There's a variety of good reasons to want to get one of the cheapest new cars in America these days, as the shoppers in this segment are likely well aware of. Despite all the (true) headlines about record-high car prices, there are still quite a few affordable cars available to buy these days, as you'll see in this list. And while, yes, these are just starting prices, all cars are so well-equipped these days with loads of standard features, that base models are more appealing than ever. They're certainly not the penalty boxes they used to be in the past.Things like adaptive cruise control and large touchscreens with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are mostly standard these days. And thanks to the growth of cars in general, most of these also have plenty of room for all occupants, a luxury on its own that used to require spending more money for as well. So keep reading, you might be surprised by just how much new car you can get for $25,000 or less these days.Vehicles are ranked in order from least expensive to most expensive. All prices listed include destination and freight charges and are for the 2026 model year. Only 2026 model year vehicles were considered. Listed specs are for the base trim. Hyundai Venue Starting Price: $22,150 2026 Hyundai VenueWith the demise of the Nissan Versa in America last year, the Venue now takes the crown of the most affordable new vehicle here for 2026 at just $22,150 to start. It's a little dated at this point, coming in a little smaller than some of the newer competitors, and having one of the smallest touchscreens of the bunch, but those things are excusable because it offers a significant discount over all the others. The next most affordable car is $1,345 more.And while the power numbers are the lowest on this list, it's actually not that slow thanks to being pretty light. Its performance is quick enough to keep it off our list of slowest cars. The cherry on top of this one is that it comes with Hyundai's 10-year, 100,000 mile powertrain warranty, so you'll be covered for any unexpected engine and transmission repair bills longer than many others on this list. Chevrolet Trax Starting Price: $23,495 2024 - 2026 Chevrolet Trax front, three-quarterIt's kind of crazy that a vehicle like the Chevrolet Trax costs as little as it does. It has one of the biggest back seats of anything under $30,000, a huge cargo space for a vehicle its size, plus it's got all the tech you need. It's no wonder that Chevrolet sells over 200,000 of them each year. Yes, the engine is only a tiny 3-cylinder, but it's turbocharged, which actually gives it one of the higher torque ratings on this list, and that translates to less drama when you're driving around town, with power coming on earlier than the naturally-aspirated competitors that require more revs. Kia K4 Starting Price: $23,535 2025 Kia K4 GT-Line front quarter drivingThe Kia K4 is another highly compelling option and now the cheapest option as well for anyone wanting a sedan. The car is so big that you'd be forgiven for mistaking it as a mid-size. That size doesn't go to waste either, again having one of the biggest back seats in its segment, along with a nicely sized trunk. If you want even more practicality, Kia just released a K4 Hatchback to carry larger items even easier, although that one is a little more expensive. The interior also gives you a large touchscreen as standard, and if you can afford to go up to the highest trims, you can even get features others don't offer, like ventilated seats. The base powertrain is uninspiring, but they do offer a turbo version with more punch, and Kias also get that great 10-year, 100,000 powertrain warranty. Nissan Sentra Starting Price: $23,845 2026 Nissan Sentra front, three-quarterThe Nissan Sentra just got a nice glow-up for its new generation that debuted for the 2026 model year. While it's no more spacious than the car it replaces, it's still plenty of room, and it now has top-notch tech and a surprisingly plush interior, especially in the higher trims. But all Sentra get Zero Gravity seats that are all-day comfortable, making this one of the best choices for those that do a lot of miles. Plus the trunk is now large enough to fit a big TV or cooler in it. The fact that the new Sentra is this nice while also being the second-cheapest sedan in America is impressive, and shows that Nissan is serious about competing in this segment. Hyundai Elantra Starting Price: $23,870 2025 Hyundai ElantraThe Hyundai Elantra is a little dated now, with a new generation arriving soon. But the current generation continues to be a solid value and another beneficiary of Hyundai's long warranty. It's solidly mid-pack as far as interior space and technology goes, but it's still a great choice if the Sentra or K4 aren't to your liking. One edge the Elantra has over those others is that it's available as a hybrid that gets up to an impressive 58 MPG. It does start $2,825 higher than the regular Elantra, though, unfortunately. The 36 MPG combined that the regular Elantra gets still makes it the most fuel efficient vehicle on this list, so it's not like the hybrid is a neccessity here. Nissan Kicks Starting Price: $23,975 2026 Nissan Kicks heroThe Nissan Kicks is another fantastic value from Nissan, and is also the cheapest option for those wanting all-wheel drive, costing just $1,500 more for all-weather traction. The Kicks also has a really nice interior now, with a great amount of space, technology and an impressive amount of plushness, just like the Sentra, with lots of soft-touch surfaces. The Kicks can even be optioned with a Bose stereo with speakers built into the headrests for a very cool surround sound experience, someone only seen in luxury cars. The 141 hp engine won't get you anywhere in a hurry, but it'll be just fine for the average driver while still returning over 30 MPG and still having great handling. Toyota Corolla Starting Price: $24,120 2026-corolla-xse-windchillpearl-053The Toyota Corolla is a legend for good reason. Rock solid reliability, strong resale values, and it's easy to live with. These days it even has the most horsepower on this list, so it's a little more exciting to drive than you'd expect, and yet it still gets you 35 MPG combined, second only to the Elantra on this list. The rest of the experience is starting to show its age (this generation is eight years old now), with one of the smaller back seats in the segment and tech that's sufficient, but far from class-leading.It does give you standard adaptive cruise control though, which a couple of the cheaper options don't include. There's also the very efficient hybrid version, and that one can even be optioned with all-wheel drive if you need the extra traction and have the extra cash. The hatchback version that's available isn't as great as it sounds, sadly, due to it being too small to have any advantage over the sedan. But if you want the safest bet on this list, the Corolla is it. Chevrolet Trailblazer Starting Price: $25,095 2024 - 2026 Chevrolet Trailblazer 2nd Gen (C1) Facelift (31)The Chevrolet Trailblazer's positioning is somewhat odd. Compared to the Trax, it gives you less passenger space and less cargo space, and the same base powertrain, all while costing more. The only real reason for its existence is that it offers all-wheel drive for those value shoppers that are Chevrolet-loyal but can't live with the Trax's front-wheel drive setup. For everyone else, the Trax is the better buy, as are all the other options on this list. Volkswagen Jetta Starting Price: $25,270 2026 Volkswagen JettaThe Volkswagen Jetta is a delightful sedan with lots of space, good driving manners and great fuel efficiency. It even gives you the most torque of the group thanks to its standard turbo engine and, just like in the Trax, that'll give you a more drama-free driving experience. One thing that could result in more drama with this one, though, is its shorter warranty. Volkswagen in recent years has decided to shorten the powertrain warranty to 4 years and 50,000 miles, but the trade-off is that you get that same coverage for your bumper-to-bumper warranty, which makes it 1 year longer than what everyone else offers there. Kia Seltos Starting Price: $25,285 2026 Kia SeltosLastly, we have the Kia Seltos. This one is also starting to show its age, but a new one is coming for the 2027 model year that looks to be a lot more impressive. But its pricing may go up as a result, so if you're looking for the best deal, you're likely better off going for the current Seltos. These days, it's not the strongest competitor, but it's still a solid choice with pretty good interior space and tech, nice styling and a fine driving experience. Plus, it gives you that long Kia warranty.Sources: Hyundai, Chevrolet, Kia, Nissan, Toyota, Volkswagen
