10 Budget Friendly Vehicles

2019 Volkswagen Jetta SEL on road ・ Photo by Volkswagen

Buying a car is a major purchase, and it’s important to stay within your budget. Although smaller budgets rule out fancier luxury vehicles, there still are plenty of great choices designed to fit a variety of needs.

From compact hatchbacks to sedans, and even crossovers, there’s an affordable vehicle out there with the features you want at a price you can afford. Here are 10 budget-friendly choices that won’t break the bank.

2019 Kia Forte

The 2019 Kia Forte is a small, affordable sedan that’s all-new for this model year. It comes with a fuel-efficient 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that gets up to an EPA-estimated 31 mpg in the city, 41 mpg on the highway, and 35 mpg combined. The Forte comes with standard features including an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Pricing starts at just $17,690 for the base model with a 6-speed manual transmission. Upgrade to an automatic and pricing goes up to $18,590. Even the top Forte EX, which includes a 10-way power driver’s seat with lumbar, heated and ventilated front seats, upgraded 6-speaker infotainment, and dual USB chargers, is priced at only $21,990.

Photo by Jeff Zurschmeide

2019 Toyota Corolla

The 2019 Toyota Corolla starts at just $18,700, making it an affordable small sedan. The base Corolla L comes with standard features including a tilt and telescopic steering wheel, Bluetooth connectivity, and a 6.1-inch infotainment touchscreen. The top XSE keeps it affordable with a price of $22,880.

One of the standout features of the Corolla is Toyota Safety Sense, which is included across the lineup. It bundles pre-collision with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert with steering assist, automatic high beams, and dynamic radar cruise control. The Corolla gets an EPA-estimated fuel economy of up to 28 mpg in the city, 36 mpg on the highway, and 32 mpg combined, helping make it affordable over the long term, too.

Photo by Toyota

2019 Honda Civic

The 2019 Honda Civic sedan starts at just $19,450 for the base LX, with only the top Touring coming in a bit high at $27,300. The rest of the lineup keeps it affordable with pricing under $25,000. The Civic also gets great fuel economy with up to an EPA-estimated 32 mpg in the city, 42 mpg on the highway, and 36 mpg combined, making it a great choice for commuters who will be piling on the miles.

The Civic also comes with impressive standard safety. This includes forward collision warning, lane departure warning, collision mitigation baking, road departure mitigation, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high-beam headlights.

Photo by Honda

2019 Hyundai Kona

The 2019 Hyundai Kona is an all-new crossover with room for up to five passengers, good fuel economy, and a roomy hatchback for handling cargo. It offers the benefits of a crossover with a size that’s ideal for those who live in more urban environments. The base Kona is priced at just $19,990, with the top Ultimate trim coming in at $28,900.

Standard features include a 7-inch color touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, with a choice of front-wheel or all-wheel drive. The Kona gets an EPA-estimated fuel economy of up to 28 mpg in the city, 32 mpg on the highway, and 32 mpg combined, and has up to 45.8 cubic feet for cargo.

Photo by Hyundai

2019 Subaru Crosstrek

The 2019 Subaru Crosstrek adds a more rugged option to the list, with a starting price of $21,895 for the base 2.0i equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission, or $22,895 with a continuously variable automatic. Every Crosstrek comes also comes with standard all-wheel drive for handling rough road conditions or off-road adventures, along with 8.7 inches of ground clearance.

Standard features include a 6.5-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, remote keyless entry, and tilt and telescopic steering column. There’s ample room for five passengers in the Crosstrek with 60/40 split-folding rear seats that allow for up to 55.3 cubic feet of cargo.

Photo by Subaru

2019 Honda Fit

It’s hard to beat the fuel economy and pricing of a compact hatchback like the 2019 Honda Fit. The base Fit equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission starts at only $16,190, while the top Fit EX-L with navigation is $21,520. EPA-estimated fuel economy is up to 33 mpg in the city, 40 mpg on the highway, and 36 mpg combined.

There’s room for five passengers, but the back seats are a tight fit for adults and are best reserved for only two. Its hatchback design makes it ideal for carrying cargo with 16.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats, or 52.7 cubic feet with those seats folded down.

Photo by Honda

2019 Hyundai Elantra

The 2019 Hyundai Elantra is affordable at every trim level. The base Elantra SE is $17,100 while the top Elantra Sport is only $23,500, making it easy to manage even when your budget is tight. Adding to its affordability is fuel economy that makes the Elantra a great commuter car. It gets up to an EPA-estimated 32 mpg in the city, 40 mpg on the highway, and 35 mpg combined.

Standard features on the Elantra include a 5-inch infotainment touchscreen, 6-speaker audio system, USB port, and tilt and telescopic steering wheel. Just one step up in the trim range adds Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with a 7-inch touchscreen.

Photo by Hyundai

2019 Kia Soul

The 2019 Kia Soul is a quirky choice, with room for five passengers and great flexibility for cargo thanks to its hatchback design. There’s a 60/40 split-folding second row with up to 61.3 cubic feet in back with those seats folded. Equipped with the base 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine and 6-speed manual transmission, it starts at $16,490.

Standard features include AM/FM/MP3 with satellite radio, Bluetooth wireless connectivity, and 6-speaker audio. It gets an EPA-estimated fuel economy of up to 31 mpg on the highway, 26 mpg in the city, and 28 mpg combined, making it a good choice for commuters. Higher trims get added features and more powerful engines but keep pricing in check, with the top trim coming in at $22,990.

Photo by Kia

2019 Volkswagen Jetta

The 2019 Volkswagen Jetta sedan is available in five trims with a starting price of only $18,745 for the base S, ranging up to $27,695 for the SEL Premium. This roomy compact sedan easily accommodates five passengers with 14.1 cubic feet of cargo room in the trunk. It gets fantastic fuel economy with an EPA-estimated 30 mpg in the city, 40 mpg on the highway, and 34 mpg combined. Add in Volkswagen’s comprehensive People First Warranty, and the Jetta is affordable to purchase and own over the long term.

Standard features include a 6.5-inch color touchscreen, USB port, and automatic headlights. Available features on higher trims include an 8-inch color touchscreen, BeatsAudio, forward collision warning with emergency braking, and leather seats.

Photo by Volkswagen

2019 Nissan Kicks

The 2019 Nissan Kicks has affordable pricing, modern styling, and the versatility of a crossover in a city-friendly size. Available only with front-wheel drive, the three-trims lineup is priced from $18,540 to $20,879. It gets EPA-estimated fuel economy of 31 mpg in the city, 36 mpg on the highway, and 33 mpg combined, so you’ll save on gas even if prices rise.

Automatic emergency braking is standard, even on the base trim, with the rest of the lineup adding blind spot warning and rear cross traffic alert. There’s room for five passengers, or you can fold the rear seats down and the Kicks has up to 53.1 cubic feet of room for cargo.

Photo by Nissan