Everyone wants to save money on a car, right? Okay, maybe if you've just won the lottery, have recently signed a million-dollar television show contract or share Ted Kaczynski's lease on life, you don't think about it too much. But for the rest of us who need to get safely from point A to point B without dropping twenty five grand, cost is always an issue when deciding which vehicle to buy. Enter the economy car. They used to be nothing more than a tin frame with wheels and a fuel-efficient engine, affectionately called "econoboxes." But now, they've got style, they've got class, they've got panache. What does it all mean? More choices, my friends. And that's where we come in.

On a recent trip to Oceanside, California, we managed to snag a couple of popular economy cars for a comparison test: the Ford Escort SE and the Honda Civic LX. Both are small, fuel-efficient and affordable. Both are best sellers in this segment, and for the manufacturers that build them. Both are similarly dressed, though the Ford offers ABS, alloy wheels, premium sound and cruise control. Our mission was clear: to decide which one would win the gold for comfort, style and fun.

Four editors drove each car for one full day around greater Los Angeles in late February. After four days of driving in traffic, sunshine and El Nino rainstorms, the Honda Civic was declared the undisputed victor. It was quieter, easier to shift, prettier to look at and more fun to drive. But it also came with a higher price tag and a lower level of equipment. Our mission was soon modified: to decide if the Honda was good enough to cough up the extra cash.

No one thought the Escort was a bad car--in fact, we'd recommend it if you have something against Hondas--but it just didn't offer as much in terms of refinement. One editor mentioned that the Ford's clutch, shift action and power delivery paled in comparison to the Civic. Another said the Ford was "ugly as a toothless hag" and he was embarrassed to drive it because of the silly sport decal. Still, almost everyone gave the Escort a higher rating for power and spunkiness.

Let's talk about power. I happened to drive the Honda before the Ford and was duly impressed with its pick up and go ... until the next morning when the Escort blew me down the road like a kite in high winds--an experience I'm familiar with having lived in downtown Chicago. Both powertrains are acceptable for the size of the cars, but if you want a little more pizzazz in your commute, the Ford will deliver. The Honda started off zippy, but ran out of steam in the upper gears. Others thought the Ford was a bit thrashy.

Handling on both cars was rated mediocre, but the Honda could stop on a dime without ABS and had no problem taking corners on slick roads in the rain-drenched coastal state. The tires gripped the road well, but squealed occasionally, and headlights provided plenty of illumination in the evening as well as in the rain. Visibility was hindered only in the rear by the car's wedgy profile, which leaves the back end substantially higher than the front. Several times I believed a car was following close behind me only to realize it was the back end of the Civic.

The Escort, on the other hand, lost its grip in high-speed turns and the gear shift consistently got stuck in reverse until, with a bit of force, we were able to wriggle it free. Visibility was better in the rear, but the weird-shaped side mirrors cut out some of the view from that angle.

Inside, the Honda was roomy and soothing, with comfortable light gray cloth seats and tiny, but usable, backseats. All editors reported hearing a bit of wind noise and road rumble, and the stereo seemed average. A pet peeve was that the console cubby blocked access to the stereo. The seats in the Escort felt mushy and were too low, but the stereo scored higher accolades.

Ergonomically, we all preferred the Civic. The pod-like stereo/climate control panel protrudes from the dash a bit, eliminating the need to lunge forward to change radio stations or flip on the A/C. Problems with the Ford's interior ranged from the stereo controls being too low to the small cupholders. Neither car offered backlighting for the power window and door lock controls. But what really blew it for the Ford inside was the ugly mud brown color and the foam padding that was seeping through the panels in the dash.

Stylistically, the Honda won hands down. It looks far more expensive than it actually is and from a distance, the wheel covers could even pass for alloys. An inspection of the Ford's exterior produced an orange-peel finish, a cluttered wheel design and an unappealing body design. As far as cargo goes, both cars offered a low liftover for easy trunk loading, but the Honda lost points for requiring a key to unlock the expanding cargo area.

Overall, the Honda provides more bang for your buck in terms of style, build quality and comfort. The Ford offers a bit more spunk in the powertrain and a slightly lower price tag. So, is the Honda worth the extra few hundred bucks? Definitely.