In the final installment this month, Consumer Reports writers offer their own views on the budget cars featured in the December 2006 issue.

Jim Travers: There are only two good reasons to buy a Smart ForTwo. One is if you live in a place where parking is tight. The other is if you're lonely. When you drive a ForTwo, everybody wants to talk to you. It helps if you're forlorn enough you don't mind having the same conversation over and over again.

If you have both parking and friends, anything in our December group of subcompacts is a better bet. They all have seating for four, plus room for luggage.  All cost thousands less than the two-seater Smart's almost $22,000 price tag and get mileage close enough to the ForTwo's that you're unlikely to ever make up the difference in fuel savings. Plus, in terms of safety in the land of the giant SUV, it's reassuring to have a little more car around you.

The ForTwo may make sense in Europe, but unless the next-generation model, said to be coming to the United States in 2008 is much more impressive, even its expected $15,000 price won't offset its shortcomings compared against its four-door subcompact rivals.

Of the rest of the group, the Honda Fit gets bonus points for utility with its foldable, versatile interior that allows it to double as a mini-minivan. But what really seals my deal is that the Fit is a hoot to drive, particularly the Sport model with the five-speed manual. A balanced chassis, plenty of grip, and a rev-happy yet economical engine are always a good combination. For me, the Fit is just a Smarter choice.

Mike Quincy: I think the Mazda 3 is the best bet in this category. I realize that adding a few options blows the price out of the water, but this car's combination of fun, finesse and frugality are too good to pass up. The base i Sport model with the manual transmission, ABS/air bag package and A/C comes to around $15,600 before haggling - not a far cry from this group's low of $12,500 (Toyota Yaris) and high of $16,600 (Nissan Versa). I'd rather a Mazda 3 with the 2.3-liter engine, but even the cheapest (an s Sport) would cost almost $18,000 with the side air bags. Perhaps a good used model is the one to buy.