New 2006 Entry-Level Cars Trending Performance and Fuel Economy

2006 Mazda5 - Opening Up an Entirely New Niche

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Mazda's new 5 seats up to six occupants in comfort. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

Mazda5 is a compact mini-minivan based on Mazda3 architecture, which still manages to seat six occupants in comfort. Obviously interior accommodations are somewhat tighter than the current crop of "maxivans", but the ability to swallow up lots of people and cargo while maintaining thrifty fuel economy is making the 5 popular. While currently a hot segment in Europe, Mazda's mini-MPV opens up an entirely new niche in North America - news of rivals is already spreading. Its 157-hp 2.3L 4-cylinder makes for fairly zippy performance if not loaded to the brim, no matter whether the standard 5-speed manual or optional 4-speed automatic is chosen.

2006 Mercedes-Benz B-Class Preview - Good Things Come in Small Packages

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M-B's B-Class was included in last month's truck, SUV and crossover guide due to its tall stance, but we couldn't leave it out of the new car buyers' guide just because it can't be pingeonholed. (Photo: Mercedes-Benz Canada)

this a van or a crossover, or just a higher-priced ($30,950) compact with a prestigious name. Which ever way, a new trend sees premium brands producing smaller and more efficient cars that still feature the convenience items and luxurious surroundings we've come to appreciate them for. The latest on this list is the Mercedes-Benz B-Class, which is a compact minivan cum crossover boasting an amazingly roomy interior from a tiny footprint. The B200 will feature a 2.0L inline-4 with 134-hp and 136 lb-ft of torque while the B200 Turbo will sport the same displacement making 193-hp and 206 lb-ft of torque. Considering its extremely light weight, the B should perform well, with space optimization and fuel economy remaining priority one.

2006 Mitsubishi Lancer - A New Grille Brings New Life toOlder Model

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One of the best handling cars in its compact class, the Lancer is improved inside and out. (Photo: Mitsubishi Canada)

upgrades to Mitsubishi's entry model are subtle, with a revisedfrontal façade being the most apparent at first glance. Gone is the bisectedgrille, replaced by a more traditional single opening which cleans up thedesign. The ES remains the standard model, with a fuel-efficient 120-hp 2.0L4-cylinder engine combined with either a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic,while the sporty styled OZ Rally and performance-tuned Ralliart models fill outthe lineup. The Ralliart gets styling updates for sure, but its 162-hp MIVECenhance 2.4L engine and 5-speed manual, the latter pulled from the EVO, make ita joy to drive.