Cheapest New Cars

Most affordable cars for 2024

July 29th, 2024

Cheapest Cars

The average transaction price of a new car in June 2024 was $47,616, according to Edmunds data. When you combine that with high interest rates, and inflation rising faster than wages, it may seem like purchasing a new car is out of reach for many shoppers. Yet the cheapest car on sale today, the 2024 Nissan Versa S, can be had for just $17,820 MSRP (including destination). To that point, while the average price of a new car is higher than ever, there are still plenty of relatively affordable vehicles on sale today, like the Versa. We've gathered the 20 most affordable new cars on sale in 2024, topping out at $25,000. Note that we've listed the starting price, which is usually the base model. You can certainly go higher up in the trim levels for more features, but it'll cost more and perhaps take you past the price point of what you consider a "cheap new car" to be.

Most cars on this list may have steel wheels with hubcaps, but previously budget features such as manual door locks and crank windows are a thing of the past. Backup cameras are mandated on all new cars, and all of these vehicles have at least Bluetooth connectivity to stream music from your devices. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity is common on these models, too. Driver aids like forward collision warning are found across the board, and some of these vehicles come standard with even more driver aids.

This list of 20 vehicles includes cars, hatchbacks and SUVs, including some with turbocharged powertrains and a handful with all-wheel drive. There's even a fuel-efficient hybrid on the list, though most of these cars offer solid fuel economy ratings. Check out the list to learn more about 20 of the cheapest new cars on sale today.

Cheapest Cars

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Starting price, including destination:
$17,820
Fuel economy:
up to 35 mpg combined
2024 Nissan Versa
The Nissan Versa is a compact sedan and the most affordable new car on sale in America today, a crown it's held for a few years. The Versa brings a spacious interior to the table as well as a solid list of standard safety and tech features, helping to make it… a great value. The Versa’s biggest problem is that it doesn't excel in any one area. However, it's easy to overlook some drawbacks given the Versa's world-beating price. It's worth noting that the base trim comes with a five-speed manual transmission. If you can stretch it, we suggest opting for the continuously variable automatic transmission for its significantly better fuel economy.
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Starting price, including destination:
$17,840
Fuel economy:
39 mpg combined
2024 Mitsubishi Mirage
The Mitsubishi Mirage is a small four-door hatchback with an affordable base price and excellent fuel efficiency. The Mirage's small three-cylinder engine yields some of the best EPA estimates of any vehicle on this list, though the powertrain itself could be… much quieter and more refined. Inside, it’s evident how the Mirage holds down its price, with a cheap-feeling interior, and competitors offer far more comfort for not much more money. An impressive warranty and standard features like automatic climate control aren't enough to set the Mirage apart in a tough field.
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Starting price, including destination:
$18,940
Fuel economy:
37 mpg combined
2024 Mitsubishi Mirage G4
The Mirage G4 is simply a sedan version of the Mirage hatchback. Aside from featuring a trunk rather than a hatch, the Mirage G4 has a slightly longer wheelbase than its sibling, meaning there's a bit more room in the rear seat for passengers. The trade-off… here is that the G4’s trunk is smaller than the hatchback's cargo area. Like its hatch-y twin, the Mirage G4 still lags behind cars like the Nissan Versa in areas like comfort or acceleration. Notably, the sedan also loses a few miles per gallon over the regular Mirage hatchback.
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Starting price, including destination:
$21,145
Fuel economy:
up to 34 mpg combined
2024 Kia Forte
The Kia Forte is the first car on our list to cross the $20,000 mark, though the bump in price does include a dose of refinement. It has more passenger and cargo space than the Versa or Mirage G4 to boot. The base Forte LX trim offers excellent fuel economy,… and a respectable list of standard features and an impressive warranty boost the Forte's appeal even more.
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Starting price, including destination:
$21,295
Fuel economy:
31 mpg combined
2024 Hyundai Venue
The most affordable crossover SUV on sale today is the Hyundai Venue. Like other compact crossovers, the Venue is more of a hatchback with a lift. It offers good passenger and cargo space alike. And because the Venue sits higher than some sedans and… hatchbacks, it's easy to load in people or cargo. Standard features include features like keyless entry, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and USB charging ports. While the Venue is not available with all-wheel drive, that's not unusual for this class of crossovers. Its practical layout and solid features make it worth your time to check out.
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Starting price, including destination:
$21,315
Fuel economy:
30 mpg combined
2024 Kia Soul
The latest Kia Soul is a long-standing Edmunds favorite compact and has been since its debut. The wagon-ish footprint lends itself to good passenger and cargo space. It also gives the Soul a bit of style to stand out in this field of admittedly bland shapes.… When cars are this cheap, there’s often little money left in the budget for a manufacturer to inject some personality into the product. Not so here, and the Soul is one of the better-driving compacts around, even if it's not the quickest. Standard features include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a fully digital instrument cluster, and forward collision mitigation.
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Starting price, including destination:
$21,495
Fuel economy:
30 mpg combined
2024 Chevrolet Trax
The Chevrolet Trax is one of the newest and most affordable crossovers available. While the original Trax felt cheap and uninspired, this second-generation model looks and feels much better inside and out. The interior space is not only improved but there’s… also enough room for four adults plus all their belongings. The Trax’s standard three-cylinder engine is one of the few powertrains on this list to feature a turbocharger and feels peppy around town. Standard features include LED headlights, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a few driver aids. As with some other small crossover SUVs, all-wheel drive isn't available on the Trax.
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Starting price, including destination:
$22,030
Fuel economy:
up to 34 mpg combined
2024 Nissan Sentra
The Nissan Sentra is the Versa's larger sibling. Just like the Versa, the Sentra suffers from the same problem, failing to excel in any particular area. Still, it does a lot of things pretty well, making it a decent all-arounder on this list. The Sentra… doesn't handle particularly well, but the ride is comfortable. The list of standard features includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, push-button start, and even a blind-spot warning system. In our testing, however, we were disappointed by the Sentra's real-world fuel economy, especially compared to other cars on this list.
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Starting price, including destination:
$22,440
Fuel economy:
33 mpg combined
2024 Nissan Kicks
The Nissan Kicks is a small crossover SUV that competes with models like the Trax. Standard features on the Kicks include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, as well as driver aids like blind-spot warning, parking sensors and reverse automatic braking,… a solid list for this class. And despite being slow, it's actually better to drive than the average compact. Fuel economy is good, too. We did find the cabin to be on the tight side, especially in the rear, and the seats are firm and lack support. However, the trade-off is an SUV that is affordable, easy to park, and inexpensive while still managing to be practical. It’s a tough mix to get right, and the Kicks is a strong contender.
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Starting price, including destination:
$22,660
Fuel economy:
up to 34 mpg combined
2024 Volkswagen Jetta
The Volkswagen Jetta is one of the few vehicles on this list available with a manual transmission. An optional automatic offers slightly better fuel economy, but Volkswagen's manuals are generally nice to use and arguably more fun. There's plenty of storage… inside the Jetta's cabin, and the ride is comfortable and smooth. VW offers a good number of standard features, too, including LED headlights, 16-inch alloy wheels, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a digital instrument cluster. However, Volkswagen has just announced a redesign for the 2025 model year. While the latest Jetta comes with improved features, it’ll likely also cost more money.
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Starting price, including destination:
$22,775
Fuel economy:
up to 36 mpg combined
2024 Hyundai Elantra
The Hyundai Elantra received an update for the 2024 model year that brought refreshed front and rear designs, and some additional tech and driver assistance features. The latter, including lane keeping assistance, blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic… alert, will now notify the driver via haptic feedback in the steering wheel. Base engines sadly didn’t see any changes and remain a little on the slow side. Updates aside, the Elantra remains a stylish small sedan with great interior room, though some of these materials feel a bit cheap.
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Starting price, including destination:
$23,145
Fuel economy:
up to 35 mpg combined
2024 Toyota Corolla
The Toyota Corolla is the obvious choice in its segment, but the popular small sedan does come with some trade-offs. The Corolla is comfortable, despite some cramped rear seats, and the car's controls and tech are all easy to use. The four-cylinder's fuel… economy is respectable in this group too but comes with lots of road noise. Trade-offs aside, the Corolla has a healthy list of standard features, including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, automatic climate control and keyless entry. Notably, Toyota also includes adaptive cruise control as standard equipment.
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Starting price, including destination:
$23,495
Fuel economy:
30 mpg combined
2024 Buick Envista
The Buick Envista is Buick's new entry-level model, serving as an alternative to the slightly more premium Encore GX. The Envista is related to the Chevy Trax underneath the Buick's stylish sheetmetal. The pair share the same 1.2-liter turbocharged engine that… offers good but not outstanding fuel economy. It drives and handles well, too, and offers a slightly more premium cabin than most other vehicles on this list. Standard features include things like 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, an 11-inch touchscreen display, a digital instrument cluster, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Standard driver aids include automatic emergency braking and lane keeping assistance. For all the good the Envista offers, however, we’re disappointed the small SUV doesn’t offer all-wheel drive, something similarly priced alternatives do.
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Starting price, including destination:
$24,115
Fuel economy:
up to 30 mpg combined
2024 Subaru Impreza
The Subaru Impreza has been fully redesigned for 2024. The sedan has been dropped, leaving the five-door hatchback as the only available body style. That's fine with us, as it's always been the one to have given its extra rear headroom and sizable cargo area.… As with nearly every Subaru model, all-wheel drive is standard on the Impreza. It’s a huge advantage since no other vehicle on this list comes standard with AWD. The interior is comfortable and spacious but is somewhat hampered by Subaru’s software interface. The automaker offers two screen choices, and both lack many physical controls and can be slow to respond. Still, for the Impreza’s relatively low starting price, Subaru includes features like dual-zone automatic climate control, LED headlights, and adaptive cruise control as standard equipment.
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Starting price, including destination:
$24,395
Fuel economy:
up to 31 mpg combined
2024 Chevrolet Trailblazer
The Chevrolet Trailblazer is close in size and price to the other Chevy on this list, the Trax. The two have similar interior and cargo space, and both come standard with similar standard features. However, we found the Trailblazer more comfortable and nicer… inside than the average compact crossover. Even the entry-level Trailblazer comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a six-speaker audio system, but it lacks some of the driver aids you'll find standard on other compacts. The Trailblazer does have a few tricks up its sleeve that the Trax can't offer, notably a more powerful engine and available all-wheel drive. Both drive up the price, but all-wheel drive helps make the Trailblazer a standout in four-season climates despite its heftier $26,395 MSRP.
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Starting price, including destination:
$24,595
Fuel economy:
up to 50 mpg combined
2024 Toyota Corolla Hybrid
The first and only hybrid on this list is from the company that popularized them to begin with. The Toyota Corolla Hybrid offers an astounding max 50 mpg combined. Meanwhile, no other vehicle on this list even crests 40 mpg. Additionally, it's available with… all-wheel drive, a rarity for both a compact sedan and a hybrid (though the penalty paid is in the fuel economy category). The Hybrid also brings to the table everything we like about the base Corolla, including its great list of standard features and driver aids like adaptive cruise control. Yes, the Corolla Hybrid is on the higher price end of this list, but the savings at the fuel pump make it well worth considering.
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Starting price, including destination:
$24,600
Fuel economy:
up to 35 mpg combined
2025 Toyota Corolla Hatchback
The Toyota Corolla Hatchback builds on everything its sedan twin does well, with the added utility of a hatchback. It’s fuel-efficient and packs in great standard features and driver aids including standard adaptive cruise control. Unlike the Subaru Impreza,… the Corolla Hatchback isn't available with all-wheel drive, though the Impreza can't match the Corolla's fuel efficiency. And even the base model includes features like automatic climate control and keyless entry with push-button start.
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Starting price, including destination:
$25,355
Fuel economy:
up to 31 mpg combined
2025 Mazda 3
The Mazda 3 consistently impresses in the compact car segment. Sharp styling, engaging handling, and an interior that feels nicer than almost anything else at this price help set the 3 apart. The 3's base engine also offers more power than some rivals'… upgraded powertrains. All-wheel drive is optional but it's not available on the base trim. Meanwhile, a manual transmission is available, but only on front-wheel-drive Mazda 3s. Standard features are average for the class, though the list of driver aids does include adaptive cruise control. Compared to other small sedans, it offers less rear legroom and cargo space and lower fuel economy. Though its slightly higher price means it doesn't make the list, Mazda also sells a <a href="/mazda/3/">3 hatchback</a> that offers all of the same features with a bit more cargo space than the sedan for $1,000 more.
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Starting price, including destination:
$25,515
Fuel economy:
up to 26 mpg combined (base engine)
2024 Ford Maverick
The Ford Maverick is what a small truck should be: It is light on the wallet, fits everywhere, and hauls a surprising amount of cargo. We also love the Maverick because of its impressive fuel economy, hybrid powertrain and competitive pricing. Because the… Maverick shirks the traditional body-on-frame layout used by larger trucks, it also rides like a car thanks to its unibody construction, making it very comfortable. However, there are compromises, namely in the form of a cheap-feeling interior and a driver's seat with limited adjustability. Still, despite its flaws, this tiny truck with a 4.5-foot bed is a standout on this list.
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