Compact sedan comparison at cars.com

[Chiadog]

I love the comparison tool at Cars.com. This is a link to a comparison of cheap compact sedans I did:
http://www.cars.com/go/compare/trimComp ... 30HYC021H0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I haven't driven any of these cars, but I'd guess the ford focus would win the driving portion of the evaluation, based on what I've read.
On paper however, it seems to me the Nissan Sentra wins based on REAR leg room, MPG, 6 speed manual, and Locking/limited slip differential as standard equipment!
For me the limited slip differential is huge as I live in snow country and I am too cheap to pay for all-wheel-drive at the gas pump.
I left the Dodge Dart out because its interior is unappealing and too in-congruent in design for me. Put a VW dashboard and seats in it - different story!
These are just my opinions and are no reflection on the many happy DD owners

WHAT IS YOUR PICK FOR BEST CHEAP COMPACT SEDAN? HAVE YOU DRIVEN ANY OF THESE?

[ColonelPanic]

Didn't know about the limited slip, that's interesting. Nissan used to have that reserved for those SE-R spec whatever thingies.

I haven't driven any on the list but have looked at the usual 3 suspects as I wanted a union built, American made car this time around. The Cruze, Focus and Dart are all seemingly very nice cars but they get obscenely expensive when piling on options. Dodge did some mid-year reconfiguring of options which helped some but still was out of our price range.

I can't say I would want a 1.8L Cruze. You get a less efficient engine, a timing belt, and can't even get cruise on that model of Cruze. If you're going to shift it yourself, might as well get the Eco with 1.4t and bring in some really good numbers.

We ended up with a Sonic LT with the same 1.4 turbo as the Cruze (and automatic,) what a wonderful little car. That's a niiiice little motor, it would be my preference to have in the Cruze as well.

[Chiadog]

Upon further review, I'm not too sure about the limited slip differential either! Only the Sentra and Dart have it, but all the cars in this class have traction control. I'm sure this is a traction control based on electronic brake application and throttle opening. I have no experience with this type of traction control, so I don't know how well it works. Any snow in Indiana this weekend?????
On the turbo engine, having full torque at 2000rpm is practically intoxicating. It would be hard going back to an anemic 4-banger after that. I'm sure your Vibe feels like it's running on 3 cylinders when you first hop in after driving the Sonic! My only concern would be poor MPG from constantly standing on it and impressing all the fart-piped civics.
chiadog

[ColonelPanic]

We did get some snow but melted on the roads. It hasn't been in a situation where the electronic nannies kick in yet, either from natural or other man-made. It barely snows in my part of the state (about as far south as you can get and not be in Kentucky.)

Funny story about the fart cans... I pulled out of the dealer the other day and had a kind in a slammed 90's Civic hatch come up behind me quickly... I think he saw the TURBO badge on the trunk and got frustrated that I was not using it. He rode my bumper for a while, swirling up the bumble bees, and flung around me at the first opportunity giving me and my car the staredown.

The Sonic feels about the same power-wise since neither one of us really ask the engine to do much work. It is a lot smoother than the Vibe's though!

[Chiadog]

Funny story about the fart cans... I pulled out of the dealer the other day and had a kid in a slammed 90's Civic hatch come up behind me quickly... I think he saw the TURBO badge on the trunk and got frustrated that I was not using it. He rode my bumper for a while, swirling up the bumble bees, and flung around me at the first opportunity giving me and my car the staredown.

The Sonic feels about the same power-wise since neither one of us really ask the engine to do much work. It is a lot smoother than the Vibe's though!

Aaaaw, you should have stomped his rice-burning (removed) and put him in his place! But that would be a waste of the TURBO, seeing as how I've beaten Civics with my Saturn. Probably just a reflection of how many poorly running civics are still on the road.
I hadn't thought about it but, now that you mention it, one adjective I wouldn't attach to my Vibe is smooth! Maybe it's just the 150K .

[ColonelPanic]

The 1ZZ would twitch like a crackhead even when new. They never were smooth, at least the 2 copies I have experience with.