Here are the top 10 best subcompact cars as chosen by you!

[@mdavid7616]

Canada actually had 7 nameplates for the Suzuki swift: the Suzuki swift, Suzuki Forsa. Chevy Sprint, Chevy Metro, Pontiac Firefly, and the Geo Metro .

[@courtneypuzzo2502]

Yeah the US had 5 it only didn't have the Pontiac Firefly which was Canadian exclusive personally the first small car I had experience with as a kid was a 1986 Subaru Leonie Hatchback the first smaller American car I had experience with was the Buick Skylark my late maternal grandmother drove a used 1984 4 door sedan version could you do something similar for Midsize cars

[@robbalinski1606]

I was just about to say that too. I had a Geo metro for year's they were horrifically terrible but perfect little cars. One parked beside me today and I never thought I'd ever utter the words "holy crap a geo metro! no way"

[@whoami7721]

I remember going to visit family members in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, in the early '90s and seeing a Pontiac Firefly in the lane next to our car. I never knew that name existed for the Geo Metro/Suzuki Swift, as it was known in the US. It was one of those things, like all the highways written in English and French, and kilometers instead of miles, that told me I was in a foreign country.

[@shawnr6117]

The best version was the swift GT 😁 it was awesome

[@corvairjim1]

Uh, by my old school math that is only SIX model names, not seven.

[@mark_u]

I don't think the Civic or Corolla will ever be killed off in favor of crossovers. A future without either vehicle is just unimaginable 😅

[@TheChill001]

I'd actually say the crossover craze is already dying out again...the only market that still seems to be booming with them is the US... already makes Ford's decision look rather stupid in hindsight. ex. They actually lost a tonne of market share in most markets after that decision...

[@Antspray1]

@@TheChill001 God I hope you're right. I'm so fed up with crossovers.

[@johnchedsey1306]

I feel like every 3rd car I see on the road is either a Corolla or Civic variation. Or an Altima, which seems to be the car no one truly loves but ends up buying anyhow.

[@Colonel_RamRod]

@@TheChill001 we can only hope a crossover as ugly as the mustang mark e never appears again.

[@corvairjim1]

​@@Antspray1you know, it's funny, but I agree with you. Frankly, I'm sick of ALL S.U.Vs, big, small, or "crossover" ( pickup trucks used as daily transportation, too), and our family car was marketed as a crossover. But, seriously, can you look at a Honda Crosstour and say with a straight face that it looks in any way like an S.U.V., crossover or not? It definitely doesn't ride or perform like a truck, and it's a damn sight prettier than any large S.U.V., crossover, or "cute ute" out there!

[@Henry_Jones]

Lets keep the minivan train rollin with the Chevy Astro! Give gm credit, while it failed to take down its intended target it started a new market nitch, the compact work van. Theyv also had some of the coolest adds ever! Your family can fly through space wearing jump suits too!!!

[@zerocool5395]

You still see alot of them on the road.

[@PimpDaddyDisco]

Astro/Safari man. It's the only vehicle that's does all things for all people. And does them well. Pro street Van life Offroad Lowrider People hauler Work truck And on and on

[@pdennis93]

And then there was the Dustbuster 🤣🤣🤣

[@PimpDaddyDisco]

@@zerocool5395 and they haven't been made in 17 years. I've owned 4. Wrecked one, the other 3 went over 300k miles

[@baconhairfabfur6548]

@@zerocool5395 not the case for me (outside of cargo vans which are pretty common wherever i go, and i mean wherever)

[@pac1fic055]

I had a Geo Prizm lsi, 1.8 l manual. It was a joy to drive, very reliable and economical. They were manufactured in the Fremont, California, in the same plant that makes Teslas to this day.

[@Where_is_Waldo]

The metro was a Suzuki, The Storm was an Isuzu and the Prizm was a Toyota. Geo was a rebadge brand but they made some good cars. Only problems I'm aware of are the rust tendencies on the Storm and equivalents and the planned obsolescence of the fuel pressure regulator on the N/A 3 cylinder motor for the Suzuki (built into throttle body, can't be removed without breaking the screws for the cover because screws are brittle and thread locked) otherwise the Suzuki motors are invincible.

[@ACoustaDC]

That NUMMI plant has a lot of history for sure.

[@anthonybha4510]

Amazing how the EV1 laughs from the grave!

[@anthonybha4510]

@@ACoustaDC There's a documentary on youtube about how it was the WORST plan to get a car from when it was GMs alone in the 70s. Dealers found beer bottles in doors.

[@ACoustaDC]

@@anthonybha4510 yeh..I heard a podcast about it!... Also hookers would service you on the line.

[@Poopsticle_256]

Actually the 11th gen Civic sold here in the US is sold as both a 4-door sedan and a 5-door hatchback, and has a completely redesigned front and rear end.

[@SkylineFTW97]

Yup. The 10th gens were also sold as a hatchback and of course marked the 2nd Type R we got in the US.

[@zorilla0]

An easy mistake to make. The sedan looks like a hatchback and the hatchback looks like the designer sneezed while drawing it.

[@arevee9429]

There were a lot of good cars on this list - and good for you for adding the Metro. Golf / Rabbit may not have been the most reliable, but it didn't feel like a tin can and it drove very well. And the Mazda Protege 5 was another one of my favs.

[@erinfreize4717]

After growing up with Chevys, my dad worked as a porter for the local Toyota dealership and bought a Corolla. It lasted about 150,000 miles before it had major issues, but it was mostly a solid little car.

[@rushnerd]

That's pretty surprising honestly. Grated I had a 92' corolla tranny blow on me after 1K miles, who knows what the previous owner really gave me. I do know the mid 90's Camry is one of the most reliable and trouble-free cars ever made which is why I own one now.

[@whoami7721]

@@rushnerd I still see so many 1990s to early 2000s Toyota Camrys on the road, even though they are nearly thirty years old. Also, I see a lot of Corollas and Honda Accords and Civics of about the same vintage. Those are great cars, but I haven't owned one yet. My brother had a 1997 Camry for a few years before trading it for a 2011 Honda CR-V. Both were great reliable cars.

[@rushnerd]

@@whoami7721 Yeah, I think anyone with a mid-90's camry wants to trade it in for something cooler and I'm always tempted. I have an 88' Supra so I kinda got that covered. I'm planning on re-painting the Camry and just making it as nice as possible since it's going to be around a looong time. Likely deciding to keep it is going to save me a boat load of money in the long run VS anything else.

[@MrSkeltal268]

@@rushnerd I just started up a 99 Camry after sitting for 8 years, unused never started. New battery and it started right up, purrs like a kitten. Just freaking amazing.

[@corvairjim1]

He should have stuck with Chevys. My '06 Cobalt SS has well over 200,000 miles on it and the only mechanical problem was when the alternator let go around 180,000 miles. It's easy on parts, easy on gas (I'm averaging 40 mpg by just driving sensibly) handles great, and would still look great if the clearcoat weren't peeling off of the top surfaces. Just a great little car, much better than the two Toyotas my mom had (both rebadged as Chevys: a Nova and a Prizm).

[@Staetik]

I'm a subcompact car driver for life. Started with a Pontiac t1000(Chevy Chevette), then Ford Escort, Honda Civic hatchback, Dodge Neon, and now a KIA Soul.

[@nolarobert]

My Dad had a Geo Metro. It was pretty basic transportation. Living in the South, he did get it with A/C. He loved that little car. It got great gas mileage, was easy to drive in downtown Atlanta traffic, and never had any mechanical issues. He owned it for 10+ years and it never let him down. He regretted trading it in for a Hyundai Accent. So I am glad to see the Metro make the Top 10 Best list.

[@theadvocate4698]

Me too! These where basic cheap, tough and fun! we had 3 in the familly at some point and we all have good memories about them....

[@kennethfrazee2540]

@@theadvocate4698 Most reliable cars I've ever owned, you didn't have work on them. Just oil change every so often...

[@markwhite1333]

@@theadvocate4698 +

[@chuckschilling9113]

Owned an 86 323 and an 89 Mercury Tracer both purchased new. The Tracer, assembled in Mexico, aged quickly with lots of expenses for brakes and small things, while the 323 gave me 150,000 miles with no expenses, including brakes. Both cars had the same hardware yet the 323 was assembled in Japan. I loved that 323 and eventually acquired a 04 3 which runs great to this day. Guess where the 3 was assembled...

[@SkylineFTW97]

I have a 15 Honda Fit, which was the one year they were built in Mexico instead of Japan. They are still good cars, although the 15s are more prone to things like leaky sunroofs (mine doesn't have one, it's an LX).

[@kennethfrazee2540]

For those awful wages you're lucky you didn't get coolant comprised of half urine...

[@redchris97]

Man what a throwback.... I had 2 Metros( one a 89 and the other a 91) they were reliable but the suspension and ride was crap, and then I had a 88 mazda 323 1.6( that was actually my 1st car) which is the last year of the GLC body style, the 323 was better but ultimately died because I couldn't afford to fix the automatic transmission, and both Geo's left to the junkyard under their own power, they were just horribly rusted in the shock towers and all the floor pans were gone.

[@mattw8332]

What a great list of cars! Ford Fiestas were an extremely common sight on British roads in the 1980s and 1990s but most had a 0.95, 1.1 or 1.3 litre engine. It's a shame that the AMC Gremlin never made the list. 😁 Or should that have been the Spirit by the 1980s?

[@hoodagooboy5981]

Sadly the Gremlin was too big to be a "subcompact". But that's ok, they were still great cars.

[@61chickens]

Great to see the Metro/Swift finally getting the credit it always deserved...thanks for including it!

[@theadvocate4698]

I love those!

[@padroooo]

A history lesson in every episode. Thanks Pat

[@1mzfe]

Up here in Canada the Mazda Neo was known as the Mazda MX-3.

[@Varsityathelete61]

Yes, I was going to post the same info😏

[@mattm7252]

The MX-3 is different. We got the Neo for one or two years along side the MX-3 Precidia in I think 93-94.

[@kaneinkansas]

By far the best car on this list is the 2nd-GEN HONDA CRX (which was an enormous advance over the 1st gen in many many ways). What made it special was 1) light weight + 2) Short Wheelbase + 3) DOUBLE WISHBONE 4 wheel independent suspension [not in the 1st gen] + 4) Best Manual Transmissions (all Hondas during these years - just tight, tidy, exact, and perfect). There are very few cars today with wishbone suspension - which has much better road holding properties than any other suspension (in my humble opinion). I owned the 1988 HF - the 1st car I bought new. Shortly after buying it I went to visit my brother who had obtained a job working for a company in the Ozarks. I drove through those Ozark mountains back roads - the suspension ate up the curves and stayed glued to the pavement. Because it was manual transmission, the excelleration was fine, but the amazing thing was the way it ate up curves - especially on mountain roads. The closest thing to the CRX was the Mazda Miata (also Double Wishbone) - but the Miata provided too much feed back; it was also much more expensive - after 1 year in the Miata I was ready to go back to a CRX, which is what I did. I traveled a lot in my jobs in the late 1980s and made money from expense account because the car got 55 mpg. It was perfect in almost every way and I paid $9172 for it brand new in 1988. Going to pick the car up with my younger brother, - driving that car out of the dealership was one of the best days of my life. (Those were also perhaps the best years of my adult life as well). Dealers were constantly making offers to me to sell it back to them for 6 years after I bought it. The styling of the 1988 CRX still seems contemporary today. I say don't just make a video about this car, push the research out to going out and finding a stock version of it and try driving it. It will push the car to the very top. BTW I agree the FORD FIESTA was a very good car, my brother had one of those and it drove nicely through the Ozarks as well. Finally, before the CRX, I had a PLYMOUTH HORIZON and I felt that was a better execution of the Rabbit, than the Rabbit, because it was wider and had more leg room. (Though the Rabbit was a good car that changed the car industry to front wheel drive - which most of the time is better than real wheel drive, especially in snow, especially with electronic stability control).

[@darrellasmith77]

You just made my day finally a feature for the CRX still looking forward to a full episode about it . 😃

[@damilolaakanni]

The 11th gen civic is also available as a sedan...just that you can only get a manual transmission in the hatchbacks except you get the Si.

[@oldshowfanatic77]

Right. And it was the wrong picture of the 10th generation for the 11th generation. 🤦‍♂️

[@damilolaakanni]

​@oldshowfanatic77 I just noticed something, he showed the facelifted 11th generation Corolla and called that the 12th generation.

[@whatthedeuce47d68]

I loved the original golf, my mom sold them and bought one for personal use but it was a "City-Golf" version with two sunlight panels for above the driver and co-driver. Reliable as anything, great memories. We subsequently also had a Renault 5 which was maybe not as reliable but was cheap n cheerful. My second car was a Ford Escort XR3 shape which was in this video as well, relating to the ford fiesta, loved the car, being a student at the time it made financial sense.. Great content, keep it up.

[@club1fan552]

Loved our '77 GLC, the cool running motor never overheated, and it had the sweetest sounding engine ever. Would love to see more on the GLC/323/Protege ranges!!! Great vid. Thanks!!!

[@paul9912]

Thank you for including the Geo Metro. It has always been one of my favorite cars

[@joet1717]

I've had an 89 CRX, a 93 Del Sol, and a 98 Civix hatch. All three were manuals and were fantastic vehicles, if a little slow for modern speeds

[@MrTPF1]

Sorry, but I have to correct you: The late, great Burgess Merideth's most iconic role was as The Penguin in the original Batman series from the 60's! 😂

[@mikefromfargonodak]

For me it's the old man in Grumpy Old Men!

[@jpmiller7922]

I assumed it was his role in the Twilight Zone.

[@MrTPF1]

@@jpmiller7922 That was my favorite episode. I think it was called "The Book Worm"

[@ACoustaDC]

@@jpmiller7922 He also played the guy the aliens gave special powers too!

[@woxyroxme]

He was in the movie Burnt Offerings with Betty Davis and Karen Black, well worth seeing

[@manthony225]

Very cool that the Mark 1 Fiesta made the list. I had a 79 in the 80's and I loved it. There weren't many of them in the US so it was cool to have a car that kind of stood out- I had the S model with orange stripes. My only gripe about your video: the original Mini should have at least gotten an honorable mention. It was basically the blueprint for the small front drive car that everyone copied.

[@danielleleitch9626]

My 78 fiesta was bright yellow, I could def be seen coming!!

[@sinakaedwards2009]

I owned a 91 CRX the base economy model. Loved it, engine gave out at around 350,000 miles. Until then it was awesome, my favorite car followed by a Toyota paseo.

[@Jim_Curtis]

Interesting and informative videos as always. Keep up the great work!

[@thelightspeed3d712]

I had a Chevette... Diesel Chevette. I traded a 1960 Panel Suburban for it... The first day I had it... I filled it with Gasoline. lol Good thing it was only a few gallons, I just put diesel over it and ran it out.

[@Foxonian]

The main reason the VW Beetle stopped being offered in North America was that it could no longer meet then new US emissions and safety standards.

[@michaelconverse5127]

It did still meet those standards and vw would have kept it updated to keep meeting those standards …the reason vw stopped offering it in the USA was strictly due to declining sales due to drastically increased pricing and more modern competition. The beetle was about $1800 in 1971 and just six years later was $3800. That is a gigantic increase in price and was a result of the US dollar’s value compared to DM and made it less appealing. Beetle sales went from 342,000 in 1973 to 75,000 in 1975 and just over 12,000 sedans in 1977 and I strongly believe price had more to do with than anything else. If the dollar vs DM value has not changed so much, and the beetle would have remained competitively priced, I believe sales would have been sufficient enough that vw would have kept it around much longer-and in fact said in the mid 1970s that they would keep it in the lineup so long as sales justified it.

[@Paddyboro]

Huge congrats on the well earned 50k, just the beginning I expect. You, EdsCarReviews, Big Car, RauiriMacveigh and TwinCam deserve to be over the 1mil mark.

[@paincalledliving]

My 84 MK1 GTI with a 16v engine swap is extremely fun to drive.

[@OLDS98]

Very good video and footage! I like that it was quite extensive and covered so much. I really found it great to watch also. Thank you for the footage and information placed into the video. Keep doing a great job.

[@billthompson5644]

1983 Tercel SR5 Wagon 4x4 was AWESOME, I had 3 of them.

[@iangrice329]

So glad the Swift made this list, so underrated. You could get a 4x4 version in UK badged as a subaru justy.

[@JK061996]

I believe there was also a Suzuki-badged 4WD sedan version

[@iangrice329]

@@JK061996 I think there was but not sure that was available in the UK.

[@trwsandford]

Late 80’s Nissan Sentra. Fantastic little car. My sister had one. Tiny engine, 5 speed, cold AC, 50 mpg, and kinda fun to drive!

[@erikbunty2016]

Now, the Sentra is like a mid-sized car. They don't even offer a manual anymore.

[@trwsandford]

Erik Bunty kinda sad isn’t it? What was once such an outstanding little get about is now just another faceless shoulder sagging bag of disappointment. Thanks Renault!

[@howebrad4601]

I have that exact same color CRX in my collection. Glad to see it was included!

[@radomguy9678]

My prediction in my comment from the 10 Worst video came true: cars from the 10 Worst ended up on the 10 Best. Regardless, it’s still fun to see all these cars. I’ve driven almost every car on the two lists, and owned a bunch of them, too. I used to keep a running list of every car that I had ever driven. I don’t think that I can ever set aside the time to create the complete list again, but it would be fun if I could. I used to ask everyone that I met if I could test drive their car when I was a teenager in the 80’s. Apparently almost everyone said yes. As I got older with more concerns about liability if anything ever happened (that never crossed my mind at 16 years old), I drove less and less of other people’s cars. But boy, it was fun!

[@thor21x7gmail]

Great video. I do however was hoping the Honda Prelude SI would be on the list. Great cars

[@Subnado]

I still have a 1996 Geo Metro sedan…4 cylinder 5 speed. Great car. It’s super ugly but the engine is strong. It currently has 202,500 miles on it. I rotate driving it to keep mileage down and I drive it when gas prices go up. It’s really fun to drive.

[@trwsandford]

Get yourself a spare engine while you can, and keep that thing forever!

[@theadvocate4698]

Owned a 1985 suzuki forsa manual and i know what you are talking about!

[@briangriffin9872]

Man I hope you do one of the Chevy celebrity that was my first car it was an slow ugly rusty girlfriend deflector but man did it run forever I even tried to kill it with neutral drops now all grown up I can really appreciate how reliable that car was. Keep up the great work love your episodes.

[@The_R-n-I_Guy]

1977-1990 GM B-Body platform!!! Impala, Caprice Classic, Delta 88, Buick Electra, Pontiac Parisienne...great cars

[@kaneinkansas]

My dad had a 1977 Caprice Classic, all black with a red pinstripe, and red crushed velvet interior. It was the car of the year for 1977. He had the small block V-8. A better deal would have been to have gotten the 350 V-8 which was one of the best engines going back in the 70s.

[@davinp]

The Toyota Corolla has been made for 55 years. The Corolla is available in 4 door hatchback and hybrid models. The Japanese automakers (Honda & Toyota) keep redesigning and improving their cars, unlike the American brands who give up when it fails and replace it with a new model. Of course Ford, GM & Chrysler don't make small cars for America anymore as they aren't popular anymore.

[@amerigo88]

Technically, the Corolla nameplate is the highest volume car ever. It has passed the Ford Model T and Volkswagen Beetle. It is still in production, also.

[@fleipeg]

I owned a '92 MK2 Golf GTI that I absolutely loved.

[@noelmalan2069]

I had a Renault 5 ti in South Africa in the 80's and it was a great car. Good performance, great ride - the French are good at that - and economical.

[@eliwilson3902]

My mom went from a V8 80s Bonneville as her first car, to a geo metro as her second car. She took great care of it and only has fond memories of it. I think those cars are dangerous to drive on the road in today's world but they are extremely reliable and economical. It's really something that could never be made again today due to safety standards. You had to plan ahead when you were gonna need to accelerate in those because they took so long to get up to speed.

[@zorilla0]

The current Mitsubishi Mirage is probably as close to a spiritual successor to the Geo Metro as we'll ever get. It's safer, more powerful (78 HP instead of 55 lol), and far better equipped, but still manages to get the same stellar fuel economy with a simple and reliable (if outdated) drivetrain. Sadly, feature creep in each new model year and today's insane car market have driven the price tag of the Mirage up to the point to where it no longer makes economic sense for most buyers who could get a 4-cylinder car with double the power for $2-3k more.

[@relaxitsme_alex9104]

With gas so high rn. I wouldn't be surprised if the crossover/suv crave starts going down a bit.

[@baronvonjo1929]

SUVs probably. But crossovers I doubt. The whole point of a crossover is to have more practical use than a sedan with good mpgs.

[@vapsa56]

Interesting enough, I have owned 2 of these vehicles on the top 10 subcompact list. A 1988 Hyundai Excel GX and a 1995 VW Golf GL. Loved them both.

[@andyb1653]

The Golf was a super-important car. It popularized the hot-hatch and proved that a front-wheel-drive car can still have sportscar-like handling. Anything built off the Golf platform (especially gen-1 and gen-2) is super-fun to drive. Jetta, Passat, Scirocco, even the weird-ass Golf mini-truck, they're all a hoot.

[@__belial__]

Can’t wait to see your return to KZbin! It’s sad this channel doesn’t have more subs. Everyone should watch this.

[@m1t2a1]

My first was a Chevette too. Except it was a 78 Pontiac Acadian in 80. Reliable except for a fuel hose. Simple. High?school and college. Put in a stereo and it got me around.

[@andrewdodson4326]

Love these videos! Pays homage to bygone times. Great work

[@tolkien777]

The Mazda Familia 323 is a really good compact , we loved here ...we've had it here since the 1960 FA2 Familia (1300) , we also built the 80s BF series Familia 323 up until 2004 here , and of course, we still have the Mazda3

[@junker15]

I didn't have a Chevette. I had TWO Chevettes! My first car was a no-A/C 1984 model. The second one (also a 1984 and with 4-speed like the first one) had A/C. Sure, they had their issues mostly because they had carbie, but I drove the first one for about 30000 miles over the course of a year and a half (my first odo flip!). I traded the second one for a 1987 Sunbird that I could take back to USA (I was in Germany and a previous owner cut the cat out of the Chevette and ran it on leaded fuel!) Also when I was in Germany, I had one of my favorite cars of all time: 1972 Beetle. Neon green. Points ignition. Slowly-leaking rims. German inspection failure after I had to leave it for 6 months while I went to Turkey for a TDY killed that one dead, unfortunately. My next car after that was the second Chevette!

[@TheRoadhammer379]

I had the 91 crx Si, along with the 92 Festiva, it was a stout, fun, nimble car that got phenomenal gas mileage. I miss both of these cars.

[@jefferysmith3930]

Thank you for this video. I am such a fan of small cars. I have had experience with almost all of these car, save the Fiesta. My first car was a ‘71 Super Beetle, my grand parents had a frog green ‘78 Le Car that my grandmother drove with gusto! My mom had 2..1st gen Civics. Mom has a lead foot and she actually got the thing airborne one time with me, my sister and 2 of her friends in the car. My sister had a Pontiac 1000 ( Chevette)... worst gearbox I’ve ever driven and later an ‘83 Tercel SR5. That car was indestructible and just a hoot to drive with the tach pegged on the the redline the entire time. My mom had an 81’ Corolla 5 spd. My sister taught me at 13 years old to do a power slide in that car.....it did not go well. Never owned, but drove a Metro. 5spd. One time. Such a delicious growl from the puny 3 cylinder engine that I had to laugh. Both my sister and I had Mk. 1 VW cabriolets (Rabbit convertibles) such a blast to drive. Anyone I let drive my Cab came back with a smile on their face. What a nice trip down memory lane. Nothing better than driving a slow car fast!

[@Doug_NEPA]

How about a story regarding Datsun/Nissan around 1982? The Sentra just broke cover and my father bought a brand new Stanza (try finding one of those on the roads!). Keep it up. Just subscribed and love the channel!

[@robertj2]

I was hit in my Escort in 1992 and rented a 92 Stanza. Great car…got hit in it twice while I had it! That was a tough month.

[@gretchenlittle6817]

I had a little '81 Ford Fiesta -- first new car I'd ever bought. The thing was fun to drive, with a 4-speed manual and a decent suspension. Maybe too much fun -- wrecked it twice and traded it for a Jetta.

[@danielleleitch9626]

I had a 78 Fiesta it was awesome to drive if you. 4spead manual transmission. The only trouble I had was the clutch linkage and the master cylinders kept blowing the seals as it got older. It was a family car I inherited when it was 13yrs old and had about 200k miles on it

[@-fuk57]

My dad had a orange GLC. We called it "The Pumkin".

[@robertj2]

Miss my 78 GLC. wish I still had it. Paid 1875 for it and drove it to within an inch of its life. Manual choke…started every time.

[@jeremyb456]

Very good list I am glad to see that the Geo metro was on this list I had 3 Geo metros I had a 1992 a 1995 and a 1996 I loved them so good on gas and fun to drive like a go kart

[@boisegameshowguy]

I own a Hyundai Accent and enjoy every minute driving her. She’s a dark blue sedan, ’17 Value Edition. I love subcompact cars so much that I prefer to call them what our British friends call them: Superminis.

[@theadvocate4698]

Driving a 2015 manual kia rio hatch and feeling the same! I could get something brand new but this little bugger keep me straight! Light, fun, cheerful reliable...just could not replace it...And even if a brand new rio is available, i just don't feel the need to do so, mine is fine, aging beautifully....Upgrading to led headlight and android auto....

[@billyjoejimbob56]

Regarding the potential confusion over the VW Golf (aka Rabbit in US) being named after an elite game... This was a uniquely American concern. Golf was the first of many VW models being named after Winds of the world. The Golf was named after the Gulf Stream, Golf being the German spelling. Other VWs named for winds included Jetta, Bora, Scirocco, Passat, and Polo.

[@iFixJunk]

I'm not sure where we're drawing the line between compacts and subcompacts, BUT I was surprised that the Cavalier didn't make either the Ten Best or the Ten Worst list. If I recall correctly, my 1992 Cavalier's owner's manual referred to it as a "subcompact" in the chapter that explained the door-mounted, front-occupant seatbelts (GM considered these automatic because they could remain buckled and the driver or front passenger could very uncomfortably get in and out of the car with the seatbelt already engaged). Anyway, I would have said it was not a great car. But others would disagree, since I know there have been a lot of people who loved their Cavaliers. Some were fans of the 1.8; others loved the 2.2 I always figured the Cavalier, when current, sold a lot of Hondas and Toyotas. People probably sat in the Cavalier in a showroom, and thought, "Yeah, it's a cheap car. But am I really going to make a monthly payment for THIS lame piece of shit?"

[@Washdt07]

I'm surprised not to see the Nissan Sentra on this list. But I am happy that my car was number 1 ❤️

[@tomasjones3755]

Rabbit playing Golf. I see what you did there. LOL

[@dogcowrph]

My Three and a half year old Honda CRX was the best car I ever owned. I put 180,000 on it in 3 ½ years before a patch of ice wrapped it around a telephone pole. I walked away without a scratch. It was just a Coll, tiny two seater that I could park in Alf a parking space. It just ran no matter the weather on maintain even.

[@mattm7252]

Just an FYI in case nobody else has mentioned it. The 323 Neo was a blip in sales here in Canada compared to the regular 323 hahah. Europe had it more as the 323f. And you can still get the Civic as a sedan, just just as a hatch. Otherwise wonderful work!

[@PaBa1984]

My grandmother had a first gen import Corolla to get around. So of course dad had to test it out by driving it to Vancouver…from Rhode Island.

[@rabit818]

The last Focus or Fiesta ST manual would be fun to own. Burgess Meredith was the original Penguin.

[@kevinbuja8105]

I had a Tercel SR5, with the 2 sunroofs. Loved it until I rolled it, with the sunroof out. I literally walked away unscathed. Also loved my Chevette, never let me down. Also had a 1985 MkII Golf GTI, the year they won Motor Trend’s “Car of the Year” Fahrvergnugen everyone.

[@ChrisHsuCars]

My first new car ever was a Volkswagen Golf! It was a mk3 and I loved that car. Still miss it today. Love your videos!

[@mysticmelody]

The geo metro was so popular because a lot of Americans, including my family were poor. The fact that most people were able to afford a geo metro and gas for themselves and roommates in the 90s, made geo metro a nostalgic car. NOT because it was cool, but because it holds memories for a lot of us lower class families. 🏆🏆🏆

[@rushnerd]

Doesn't really matter what you think about them when you still see them on the road every once in a while. That's reliability.

[@mysticmelody]

@@rushnerd I’m confused by your reply. I loved the geo metro. The reliability for low income families makes sense… did you read my response incorrectly?

[@rushnerd]

@@mysticmelody Yeah. I meant it doesn't mater what ANYONE thinks about the metro. Any car from the 90's that is still on the road today is proof enough.

[@jamessouder6044]

love my rabbits , i have an 83 rabbit convertible ,and 81 rabbit pickup , love them both

[@GraeboProductions]

Had two MKI Scirroco, a '78 & '80 in '87-'93. Great cars ( golf mkI platform )

[@cvtechreview]

I can't believe the (US) Ford Escort, especially the 2nd Gen, didn't make it on this list. They were excellent, fun little cars. I've had a few and wish I had one again today.

[@rushnerd]

I don't think anyone really liked the mid 90's jellybean look of them. I had 95' contour (looking much the same) and it was a great car except when the tranny blew out 2K miles into owning it (138K miles).

[@oldschoolvitin3860]

Love this channel will be sharing some thoughts as I live remember a lots these vehicle.

[@flcopperhead766]

Can't believe the CRX was 7th. I imagined 2nd or 3rd

[@leogen8879]

The Geo Metro is legendary. It made both top 10 best and top 10 worst! Absolute king!!!

[@anthonybertone2336]

I had a 78 Volkswagen rabbit with a diesel also had a 1980 with a diesel loved both of those cars and also had a Volkswagen Dash wagon with a diesel again loved it

[@johnkern7075]

My first car was a 1973 Toyota Corolla. I miss that little car.

[@DalmintheLastbottom]

My first car is a 2000 Daihatsu Cuore or Mira depending on where you live. It has a small 1.0L 3 cylinder making around 56 horsepower. I love that little car.

[@nousername2932]

i had 2 tercels (98's) and a 96 corolla... great cars. The manuals were actually fun to drive. Very light.

[@mojavewanderer7719]

My first car was a1988 Hyundai Excell. 4 door sedan, with a 5 speed manual. My current commuter car is a 2004 Pontiac Vibe, which is essentially a Toyota Corolla hatch back. The excell was a piece of junk, but a decent first car. The Vibe is a great little car, with good gas mileage, so I can keep the miles off my 4Runner.

[@BELCAN57]

Rolls Royce manufactured Silver Ghost and Phantom Motor Cars in Springfield, Massachusetts from 1921 to 1931.

[@genghiscalm4879]

After a terrible experience with a 79 Omni, I still wanted something small and North American. Bought a brand new 88 Mercury Tracer, only to find out it was actually a rebadged Mazda. Once I owned it, I didn't care. It was great and still consider it one of my favorite cars I have owned. However I was young and stupid, driving the absolute crap out of that poor thing. After a generally stalwart 350,000 kms (217,000 miles), I threw it in reverse, rolled back hard, threw it in first and dumped the clutch. Oh the smoke show it gave. But of course the transmission lasted three days after that much stress and I could not afford repairs. A perfectly good car was scrapped. I still regret it.

[@29madmangaud29]

Cool, I[ have owned 4 of your top 10 little cars. Volkswagen Beetle, 1967, a 1974 Super Beetle, a 1978 VW Rabbit, a '92 Geo Metro , 93 Geo Metro, 93 geo metro, '94 Geo Metro, and a '04 Toyota Corolla currently!

[@woolly3603]

I've got a 1998 E11 Corolla Liftback, with the cute bubbly headlights, I have a 1.3 1300cc, it's a great little car for what it's worth.

[@v.e.7236]

I owned a '82 VW Golf diesel w/ a manual gear box and happily drove it everywhere, w/o issue. Loved that car. Ten years down the road my nephew is in need of a reliable vehicle for a new job, so I give him my Rabbit, knowing it will be as reliable as it was for me. He killed it in less than a month, because he didn't watch his gauges and it overheated, due to a pinhole in the radiator. It had just over180K miles on it, when I gave it to him. Would love to have that little car back in my possession, as it would regularly see 40+ MPG.

[@jamesdixon8919]

We had a 82 Chivett with a 1..8 litre diesel Isuzu and we loved that it got over 40 mpg and drove very good at highway speeds of 70+ mph

[@theogeitondasamphilochos5630]

Yeah! CRX! It was my father's car. In my childhood I sometimes rode it along with my father (oddly enough, my father's CRX was 4-seater, unlike ordinary 2 seater CRX... And yeah, it was CLUMPED even with me as a child 😂) and oh boy! its engine roared unlike anything any other car and it has very wild acceleration 😘

[@boerde6202]

I think most countrys got as a 2+2 (in name only)? I mean, you could probably fit 4 small Japanese people in it? And this does make me think you're father had a B16 series in it.. That is what most of us got.. Exept the Americans.

[@terryskorczewski4727]

A car that is often overlooked is the Toyota starlet it was a great simple little car excellent gas mileage

[@cjcase1305]

5 speed manual rear wheel drive. The car I learned to drive in and used during high school. Great car, needs it own review!

[@robertallen6701]

I think you could make the argument that Burgess Meredith was best known for playing the Penguin in the Batman TV series.

[@rustyramblings5807]

I bought a 1985 Corolla fwd with about 110,000 miles on it.It needed a clutch job and carb rebuild..I paid $400.After a new clutch and carb rebuild,we drove it for 9 years.29 mpg in town,and as high as 45 mpg on the highway.Sold it for $500

[@yvescote9893]

I live in Ontario Canada and I remember seeing Suzuki Swift Pontiac Firefly Chevy Sprint and Geo Metro

[@syxepop]

The Golf made as a BEV (17:14) is already on sale, it is called the (not sold in US) iD3, a bit shorter and lower than the iD4 crossover sold in US. Also there's NO HYBRID VW in US (last one was the Jetta Hybrid w/a T-1.4L* and a single electric motor). Also only the high-performance Golfs (GTi and R) made it to the US as of the 8th generation. * that model was the first US app of VW's 1.4L, used in most vehicles, but best known on the Polo, VW's B-sized / subcompact car in most of the world. The 1.4L is now being replaced in '22 by a new 1.5L, as in most Jetta sedans.

[@howebrad4601]

Buyers didnt have to wait for the 85 crx si to get the 1.5L engine. 84 crx from the beginning could be had with either the 1.3L as mentioned or the 1488cc 1.5L 4 cylinder. The Si, which was later introduced, did have more hp though than the regular 1.5 CRX.

[@baconhairfabfur6548]

7:22 i wonder whether the sales of large luxury sedans (essentially just gas guzzlers) were impacted the oil crisis, which may have probably been followed by a bunch of economy cars (ford festiva, honda civic, yugo, geo metro, etc.) speaking of the metro, i’m surprised it managed to get on this video, despite also being on the “worst subcompact car” video. then again, i can understand why, as like any subcompact car, was made for the intentions for basic transportation and fuel economy

[@lili2sexc]

Love the channel but some of your details aren’t correct. The Civic isn’t only offered as a 4 door liftback. It has coupé like styling on the sedan which makes it look like a liftback. It was offered in coupé, sedan and liftback body styles.

[@AcuraLvR82]

Need Acura Integra on your list but civic is close enough lol. A very important feature you didnt mention about the crx, the HF model was the first to bring multi-port injection to the lineup and it was one of the only cars that actually got over 50 mpg on the highway.

[@ilovetotri23]

Great video! Truly amazing and super fun to watch! The only car on this list I truly hated after driving it was the Geo Metro! All the others had great strengths, and some weaknesses. The Geo Metro seemed to have nothing but weaknesses.

[@fluffysheap]

Did you have the automatic? You need the manual

[@RobG1981]

The ID.3 is the successor to the Golf, not only as an electric, but as a compact car in general.

[@jonytube]

Now that you point it out, it makes perfect sense. The size is more in line with what the mk1 was and it's a good looking but not an attention grabber in the best way possible.

[@RobG1981]

@@jonytube My father bought an ID.3 and it is quite large, larger than a Golf V. The interiour is relatively huge, because the wheel base is long.

[@marcykaren]

In 1980 I compared the various subcompacts and actually wanted to buy a Ford Fiesta but it only offered a 4 speed manual. I ended up buying a Honda Civic 1500GL. Ultimately I'm sure I made the right decision; I kept the Honda for 11 years and 180,000 miles. It still ran well although it was burning a quart of oil every 3000 miles. It had a bit of rust, but I know those in the snow belt rusted terribly.