2009 Toyota Yaris

The Yaris is Toyota's entry-level subcompact, sold as a hatchback or a sedan, and it's the car you cross-shop with the Honda Fit and Nissan Versa. It's light and nimble, so it darts through city traffic and slips into parking spots that bigger cars can't touch, though the highway ride is a bit buzzy. Inside, the center-mounted gauge cluster takes a moment to get used to, but the hatchback's rear seats fold nearly flat for a surprising amount of cargo room. Owners report the Yaris is remarkably dependable, with many going years and tens of thousands of miles without major issues, though the paint can chip easily. The sedan body adds a proper trunk with 12.9 cubic feet of cargo space, which the hatchback doesn't offer, and it's the more practical choice if you carry luggage regularly. The 1.5L I4 makes 106 horsepower and 103 lb-ft of torque, and with the four-speed automatic it's relaxed around town but needs a firm right foot to merge onto the highway. The sedan's trunk lid is body-colored rather than black, and the cabin is a bit quieter than the hatchback's because the trunk isolates road noise from the rear.