Sixth Place: 2005 Volkswagen GTI 1.8T
Landing at number six is the Volkswagen Golf GTI 1.8T. With 180 turbocharged horses and a five-speed manual transmission, the GTI 1.8T achieves a fuel economy rating of 24-mpg city and 31-mpg highway. The Volkswagen GTI 1.8T also offers the versatility of a hatchback and a decent-size cargo area. Reasons the GTI didn’t climb higher in the rankings included a mushy suspension and potential reliability issues as reported by Consumer Reports.