Here Are the 10 Cheapest New Cars You Can Buy Right Now
The days of the sub-$10,000 new car are long behind us, and the days of the sub-$20,000 new car may not be far behind. But if a rock-bottom base price is what you’re looking for, a variety of models still deserve consideration. Many of them also get good gas mileage, which will help keep a lid on ownership costs for as long as you own one.
Related: Here Are The 10 Cheapest New SUVs You Can Buy Right Now
To help with your cheap-car search, we rounded up the 10 least expensive new cars as of April 2024. They’re ordered by base price from least to most expensive, and all prices include the destination charge, but not any cash incentives or taxes and fees. To make the list useful to as many car shoppers as possible, all prices include an automatic transmission, which bumps the price for some models that otherwise offer a manual. For cars with more than one transmission choice, the EPA-estimated combined mpg rating is for the automatic version.
Cheapest New Cars
1. 2024 Mitsubishi Mirage ES: $18,160
2. 2024 Nissan Versa S: $19,200
3. 2024 Kia Forte LX: $21,145
4. 2024 Hyundai Venue SE: $21,275
5. 2024 Chevrolet Trax LS: $21,495
6. 2024 Kia Soul LX: $21,565
7. 2024 Nissan Sentra S: $22,320
8. 2024 Nissan Kicks S: $22,730
9. 2024 Hyundai Elantra SE: $22,775
10. 2024 Toyota Corolla LE: $23,145
1. 2024 Mitsubishi Mirage ES
Price: $18,160 (including $1,145 destination)
Combined fuel economy: 39 mpg
The Mirage is a subcompact hatchback with seating for up to five. The combination of a tiny 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine and optional continuously variable automatic transmission deliver impressive EPA-estimated gas mileage of 39 mpg combined, but it comes at the expense of performance; the Mirage is slow. That said, we thought it was reasonably fun to drive when we last reviewed it. Notable standard equipment on the Mirage includes a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection. For model-year 2024, LE trims get additional standard features, including rain-sensing wipers, automatic headlights and a driver’s seat armrest. If you want a trunk, Mitsubishi also offers a sedan variant called the Mirage G4; with the CVT, it starts at $19,055.
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2. 2024 Nissan Versa S
Price: $19,200 ($1,140 destination)
Combined fuel economy: 35 mpg
The 2024 Nissan Versa is packed with active-safety and driver-assist features you don’t often see at this price. These include automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, reverse automatic braking, lane departure warning and high-beam assist. It’s also fitted with convenience features like cruise control, automatic headlights, push-button start and Bluetooth streaming audio. Under the hood of the Versa S is a 122-horsepower, 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine paired with an optional CVT; the CVT is standard on higher trims. For 2023, the Versa got an updated front end and added optional Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for the base S model. The Versa rolls into 2024 with no notable changes or significant updates.
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3. 2024 Kia Forte LX
Price: $21,145 ($1,155 destination)
Combined fuel economy: 34 mpg
The 2024 Kia Forte’s most affordable trim is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder and mated to a CVT. The compact sedan offers a commuter-friendly 34 mpg combined and is loaded with standard features such as a large 8-inch touchscreen, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and automatic emergency braking. Entering its fifth year since a major redesign — and with the new K4 replacing it for 2025 — the Forte is little changed for 2024. For the new model year, the GT-Line trim gets some newly standard safety tech, and the GT-Line Tech Package is no longer available. Although the Forte is a good value for a daily driver, shoppers looking for plentiful cargo space won’t find it in this sedan’s small trunk.
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4. 2024 Hyundai Venue SE
Price: $21,275 ($1,375 destination)
Combined fuel economy: 31 mpg
The 2024 Hyundai Venue makes the cheapest cars roundup as a faux SUV (i.e., it looks like an SUV and Hyundai calls it that, too, but all-wheel drive is unavailable so it doesn’t qualify as an SUV by our standards). Advanced standard safety features include automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning with steering assist, and a driver attention monitor. All models are equipped with 8-inch touchscreen displays with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto; the base SE and mid-level SEL have wireless versions of both, too. Power for all versions of the Venue comes from a four-cylinder engine paired to a CVT. Changes for 2024 are modest: Two backseat USB outlets are newly standard on the mid-range SEL and top Limited trims. Previously offered solely on the Limited, keyless entry with push-button start is newly standard in the SEL, and a six-speaker stereo replaces the prior four-speaker system in the base SE trim.
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5. 2024 Chevrolet Trax LS
Price: $21,495 ($1,095 destination)
Combined fuel economy: 30 mpg
The redesigned 2024 Trax grows more spacious inside and gets a new turbocharged 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine under the hood, which it shares with the larger Chevy Trailblazer and related Buick Encore GX. But while the Trailblazer and Encore GX offer available AWD and make our list of cheapest SUVs, the Trax is now FWD-only. The Trax’s tech upgrades include a larger 8-inch center touchscreen and standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity; it also adds standard Chevy Safety Assist, which includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure steering assist with lane departure warning, and forward collision alert.
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6. 2024 Kia Soul LX
Price: $21,565 ($1,375 destination)
Combined fuel economy: 30 mpg
Kia’s quirky, utilitarian Soul hatchback has a suite of standard safety and driver-assist features like automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning with steering assist, driver attention warning, and a rear occupant alert. Power for all models comes from a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired with a CVT. The LX gets an 8-inch touchscreen display with standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while the other trims get a 10.25-inch touchscreen. For 2024, a new Designer Package for the top-of-the-line EX trim level adds 18-inch wheels (up from the EX’s standard 17s), as well as a unique Umber interior color and seats wrapped in synthetic leather with cloth inserts.
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7. 2024 Nissan Sentra S
Price: $22,320 ($1,140 destination)
Combined fuel economy: 34 mpg
The Nissan Sentra was lightly refreshed for 2024. The most meaningful updates are a new CVT and stop-start functionality, which bumps the fuel efficiency of its 2.0-liter four-cylinder slightly to 30/40/34 mpg city/highway/combined, according to the EPA. It also wears a tweaked grille design that streamlines its front-end styling. The compact sedan provides a controlled, comfortable ride with sharp steering, but the CVT lacks the giddy-up of those in some competitors. Standard on the S are a 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity and Nissan’s Safety Shield 360 suite of advanced safety tech, which includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, rear automatic braking and rear cross-traffic alert.
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8. 2024 Nissan Kicks S
Price: $22,730 ($1,390 destination)
Combined fuel economy: 33 mpg
The Kicks is a small, front-wheel drive hatchback that was introduced for the 2018 model year and facelifted for 2021; for 2024, there are no major changes. Its sole engine is a 122-hp, 1.6-liter four-cylinder paired with a CVT. In addition to its affordable price, the Kicks adds solid fuel economy and ample standard safety features that include automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, blind spot warning, reverse automatic braking and automatic high-beam assist. The base S trim also comes with standard cruise control; Nissan’s adaptive cruise control system can only be had on higher trims.
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9. 2024 Hyundai Elantra SE
Price: $22,775 ($1,150 destination)
Combined fuel economy: 36 mpg
The Hyundai Elantra was redesigned for 2024. The 2024 Elantra gets revised styling, additional safety features and some cabin upgrades, and the sporty-ish Elantra N Line and performance-oriented Elantra N variants also get some feature and styling updates. For 2024, the Elantra continues to be available only as a sedan, and the most affordable SE trim is again powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with a capable CVT. The Elantra gets an impressive 36 mpg EPA combined rating that makes it as budget-friendly to own as it is to buy, and standard features include wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, a blind spot warning system and lane-centering steering. Several safety and driver-assistance features also join the lineup for 2024. Newly standard are rear side airbags and a rear seatbelt reminder, and haptic feedback through the steering wheel has been added to the lane departure steering assist, blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert systems. Additionally, the Limited trim gets a 360-degree camera system, blind spot monitor, and front and rear parking sensors as standard equipment.
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10. 2024 Toyota Corolla LE
Price: $23,145 ($1,095 destination)
Combined fuel economy: 35 mpg
The Toyota Corolla is available as a compact sedan or four-door hatchback. A 169-hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder is standard, and it sends power to the front wheels via a CVT. It’s EPA rated at 32/41/35 mpg. Performance is fine for routine driving needs, though rivals like the Honda Civic and Mazda3 feel livelier behind the wheel. A fuel-sipping hybrid version is available, returning up to an EPA-estimated 50 mpg combined. The 2024 Corolla is equipped with a long list of standard features, including an 8-inch touchscreen multimedia system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a Wi-Fi hot spot, automatic climate control, lane departure warning with steering assist, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition and automatic high-beam headlights.
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