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The Audi A3 has almost everything I want in a new car. Its TDI engine is both economical (with a 34 mpg combined EPA rating) and responsive, with a decent amount of power and lots of torque. All-wheel drive would be nice, but with how well this car handled on snowy roads I really didn't miss it all that much, plus the added weight of the all-wheel-drive system would likely drag down fuel economy. The car is small but not cramped, and the handy wagon configuration means that you can still haul bulky items in the rear cargo compartment with the second row folded. The interior is nicely laid out and seemingly designed for someone my size. Still, at almost $33,000, this car is hardly inexpensive. And that's without the $6500 it would cost to add a panoramic sunroof, a sport package, MMI navigation, and a premium package. No wonder it's not flying off dealer lots.

The Audi A2 will return to market in 2015 with an aluminum body and electric variants but will be more affordable than its predecessor. The original Audi A2, built from 2000 to 2005, had an influence beyond its somewhat limited sales. With an advanced aluminum spaceframe that kept the curb weight below 2000 pounds plus an extremely low coefficient of drag, it achieved about 80 mpg (on the European test cycle) without the benefit of electric or hybrid assist. Design editor Robert Cumberford credits its Kammback profile with inspiring the now-ubiquitous shape of the Toyota Prius. And yet, for all its significance, the A2’s exotic construction priced it out of the small-car segment -– only 175,000 A2s found buyers in six years on the market, and it was never sold in the United States.