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7-Way Comparison Finds Honda HR-V to Be the Best 2016 Subcompact Crossover

Ah yes, the weird and wonderful world of subcompact cars. Everybody used to hate the hatchbacks, but manufacturers figured out they can raise the suspension and trick people into thinking they were cool little Jeeps.
7-Way Comparison Finds Honda HR-V to Be the Best 2016 Subcompact Crossover 1 photo
Photo: Screenshot from YouTube
Auto Guide has managed to bring together seven of the top contenders for a 2016 king of the hill shootout. Getting seven of one thing together is hard enough, so we decided to share it with you.

The video puts wisdom before youth, so the old guys go first. We never saw the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport as a subcompact because it seemed so big back in the day. However, vehicles have been getting bigger and bigger each year.

Of course, every model here makes some sort of compromise. In the case of the Mitsubishi, you lose out on features like navigation and build quality while receiving a big trunk and cabin.

The Juke? Well, we all know what sort of compromises that car makes. The rear seats are Fiesta-sized, and the luggage compartment is a joke. But the much newer Mazda CX-3 also suffers from these problems. Nissan's baby is the most powerful car of the comparison, but it's a shame the 1.6L turbo is connected to a CVT gearbox.

The CX-3 is our personal favorite from the lineup. It's a typical new-age Mazda with stiff suspension, but it's light and feels natural to drive. But making the crossover compromise doesn't make that much sense, as you only get the look, not the added practicality. 6-speed automatic instead of a CVT? Yes please!

The Renegade is described as the polar opposite of the CX-3 and the Nissan Juke. The entire Fiat-Chrysler alliance relies on a 9-speed automatic nowadays. But it hasn't helped fuel economy because of the weight of the car. In the real world test, the 2.4L drank its way to 23.8mpg which is in the same league as some trucks.

We get the Fiat 500X after testing it. It makes you feel happy to be a Fiat owner, but it keeps some of the flaws of its platform partner, the Renegade. That only leaves us with the true winner of the test, which is the Honda HR-V. It might be slow and boring on the inside, but people just want practicality and good value That's not to say we don't sympathize with the folks that make lifestyle choices like the Mazda and Fiat.

Editor's note: We don't feel like talking about the Chevrolet Trax. Sorry, we just can't do it!

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About the author: Mihnea Radu
Mihnea Radu profile photo

Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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