Available As: Small 2-door hatchback and sedan

Base Price Range (MSRP): $10,415-$13,915

Pros: Price, warranty, fuel economy, ride.

Cons: Rear-seat space, acceleration, safety ratings.

Overall: While the Accent is good for a subcompact, particularly by standards of the recent past, it's priced too close to superior larger vehicles.

Rating: 5/10

Recommended: NO

To someone used to a subcompact as new as three years old, the Accent (or its Kia Rio twin) would seem terrific, and by the standards of that age it would be. It is rides comfortably, gets excellent gas mileage, and has comfortable front seating, a long warranty, and a low price. And then, its unimpressive crash test performance, rear seat space, and acceleration were the norm, and would not have hurt it. But the times have changed, and the prices have risen even for the least expensive subcompacts. Space efficiency has improved to provide adult-friendly rear seats, the Accent's standard side airbags are overshadowed by the competition's superior safety ratings, and other small cars offer a better blend of pep and fuel economy, with higher manual-transmission shift quality. The Accent has few serious weak points, but also few unique strong points (the leading one being Hyundai's long warranty). Not doing too much wrong is no longer enough to compete in the economy car class.

The best budget car on the market is the Ford Focus, which is not only deeply discounted from already reasonable prices but also offers impressive interior space and driving dynamics. It is also much more powerful than the Accent, though not as fuel-efficient. For maximum fuel efficiency at a low price, consider the Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris. But neither are as inexpensive as the Accent, and the Fit is in very short supply. The Fit is also fun to drive for a subcompact car, though the Yaris is not. And the Hyundai Elantra, Nissan Versa, and Toyota Corolla are well-rounded, relatively inexpensive economy cars with good gas mileage and roomy interiors.

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See the 2008 Accent GLS in the IFCAR Economy Sedan Comparison Test

Available As: Large sedan

Base Price Range (MSRP): $24,235-$27,355

Pros: Interior space, interior quality, refinement, acceleration, price, warranty.

Cons: Fuel economy.

Overall: Space and luxury for a reasonable price.

Rating: 9/10

Recommended: YES (IFCAR Top Pick)

For the price of comparably-equipped midsize family sedan, the Azera adds to such a car a luxury feel, more safety equipment, and even more interior space. It can also be considered a low-cost alternative to other large luxurious sedans. The Azera is smooth-riding and quiet, has a spacious and well-finished interior, and handles surprisingly well. Its standard V6 is adequately smooth and strong, but the 3.8-liter V6 on mid- and high-trim models is silent and effortless in comparison, but comes at a price premium of $1,300 between comparably-equipped cars. The Azera isn't as fuel-efficient as many smaller competitors, nor is it quite as silent as some pricier large sedans, but it's an excellent car at a very competitive price with few obvious shortcomings.

For maximum luxury within mainstream prices, consider the V8 versions of the Buick Lucerne. It is very comfortable inside, rides and handles well for its size, and offers strong acceleration. It's more expensive than the Azera however, not as quick, not as fuel-efficient, and not as nimble. The Toyota Avalon is more powerful and fuel-efficient, and slightly quieter and smoother-riding, but has flatter seats and clumsier handling, and also costs more. The Ford Taurus is a quiet, powerful, safe, and spacious family sedan with competitive pricing but without the Azera's interior quality. And the Kia Amanti, which shares some mechanicals with the Azera, is similar in most ways but has an even nicer interior but less ride and handling control.

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See the 2006 Azera Limited in the IFCAR Premium Family Sedan Comparison Test

See the 2006 Azera Limited in the IFCAR Large Sedan Comparison Test

Available As: Compact sedan

Base Price Range (MSRP): $13,395-$16,695

Pros: Price, interior space, trunk space, warranty, ride comfort, interior quality.

Cons: Nothing significant.

Overall: Though it is priced alongside small cars that offer no more than basic transportation, the Elantra offers much more than just the fundamentals.

Rating: 9/10

Recommended: YES

The Elantra is an excellent commuter car. It's comfortable, spacious, and fuel-efficient, and inexpensive and impressively warrantied. The interior is constructed with high-quality materials, and the instruments are attractive and well laid-out. The engine offers decent pep, particularly with the manual, but can get too loud at highway cruising in 5th gear; the car is otherwise quiet. Though it doesn't focus on being fun-to-drive, it handles competently. It isn't exciting, but for consumers who place their economy car priorities elsewhere, it's an excellent choice.

Other capable, well-rounded, and well-priced economy cars on the market are the Nissan Versa and Toyota Corolla. The Corolla is generally similar to the Elantra, but even more fuel efficient, and less comfortable for tall drivers and not as agile. The Versa has more comfortable front seats, better handling, and a slicker automatic transmission, but isn't as quick. The Ford Focus is very inexpensive, roomy, and fun to drive, but it's not particularly fuel efficient and has a cheaply built interior. The Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris are relatively inexpensive and very fuel-efficient, but rather slow and, in the Fit's case, hard to find.

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See the 2008 Elantra GLS in the IFCAR Economy Sedan Comparison Test

Available As: Minivan

Base Price Range (MSRP): $23,795-$28,795

Pros: Safety ratings, price, warranty, cargo space, ride, handling, acceleration, refinement, interior quality.

Cons: Third-row comfort, fuel economy.

Overall: A blend of most of the best aspects of pricier class leaders, along with class-leading safety.

Rating: 9/10

Recommended: YES

The Entourage is a value-priced minivan that meets or exceeds the pricier established class leaders in most ways. It is spacious and powerful, it rides and handles well, it has excellent interior quality and ergonomics, and did better in crash-testing than any other minivan. The Entourage falls between class leaders Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna in offering much of the Odyssey's driving dynamics and much of the Sienna's luxury and refinement. A few details come up short, though, such as the too-low third-row-seat, and the mediocre gas mileage. But the Entourage is clearly a top-notch minivan at bargain prices, and deserves strong consideration from all shoppers.

The primary competitor to the Entourage is its twin, the Kia Sedona. The two are virtually identical, and typically priced similarly, so which of the two you choose should depend on what deal you find at the time of your purchase. Among other vans, consider the Honda Odyssey for the sportiest feel of any van, and the Toyota Sienna for the most luxurious one. Both of those can be quite expensive, however. For an even lower price than the Entourage, and for a slick system that stows second and third-row seats into the floor, consider the Dodge Grand Caravan, though it isn't agile, powerful, or refined, and has a low-quality interior and a few mediocre crash-test scores. And for a more refined driving experience but a similar seat trick, consider the somewhat expensive Nissan Quest.

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Available As: Small SUV

Base Price Range (MSRP): $18,900-$22,695

Pros: Interior quality, ride, refinement, interior space, warranty, acceleration (3.3-liter).

Cons: Fuel economy.

Overall: The top luxury choice among mainstream compact SUVs.

Rating: 8/10

Recommended: YES

The Santa Fe is the larger of Hyundai's two compact SUVs, and the pricier. In fact, contrary to Hyundai tradition, the Santa Fe is far from being one of the least expensive vehicles in its class. (Hyundai's smaller Tucson fills that role.) But the Santa Fe offers class-leading luxury among reasonably priced compact SUVs, and offers enough power and interior space to be an alternative to larger vehicles. Its tow rating of 3,500 lbs is high for a car-based SUV as well. It rides comfortably and very quietly with either of its two V6s, has an attractive and very well-built interior that wedges in an emergency-use third-row seat. The standard V6 could use more pep however, and neither engine delivers the fuel efficiency of many competitors. But overall, the Santa Fe is an excellent vehicle that does not need to compete on a price advantage.

If you looked towards Hyundai primarily for a bargain, consider the Tucson and its Kia Sportage twin. They aren't nearly as luxurious, roomy, or refined as the Santa Fe, but cost much less, still have good interior space, and are generally competent. If fuel efficiency is important, consider the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. Both have fuel-efficient standard 4-cylinder engines, and the RAV4 has an available powerful and fuel-efficient V6. The RAV4 also matches the Santa Fe's third row, but the CR-V has a more quality feel of the two. Neither offer the luxury or refinement of the Santa Fe.

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