There was a time when entry-level cars were the cheap cousins of the mainstream models — bare bones, just the basics.

This is no longer the case, though, as consumer preferences have shifted. Economic issues and higher gas prices are pressuring buyers to downsize and manufacturers are responding with products that are compact, efficient and affordable, while still offering most of the amenities North Americans, especially, demand in their cars.

This trend is great news for young families looking for a vehicle that will suit their growing needs, yet still fit within the budget limitations so common for this group. For less than $20,000, there are numerous vehicles available, with a wide range of styles and features.

Here’s a sampling of models available in this category.

Mazda3

The new-for-2010, second-generation Mazda3 has been earning accolades, including selection by AJAC (Automobile Journalists Association of Canada) as this year’s best new small car — and for good reason.

Available as either a four-door sedan or a five-door Sport, the Mazda3 delivers good value, a comfortable ride and excellent handling in a stylish package with decent room for four adults. Trunk space in the sedan is more than adequate for a family on the go, but the additional versatility the five-door hatch provides makes it worth considering, despite the slightly higher cost.

Pricing for the Mazda3 Sport five-door hatch starts at $16,995 for the base GX trim with a five-speed manual transmission. Adding a five-speed automatic bumps the GX price tag by $1,200; including air conditioning adds $1,195. The base price for four-door Mazda3 GX sedan is $1,000 less, with the same pricing for the five-speed automatic and air conditioning upgrades.

Although it exceeds our $20,000 price ceiling by $495, family shoppers might also want to check out the Mazda5 while visiting their Mazda dealership. It has attributes a family needs in its vehicle — lots of room for people and their stuff.

Hyundai Elantra Touring

Hyundai offers several models that combine high quality and affordability with functional design and great content for families on a tight budget. The Accent and Elantra fit well in the under-$20,000, but the model that most catches my eye is the Elantra Touring, which is an attractive alternative to the typical family sedan.

With its five-door hatchback format, it’s more like a small wagon, offering plenty of functionality for young families, yet it still has a sporty flavour. The rear bench seat is split 60/40, providing plenty of versatility to carry kids, cargo or both.

The Elantra Touring is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder driving the front wheels through the standard five-speed manual gearbox or a four-speed automatic transmission.

Pricing starts at $14,999 for the base L model, but the more popular iteration is the GL, which includes air conditioning, side-impact airbags and side curtains, plus anti-lock brakes. It starts at $17,399 (manual) or $18,599 with the automatic.

Even the upscale GLS trim fits under the $20,000 limit, starting at $19,299 if you’re content with the five-speed gearbox.

Kia Forte

Like its corporate cousin Hyundai, there are several possibilities in Kia’s lineup for families on a budget to consider, including its impressive new Forte sedan, which has a base price of $15,695 in EX trim.

Kia Soul

Entry-level cars can be affordable and still be cool and funky. The Kia Soul, for example, has a look that sets it apart while offering families plenty of space and versatility inside.

An acquaintance recently was looking for a replacement for the family minivan and settled on a Soul. She’s thrilled with its roominess and performance, and thinks it looks quite cool — but best of all, it fits within her budget.

The boxy shape of this mini crossover creates lots of interior space and the 60/40 rear bench folds down to create more cargo room when required.

The Soul is already proving to be a winner, earning numerous awards including honours from Parents magazine and the U.S. automotive research site Edmunds.com, which named it 2010’s best family car in the budget category. Pricing starts at $15,495.

Honda Fit

If versatility is high on your priority list, the Honda Fit is difficult to beat in the under-$20,000 segment.

Its five-door hatchback design allows easy access to the cargo area, which totals more than 1,600 litres with the 60/40-split rear Magic Seat folded down. That amount of room will swallow surprisingly large items in such a small car. Even with the rear seat upright, there are 585 litres of space for cargo.

One engine — a 1.5L iVTEC four-cylinder — is used across the Fit lineup, which includes three trim levels: the base DX, LX and Sport. A five-speed manual gearbox is standard throughout, although a five-speed automatic is available.

In addition to a full suite of front, side and side-curtain airbags and active front-seat head restraints, Honda’s ACE (advanced compatibility engineering) body structure technology makes the Fit one of the safest models in the small-car segment.

Fit pricing starts at $15,138 for the base DX with the manual transaxle, while the LX (the lineup’s volume leader) starts at $19,325. Opting for the automatic transmission nudges the LX price tag to $20,441.

Ford Fiesta

Domestic automakers are jumping into the small-car segment with new products that will rival anything offered by the offshore competition. Ford, for example, is launching its new player in the segment, the Fiesta, which is expected to be in dealers’ showrooms within the next month or two.

Taking a page from current offerings in the category, the Fiesta will be available in two body styles — a four-door sedan and a five-door hatchback.

A Ford executive noted during a recent press preview of the Fiesta that products in the small-car category “don’t need to look like an appliance,” promoting the point his Fiesta will not just be functional and affordable, but stylish and filled with features one would expect to find in higher-end models. He said the days of the cheap-looking econoboxes — and the stigma associated with such low-end products — are gone, replaced by attractively designed models loaded with amenities that owners are proud to drive.

The Fiesta, with its impressive European-tuned suspension, comes with a 120-hp, 1.6L four-cylinder engine that is rated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at 4.9 litres/100 km in highway use — tops in its class. The city driving consumption rating, also with Ford’s new six-speed automatic transmission, is 6.8 L/100 km. With the standard five-speed manual gearbox, the Fiesta’s EPA ratings are 7.1 city and 5.3 highway.

The 2011 Fiesta four-door will have a base price of $12,999, without air conditioning or power windows. The likely choice for most buyers will be the mid-range SE model, which starts at $16,099 for the four-door and $16,799 for the five-door hatchback.

Chevrolet Cruze

General Motors, too, is introducing a new model to challenge the small-car leaders, although it won’t be in showrooms until the fall. The all-new Chevrolet Cruze sedan will replace the Cobalt as the compact entry in Chevy’s lineup.

Like Ford’s Fiesta, the Cruze is already on sale in Europe and elsewhere, but the North American version won’t differ significantly. No hatchback iteration is scheduled — just a four-door sedan — which may crimp its appeal somewhat with shoppers, but it still offers several winning attributes that could win over buyers.

The interior is quite spacious, easily accommodating a family of five, while ride comfort and interior quietness are impressive.

Two engine choices will be offered — a 138-hp 1.4L turbocharged four-cylinder and a 1.8L naturally aspiratedfour with the same output. A special Eco model will also be offered using the 1.4L turbo engine and six-speed manual transmission that is delivering 5.0 L/100 km fuel consumption (highway) in preliminary testing.

cdear@sympatico.ca