For our money, a compact sedan is the smartest new car you can buy.

Our favorites for 2008 are roomier than ever inside and sportier than ever outside. They're safer and more comfortable than any compact you've ever known and still deliver 30 miles per gallon.

You can no longer think of these as "starter" cars, "second" cars or "the kid's after-school car." The best compacts have evolved into the perfect commuting car. They'll ensure that your daily drive doesn't become a daily grind.

All cost less than $19,000 -- a bargain when you consider that the median price for a new car is around $30,000. All come with 4-cylinder engines, front-wheel drive, five-passenger seating and spacious trunks.

Honda Civic LX

The steeply raked windshield presents a strong, stylish profile that is uniquely Civic, the best of the best compact sedans.

Coming with a choice of two sweet 4-cylinder engines -- a peppy 140-horsepower 1.8-liter as the baseline powerplant, and a valiant 197-h.p. 2.0-liter inspiring Si versions -- Civic sedans breathe Honda quality throughout.

Even mated to an optional 5-speed automatic transmission (a 5-speed manual is standard), the Civic delivers the best fuel economy of the bunch (25 miles per gallon in the city, 36 m.p.g. on the highway), and still has enough gear gumption for clean on-ramp acceleration and passing maneuvers.

If sublime hard-corner handling tops your list of must-haves, then perhaps you belong in a Mazda3. But if an elegant balance between ride and handling summons you to your best, one-with-the-universe driving self, then let a Civic sedan be your guru.

Standard anti-lock brakes -- not a given in this class -- and a host of standard air bags, including front side-impact air bags and head-protection curtains, give the Civic sedans a deserved reputation for occupant protection.

We lean toward the LX model with the automatic transmission, which lists at $18,395. It's got generous standard equipment -- including such primal necessities as MP3 playback capability, remote locking/unlocking, air conditioning, and cruise control, plus power windows and door locks. And the LX's standard upgrade to 16-inch wheels sharpens up the look and completes a very tidy package.

Mazda3 i Touring

If you want to find yourself staring at the owner of an affordable sport sedan whenever you look in the mirror, then by all means slip into a Mazda3 and be done with it.

The Mazda3 almost feels purpose-built to the tasks of accelerating, cornering and braking. Its 2.0-liter inline-4 produces 148 h.p. and lots of torque for great acceleration, especially when working with the standard 5-speed manual transmission.

But untwisting twisted asphalt is the Mazda3's specialty, with the car's precise steering, firm-just-right suspension and superb balance working in harmony to ensure handling poise that's the envy of many cars costing thousands of dollars more. And when the time comes to drop anchor, big 4-wheel disc brakes call the car to a halt, clean and even every time.

Mazda designers have a way with small-car styling, and the Mazda3 sedans reinforce that reputation. They possess a modern, edgy shape that exactly fits the image of an economy sport sedan. Inside, the theme continues with intuitive controls and front sport seats with lumbar adjustment.

That's not to say that the Mazda3 isn't human. The car is bound to Earth by so-so fuel economy (24 m.p.g. city/32 m.p.g. highway), so-so standard safety features on the lower-end models, and a rear seating area that can be a half-size too tight for some adults.

While it's tempting to recommend the $14,530 Mazda3 i Sport, you'll be exponentially happier stepping up to the $16,890 i Touring model which lays on an extra thick coating of comfort and convenience features like power windows, door locks and outside mirrors, remote keyless entry, and adjustable lumbar support for the driver.

Please pay the extra $395 for the ABS/SAB/SAC Package which includes anti-lock brakes, side-impact and side-curtain air bags. Your total price is still only $17,285.

Kia Spectra SX

One thousand dollars is still a lot of money. And you can save at least that much by buying a Kia Spectra sedan, and you'll still find yourself driving a very nicely equipped automobile.

True, the Kia won't deliver the performance of the Mazda3, nor will it give you the fanatical quality of the Honda Civic. But the Spectra will give you more car and more features than any other vehicle at its price, with a warranty that eclipses everybody else's. Fear not.

Instead, enjoy plenty of treats like body-color door handles and side moldings, plus a 6-speaker AM/FM/CD stereo with an auxiliary input jack, and first-class safety features like standard side curtain and side-impact air bags without ever feeling like you paid for them. Sadly, anti-lock braking is held back as an option.

Kia offers only one engine to power the Spectra, a 138-hp 2.0-liter 4-cylinder. Be sure to stick with the standard 5-speed manual transmission and avoid the 4-speed automatic in order to wring out every ounce of performance (but not fuel economy, which is the worst of our group at 23 m.p.g. city/30 m.p.g. highway). Simply put, however, the manual transmission can simulate passing at highway speeds, whereas the automatic can only simulate passing out.

The Kia's exterior shape, while not revolutionary, is easily described as clean and likeable. More importantly, it is functional, housing one of the roomiest, highest-quality interiors in its class. Even the trunk, good for 12.2 cubic feet of cargo, outhauls both the Civic and the Mazda3.

Since you're saving cubic yards of money anyway, the top-of-the-line Kia Spectra SX is the way to go. Priced at $16,620, the SX comes loaded with everything but a sunroof, MP3 player and anti-lock brakes. SX-ing up your Spectra also upgrades it to 16-inch aluminum-alloy wheels and a sport-tuned suspension.

Get the anti-lock brakes for $400 -- you're absolutely worth it -- and the Spectra SX is a fine buy at $17,020.

By Richard Homan

Interest.com Contributing Editor

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