From Civics to Corollas, compact sedans powered America’s daily drive. Here’s how they took over, why they faded, and what ...

The automobile world is full of names, terms, and abbreviations. One of the simplest terms - compact car - is one that is also open to interpretation, and some vehicles can straddle different classes.

Compact cars often get a bad rap for being purely practical and not much else. However, there are several models that have proven you can pack a lot of excitement and performance into a small package.

The compact car segment is incredibly popular. You can get a brand-new compact car for under $30,000 in 2025. One compact car provides the most value in terms of performance, efficiency and standard ...