No lineup matches the breadth of the VW Golf, although some automakers come close.
For sporty, frugal commuting, the Mazda 3 is a favorite—but its infotainment system frustrates at every opportunity.
The Honda Civic lineup lacks a practical wagon body, but the sedans and hatchbacks are polished, poised, and well-priced.
Look to the Subaru Impreza for its standard all-wheel drive and its Crosstrek and WRX siblings for four-wheeling and sporty driving.
The Hyundai Elantra and Kia Forte are good value choices with excellent tech—and the Elantra GT nearly matches the Golf GTI’s performance.
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 2019 Volkswagen GolfBrowse Used Listings |  2019 Honda CivicBrowse Used Listings |  2019 Hyundai ElantraBrowse Used Listings |  2019 Kia ForteBrowse Used Listings |  2019 Mazda MAZDA3Browse Used Listings |  2019 Subaru ImprezaBrowse Used Listings |
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| Quick Specs | |||||
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The practical 2019 VW Golf is a smart choice whether as a frugal hatchback or a zippy GTI. |
Safety upgrades this year make the 2019 Honda Civic as compelling as ever. |
The 2019 Hyundai Elantra delivers good handling and a lot of value for the money. |
The 2019 Kia Forte pairs stylish good looks with a lot of features, making it a compact sedan standout. |
The 2019 Mazda 3 keeps the zoom, but all-wheel-drive practicality and a vastly upgraded interior make it much more than that. |
The 2019 Subaru Impreza is a sensible, right-price, low-compromise compact car. |
| MSRP From | |||||
| $21,845 | $19,550 | $17,200 | $17,790 | $21,000 | Coming Soon |
| Gas Mileage | |||||
| 21 MPG City / 37 MPG Hwy | 22 MPG City / 42 MPG Hwy | 22 MPG City / 40 MPG Hwy | 27 MPG City / 41 MPG Hwy | 24 MPG City / 36 MPG Hwy | Coming Soon MPG City / Coming Soon MPG Hwy |
| Engine | |||||
| Intercooled Turbo Regular Unleaded I-4 | Regular Unleaded I-4 | Regular Unleaded I-4 | Regular Unleaded I-4 | Regular Unleaded I-4 | N/A |
| EPA Class | |||||
| Compact Cars | Midsize Cars | Midsize Cars | Midsize Cars | Compact Cars | N/A |
| Style Name | |||||
| 1.4T S Automatic | LX CVT | SE Manual | FE Manual | FWD | N/A |
| Drivetrain | |||||
| Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive | N/A |
| Passenger Capacity | |||||
| 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | N/A |
| Passenger Doors | |||||
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Body Style | |||||
| Hatchback | Sedan | Sedan | Sedan | Sedan | N/A |
| Transmission | |||||
| Automatic w/OD | CVT w/OD | Manual w/OD | Manual w/OD | Automatic w/OD | N/A |
| Detailed Spec Comparison | |||||
| 2019 Volkswagen Golf vs. 2019 Honda Civic | 2019 Volkswagen Golf vs. 2019 Hyundai Elantra | 2019 Volkswagen Golf vs. 2019 Kia Forte | 2019 Volkswagen Golf vs. 2019 Mazda MAZDA3 | 2019 Volkswagen Golf vs. 2019 Subaru Impreza | |
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