The Honda Civic emerged in 2006 from a redesign with a spacey interior and less backseat room, but with a better sense of style and road feel than the new Corolla.
The Hyundai Elantra's a big bargain compared to the Toyota, as is Hyundai's larger Sonata compared to the $22,000 Corolla XRS.
The Nissan Sentra has jazzier style and a better backseat, while the Mazda3 is the zippiest of all, and it can be tweaked out in turbocharged Mazdaspeed3 form.
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 2009 Toyota CorollaBrowse Used Listings |  2008 Hyundai ElantraBrowse Used Listings |  2008 Mazda MAZDA3Browse Used Listings |  2008 Nissan SentraBrowse Used Listings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quick Specs | |||
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The 2009 Toyota Corolla has a split personality: the utilitarian base car and the slightly edgy, expensive Corolla XRS. |
The 2008 Hyundai Elantra doesn’t have a lot of personality, but it’s the undeniable practical choice. |
The 2008 Mazda 3 is easily one of the best compact cars for sale in the United States. |
The 2008 Nissan Sentra is worth a drive, but its CVT may turn off some buyers. |
| MSRP From | |||
| $15,350 | $13,970 | $13,895 | $16,140 |
| Gas Mileage | |||
| 22 MPG City / 35 MPG Hwy | 24 MPG City / 33 MPG Hwy | 18 MPG City / 32 MPG Hwy | 21 MPG City / 33 MPG Hwy |
| Engine | |||
| Gas I4 | Gas I4 | Gas I4 | Gas I4 |
| EPA Class | |||
| Compact | Mid-Size | Compact | Compact |
| Style Name | |||
| 4-Door Sedan Manual (SE) | 4-Door Sedan Manual GLS | 4-Door Sedan Manual i Sport *Ltd Avail* | 4-Door Sedan I4 CVT 2.0 |
| Drivetrain | |||
| Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive |
| Passenger Capacity | |||
| 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Passenger Doors | |||
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Body Style | |||
| 4 Door Sedan | 4 Door Sedan | 4 Door Sedan | 4 Door Sedan |
| Transmission | |||
| Manual w/OD | Manual w/OD | Manual w/OD | CVT |
| Detailed Spec Comparison | |||
| 2009 Toyota Corolla vs. 2008 Hyundai Elantra | 2009 Toyota Corolla vs. 2008 Mazda MAZDA3 | 2009 Toyota Corolla vs. 2008 Nissan Sentra | |
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