Maybe you can’t afford a “nicer” car with prices being what they are these days. Maybe you can’t wait to get out of school pickup lines now that your kid is turning 16. Maybe you just need four wheels and a seat to ferry you back and forth on your daily commute. Whatever the reason, you’re in the market for a cheap car, and you don’t owe anyone an explanation as to why. You want cheap cars? We’ve got cheap cars.
In one of Cars.com’s most popular articles of the past week, we took the liberty of rounding up the most modestly priced new models currently available, with the only “upgrade” being an automatic transmission in cases where the base model comes with a manual, and ranked them by relative thrift. These aren’t necessarily the “best models for the money,” our “frugal faves” or any other such subjective scenario; these are simply new cars that’ll cost you the fewest dollars, starting at under $18,000 and rising up to just over 22 grand (including a destination charge).
Topping the list is the bargain-basement-priced 2023 Mitsubishi Mirage’s ES trim, which starts at just $17,650, just edging out the 2023 Kia Rio LX, which rings up at $225 more. The balance of this budget-minded bunch includes specified trims of the 2023 Nissan Versa, 2023 Kia Forte, 2023 Hyundai Venue, 2023 Nissan Sentra, 2023 Kia Soul, 2024 Chevrolet Trax, 2023 Hyundai Elantra and 2023 Subaru Impreza.
For the specifics on each individual model — including price, fuel economy, key specs and other useful info — follow the link below to the No. 2 news story on this week’s countdown of most read articles.
Even if a bargain-basement price isn’t your primary concern, you might be whistling a different tune when you learn that the 2024 Cadillac Lyriq all-electric compact SUV has somewhat shockingly gotten less expensive for the new model year. The Lyriq’s base model now starts at $58,590 (including a $1,395 destination charge) and ranges up to $63,190 across the model’s three trim levels. That’s compared with the outgoing model year, which started around $63,000. The new pricing structure puts this offering from GM’s luxury division in line with rivals from the likes of Genesis and Lexus. Freshly available options include new collision-avoidance tech, adaptive headlights, a power-opening panoramic moonroof, a black-painted roof, five new paint colors, a Nappa leather interior package, tri-zone automatic climate control, heated rear seats and a new security system.
For the full pricing breakdown for the 2024 Cadillac Lyriq, including what comes with each trim level and what you can add, follow the link below to the No. 7 news story of the week.
Beyond all that, we’ve got headlines on the Kia Sportage, Toyota RAV4, Hyundai Tucson and much more — so don’t stop reading till the digits double. Here are the top 10 news stories Cars.com readers couldn’t get enough of in the past week:
1. What’s the Best Compact SUV of 2023?
2. Here Are the 10 Cheapest New Cars You Can Buy Right Now
3. Here Are the 11 Cheapest Electric Vehicles You Can Buy
4. Which Electric Cars Are Still Eligible for the $7,500 Federal Tax Credit?
5. 2023 Compact SUV Challenge: It’s a Repeat Win for the Nissan Rogue
6. Here Are the 10 Cheapest New SUVs You Can Buy Right Now
7. All-Electric 2024 Cadillac Lyriq Gains New Equipment, Starts at $58,590
8. 2023 Kia Sportage X-Pro Review: The X-Pros and Cons of Looking Tough
10. Electric Cars With the Longest Range
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