Compact Car reviews

The second-generation Toyota Venza was announced in May 2020 and went on sale for the North American market for the 2021 model year. Of course, no major changes were announced since then, but for the 2023 model year, the Venza will offer a special Nightshade Edition.

This is not the first Toyota model to get a Nightshade edition, as in the past few years the package was offered on pretty much every car, ranging from small cars like the Avalon to bigger ones like the 4Runner.

It was the 2017 Chicago Auto Show when Chevrolet displayed an entire lineup equipped with the Redline package. Ranging from the small Cruze, up to the sporty Camaro and even higher to big trucks like the Silverado, they all got the same update. Now, just when we thought Chevrolet got rid of that Redline package upgrade, the company decided to prove us wrong. The name is back, and it will be used for the 2023 Bolt EUV lineup.

The Fiat 131 Abarth was a tiny race car that made history: among many other titles, it also won the Manufacturers’ World Rally Championship three times: in 1977, 1978, and then again in 1980, with Walter Röhrl behind the wheel. In 1976, Fiat built a total of 400 131 Abarth Rally units for road use. Unlike the race versions (237 horsepower), the street version only delivered 138 horsepower, but nobody cared as the 131 Abarth Rally captured the imagination of an entire generation of car enthusiasts.

In order to mark the 40th anniversary of the last Abarth 131 Rally official race, Abarth decided to come up with a 695 Tributo 131 Rally special series limited to only 695 examples worldwide.

Using feedback from the market, the media, and the N-thusiasts - who already found ways to improve the i30 N, Hyundai came up with the i30 N Drive-N Limited Edition. While it will offer the same high-performance driving experience, the new edition will offer an updated exterior and interior design.

The new special edition will be limited to only 800 copies: 620 for Europe and 180 for Australia. Production has already begun.

Just like the Nissan Juke, the SOUL has a boxy design that helps it stand out in the crowd. Of course, over its relatively short history, the SOUL stopped being as angular as it was when launched back in 2008, but still, it is very easy to recognize for what it is.

The third generation arrived in the States for the 2020 model year, and since then, it suffered minor changes constantly, including dropping the manual gearbox for the 2022 model year. The 2023 model year will once again offer some changes, including losing the 201-horsepower, 1.6-liter gasoline engine.

Kia aims to launch 11 new electric vehicles by 2026 and the entire portfolio starts with the 2022 Kia EV6 compact crossover. It rides on the E-GMP platform, so it shares its core with the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the soon-to-launch Genesis GV60. That said, the EV6 is a bit of a milestone for the Kia brand as it’s the very first EV from the company to be built from the ground up as an EV first as opposed to previous, EVs that were based on ICE-powered models. The EV6 has its work cut out for it, though, as it has to face models like the Volkswagen ID.4, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and – indirectly – the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Tesla Model Y.

These are all very tough models to compete with, in what’s becoming a very cutthroat segment, but the EV6 isn’t coming to the game half-cocked. It starts out at just $40,900, offers up to 310 miles of range, and can be had with up to 320 horsepower with a range-topping 576-horsepower model on the way. Clearly, the EV6 is geared to be very competitive in this segment, and it’s a space we need to watch. So, we asked Kia if we could spend some time with its new EV, and they were happy to oblige. Is the Kia EV6 truly the gamechanger it seems to be and does it stand a chance against more established EVs already on the market? The answer to these questions might surprise you.

The Subaru Outback has been around since 1994, and it has been one of the most popular high-riding station wagons and a worthy alternative to an SUV. Speaking of the latter, the current Outback gets as close to being an SUV without actually being one. The current generation has been around since 2020, but for 2023, Subaru has given the Outback a refresh, in order to keep it relevant. Here’s what’s new:

When the 11th-generation Civic arrived with refreshed looks and features, the return of the Civic Si was inevitable. So, here it is - the new 2022 Honda Civic Si, which is mechanically the same Civic Si from the year 2020, with some minor differences. The beating heart remains the same 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-four from yesteryear, but now produces five horsepower less. The torque remains the same at 192 pound-feet, and so do the front-wheel-drive system, and the six-speed manual transmission. The exterior and interior, both, got a revamp with more modern touches. We know, a lot of you guys did not like the exterior styling of the new-generation Civic, but the Si, with its 18-inch matte black wheels and bigger brakes, makes the overall look a lot sportier than it really is. As a performance-oriented compact sedan, it comes with a limited-slip differential, a rev-matching system, sports suspension, bucket seats with additional bolstering, and optional summer tires. It also benefits from all the advanced driver aids available across the whole Civic range, including adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, driver attention warning, and blindspot monitoring. While it is not the best in class, is it better than the last generation? We are here to find it out for you, even compare it with the likes of the Volkswagen Jetta GLI, and the Hyundai Elantra N-Line.

With spring just around the corner, Mini has announced the launch of the special edition Cooper S Convertible Resolute Edition. It is now available for orders and it’s ready to conquer the boulevards and any country roads out there.

Marshall Amplification was founded back in 1962, so 2022 will mark the company’s 60th anniversary. But, what does this have to do with cars, you as?. Well, nothing at first, but David Brown Automotive decided to create a unique Mini Remastered to mark the event.

The special edition will feature a few unique design features, but most importantly a unique set of styling and audio equipment features, developed in collaboration between the two British brands.

Even a brand like Maserati isn’t immune from the SUV and crossover trend. The Italian luxury automaker, whose lineup was primarily dominated by sports sedans and grand tourers, now has two SUVs in its lineup. Enter the Maserati Grecale, which is their smallest SUV yet.

Launched only three years ago, Cupra impressed the world with its dynamic and elegant designs. The Formentor VZ5 was launched as a celebration of its third anniversary, and it is also one of the most impressive models offered by Cupra. The Formentor is actually the first model developed from the ground up, but for the VZ5 version, the engine was borrowed from Audi. There will be only 7,000 examples built, so you can say that the Formentor VZ5 is quite a unique car. But, does it need to be updated? Well, ABT sure thinks so!

Switching to a complete EV might be a bit of a stretch, since EVs are costlier alternatives to gas-operated regular cars. But, fear not. If you have Toyota Prius on your list, then you must add both the Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid on it. Plus, the Prius lineup is still suffering the ugly design approach of Toyota, while Hyundai has kept the Ioniq Hybrid neat and exciting, minus the performance. Unfortunately, Hyundai decided to pull the plug on the full-electric Ioniq to make way for the Ioniq 5 EV. A 1.6-liter naturally aspirated four-pot remains the beating heart of all the Ioniq hybrids, along with an electric motor. But, what impresses us is the outstanding fuel economy the whole range can deliver, especially the MHEV Blue trim. A whopping 60 miles per gallon on the highway has been rated by the EPA, which is about seven miles per gallon more than what the Prius can deliver, although being better in performance. Both, the Plug-in Hybrid and the Hybrid have good-looking cabins, and the overall experience is a lot better than the competition, we would say. So, should you get yourself either of the Ioniq hybrids? We are here to confirm that.

Just a few weeks before its 73rd anniversary, Abarth unveiled its new 595 range - a model lineup that pays tribute to its founder Carlo Abarth (1908 - 1979). The most powerful version of the lineup is the Abarth 695, a model that for the 2022 mode year will be offered in the "695 Turismo Pack" and "695 Competizione Pack" versions.

Back in January, Nissan announced the special edition Juke Kiiro x Batman - a model inspired by the future "The Batman" movie which will premiere in London on 4th March 2022. Now the company is expanding its Kiiro name to the compact Micra.

The new Nissan Micra Kiiro will be limited to only 250 examples, and it is now on sale in the U.K. market with prices starting from £18,375.