The 2011 Ford Fiesta is the newest of the cheap compact cars, and it is also simultaneously the most powerful and the least thirsty at the fuel pump. The Fiesta's 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine is capable of producing 120 horsepower and 112 lb-ft of torque, and yet it still offers a fuel economy rating of 29-mpg around town and 38-mpg highway when found in base five-speed manual trim.
The extra dollars that distance the Fiesta sedan from the cheapest of the compact cars on our list also purchase an AM/FM stereo system with both an auxiliary jack and a USB port, intermittent windshield wipers and four-inch LCD screen that displays information related to the automobile's audio, phone and other settings. No other vehicle in its class provides this type of feature.