2018 Toyota Camry
$23,645 | U.S. News Score: 9.3/10
Toyota’s veteran of the midsize car class, the Camry, is fully redesigned for this year, and the changes are impressive. In fact, the Camry earned the honors of 2018 Best Midsize Car for Families and Best Midsize Car for the Money from U.S. News & World Report. At the time of this writing, it was also our top-ranked midsize car.
The Camry boasts top safety scores, good fuel economy, a comfortable cabin, and a composed driving experience. Standard features include an infotainment system with a 7-inch touch screen and Toyota’s native smartphone integration system, which is easy to use. A rearview camera and the Toyota Safety Sense P bundle of high-tech driver assistance features is also included.
2018 Honda Accord
$23,570 | U.S. News Score: 9.1/10
Totally redesigned for this year, the Honda Accord earns a high position in our midsize car rankings. The sporty Accord is spacious and comfortable. It also receives top safety scores for its combination of crashworthiness and available safety features. Fuel efficiency is another of the Accord’s strengths, yet it remains peppy and fun to drive.
A 7-inch display, Siri Eyes Free, a rearview camera, and the Honda Sensing active safety package all come standard.
Considering the Accord’s many practical attributes, it should be no surprise that it was a finalist for our 2018 Best Midsize Car for Families award.
2018 Honda Civic
$18,940 | U.S. News Score: 8.8/10
The well-rounded, sporty, and stylish Honda Civic is one of our highest-ranking compact cars. Available as a coupe, sedan, or hatchback, it’s affordable yet extremely competitive with the class, boasting a fun personality and great features.
The Civic’s seating is generously proportioned, and so is the cargo space. It also handles well without compromising ride quality and has decent engine power without being a fuel hog.
Standard features include a 5-inch display, Bluetooth, and a rearview camera. The Civic was a finalist for the 2018 Best Compact Car for the Money.
2018 Mazda CX-5
$24,150 | U.S. News Score: 8.7/10
As of this writing, the Mazda CX-5 is the No. 2-ranked SUV in the compact class. Mazda puts a lot of thought into its vehicles’ suspension and steering, which makes the CX-5 a lot more fun to drive than many other small SUVs. You’ll get a 7-inch touch screen, a rearview camera, blind spot monitoring, low-speed automatic braking, and rear cross traffic alert.
The CX-5 isn’t perfect, though. Its cargo capacity comes up a little short, and some rivals have more intuitive infotainment systems.
The CX-5 was one of our finalists for the 2018 Best Compact SUV for the Money award.
2018 Kia Soul
$16,200 | U.S. News Score: 8.9/10
If you want a compact car with a ton of cargo space, you can’t do better than the Kia Soul. Thanks to its squared-off design, the Soul’s cargo capacity rivals larger cars’ and even some SUVs’, and it has plenty of passenger space, too.
Though you’re getting the utility of a larger vehicle, the Soul is definitely a compact, for better or for worse. Its dull base engine is somewhat offset by its decent handling. Affordable engine upgrades are available.
This fine hatchback earned the title of the 2018 Best Compact Car for the Money.
2018 Honda CR-V
$24,250 | U.S. News Score: 8.8/10
You’re looking at the winner of two of our 2018 awards: Best Compact SUV for Families and Best Compact SUV for the Money. It’s hard to think of a compact crossover that would be more deserving.
The CR-V provides a lot for its affordable price, including reassuring safety credentials, fantastic passenger and cargo space, and a high-quality cabin. The ride quality is smooth and comfortable, too.
The CR-V doesn’t have as many standard features as some competitors, but you will get a 5-inch display and a rearview camera.
2018 Honda Fit
$16,190 | U.S. News Score: 8.9/10
The class-leading Honda Fit is a great choice for an affordable small car. The Fit does almost everything well, except for accelerating onto the highway. It might take a little longer than you’d like to get up to speed.
It’s more spacious than it looks, allowing you to carry passengers and cargo with ease. The cabin is fitted with upscale materials, and the list of standard equipment includes an infotainment system and a multi-angle rearview camera.
For 2018, Honda updated the Fit’s suspension, which made its already agile handling even better.
This peppy little Honda won our award for the 2018 Best Subcompact Car for the Money.
2018 Toyota Prius
$23,475 | U.S. News Score: 8.5/10
We are at the point in the Prius’ reign when we can stop thinking of it as a good hybrid and just call it a good car. This compact hatchback still has the potential to be polarizing, in part because of its funky exterior and interior styling, and in part because it’s come to represent every bad stereotype about hybrid drivers.
Time to get over that. The Prius is affordable, safe, incredibly efficient, spacious (particularly the cargo capacity), and well-equipped. You’ll get an infotainment system, a rearview camera, and a multitude of active safety features that cost much more in competing vehicles.
2018 Volkswagen Golf
$20,910 | U.S. News Score: 8.6/10
Volkswagen’s hatchback is a natural choice for one of the best cars under $25,000, even if some of its rivals are more affordable.
The Golf isn’t as sporty as its performance-oriented sibling, the GTI, but VW still knows how to make the Golf fun. It has a peppy turbocharged engine and great handling, especially when you’re pushing it through corners. You’ll also get an infotainment system, rearview camera, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay.
For 2018, Volkswagen tacked a few more years onto its standard warranty, which will give you extra peace of mind. If you can get past the mediocre reliability data and fuel economy, you can have a lot of fun with a Golf.
2018 GMC Canyon
$21,100 | U.S. News Score: 8.6/10
The first pickup truck to land on our list of the best vehicles under $25,000 is the compact GMC Canyon. The base model offers only two seats, but otherwise, this is a well-rounded truck that offers surprising capability for its low price.
The Canyon offers a lot of diversity in its engine lineup, including a turbodiesel option that is a good choice for towing. All of the engine options are pretty efficient, especially the diesel. The Canyon also offers a comfortable ride and good handling.
Every Canyon includes Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a rearview camera, and GM’s Teen Driver safety system.
2018 Hyundai Sonata
$22,050 | U.S. News Score: 8.6/10
The Hyundai Sonata sits high in our midsize car rankings due to its excellent overall quality and high value. It’s a safe and efficient sedan that is comfortable to drive and includes a 7-inch touch screen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a rearview camera, and basic advanced safety features.
The Sonata’s drawbacks are minor but still worth mentioning. Acceleration isn’t bad, but it isn’t particularly impressive, either. Rear-seat passengers might find it a little cramped, height-wise, due to the Sonata’s sloping roofline.
Still, the Sonata’s fantastic value earned it a spot as a finalist for our 2018 Best Midsize Car for the Money award.
2018 Chevrolet Malibu
$21,680 | U.S. News Score: 8.3/10
The Chevy Malibu was the winner of our 2017 Best New Cars for Teens and was a finalist for two 2018 awards: 2018 Best Midsize Car for the Money and 2018 Best Midsize Car for Families.
This sedan is spacious in both rows, comes with a thrifty base engine, and features a user-friendly infotainment system with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and a Wi-Fi hot spot.
The Malibu does have its downsides. Some rivals’ base models provide more standard equipment, and the trunk is a little small for the class.
2018 Fiat 124 Spider
$24,995 | U.S. News Score: 8.6/10
Five bucks makes the difference between the Fiat 124 Spider qualifying for this list, and not. If you’re looking for a cheap sports car, this is the way to go. It’s a two-seat roadster, so it’s less practical than many sports cars – and every other vehicle on this list – but if that’s okay with you, it’s an absolute blast to drive. It has peppy acceleration (despite being relatively low in actual horsepower) and fantastic handling. However, this Fiat lacks most of the tech features you’ll find in other sports cars.
2018 Toyota Yaris iA
$15,950 | U.S. News Score: 8.7/10
With the Yaris iA, Toyota proves that you can get a ton of features for a totally reasonable price. This kicky little subcompact car is modest in terms of horsepower, but it combines engaging handling with a comfortable ride in a way that makes it a pleasant commuter, if not exactly fun.
The Yaris is also practical, with great fuel economy ratings and safety scores, and it comes standard with desirable features like a 7-inch touch screen, Bluetooth, and a rearview camera.
The Yaris iA was a finalist for our 2018 Best Subcompact Car for the Money award.
2018 Chevrolet Sonic
$15,295 | U.S. News Score: 8.7/10
The Chevrolet Sonic is one of the best subcompact cars on the market, pulling together a comfortable interior, good cargo capacity, intuitive features, and solid crashworthiness for a low price. Though the Sonic’s base engine is a little on the thirsty side, the available turbocharged engine yields better power and more miles per gallon.
All Sonic models come with an infotainment system, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a Wi-Fi hot spot. Thanks to these qualities and more, the Sonic was a finalist for our 2018 award for the Best Subcompact Car for the Money.
2018 Hyundai Ioniq
$22,200 | U.S. News Score: 8.4/10
With three available drivetrains, the Hyundai Ioniq offers plenty of variety. This compact car made its debut just last year with a gasoline and an EV version. For 2018, a plug-in hybrid joins the lineup. In all cases, you’ll get excellent fuel economy.
The Ioniq is practical in plenty of other ways, providing excellent safety ratings, a fantastic warranty, and sophisticated styling that looks less self-conscious than other compact hybrids and EVs. The Ioniq is comfortable to ride in and drive, even if its acceleration isn’t especially exciting.
Standard features include an easy-to-use infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a rearview camera, and a proximity key with push-button start.
2018 Mazda3
$18,095 | U.S. News Score: 8.5/10
The Mazda3 isn’t the most powerful compact car on the market, and in fact, it’s not even the most powerful of the other compact cars in its price range. However, this Mazda is one of the most fun-to-drive cars in its segment, thanks mostly to its engaging handling and fine-tuned steering. It’s entertaining in a way that can’t be matched by horsepower alone, and that helps it land high in our compact car rankings. The Mazda3 also squeezes above-average fuel economy from its engine lineup.
Two body styles are available – a sedan and a hatchback – and standard features include an infotainment system, a rearview camera, and low-speed automatic emergency braking.
2018 Chevrolet Colorado
$20,200 | U.S. News Score: 8.6/10
If you were hoping to spot another pickup truck on our list of the best affordable new vehicles, here you go. The Chevy Colorado performs well in our compact pickup truck rankings thanks to its low price, solid performance, and impressive capabilities. You’ll get the choice of several engines that combine good fuel economy with strong acceleration and competitive towing capacity.
The cabin isn’t especially comfortable, but it’s perfectly functional. It can seat up to five, depending on cab style, and features a standard rearview camera.
The Colorado does have a couple of other disadvantages. Its infotainment system is a little fussier than competitors’ systems, and its crash test scores are low.
2018 Hyundai Tucson
$22,550 | U.S. News Score: 8.4/10
If safety is one of your top priorities for a new vehicle, the 2018 Hyundai Tucson should be near the top of your shopping list. The Tucson gets great crash test scores and comes standard with a rearview camera. A lot more advanced safety features are available, and it doesn’t cost too much to add them on. Other standard features include a touch-screen display and Bluetooth.
The Tucson was a finalist for our award for the 2018 Best Compact SUV for the Money, a nod to its strong overall value.
2018 Kia Sportage
$23,600 | U.S. News Score: 8.6/10
Some compact SUVs are uncomfortably tight, but the Kia Sportage has a spacious and welcoming interior that provides plenty of passenger room across both rows. Standard reclining rear seats, a rare feature, help the Sportage stand out even more. From behind the wheel, the Sportage boasts good handling and a range of easy-to-use standard features centered around an infotainment system with a 5-inch touch screen that includes Bluetooth and a rearview camera.
The Sportage does have some drawbacks. Sometimes, dull engine performance results in good fuel economy, but that is not the case here. Also, many competitors have better cargo capacity.
2018 Kia Rio
$13,900 | U.S. News Score: 8.7/10
The totally redesigned Kia Rio further establishes this subcompact car’s reputation as a good value. The Rio has a low starting price yet manages to combine good driving dynamics and user-friendly technology to earn a high spot in our subcompact car rankings. Many inexpensive cars suffer in these areas, but the Rio manages to impress. It has agile handling, yet provides a comfortable ride. An infotainment system with a 5-inch touch screen comes standard.
However, some buyers might be surprised to learn that you have to pay extra to get a Rio equipped with power windows.
2018 Mazda6
$21,950 | U.S. News Score: 8.5/10
The 2018 Mazda6 is one of the most fun cars in this class because Mazda is so good at dialing in sharp, responsive handling dynamics. The ride is comfortable, too, which is not always the case in cars with driver-oriented handling. A luxurious cabin and good fuel economy ratings also help make the Mazda6 an enticing choice.
New for 2018 is an optional turbocharged four-cylinder engine, an upgrade from the naturally-aspirated four that powers the base Mazda6. The turbocharged engine pushes out up to 250 horsepower, depending on what grade of gasoline you use.
An infotainment system with a 7-inch display and a rearview camera come standard. On the downside? Reliability is sub-par.
2018 Kia Forte
$16,800 | U.S. News Score: 8.5/10
Whether you choose the Kia Forte sedan or the Forte5 hatchback, you’ll end up with a safe and reliable compact car that is competent in every way. Both rows of seating are spacious, as is cargo capacity, and the interior design stands out for the class. An infotainment system and Bluetooth come standard.
The Forte is not very interesting to drive, though. Its available engines provide lackluster acceleration. It does come with standard selectable driving modes that help make the handling capable and stable, though it’s still boring.
2018 Ford Escape
$23,940 | U.S. News Score: 8.7/10
As you have seen so far, the compact SUV class is full of fun-to-drive options, and the Ford Escape is another of them. It features a choice of energetic engines complemented by sporty handling. This SUV also has a good amount of interior space across its two rows, and above-average cargo capacity. Every Escape includes a voice-activated infotainment system, a rearview camera, and the Ford MyKey safety system.
The Escape’s main drawback is that all that pep comes at a price, in the form of subpar fuel economy ratings.
2018 GMC Terrain
$24,995 | U.S. News Score: 8.5/10
Tax, title, and registration will push the GMC Terrain a bit over our budget for this list, but going by its base price, it takes the last spot on our list of the best vehicles under $25,000.
This compact SUV was completely redesigned for this year with spacious seating; upscale finishes; and standard features such as Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a built-in Wi-Fi hot spot. A peppy engine lineup also helps boost the Terrain in our rankings, and its available turbodiesel option is a rarity these days.
The Terrain was a finalist for our 2018 Best Compact SUV for Families award.
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The Best Affordable New Vehicles in U.S. News Rankings
If you plan to shop for a car on a budget of $25,000, you have a lot more choices than you might think. If you can narrow it down to a specific category of vehicle, you’re in good shape. However, if you’re open to anything or don’t yet know what you want, the process can be overwhelming.
Our reviews score vehicles based on the categories that matter most to shoppers and rank them within their respective categories. We used that same information to compile this list, which includes sedans and hatchbacks from the subcompact to midsize categories, a few SUVs, and even a couple of trucks.
Even if you think you know what kind of vehicle you need, you might be surprised by what you can afford. Here are the best affordable cars on the market, according to U.S. News rankings.