IRVINE, Calif. -

Editors from Kelley Blue Book announced late last week which units made the cut for their 2011 Top 10 Coolest New Cars Under $18,000, with a mix of domestics and foreign vehicles peppering the list and the new model from Fiat grabbing the No. 1 spot. 

Ranking their top choices from 10 to one, KBB editors named the 2012 Fiat 500 as this year’s No.1 affordable “cool car.”

Despite current high-vehicle prices, KBB stressed that there are still plenty of new cars out there available for less than $18,000.

While searching brand names for the “coolest cars,” KBB’s editors judged units on criteria such as, fun-to drive and fun-to-own, stressing that the cars’ “cool factor” acted as the number-one criterion.

"There are great deals to be had on many new cars under $18,000, but only a handful of them really possess that cool, difficult-to-describe ‘it’ factor," said Jack Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com. 

"Each year, the competition keeps getting tougher in this affordable segment, with more personality-filled, amenity-laden, versatile vehicles entering the marketplace.  In ranking our top picks this year, the 2012 Fiat 500 took the top prize as our No. 1 choice.  After 28 years out of the U.S. market, Fiat is making huge waves with the new 500, and in our books, it is the leader of the ‘Cool Cars’ parade,” he continued.

Along with KBB editors’ commentary, kbb.com’s 2011 Top 10 Coolest Cars Under $18,000 are:

10. 2011 Hyundai Elantra

“Who knew good value could be so cool? The all-new 2011 Hyundai Elantra is an all-around package of slick design, convenient features and fuel-efficiency. Every Elantra gets 40 miles per gallon on the highway. And like every other Hyundai, the Elantra offers a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty to help ease the minds of Hyundai first-timers. It takes some panache to be fuel efficient, affordable and great looking, and the 2011 Hyundai Elantra pulls it off in style.”

9. 2011 Nissan Cube

“We agree with Huey Lewis: It is hip to be square, at least when it comes to a car like the Nissan Cube. The polarizing squares-meet-circles design theme gets a lot of attention, but the Cube’s attractiveness is more than skin deep, with features like a sliding and reclining second-row seat, an overabundance of head room and a headliner design that mimics the concentric circles created by a pebble dropped into a pond. Zen is the original cool, right? All told, the Nissan Cube is an exceptionally practical and modestly priced car, but it’s not for everyone. And everyone knows the key to being cool is not caring what everyone thinks.”

8. 2011 Volkswagen Jetta

“Germany! It’s a country practically brimming with freaky coolness, exemplified by Rammstein, Kraftwerk and, of course, Volkswagen. The latest rendition of VW’s Jetta captures much of Germany’s quirky-cool spirit while being expressly engineered for an American appetite. The Jetta continues to deliver superior ride and handling, but it’s now roomier and priced more competitively with class leaders like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. A fine-handling German sedan available at a price most car buyers can afford? That’s cooler than wearing Adidas while eating schnitzel with Michael Schumacher.”

7. 2012 Ford Focus

“European automakers have long subscribed to the idea that a well-packaged car doesn’t need to be large in size. Ripping a page out of that playbook, Ford has brought the compact, Euro-sweetened 2012 Focus to America, offering head-turning looks, sporty handling and a healthy standard equipment list in an efficient and affordable package. Willing to spend a little extra? Add more cool to your Focus with leather seats, a quick-shifting dual-clutch automatic transmission and the MyFord Touch infotainment system.”

6. 2012 Honda Civic

“Cool doesn’t always have to be in your face. Take the 2012 Honda Civic, for example. Its attributes read like a thought-out online dating profile: Good looking but not flashy, low maintenance and easygoing…but happy to be your partner in crime for any adventure. And like any good relationship, admiration for the Civic grows the more time you spend with it. Cool, indeed.”

5. 2011 Kia Forte Koup

“Having an attractive car that others haven’t seen – that’s cool. The 2011 Kia Forte Koup isn’t just the sportiest-looking car on our list, its standard-equipment list includes a satellite-ready audio system, Bluetooth hands-free phone connectivity and USB/iPod integration. For buyers who think cool and obvious are mutually exclusive concepts, the uncommon Forte Koup is about as cool as it gets for less than $18,000.”

4. 2011 Honda Fit

Fun, flexible and funky, the Honda Fit remains an instantly unanimous choice for our annual cool cars list. Even the crisper, better-equipped Fit Sport comes in under our $18,000 ceiling. Every Fit has a cool back seat that flips and folds for max cargo versatility, plus the backing of Honda’s renowned reputation for reliability.”

3. 2011 Ford Fiesta

“It’s on our list for the second year in a row, and we have a feeling the Ford Fiesta is going to be another perennial favorite. Its European looks and well-crafted interior outclass everything else in the category, and its sharp driving dynamics and nimble handling still impress us every time we get behind the wheel. Available SYNC infotainment and highway fuel economy of 38 miles per gallon (40 mpg for the SFE version) seal the deal, again.”

2. 2011 Mazda3

“At some point we’re going to have to give the Mazda3 a lifetime achievement award for its unequaled streak of appearances on our annual list of coolest cars. For the 8th year in a row – every year of the cars existence, in fact – the Mazda3 has earned a spot on our list for its standout sheet metal, excellent interior and exceptional driving dynamics. It’s still cool after all these years.”

1. 2012 Fiat 500

“Regardless of what the Hello Kitty mafia would like to believe, cute isn’t cool. Not usually, anyway. But that’s because cute is rarely backed up by substance, as it is in the 2012 Fiat 500. It’s seven inches shorter than a Mini Cooper and positively adorable, but spend a day driving Fiat’s first U.S. offering in 28 years and you’ll discover a comfortable, livable, well-built sub-compact car that just happens to have 10 times the personality of some of its cookie-cutter competitors.”