A budget car that feels every bit of its low sticker price, the Yaris is an afterthought in a competitive segment. Its anemic engine provides pokey acceleration, and in our highway test it fell 2 mpg short of its EPA-highway estimate of 36. For the best performance, choose the manual transmission over the automatic. The ride is compliant and the brakes are effective, but its steering is numb. Good visibility and the Toyota Entune infotainment system are some of the Yaris’s best features.

While subcompacts are expected to be affordable and not powerful, the Yaris sinks below the surface of acceptable powertrain operation. Its 106-hp 1.5-liter inline-four and standard five-speed manual transmission or optional four-speed automatic are older, slower, and louder than most classmates.