Cool, Compact & Now With Less Complaints

Anyone looking to purchase a cute, compact number in the wake of these high gas prices?  If you’re looking for a cool ride that will be easy on your wallet, look no further.

Consumer Advocate Jack Gillis and The Center for Auto Safety have put together a comprehensive list of Best Bets in the 2008 Car Book, and they have given 1-800 LEMON LAW permission to reprint their findings. These are the highest-rated vehicles in terms of crash tests, safety features, fuel economy, rollover prevention, maintenance and repair costs, warranties, insurance costs, customer complaints and overall performance.

So, without further ado, here are this year’s best bets in the compact, subcompact and intermediate categories:

Subcompact:
Hyundai Accent
Kia Rio

Compact Cars:
Honda Civic/Civic Coupe
Hyundai Elantra
Kia Spectra
Nissan Sentra

Intermediate:
Acura TSX
Acura TL
Chrysler Sebring
Hyundai Sonata
Kia Optima
Nissan Altima

This list is great news for the Korean manufacturers, who have certainly stepped it up in terms of quality and warranty coverage since their inception.  They are following in the footsteps of stalwarts Honda and Nissan, both of whom have always been respected for offering top notch products and exceptional customer service.

And if you don’t care about a little pain at the pump, you can check out the best large cars, SUVs, minivans and trucks, by clicking here. Also, here is our disclaimer for the day–remember that just because a car may appear on this list does not mean you are completely clear of finding youself in a lemon. Defects do happen from time to time, and if  your sweet ride is turning sour, you need to know your Lemon Law rights. Happy shopping!