Mazda2 Sport
- Price: $14,530
- Gas mileage: 29 mpg city/35 mpg highway
- Five-year cost to maintain: $31,714
- Cost per mile: 40 cents
Not the quickest small car on this list, the Mazda2 is fun to drive, thanks to its responsive steering and tight handling. Every Mazda2 comes with a 100-horsepower, 1.5-liter, four-cylinder engine. The price listed here includes the standard five-speed manual transmission. Although it's priced higher than a couple of cars further down the list, it performs well in the cost-to-own arena because it holds its value and its insurance costs are less.
The Sport model comes with full power accessories, air conditioning, and a four-speaker audio system with CD player and auxiliary input jack.