Cars.com's KickingTires blog compare the 2011 Honda CR-Z, 2010 MINI Cooper and 2010 Volkwagen Golf TDI. It chose the MINI Cooper as the best overall value of the three. It said
The Cooper's $18,800 base price is the lowest in the group, and the car comes nicely equipped for that. Reliability on the Cooper is getting (relatively) better, and it comes with three years of free maintenance. Avoid Mini's umpteen options packages and cosmetic accessories, and you can get a lot of car for less than $20,000.
However, it's Editor's Choice was the Volkwagen:
Refined and reserved, the TDI feels like the most car here. Cabin quality, passing power and roominess abound. It's not the trendiest pick, but it's the one we'd take at day's end.
