2017 Ford Fiesta ST

The Fiesta is Ford's smallest car in the U.S., a subcompact offered as a sedan or hatchback that competes with the Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris. It's genuinely fun to hustle down a back road, with quick steering and a light, eager feel that makes it easy to place in traffic. The cabin is snug, especially in back, but the front seats are comfortable and the hatchback's folding rear seats expand cargo space nicely. Some owners have reported clutch shudder and electrical gremlins, so it's worth checking service history on any used example. The ST is the hot hatch of the Fiesta lineup, swapping the standard car's economy focus for a 1.6L I4 with 197 horsepower, a sport-tuned suspension, and Recaro seats. Its six-speed manual is the only gearbox offered, and the combination of 197 horsepower and 202 lb-ft of torque in a car that weighs just 2,742 pounds makes it genuinely quick on a twisty road.