2014 Best Buys: Luxury Compact Cars

It’s no secret: There are a lot of people out there who would rather drive a smaller car with better equipment than a more bare-bones vehicle from the next category up. Recognizing the potential of this market, manufacturers—and especially luxury car brands—responded accordingly. That’s how the luxury compact segment was born.

The first to kick things off (probably inadvertently) was the MINI, a tiny car with a hefty price. Another great example is the 2014 Audi A3, which is essentially a Volkswagen Golf with diamonds on the soles of its shoes. In fact, German automakers are well represented in this category, as proven by the 2014 Mercedes-Benz B Class and Mercedes-Benz CLA Class. Adding variety to the line-up are the 2014 Acura ILX (a luxury Honda Civic), the 2014 Buick Verano and the Lexus CT200h. So which is the Car Guide’s favourite luxury compact car? In our view, the 2014 Chevrolet Volt leads the pack thanks to its level of luxury, advanced technologies and price!

When you drive one of these opulent little machines, it feels like you’re getting more bang for your buck. It’s like driving a Mercedes-Benz worth $100,000, but paying just $35,000!