While it’s true that many buyers are migrating to compact SUVs, there’s still a place for the trusty compact car. Small cars tend to be more affordable, better on fuel, and in some ways more functional in city environments than their crossover cousins. Besides, there are still some people out there who just don’t want to drive the same cars as their neighbours. For that subset of drivers, cars are increasingly the way to go.
Below, you’ll find a list of the best compact cars to buy in Canada in 2024. We’ve chosen each new vehicle on this list based on a mix of its affordability, fuel economy, features and value, comfort, technology features like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality, and safety. Some still come with manual transmissions, and a couple even offer standard all-wheel drive (AWD) as noted as well as safety features and driver assistance technologies like adaptive cruise control and blind spot monitoring. If you’re in the market for a small commuter car, you’re sure to find something suitable on this list. What you won’t find is any American manufacturers: aside from EVs, Chevrolet and Ford have exited the compact car market.
Prices include manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) plus dealer fees and destination charges, but they exclude sales taxes. Figures were accurate as of publication time but are subject to change.
The Best Compact Cars to Buy in Canada in 2024
- Acura Integra
- BMW 3 Series
- Genesis G70
- Honda Civic
- Hyundai Elantra
- Lexus IS
- Mazda3
- Subaru Impreza
- Toyota Corolla
- Toyota Prius
- Volkswagen Golf
- Volvo S60
- Frequently Asked Questions
Acura Integra
Affordable can mean different things to different people. If you appreciate the Honda Civic but are looking for a luxury car, the Acura Integra is the answer. This nameplate was revived for 2023 in a front-wheel drive (FWD) only package. Most trims include a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine (200 hp, 192 lb-ft) with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), averaging 7.2 litres per 100 kilometres combined. The Elite A-Spec trim optionally pairs this with a 6-speed manual transmission with a rev-matching system. In this trim, expect to burn 7.4 L/100 km combined with the CVT or 7.8 combined with the manual. Pricing for the 2024 Acura Integra starts in Canada at $41,579.
BMW 3 Series
Dollar for dollar, our current favourite luxury compact car is the BMW 3 Series. It’s offered as the base 330i with standard xDrive AWD, the plug-in hybrid 330e with optional AWD, and the mid-powered M340i xDrive. For those who want max gas power while it lasts, the BMW M3, M3 Competition and M3 CS are additional options. The 2023 BMW 3 Series starts at a price of $58,255 in Canada but can climb well into six figures depending on your desires and budget. (2024 figures were not yet available at publication time.) Fuel consumption is a similarly wide range, going anywhere from 3.2 Le/100 km combined to 12.7 combined depending on the model. If you’re shopping for a coupe and willing to give up some legroom, the BMW 4 Series is an option and has similar trims and pricing.
Genesis G70
The Genesis G70 has got to be one of the most underappreciated cars on the market. In Canada, the 2023 Genesis G70 has a starting price of $50,633, which includes delivery fees, at-home test drive and vehicle delivery, at-home maintenance pick-up and loaner drop-off, five years of scheduled maintenance, a five-year comprehensive warranty, and more. (2024 prices were not yet available as of publication time.) For that price, you’re getting a 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder engine with 252 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission and standard AWD. A 3.3-litre twin-turbocharged V6 with 365 hp and 376 lb-ft of torque is offered starting in the 3.3T Advanced trim for $56,633. With the smaller engine, you’ll need to buy 10.0 litres of fuel for every 100 kilometres of combined driving, while the V6 requests 11.5 L/100 km. It even has a relatively roomy rear seat.
Honda Civic
Now that Toyota Corolla production has moved to Mexico, the Honda Civic is the only Canadian-built car on this list. Well, the sedan models are, at least: the Honda Civic Hatchback is built in Indiana, and the Civic Type R is built in Japan. This list demonstrates how there are a great deal of options out there for interested Civic buyers. There’s the base 2.0-litre four-cylinder or the 1.5-litre turbo four to choose from among the non-performance models, as well as options to choose the CVT or an available manual transmission. What’s not available in any variant of the Civic is AWD. The 2024 Honda Civic starts in Canada at a price of $28,754 for the base LX-B sedan. The price climbs to $53,294 for the 2024 Honda Type R in Canada. On the frugal side of the fuel consumption equation, the most efficient Civics average 6.9 L/100 km combined, while the Type R tops out at a still-reasonable 9.7 L/100 km.
Hyundai Elantra
If affordability is a primary concern for you as you shop for your next car, consider the Hyundai Elantra. Pricing for the 2024 Hyundai Elantra starts in Canada at $24,506. It comes with a solid list of features in its base Essential trim: heated front seats, an 8-inch infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a full suite of safety features and driver assistance technologies. If you’ve got a little more money to spend, though, Hyundai offers an upgrade from a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with a CVT to a 1.6-litre turbo four and a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission in the Elantra N Line. There’s also a hybrid variant, which is the most fuel-efficient choice at 4.7 L/100 km combined. And if you want to add a little spice, go for the Hyundai Elantra N, where you’ll receive a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder producing 276 hp and 289 lb-ft with a six-speed manual transmission. In 2023, the Hyundai Elantra N sold in Canada for a relatively reasonable $40,206. (Pricing on the Elantra N for 2024 had not been announced as of this writing.)
Lexus IS
Here’s another premium compact sedan with an option for just about every need and budget. The Lexus IS is sold in rear-wheel drive (RWD) and AWD variants, and with three different engines including a 5.0-litre V8 making 472 hp and 395 lb-ft of torque. The latter comes in the 2024 Lexus IS 500, which starts at a price of $79,136 in Canada. If you want premium at a more affordable price, the 2024 Lexus IS 300 AWD carries a Canadian starting price of $49,936. That model includes a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine producing 241 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque, averaging 10.8 L/100 km combined. Jump up to the in-between 2024 Lexus IS 350 AWD and the price tag in Canada is $60,335. You’ll see the same fuel ratings but enjoy a bump up to 311 hp. The RWD Lexus IS 300 has been dropped for 2024, meaning AWD is now standard on every model but the IS 500.
Mazda3
As far as balance goes between price and premium components, the Mazda3 is one of the best small cars on the market. It comes in sedan and hatchback body styles, the latter dubbed the Mazda3 Sport. It’s available with a manual transmission and with AWD—just not at the same time. There’s also a turbocharged 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine among the powertrain options, though you’ll need to skip shifting your own gears to get that as well. No matter—at least the stick is still there. Pricing for the 2024 Mazda3 sedan starts at $26,953 in Canada for the base GX model. For the 2024 Mazda3 Sport hatchback, pricing in Canada starts at $27,703 for the base GX trim. Fuel economy ranges from 7.6 to 8.9 L/100 km combined depending on the drivetrain combination.
Subaru Impreza
Thanks to Subaru making AWD standard on nearly all its models, the Subaru Impreza is one of the most affordable cars you can buy that drives all four wheels. For 2024, the Subaru Impreza and the related crossover, the Subaru Crosstrek, have been redesigned. With the new generation comes one significant change: a manual transmission is no longer offered in either model as Subaru focuses on making its EyeSight suite of driver assistance technologies more widely available. Two engine options are offered for 2024: a 2.0-litre with four horizontally opposed cylinders makes 152 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque, while a 2.5-litre boxer-four produces 182 hp and 178 lb-ft. The smaller engine averages 8.0 L/100 km combined, while the larger one consumes 8.2 L/100 km combined. Subaru also makes crash test ratings a high priority, which is seen here in the new Impreza’s Top Safety Pick+ ranking by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Pricing in Canada for the 2024 Subaru Impreza starts at $29,167.
Toyota Corolla
The Toyota Corolla rained all over Honda’s parade by becoming the best-selling car in Canada for 2022, busting the Civic’s sales rankings streak just a year short of its quarter-century mark. A lot of that came down to supply issues, especially as the Civic was transitioning between generations. But the Corolla’s lower starting price and the automaker’s reputation for reliability surely helped matters. Currently, the Corolla is offered in sedan form—which includes the Corolla Hybrid, offered in several trims with AWD—as well as in hatchback guise with more flexible cargo space, the latter also seen in the sporty GR Corolla. With so many variations, there’s a Corolla for just about any need or budget. Pricing on the 2024 Toyota Corolla starts as low as $26,165 in Canada. The most efficient Corolla Hybrid averages a very frugal 4.7 L/100 km combined.
Toyota Prius
With its 2023 redesign, the Toyota Prius went from dull to dazzling in one fell swoop. It’s better-looking and more powerful, yet as full of practicality and as easy on gas as ever. Its larger 2.0-litre engine and updated hybrid system boost horsepower by 60% to 196 hp and maximum torque by 16% to a total system output of 139 lb-ft. Two trims are offered, both with AWD. Pricing for the 2024 Toyota Prius starts in Canada at $40,365 for the well-equipped XLE entry grade. Both versions average 4.8 L/100 km, which is an excellent fuel consumption rating with this amount of power and AWD. And don’t forget the Prius Prime plug-in hybrid, which has even more power at 220 hp, up to 72 kilometres of electric-only range, and an estimated 1.8 Le/100 km fuel consumption rating. The 2024 Toyota Prius Prime is offered in three trims and starts in Canada at a price of $42,265. It also qualifies for federal and provincial EV rebates, meaning it may be more affordable than the standard Prius in some parts of the country after incentives are considered.
Volkswagen Golf
Unfortunately, the Volkswagen Golf is no longer the “people’s car” since the more pedestrian TSI versions were dropped in North America in 2021. But the Volkswagen Golf GTI and Golf R live on, and both are strong alternatives for the sporty set. The GTI’s 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine produces 241 hp and 273 lb-ft, and it can be paired with either a six-speed manual transmission or a 7-speed DCT (Volkswagen’s term is DSG or direct-shift gearbox). Prices for the 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI start at $37,328 in Canada. You’ll burn 8.5 L/100 km combined with the DCT or 8.8 with the manual. In the Golf R, you’ll receive standard AWD, power specs of 315 hp and 295 lb-ft with the DSG (or 280 lb-ft with the manual), and average 9.1 (AT)/10.2 (MT) combined. Prices for the 2024 Volkswagen Golf R start in Canada at $51,428.
Volvo S60
With sleek styling and a total sleeper of a performance plug-in hybrid powertrain, the Volvo S60 is the affordable luxury compact car no one sees coming. The 2024 Volvo S60 B5 mild hybrid starts in Canada at $53,939 and now comes with standard AWD. This version comes with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine making 247 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. It averages 8.0 L/100 km combined with FWD and 8.3 with AWD. In the Volvo S60 Recharge, a plug-in hybrid powertrain is added that increases power output to a total of 455 hp and 523 lb-ft of torque. This version can go 64 km on a single charge and averages 3.0 Le/100 km combined. Pricing for the 2024 Volvo S60 Recharge starts in Canada at $58,389. This qualifies for federal and provincial/territorial electric vehicle rebates, meaning the PHEV is more affordable than the gas version in some parts of Canada.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
What are considered compact cars?
Natural Resources Canada defines a compact car as having a total interior space of 2,830 to 3,115 litres. Examples include the Audi A4, Honda Civic, Kia Forte, Nissan Sentra, Toyota Corolla and Volkswagen Jetta.
What are the most fuel-efficient compact cars?
The most fuel-efficient compact cars in 2024 are the front-wheel drive Toyota Corolla Hybrid and the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid, which each average 4.7 litres per 100 kilometres combined according to Natural Resources Canada.
What are the most affordable compact cars?
For the 2024 model year, the most affordable compact new cars are the Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Mazda Mazda3, Subaru Impreza and Toyota Corolla. These cars have a starting price of less than $30,000 in Canada including destination charges and fees.