The interior has a clean look with easy-to-use gauges. » Healey liked how it made him feel: « You feel like somebody sitting there. » But the changes were not all skin deep. « Toyota did a great job with the CVT, » Geiger said. « It felt more natural and refined than the others. Power delivery was quicker, and it wasn’t as unruly sounding as the Impreza and the Sentra. » Her opinion was seconded by several judges. And that power wasn’t a penalty at the pump. « Gas mileage touched 40 mpg during the mileage drive, » Healey noted, « remarkable for the terrain and the variety of drivers. »

What They Didn’t: « It may look a lot sportier, » Robinson said, « but it still feels and drives like a Corolla. » And he didn’t mean that as a compliment, bemoaning its « sluggish acceleration. » « The handling tends toward sloppy, with heavy understeer, » Healey said, and « there’s just no way to make the CVT nice, though the Sport mode helps. » « The Corolla’s biggest offense is to the ears — noise pours in from everywhere, » Geiger said. « Some details aren’t done well, » Bragman said, « such as Toyota’s cheap display screens that are already impossibly dark and wash out completely when you’re wearing sunglasses. » « I don’t know who at Toyota thought this dashboard was attractive, » Gluckman added. Finally, « the rear seat offers the worst headroom of any car in the test, » Jackson said.

The Verdict: « Gone are the old Corolla’s boring looks, » Geiger said, « but a polished exterior can’t hide a pretty unpolished driving experience. »

Key Details

• All-new for 2014
• $19,863, as-tested
• Highest observed gas mileage of 38.29 mpg
• CVT
• Only car with free maintenance for 2 years/25,000 miles
• IIHS Top Safety Pick/Not yet tested by NHTSA
• One of three cars tested with a backup camera
• USB/aux input/iPod and Bluetooth connectivity and streaming audio
• 60/40-split folding backseat
• LED low-beam headlamps; LED daytime running lights
• Only car tested with automatic climate control

Payment Facts

Price as tested: $19,863
Monthly Payment*: $408.57

2013 Subaru Impreza 2.0i (Gallery)

What They Liked: « It feels like a very substantial car, » Robinson said, « almost a midsize sedan. » « It’s the only one that has all-wheel drive, and that’s a deal maker in some climates, » Healey said. While it’s an older model than many of its competitors, « the chassis felt solidly tied down, » Meier said, « and its steering was firm and responsive. » « There’s phenomenal visibility in here, Gluckman said. « It feels like it’s all glass. » « The boxer engine is one of the more powerful in the test, » Bragman said, « and it shows with a throaty growl and snappy off-the-line acceleration. » And, Jackson noted, « the interior looks like it would be easy to clean up after life’s little catastrophes. »

What They Didn’t: « 2002 called and wants its audio display back, » Geiger sniffed. « The all-wheel drive hurts mileage, » Jackson pointed out, and Bragman added that all-wheel drive « may just be extra dead weight for the other half of the country » that doesn’t need it. « No other car’s styling in this test screams, ‘I am an economy car!’ like the Impreza does, » Bragman noted. Gluckman thought it was a « throwback, » and said that for her it was « very middle of the road. It’s not inspiring. » Robinson was bugged by its « slow and noisy drivetrain. »

The Verdict: « It’s not trendy, » Meier said, « but it’s a solid sedan with all-wheel drive under 20 grand that could be the best value for many shoppers. »

Key Details

• $19,737, as-tested
• Observed 33.13 mpg
• Only car with all-wheel drive
• 12 cubic feet of cargo volume is smallest tested
• CVT
• IIHS Top Safety Pick/NHTSA five-star overall safety rating
• USB/aux input/iPod and Bluetooth connectivity and streaming audio
• 60/40-split folding backseat
• One of two cars tested without cruise control

Payment Facts

Price as tested: $19,737
Monthly Payment*: $405.98

2014 Ford Focus S (Gallery)

What They Liked: The Focus was very much a driver’s car: Ride and handling were noted positively by several judges. « It felt light and responsive during high-speed maneuvers, » Jackson said. « The ride and handling feel sophisticated, » Bragman said, « and the steering is light and communicative. » Judges also noted that the Ford was among the quietest cars in the test, an attribute not often found in this class. Other plusses? « The styling is just adventuresome enough, » Healey said. « I like how the steering wheel felt in my hand, » Jackson added.

What They Didn’t: « The transmission feels odd, » Gluckman noted. « I don’t like the little ‘surge’ when it comes to a stop. » She was not alone. « The automated manual felt like it just gave up when shuddering to a stop, » Geiger said. « The modest engine and dual-clutch automatic make for annoying lag from a stop, » Meier said. It wasn’t just the powertrain though. « What minimal infotainment there was, was not the easiest to use, » Robinson said. « The quality is questionable, » Bragman said, « with a creaky console, misaligned foam at the base of the windshield and an unusually rough idle. » And Jackson found that « the center console intrudes the most on my lower leg. »

The Verdict: « I’m not sure how many people buy an absolute base car like this one, » Robinson said, « but I feel sorry for them. Having said that, the Focus handles very well and has a great ride. »

Key Details

• Lowest as-tested price of $18,200
• Lowest observed gas mileage of 30.60 mpg
• Six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission
• IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus/NHTSA five-star overall safety rating
• Least-equipped compact tested, lacking power rear windows, USB input, steering-wheel audio controls and Bluetooth
• Auxiliary input jack
• One-piece folding backseat
• One of two cars tested without cruise control

Payment Facts

Price as tested: $18,200
Monthly Payment*: $374.36
Cars.com associate editor Robby DeGraff contributed to this report.