Read Article for full reviews.
Some notes: Sentra placed pretty badly for being brand new. C&D preferred sportiness to overall package. I still think the Civic was the best all around car as it got the best gas mileage, was 2nd quickest, was a top handler, and had middle of the pack pricing. However the styling hit them badly as they didn't like stepped interior gauges. The Rabbit got good marks as a fun to drive but was expensive like the 3s.
2007 Toyota Corolla LE vs. 2006 Honda Civic LX vs. 2007 Hyundai Elantra SE vs. 2007 Mazda 3s Touring vs. 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit vs. 2007 Nissan Sentra 2.0S - Comparison Tests
Sixth Place: 2007 Nissan Sentra 2.0S
Highs: Six-speed gearbox, hushed powertrain on the interstate, room for big drivers.
Lows: Low-satisfaction clutch, tippy suspension motions, LCD gauges unreadable with polarized lenses.
The Verdict: What happened to the frisky compact we’ve come to expect of Nissan?
Fifth Place: 2007 Toyota Corolla LE
Highs: Lexus-sharp instrument cluster, quiet ride, very competitive price, perfect fake-wood dash trim.
Lows: Soulless driving, short-inseam pilot position, sounds frantic on the interstate.
The Verdict: The grandpa of the compacts, in both years and mood.
Fourth Place: 2007 Hyundai Elantra SE
Highs: Top-quality interior materials and details, sit-all-day seats, slick shifter and clutch, smooth ride.
Lows: Engine roars on the highway, tippy-floaty body motions, steering overresponds on turn-in.
The Verdict: If your car-pool passengers have a vote, you’ll drive this one.
Third Place: 2006 Honda Civic LX
Highs: Distinctive exterior proportions; light, sweet clutch and shifter; space-capsule feel of the cockpit.
Lows: Overly sculpted dash panel, near-and-far instrument layout, too many interior textures, road noise.
The Verdict: If astronauts were to have company cars, why anything but this?
Second Place: 2007 Mazda 3s Touring
Highs: Sportiest of the bunch, spirited interior style, suspension has good roll stiffness, plenty of oomph.
Lows: Tire tread screams on the interstate, ride motions too taut for some, red instrument markings.
The Verdict: Sporty for those who need it, too much so for those who don’t.
First Place: 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
Highs: Liquid ride motions, traditional instruments, sweet-sounding five, best padding on the elbow rests.
Lows: Hopelessly inflationary speedo, inhospitable rear seat, throttle response complicates launch.
The Verdict: Your passengers won’t love it nearly as much as you will.