The hatchback could be the perfect bargain car: versatile, good on gas and capable of hauling a large pile of junk relative to its size. The Honda Fit is no exception. Equipped with a five-speed automatic transmission, it gets an impressive 28 city/35 highway mpg. Its upright shape and high roof conceal a roomy cabin, and with its back seats folded down, it can swallow 57 cubic feet of stuff.

The Fit is also adept at dodging one major cost of car ownership: depreciation. After three years of ownership, Kelley Blue Book projects the Fit will retain 55 percent of its value. That's better than the Toyota Yaris, Hyundai Accent and Chevrolet Aveo.

Reliability is another key requisite for a miser-mobile, and the Fit gets high marks from J.D. Power. The Fit received a 2010 award for highest dependability among subcompacts.

One quibble that frugal folks might find with the Fit is its asking price. A new Fit comes in at $15,700 for the base car model with an automatic transmission. But its standard features include power windows and door locks, CD stereo with auxiliary input and air conditioning.