Used car prices rose a staggering 21%, according to a recent CNN story on inflation, and new car prices are not so far behind.
That said, everything available in America to buy is available in a cheaper version whether toilet paper, lightbulbs, guitars, tools or automobiles.
Here are four good under 25K sets of wheels I’ve liked this year. Maybe you will, too. The final ride, the Chevy Spark, currently holds the title as America’s cheapest ride.
As I plugged along a highway in a heavy rainstorm yesterday, my K5 moving as fast as a donkey on Xanax, I kept to my right lane by necessity, and was fine with it. The $23,000 (MSRP) K5 was once the Optima, which over the last 20 years had made leaps and bounds from its initial plastic-ridden introduction. Along with this new name, Kia also gives the car “bolder styling” Indeed, my test model actually looking pretty snappy despite its gray paint which reminded more than a few people of oil primer. A new engine, transmission options, and available all-wheel drive further burnish the K5.
You bop around via a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine making 180 horsepower. Move up to the GT trim and you’ll get a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine making 290 hp.
Nobody likes the Sonata’s new grille, it seems, but I was fine with it. This four-door sedan does whatever you wish a car to do, just not very quickly. It’s got a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder making close to 300 hp, delivering a decent 30 MPG highway, 28 city mileage. There’s also plenty of interior room, it’s engaging around corners and it’s ever-so-comfortable. For its MSRP of $25,840, Hyundai delivers another sensible, stylish, affordable ride, and I enjoyed a week’s test of the Limited trim.
This subcompact crossover - emphasis on "sub" - is a cute car that comes in cute colors and features cute acceleration via a 122-hp four-cylinder engine. Updates for 2021 include a larger grille, streamlined headlamps and taillamps, redesigned front and rear bumpers, and a new 17-inch aluminum wheel design. It starts at $20,650, there is lots of interior room, a decent sound system, and it’s a great first car for the kiddo. Just forget about passing anyone - it isn’t going to happen unless they’re parked on the side of the road.
The Versa lost its “cheapest car in America” crown in 2020 with a redesign which, for its base price of $14,980, delivers forward collision warning (FCW), forward and rear automatic emergency braking (AEB), pedestrian detection, automatic high beams, lane departure warning (LDW), 7-inch touch screen, Bluetooth, voice recognition, and 3 USB charging ports. You motivate around town via a lawnmower-ish 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with 122 horsepower and 114 pound-feet of torque. But I still loved mine.
Welcome to the cheapest car in America at $13,400. Yet despite its low price tag, it still includes features which used to be found in much more pricey wheels, such as a 7-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a Wi-Fi hot spot, Bluetooth, and 2 USB charging ports. The 36 city/38 MPG freeway mileage makes it a sweet ride, too. But if you want automatic shifting and, say, cruise control, you’ll have to pony up more.
