General Motors bought control of Opel in 1929 and has been trying to fix it ever since. The automaker actually decided to sell its German subsidiary to Fiat during the 2009 bankruptcy crisis but changed its mind so it could keep Opel's small car technology. Now GM has embarked on yet another restructuring. But shrinking Opel down to a profitable size, given the strength of Europe's unions and the politics involved in plant closings, is like trying to catch a falling knife.
They may not be the sexiest rides on the street, but for value, reliability, and fun, these cars quietly blow the doors off the competition.
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