Four Will Enter, One Will Leave: Honda Fit, Hyundai Accent, Nissan Versa and Suzuki SX4

At last week’s media rally, staffers Bill Jackson and Kelsey Mays tried four entry-level cars — the Honda Fit, Nissan Versa, Suzuki SX4 and Hyundai Accent. Since most people don't rush out and buy four cars, each from a different manufacturer, we thought we'd narrow the field down to an overall winner.

In true beauty-pageant fashion, we'll start with the third runner-up.

Fourth place: 2007 Hyundai Accent SE

WJ: This was the only manual transmission of the bunch. I found the car prone to understeer. The interior didn't have many of the comfort or convenience features of the other models. The minimalist — some would say Spartan — layout didn't bother me much, but it does suffer when compared to the competition.

KM: To me, the Accent’s simple exterior seemed classier than the overstyled Fit and Versa. Thanks to some performance doodads, the engine in this sport-tuned Accent SE starts loud and turns deafening as you shuffle through the gears. Body roll is minimal, but there was some wheel hop over lateral bumps — accompanied, as one might expect, by lots of noise.

Third place: 2007 Suzuki SX4 base

WJ: The tall seating position and high ride of the SX4 said "I'm a sport utility vehicle" quite clearly. It certainly didn't beg to be tossed into corners. The all-wheel-drive system was unobtrusive, and the suspension soaked up bumps very well. I didn't get the use of a metal finish in a couple places on the interior, but controls fell easily into reach.

KM: With excellent visibility and good power starting out, the brand-new SX4 almost took second. What sinks the Suzuki is the driver’s seat, which is narrow and comes with only four adjustments, as well as its poor gas mileage. Credit all-wheel drive, which typically docks a few mpg. With an automatic transmission, the SX4 gets 30 mpg on the highway — significantly less than the Versa’s 36 mpg or the Fit Sport’s 37 mpg.

Which car won the competition? Stay tuned for our next installment.

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