23) 2019 Hyundai Kona
$19,990 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.3/10
The 2019 Hyundai Kona just squeaks in under $20,000. The Kona is one of the top subcompact SUVs in our rankings. It offers agile handling and an upmarket cabin for its price.
23) 2019 Hyundai Kona
$19,990 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.3/10
For $19,990, you’ll get the base Kona SE, which comes standard with a 147-horsepower engine, an automatic transmission, alloy wheels, two USB ports, a six-speaker stereo, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a user-friendly 7-inch touch screen. Lane keep assist, forward collision warning, and a driver-attention monitor are standard as well. That’s a lot of equipment for less than $20,000.
22) 2020 Toyota Corolla
$19,600 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.2/10
The Toyota Corolla is one of America’s most popular sedans, and for good reason. It offers excellent reliability and a lot of features for its price.
In recent years, Toyota has begun including more safety features as standard. The current iteration of the Corolla comes standard with a veritable MIT lab full of sensors – you get pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane tracing assist, automatic high beams, and traffic sign recognition.
The Corolla sedan is brand new for 2020. The 2019 Corolla is even cheaper, but it isn’t as nice inside and doesn’t corner with as much composure.
22) 2020 Toyota Corolla
$19,600 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.2/10
For $19,600, you get the Corolla sedan in the L trim. The L includes all of the previously mentioned safety features, plus a lackluster 139-horsepower engine, an automatic transmission, steel wheels with plastic covers, a six-speaker stereo, a 7-inch touch screen, Apple CarPlay, voice recognition, and a built-in Wi-Fi hot spot.
All in all, the Corolla offers great value for your money, which is one of the reasons it places in the top half of our compact car rankings
21) 2019 Honda Civic
$19,550 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.3/10
The Honda Civic is one of the top cars in our compact rankings. It is a sportier choice than the Corolla, with livelier handling around corners. It also makes a great commuting car; it has a premium cabin, a big trunk, and great gas mileage.
The only major downside is a low predicted reliability rating. In the past decade or so, as Honda has added more complicated features to their cars, their legendary reliability has taken a hit.
21) 2019 Honda Civic
$19,550 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.3/10
The Honda Civic is priced just below the Corolla. However, its $19,550 base price does not include an automatic transmission. That will cost you $800, putting you just over the price limit for this article.
Other features on the base Honda Civic LX include a 158-horsepower engine that does a better job than the Corolla’s base motor, steel wheels with plastic covers, automatic climate control, a four-speaker stereo, and a 5-inch audio display screen.
The standard Honda Sensing suite of active safety features includes automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, and automatic emergency braking.
20) 2019 Nissan Frontier
$19,090 | U.S. News Overall Score: 6.9/10
The Nissan Frontier earns many superlatives, and most of them aren’t good. It is the oldest pickup truck in its class, and it has the lowest ranking. However, it’s also the cheapest.
The Frontier’s age shows in its hard plastic interior, cramped rear seat, and below-average hauling capacity. However, it also shows in the truck’s simple controls and above-average reliability – Nissan has had a lot of time to iron out the kinks.
20) 2019 Nissan Frontier
$19,090 | U.S. News Overall Score: 6.9/10
The base Frontier S is Spartan. You get a 152-horsepower engine, steel wheels, a five-speed manual transmission, rear-wheel drive, crank windows, manual locks, and a 7-inch touch screen.
19) 2020 Hyundai Elantra
$18,950 | U.S. News Overall Score: 7.8/10
The Elantra finishes midpack in our compact car rankings. It’s buoyed by a good predicted reliability score, a comfortable ride, great fuel economy, a long warranty, and lots of standard safety features. All of that makes it a great commuter car.
It isn’t particularly exciting to drive, and the cabin isn’t as upscale as its rivals’ – that’s why it’s midpack – but that doesn’t take away from its status as a commuting champ.
19) 2020 Hyundai Elantra
$18,950 | U.S. News Overall Score: 7.8/10
For $18,950, you get the base Elantra SE, which comes with a 147-horsepower engine, an automatic transmission, steel wheels with plastic covers, a 5-inch infotainment screen, a six-speaker stereo, dual-zone automatic climate control, a driver attention monitor, lane keep assist, and automatic emergency braking.
The Elantra SEL trim, which starts at $19,700, gets you everything in the base model plus Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a 7-inch touch screen, and satellite radio. It also adds safety equipment like lane departure warning, blind spot warning and detection, and rear cross traffic alert.
18) 2019 Volkswagen Jetta
$18,745 | U.S. News Overall Score: 7.7/10
The VW Jetta doesn’t knock it out of the park in our compact car rankings, earning a 10th-place spot out of 13 cars. However, there’s nothing seriously wrong with the vehicle. It’s good on gas, rides smoothly, and has comfortable seats. The Jetta also features user-friendly tech and a slightly above-average predicted reliability rating.
Some competitors, including VW’s own Golf, are nicer inside and more fun to drive. The Jetta also doesn’t offer as many features for the money. Those are the main things holding the Jetta back.
18) 2019 Volkswagen Jetta
$18,745 | U.S. News Overall Score: 7.7/10
The base VW Jetta S has a 147-horsepower engine, a manual transmission, alloy wheels, and a 6.5-inch touch screen. An automatic transmission will cost $800.
17) 2019 Nissan Kicks
$18,640 | U.S. News Overall Score: 7.8/10
The Nissan Kicks ranks well among subcompact SUVs, and it’s the second-cheapest crossover SUV on the market, after the Kia Soul.
Reviewers like the Kicks’ large cargo area and great fuel economy. Its 122-horsepower engine is weak, but that shouldn’t be surprising in an $18,640 SUV.
17) 2019 Nissan Kicks
$18,640 | U.S. News Overall Score: 7.8/10
The Kicks has a long standard features list that includes an automatic transmission, a 7-inch touch screen, three USB ports, automatic headlights, push-button start, and automatic emergency braking.
16) 2020 Hyundai Veloster
$18,600 | U.S. News Overall Score: 7.8/10
The Hyundai Veloster tries to balance fun and practicality. Its midpack placement in our compact car rankings shows that it is only somewhat successful.
On the fun side of the equation, you get sporty handling, nicely bolstered front seats, and standard alloy wheels. On the practical side, there’s the Veloster’s hatchback configuration and easy-to-use infotainment system. There’s also a small extra door on the passenger side to make getting in and out easier – you could call this a 2.5-door coupe.
However, the Veloster isn’t as practical as it could be. The coupe body style and sloping rear roof make the rear seats tight. The Veloster also isn’t as upscale inside, nor is its fuel economy as good as the competition’s.
16) 2020 Hyundai Veloster
$18,600 | U.S. News Overall Score: 7.8/10
For $18,600, you get the base Veloster 2.0, which has ample standard features. They include a 147-horsepower engine, 17-inch alloy wheels, a power driver’s seat, a 7-inch touch screen, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, two USB ports, driver drowsiness monitoring, lane keep assist, automatic emergency braking, and a six-speed manual transmission. An automatic costs $1,000.
15) 2019 Subaru Impreza
$18,595 | U.S. News Overall Score: 7.7/10
The Impreza has that familiar Subaru practicality – standard all-wheel drive, spacious seats, great fuel economy – but is otherwise a middling vehicle in our compact car rankings. A weak engine, lackluster cabin quality, and below-average reliability are the main culprits.
15) 2019 Subaru Impreza
$18,595 | U.S. News Overall Score: 7.7/10
The Impreza comes in sedan and hatchback body styles, but you’ll have to stick with the sedan to get the lowest price. The base sedan gets you Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a 6.5-inch touch screen, steel wheels with plastic covers, and a five-speed manual transmission (an automatic is $1,000).
No advanced safety features are standard, but you can get the EyeSight suite of safety features (automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, and adaptive cruise control) for $845. You’ll have to choose safety or an automatic transmission, as choosing both pushes you above $20,000.
14) 2019 Chevrolet Cruze
$17,995 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.2/10
An excellent predicted reliability rating helps Chevrolet’s Cruze hold a position near the top of our compact car rankings. The Cruze also boasts a spacious interior, an easy-to-use infotainment system, and good fuel economy.
14) 2019 Chevrolet Cruze
$17,995 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.2/10
Like many of the cars on this list, the Cruze is available in sedan and hatchback forms; the sedan is the cheaper model.
For $17,995, you’ll get the base Cruze L trim with two USB ports, Apple CarPlay, a 7-inch touch screen, steel wheels with plastic covers, and a 153-horsepower turbocharged engine. You won’t have to worry about paying extra for an automatic transmission – this year, Chevy discontinued the manual, so the automatic comes standard.
13) 2019 Nissan Sentra
$17,890 | U.S. News Overall Score: 6.9/10
The Nissan Sentra is a thoroughly average car in most ways, though it does offer a lot of space for passengers and cargo.
Its cabin has a dated design, and its base engine is anemic. Nissan added a larger touch screen to the already-intuitive infotainment system for 2019, though Apple CarPlay and Android Auto remain extra-cost options.
13) 2019 Nissan Sentra
$17,890 | U.S. News Overall Score: 6.9/10
The base Nissan Sentra S comes with a 7-inch touch screen and a manual transmission. You can upgrade to an automatic for $690. The automatic transmission is packaged with an automatic emergency braking system.
12) 2019 Kia Forte
$17,790 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.4/10
The fully redesigned 2019 Kia Forte is one of the top vehicles in our compact car rankings. The new Forte has lots of rear-seat legroom, trunk space, and user-friendly tech features. Great fuel economy is also on the menu.
The only tradeoff is the so-so acceleration from its 147-horsepower base engine.
12) 2019 Kia Forte
$17,790 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.4/10
The base Forte FE is a great value, offering a ton of standard features for its $17,790 price. They include dual-zone automatic climate control, an 8-inch touch screen, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, driver attention monitoring, automatic emergency braking, and lane keep assist. A six-speed manual transmission is standard, and an automatic is available for $900.
11) 2020 Kia Soul
$17,490 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.4/10
Kia redesigned the Soul for 2020, and it continues to be one of the best values in the class.
Cargo space is a chief benefit – you get a lot of it for your money. In fact, the Soul has one of the best cost/space ratios in the business. Its distinctive, boxy shape helps with that. Passenger space is generous, too, and the infotainment system is easy to use.
11) 2020 Kia Soul
$17,490 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.4/10
The base Soul LX comes with 7-inch touch screen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a 147-horsepower engine, steel wheels with plastic covers, and a manual transmission. The automatic transmission costs $1,500, which is expensive for the class.
10) 2019 Fiat 500
$16,495 | U.S. News Overall Score: 6.3/10
If you mostly drive in the city and you care more about style than practicality, the Fiat 500 could be a fun choice for you. Otherwise, we would recommend avoiding it.
It has very little passenger and cargo space, it gets mediocre gas mileage for its size, it feels overwhelmed on the highway, its cabin materials are low quality – we could go on. It’s no wonder Fiat is cancelling U.S. sales of the 500 after this model year.
10) 2019 Fiat 500
$16,495 | U.S. News Overall Score: 6.3/10
The base Fiat 500 Pop trim comes with a 5-inch touch screen, two USB ports, six speakers, alloy wheels, a 135-horsepower engine, and a manual transmission. An automatic tacks on $995.
9) 2019 Honda Fit
$16,190 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.4/10
The Honda Fit is our top-ranked subcompact car. It takes the opposite approach to the Fiat 500, offering excellent fuel economy, an upscale interior, and an unusually large amount of space for a subcompact hatchback.
The Fit has poor acceleration – a necessary sacrifice for great fuel economy. However, its light weight makes it fun to toss around corners, especially with the standard manual transmission.
9) 2019 Honda Fit
$16,190 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.4/10
The base Fit LX has a 5-inch infotainment screen, a 128-horsepower engine, and steel wheels with plastic covers. An automatic transmission is $800.
The EX costs just over $18,000 and offers a lot more features, so it might be worth the upgrade.
8) 2019 Toyota Yaris
$15,600 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.0/10
The Toyota Yaris sedan is actually manufactured by Mazda, so it carries their sporty, efficient DNA. The Yaris’ handling is agile, and its gas mileage is excellent.
Acceleration is poor, though this is the eighth-cheapest car on the market, so anemic acceleration shouldn’t be a surprise.
8) 2019 Toyota Yaris
$15,600 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.0/10
The Yaris comes standard with low-speed automatic emergency braking, a 7-inch touch screen, two USB ports, satellite radio capability, HD Radio, six speakers, steel wheels with plastic covers, a 106-horsepower engine, and a manual transmission. An automatic is $1,100.
7) 2019 Chevrolet Sonic
$15,420 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.0/10
The Chevy Sonic shows that the bowtie brand has what it takes to compete with small car leaders from Asia. It has a roomy back seat, tight handling, a user-friendly infotainment system, and good trunk space.
Downsides include mediocre fuel economy and interior quality.
7) 2019 Chevrolet Sonic
$15,420 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.0/10
The $15,420 base price gets you a sedan in the L trim. Standard features include steel wheels with plastic covers, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a 7-inch touch screen with USB ports, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto.
One engine is available in the Sonic: a 138-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder. A manual transmission comes standard. Getting an automatic will bump the price to $16,720; getting a hatchback will increase it to $18,020; and getting a hatchback with an automatic will cost you nearly $19,500.
6) 2019 Kia Rio
$15,390 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.1/10
The Rio is a top-ranking subcompact car that combines a quiet ride and refined cabin with agile handling. It gets dinged in our rankings for its short standard features list, although it does offer an automatic transmission at no extra cost. Many competitors make you pay extra for that. The Rio also has a long warranty.
6) 2019 Kia Rio
$15,390 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.1/10
The base Rio LX comes with a 130-horsepower engine, an automatic transmission, a 5-inch touch screen, satellite radio capability, and steel wheels with plastic covers.
The $15,390 price is for the sedan. The Rio hatchback starts at $16,490 – still a great deal for the class.
5) 2019 Hyundai Accent
$14,995 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.1/10
Tied with the Rio in our subcompact car rankings, the Hyundai Accent has spacious seats, an excellent predicted reliability rating, a long warranty, and a user-friendly infotainment system.
Weak performance is its main con, though its sluggish acceleration and uneven ride quality aren’t deal killers in this price range.
5) 2019 Hyundai Accent
$14,995 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.1/10
The Kia Rio is a better deal than the Accent overall. You get similar standard features in the Accent – a 130-horsepower engine and a 5-inch touch screen – but Hyundai makes you pay $1,000 for an automatic transmission, a feature that’s standard in the Kia Rio.
4) 2019 Ford Fiesta
$14,260 | U.S. News Overall Score: 7.4/10
The Ford Fiesta, like many Fords, has livelier-than-average handling for its class. However, its dated design yields cramped seating and cargo space, and Ford still hasn’t figured out how to get the Fiesta’s predicted reliability ratings up. As a result, it sits fairly low in our subcompact car rankings.
Ford will be discontinuing the Fiesta after this year due to poor profitability.
4) 2019 Ford Fiesta
$14,260 | U.S. News Overall Score: 7.4/10
The base Ford Fiesta S sedan comes with very few features. It has crank windows, plastic wheel covers, a tiny 4.2-inch infotainment screen, a manual transmission, and a 120-horsepower engine. Keyless entry and voice controls are highlights.
An automatic transmission model costs $15,355, and the hatchback model costs $15,790. An automatic hatchback model costs $16,885.
3) 2019 Mitsubishi Mirage
$13,795 | U.S. News Overall Score: 5.0/10
The Mitsubishi Mirage is one of the worst cars in our rankings. Its three-cylinder, 78-horsepower engine is tiny and weak. Its ride is unsettled and its cornering ungainly. It has poor predicted reliability and a poorly built interior.
Its low asking price, long warranty, and good fuel economy are its only redeeming qualities, but they’re not enough to convince us to recommend it, especially since rivals offer fuel economy that’s nearly as good.
3) 2019 Mitsubishi Mirage
$13,795 | U.S. News Overall Score: 5.0/10
The Mirage has a decent set of standard features for its price. You get a 7-inch touch screen, HD Radio, remote keyless entry, and a manual transmission. An automatic costs $1,200.
In an interesting reversal of the norm, the cheapest Mirage is the hatchback, not the sedan. The Mirage sedan, which Mitsubishi calls the G4, starts at $14,795.
2) 2019 Chevrolet Spark
$13,220 | U.S. News Overall Score: 6.7/10
The tiny, slow Spark hatchback has limited appeal. If you commute by yourself in the city, it should do the job, albeit with a cheap interior and few features.
If you need to drive on the highway, carry rear-seat passengers, or haul cargo, go with something else.
2) 2019 Chevrolet Spark
$13,220 | U.S. News Overall Score: 6.7/10
At the heart of the Spark’s highway issues is its tiny size, which makes it feel dwarfed on the American interstate, and its 98-horsepower motor. A manual transmission is standard. An automatic costs $1,100.
Other standard features include a 7-inch touch screen with two USB ports, Android Auto,and Apple CarPlay.
Chevy has opted to withhold key features from the Spark to keep its base price down. As a result, you’ll have to pay at least $15,120 for power windows and door locks. Because of that, the Spark isn’t a great bargain.
1) 2019 Nissan Versa
$12,460 | U.S. News Overall Score: 6.7/10
Now we arrive at the cheapest car on the market – at least for now. (Nissan redesigned the Versa for 2020, and the new model is more expensive.)
The 2019 Versa sedan retails for $12,460. For that, you get a Versa S with a 7-inch touch screen, a manual transmission, a 109-horsepower engine, and very little else.
You’ll have to spend at least $14,600 to get an automatic transmission, and at least $16,090 to get power windows and door locks. For that reason, the Versa isn’t actually a great deal. It also performs poorly in our subcompact car rankings.
1) 2019 Nissan Versa
$12,460 | U.S. News Overall Score: 6.7/10
The Versa’s poor placement in our rankings is due to its weak engine, poor cabin quality, and limited safety features. Spaciousness and excellent predicted reliability are pluses.
Those interested in switching from a sedan body style to a hatchback will pay $15,650.
The Best Cheap Car
This article just ranks cars by base price. If you’re looking for a ranking that combines quality and price, check out our Best Car for the Money awards. In 2019, the Honda Fit took home the Best Subcompact Car for the Money award, the Kia Soul won in the compact car category, and the Hyundai Kona won in the subcompact SUV category.
Other small vehicles that best combine value and quality include the Kia Forte, Honda Civic, Kia Rio, Toyota Yaris, Nissan Kicks, and Mazda CX-3 (which just missed the $20,000 cutoff for this list).
More Shopping Tools From U.S. News & World Report
To save even more money on these already-cheap cars, check out our car deals pages. They have manufacturer-sponsored cash back, financing, and lease deals.
To get low, prenegotiated prices on any of these models, use our U.S. News Best Price Program. The average shopper saves more than $3,000 off the sticker price.
If you’d like to do more research on the cars mentioned in this article, you can find reviews in our small car rankings, subcompact SUV rankings, and compact truck rankings.
We have other articles on cheap cars, as well. For the cheapest SUVs on the market, click here. For the cheapest pickup trucks, click here. For the cheapest luxury cars, click here.
23 Cheapest New Cars of 2019
- 2019 Nissan Versa | $12,460
- 2019 Chevrolet Spark | $13,220
- 2019 Mitsubishi Mirage | $13,795
- 2019 Ford Fiesta | $14,260
- 2019 Hyundai Accent | $14,995
- 2019 Kia Rio | $15,390
- 2019 Chevrolet Sonic | $15,420
- 2019 Toyota Yaris | $15,600
- 2019 Honda Fit | $16,190
- 2019 Fiat 500 | $16,495
- 2020 Kia Soul | $17,490
- 2019 Kia Forte | $17,790
- 2019 Nissan Sentra | $17,890
- 2019 Chevrolet Cruze | $17,995
- 2019 Subaru Impreza | $18,595
- 2020 Hyundai Veloster | $18,600
- 2019 Nissan Kicks | $18,640
- 2019 Volkswagen Jetta | $18,745
- 2020 Hyundai Elantra | $18,950
- 2019 Nissan Frontier | $19,090
- 2019 Honda Civic | $19,550
- 2020 Toyota Corolla | $19,600
- 2019 Hyundai Kona | $19,990
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The Cheapest Cars, What They Offer, and How They Rank
The average price of a new car has risen steadily for years. Naturally, those price increases mean a lot of people are looking for the cheapest car they can find. We created this list to help them.
Here, you’ll find the 23 cheapest new cars on the market, ranked by their base prices. We’ve set a limit of $20,000 for this article.
What can you expect from this group of vehicles? Well, a lot, actually. The rise in car prices has been driven partially by an increase in the number of features required by government regulation. These include things like rearview cameras and screens to show the images they capture.
New car price increases have also been driven by more expensive consumer tastes – you won’t find many cars with crank windows or manual locks anymore. As a result, most of the vehicles on this list are pretty well equipped, even at their base price. Touch screens, USB ports, and Bluetooth are all common.
The cheapest cars on the market remain mostly small sedans. However, as sedan sales fall and SUV sales rise, manufacturers are looking for ways to bring cheap SUVs to market, so you’ll see a few SUVs on this list.
A savvy car buyer knows that you pay a premium for a new car compared to a used one. For many, the extra money is worth it; they don’t have to worry about what previous owners did to the vehicle. If you’re still not sure whether a new or used car is right for you, check out our New vs. Used Car article.
To see the cheapest new cars on the market, read through the following slides.
(We list each vehicle’s current U.S. News score. Keep in mind that our scores are constantly updated as new expert reviews and data become available. Therefore, the scores mentioned in this article may not match the scores in our rankings and reviews.)