Fiat 500

The retro-styled 500 has agile handling, a willing engine, and a crisp-shifting manual transmission, all of which combine to make the Fiat fun to drive. The little 101-hp, 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine and five-speed manual transmission returned 33 mpg overall in our testing. However, it takes frequent downshifts to keep up with traffic on the highway. Zippy around town and easy to park, this two-door suffers from a choppy ride and a noisy cabin, which detract from the fun. The rear seats are very tight and difficult to access. Front-seat headroom is copious, but the cabin is narrow and some may find the steering wheel too far away.