Cars are the livelihood of millions in America, getting many people from point A to point B every day. Modern-day SUVs and trucks are some of the most common vehicles you’ll see around Downers Grove and the greater United States. However, there’s a problem with these daily drivers– they’re too big, and don’t compare at all to the great sedans, coupes and hatchbacks of the past.
To honor the great days when small hatchbacks and sedans cruised the roads alongside trucks and other sports cars, I’ve taken the liberty of ranking these against each other. Hopefully this will remind not just consumers how great these cars are, but also the manufacturers who used to mass produce these great machines.
#10 – The 1984 Mitsubishi Minicab is a comically small ‘truck,’ being only 134 inches long, 58 inches wide and 71 inches tall. Coming from Japan, this is a kei-class vehicle, meaning it falls under the category of smallest Japanese expressway legal vehicle. However, as a result, it’s missing a lot of the horsepower and safety features necessary for US markets, therefore making it not road legal. 7.39/10.
#9 – The Toyota Yaris line of cars isn’t necessarily a bad one– they’re small and iconic and come in hatchback and sedan form. Unfortunately, this line of cars is currently discontinued, and the fourth generation of Yaris introduced in 2020 never saw US markets. Despite no longer being supported, all models that were produced are easily recognizable and have had their mark on the automobile industry. 8.14/10.
#8 – The Mini Cooper can be identified anywhere around the world, and come in many different models. Mini coopers have had the same versatile design for ages, come in a variety of convenient and comfortable models, and are fit for use by anyone. These are great if you’re looking for a daily driver, but I wouldn’t say they look the sportiest out there. 8.32/10.
#7 – The Volkswagen Eos is an amazing luxury car, and has the bonus of being a convertible. The interesting thing about the Eos is that instead of being a soft top convertible, it has a normal solid top, and the parts seperate and go in the trunk. It’s a nice car, while not exactly the sportiest one, but I still love it. 8.53/10.
#6 – The Volkswagen Golf is an amazing small, sporty vehicle. Built for the rally courses of Poland, Argentina and Chile, these things have to be able to go fast, take corners and drive on any terrain. These things are fit for the road, present in many video games and movies and fun to drive. 8.76/10.
#5 – Speaking of rally cars, the Toyota GR Corolla is a fast, tuned motorsports-focused car. This is a newer line, being introduced in 2022, but has already proven itself in the world of motorsports and won awards for manufacturing. It’s like the Volkswagen Golf but newer and made by Toyota. 8.94/10.
#4 – Coming in at number four, we have the Subaru XT. This car is unique because of it’s super angular shape, resulting in less air resistance, taking heavy influence from the aviation industry. It might not be the most powerful or memorable car, but it’s something unique and a great way to start a conversation. 9.14/10.
#3 – The third generation of Nissan Sentra, specifically the 1991 Sentra SE-R, is a sporty model featuring two doors and four disc brakes. Although not the fastest car out there, the time it takes to accelerate from zero to 60 miles per hour is 7.6 seconds, it’s still a nice sporty sedan for people to drive. 9.27/10.
#2 – At second we have the 1985 Toyota Corolla GT-S, also known as the legendary AE86. These things might not be the most powerful, but they’re small and have been proven time and time again to be capable of reaching incredible speeds. This car catches your eye, and is the underdog of drift and racing culture. 9.58/10.
#1 – The ultimate small car featured in movies such as Cars, we have the First Generation Mazda MX-5 Miata. This car is a symbol of the car world, and the image of a convertible Miata cruising down the road in front of the sunset is an icon of the summer. If you want a small car that’s fun to drive, guaranteed you’re looking for a Miata. 9.87/10.
