Chill out in these 10 coolest cars under $18,000

The cool factor is important when it comes to cars. Some have it. some don't.

But finding a car that's cool and under $18,000 can be a challenge.

Somehow, auto-buying website Kelley Blue Book proved to be up to the task. It picked 10 cars that it says are both fun to drive and fun to own. Yes, they admit, "cool" is a matter of opinion. There's no numbers that can assess it. You just know it when you see it.

Their top choice was a repeat winner, the Mazda3, which also won last year. Just to spice things up, there's a couple of fun, small crossovers on the list — the hamster-promoted Kia Soul and the new Jeep Renegade. And Honda shows up twice, with its small Fit and Civic Coupe.

"All of them are fun, stylish and versatile to varying degrees," says Jack Nerad, KBB's editorial director. "And each and every one is enticingly affordable."

The list:

1. Mazda3

2. Volkswagen Golf

3. Kia Soul

4. Jeep Renegade

5. Honda Civic Coupe

6. Ford Fiesta

7. Honda Fit

8. Chevrolet Sonic

9. Subaru Impreza

10. Fiat 500