There are a handful of cars that you can buy for brand new even cheaper than what you can buy a lot of used cars for. Of course, when you’re paying bargain basement prices for a car fresh off the dealership lot, you’re going to be making some sacrifices. Just because you aren’t spending $200,000 on a Mercedes-Benz doesn’t mean these cars aren’t worth buying, but there are some that are still better than others. The Honda Fit happens to be the car that stands out, with the standard for Honda reliability, and it goes up against the Chevrolet Spark.

Where the Chevy Spark is lacking

The Chevrolet Spark is among one of the cheapest cars you can buy, but what it sacrifices to cut cost might make it worth skipping. The Spark isn’t just an affordable option, it’s also one of the smallest cars on the market, which makes it a great option for big city driving — or even more so for big city parking. But besides the car’s small footprint, it doesn’t have much else to offer.

As you’d imagine from a car this small, it doesn’t have a spacious interior, which makes it feel pretty cramped and comfortable, especially with people in the back seat. It lacks a useable amount of trunk space, but if you don’t mind keeping your cargo to a minimum this isn’t the worst thing ever — unless, you know, you need to get groceries. What seats the vehicle does have aren’t very comfortable and they are awkwardly positioned.

From bad to worse

The cramped and awkward Spark is lacking in more ways than that, and it just so happens to be areas where the Honda Fit shines. To save costs and keep the car’s price low, Chevy kept the car’s insulation low. That might not sound like much, but on a test drive it means you can hear an obnoxious amount of road noise. On top of the loud ride, it’s also uncomfortably stiff and unpleasant, so you won’t just hear the car travel over bumps and dips, you’ll feel them as well.

The Honda Fit, on the other hand, is just as affordable, with a base model price just starting a few thousand dollars more, and it’s well worth the extra money. The Fit gets about the same fuel economy as the Spark but has a slightly improved driving quality. There are still a lot of things that the Fit lacks, but that just comes with the low price of these cars.

For some people, the affordable price tag of buying these cars brand new is well worth the sacrifice. It is also a reason that these are good cars for commuters who put an extensive amount of miles on their cars, first-time car owners, and new drivers. While they may not have the highest build quality, they are still reliable choices, and you can rest easy knowing you’re the first owner.