We now have a better look at the widebody Fiat 500 that was originally teased by Mopar at the end of last month. Sporting a beach cruiser theme, the Fiat 500 is decked out with surf-friendly modifications in a retro-style build that will be shown off at this year’s SEMA Show.

Smart just announced pricing for its ForTwo Electric Drive, making it the cheapest electric car on the market today at $25,825

Among the many unusual cars sitting on the Paris Motor Show floor, at least one is certain for production albeit in small numbers: the Scion iQ EV.

This week’s Five-Point Inspection is all about the 2012 Ford Fiesta SES, a small hatchback that takes on the likes of the Hyundai Accent, Chevy Sonic and Mazda 2. 

For 2013, the Toyota Yaris subcompact will get a short list of upgrades and a mild price hike that ranges from $80 to $330 depending on the trim level.

Toyota offers recent college graduates a $1,000 instant rebate on the purchase of certain new vehicles. That list of vehicles finally includes the Prius c hybrid.

We hear a lot these days from marketing types about urban centric Gen Y. About how they place an emphasis on connectivity, on individuality and use their smartphones as a primary means of communication. For these would-be big city dwellers, the idea of a car is perceived as very different from previous generations. 

Due for a refresh in 2014, Ford’s sub-compact Fiesta is set to get a new ultra-efficient gasoline engine that will deliver fuel economy better than many hybrids.

With strong reception to the Fiesta ST concept, Ford will move ahead with plans to bring the sub-compact hot hatch to market the automaker has confirmed.

Toyota’s new TMG performance division is debuting the production model,  Yaris R1A racer, at the ninth round of the WRC.

The Toyota Prius c was panned by Consumer Reports but still boasts the best fuel economy average in the Toyota lineup. This could be why there is a rumor that Lexus will be basing a small hybrid on the diminutive car.

Advertising salvos usually signal a new car’s release, especially one that hasn’t been sold before, but that isn’t the case with the Chevrolet Spark.

The motors in these vehicles don’t pack much power, or torque, and are all aimed to use the least amount of fuel. These cars are all ranked in order, right down to the cubic centimeter from most displacement, to least, so take a look below, to see the list of smallest engines available today.

Nissan’s segment-leading Versa sub-compact will be getting some much-needed styling updates courtesy of the Japan- and Europe-marketed Note.

We might have some fancy cars over here in the USA, but there are quite a few vehicles overseas that we can’t help but think are desperately missing from our shores. More than a few are niche market models perfect for auto-enthusiasts, while others are more stylish or practical than what’s currently available in the US. And some are both.

This week’s subject for Five Point Inspection is the Honda Fit subcompact, equipped with the Sport Package. The MSRP of this model comes to $18,700, and represents a nearly fully loaded Fit. All that’s missing is the navigation, and a la cart options and accessories.

Car enthusiasts throughout North America bemoan the fact that we often get short changed when it comes to receiving hot performance versions of popular vehicles in Europe and Japan. Either we don’t get them period, or when they do show up, they’re somehow three-quarters of a whole. And on paper at least, the Fiat 500 Abarth appears to be a bit like that.

It’s been over a year since high-profile electric vehicles, like the Nissan Leaf, Chevy Volt, and Mitsubishi i went on sale. But now Honda is ready to throw the Fit EV into the mix to show that electric cars can be economical and green, but also fun.

Consumer Reports seems not to enjoy testing sub-compact cars such as the Scion iQ and the Smart ForTwo, or at least that’s how it looks.

In case your missed the first installment of AutoGuide’s Five-Point Inspection, this week we’re back to deliver a new car review written in jot note form.

Starting in May 2013, The Toyota  Yaris will be imported to North American markets from a factory in France.

Last week, technology giant Apple announced that its SIRI voice recognition system would be get a dedicated button in nine companies new cars, and now General Motors has let slip that Chevy Sonic and Chevy Spark will be the first in the automakers lineup to receive SIRI integration.

Welcome to AutoGuide’s first Five-Point Inspection. Like a car review written in jot note form, we detail five particular attributes of a vehicle to highlight those we like and those we don’t like.

Even the smallest of cars can get a driver’s attention and the 2012 Toyota Yaris is no exception. With it’s small size, zippy 1.5L engine and solid fuel economy the Yaris will get you to the grocery store and back with a little fun along the way.

It’s well documented that one of the biggest drawbacks to pure electric vehicles are their range. It’s an aspect that’s proving a significant barrier to mainstream consumer acceptance, nevertheless, some manufacturers continue to push the boundaries of battery technology, in an effort to make such a cars a more viable proposition.

In its twelfth year as a nameplate, the third generation Kia Rio brings new flair to a car often overlooked in the past. Perhaps tough enough to go up against some compact cars, the Rio starts at just $13,600 and features increased horsepower, impressive fuel economy and quiet comfort.

Following a national roll-out of the iQ, Scion is now considering the micro sub-compact for use in car sharing programs.

The new Mitsubishi Mirage has already been introduced in Asian markets, and though it has not been confirmed for release in the U.S., this new Mirage will replace the Mitsubishi Colt which currently sells in worldwide markets.

It’ll be sold in Canada, confirmed Mitsubishi spokesman Roger Yasukawa, however, regarding plans to launch it’s new Mirage minicar in the US, the firm currently remains on the fence.

If you dig down through all the marketing bumph, past the sharper styling, beyond the claims that Toyota is getting back to its reliable small-car basics, the biggest shift happens on the dashboard. Rarely has a car been so underwhelming that its replacement can improve matters simply by moving the speedometer by 10-inches. But that’s the biggest news for potential Yaris buyers interested in the latest version.

Details about the 2013 Chevrolet Spark have been revealed today, including its price range. Chevy is looking to simplify the car buying process by having three trim levels for its well-equipped subcompact.

Chevrolet calls the 2013 Spark a “sporty, fuel-efficient, four-passenger, five-door hatch” that apparently offers more passenger and cargo space than other mini cars such as the Fiat 500, Smart fortwo and Scion IQ.

The Spark’s base model, the LS starts at $12,995 and is equipped with a 1.2L Ecotec engine and five-speed manual transmission. Additionally, even the base Spark has 10 airbags and features 60/40 split rear seats, air conditioning, power windows, rear window wiper, auxiliary input jack, outside temperature display and trip computer. Not bad for a base model subcompact.

Despite recently released distracted driving guidelines targeting in-car navigation systems, Chevrolet announced its new GogoLink smartphone app that delivers full-function navigation to the Spark and Sonic’s MyLink infotainment system.

As the two cars cruised side-by-side, a red traffic light put a stop to the climbing speedometers. At a standstill, the 2012 Chevrolt Sonic sedan cast a big shadow around the considerably smaller Aveo. In every size category—height, width and length—the Sonic looms larger. And with chiseled headlamps and a high belt line, the Sonic seemingly sneers at its predecessor. As the Aveo’s replacement, the Sonic booms as a small car with a big attitude.

A new type of car doesn’t come along every day. In a market that’s already saturated with vehicles, it’s not easy to dream up something entirely new. It’s yet another challenge to execute it successfully and build that concept into a car people actually want.

There once was a time when SUVs and crossovers ruled our land. Everyone was into the thinking that the biggest is best. Then the bubble popped and the economy took a nose dive.

No matter what some pundits might say, the fact remains that in North America, we simply don’t live in a small car culture. Given a choice between buying a pint-size people mover and something that’s bigger and better equipped at the same price, in most cases consumers will opt for the latter.

Children may have posters of Italian exotics on their walls, but the most exciting action in the auto industry is taking place in the lower end of the segment, the so-called “B” and “C” segment cars that Americans have always equated with poverty or worse, Europhile tendencies.

While being a leader in any industry is usually determined by having an idea first, in the auto sector, it’s often the case that success is based more on getting a product right. Toyota has in many ways grown to be the global juggernaut it is today, thanks to exactly that: perfecting modest transportation for the masses. And it’s looking to do so again with the iQ, launched in America under the youthful Scion brand.

Considering how much of a wretched piece of junk the old Hyundai Accent was, improving on the car (once known for being offered at a sub-$10,000 sticker price) was an easy task. With such a strong current line-up, the previous Accent was an embarrassing blight on the company’s product range, and competition from the Ford Fiesta, Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris meant that Hyundai would have to make sure the next Accent was a winner right from the start.

Small European cars have a history of not living up to the hype once they make the journey across the pond to North America. Car enthusiasts took delight when Saturn announced that it would be selling the Opel Astra as one of their own vehicles.

Chevy’s new Sonic sub-compact will come in two flavors when it finally makes it to sale this Fall, and while the sedan is expected to edge out the hatchback as the volume seller, it’s obvious the 5-door is where the marketing punch is. And Chevy isn’t the first, following Ford in pumping up its new sub-compact with the more youthful hatch design.

2011 Update: For 2011, the Smart ForTwo has been slightly refreshed. Under the hood, the 70 horsepower 1-liter three-cylinder engine and Smart’s “automated manual” five-speed transmission remain unchanged.

If the Mazda2 proves anything, it’s that 100-hp can in fact be fun. That’s right, in case you haven’t heard, the newest and smallest car in Mazda’s lineup makes a piddly 100 ponies – almost a third of what you’ll get in some mid-size sedans.

The trip from Havana to Paris might not be as exotic as you’d expect when it takes place entirely in Arkansas, but this narrow pass that connects the two southern state towns is providing plenty of thrills. Challenging both driver and car, it tests the surprisingly sporty road manners of the Fit Sport, Honda’s itsy-bitsy five-door hatchback outfitted with a fuel-stingy engine.

Thanks to Ford’s “Fiesta Movement” social-media marketing strategy, as well as plenty of buzz from American auto journalists who spent time behind the wheel of the car while traveling to Europe, the 2011 Ford Fiesta may have been one of the most-anticipated small cars to hit American soil in some time. Now, we’ve finally had the chance to drive it.

My guess is that few people can deny that the unveiling of the Toyota Yaris was a vast improvement over the outgoing Echo. Among the greatest automotive eyesores of the last century, the strangely disproportioned Echo emerged in 1999 as the tired Tercel took a much-needed bow from the Japanese manufacturer’s lineup. Remaining in Toyota’s fleet until 2005, the Echo had a significant following, thanks to its favorable price tag and fuel sipping sensibilities.

It’s fashionable nowadays to sneer at big SUV, those wastrels who chug for hours straight from the gas pump. Small is “in” in a big way, whether it’s miniscule phones or new vehicles.