Best Low-Priced Entry Level Car
You're in the market for a new car, but you don't want to spend much money on your purchase. Incentives aside, you know that there are quite a few cars retailing for under $15,000 which is right within your budget. Lots of people supplement their main family car with a budget preserving entry level model, cars which are also favored by first time buyers. Fortunately, today's lowest priced cars usually come fairly well equipped, not stripped, which means that air conditioning, power windows and tons of cupholders are sometimes standard equipment.
Hands down, you can't go wrong with buying a Toyota or Honda, but they aren't the only manufacturers producing cheaply priced cars. In fact, the lowest priced cars on the market today are sold by Nissan, Kia and Smart with manufacturers from China and India getting into the game over the next few years. But we're focusing on the best low-priced entry level cars for today, so check out our Fab Five to see what made our list.
Why it's best:
Not too long ago the Corolla was the base model for Toyota. Later, the Toyota Echo was slotted below the Corolla, a forgettable design that was soon replaced by the Yaris. The Toyota Yaris is a subcompact model that offers a lot of amenities for a low price. Starting in the ... read full review
Why it's a best pick:
With a starting price of just under $15K, the five-door hatchback Fit is the most expensive of the entry level models on our list. But, like the Toyota Yaris, it is also one of the best built small cars out there, offering front, side and side curtain airbags as standard equ...
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Why it's a best pick:
It wasn't too long ago that most any Kia model would have ended up on a lot of people's worst lists. Like its Korean cousin, Hyundai, Kia quality was initially spotty and the design of their vehicles was strictly yawn material. But something began to change when the automake...
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Why it's a best pick:
The smallest car on the road is made by Daimler, the same company which makes Mercedes. But that is where the similarity ends. Smart cars are closer in relationship to Swatch, the watch brand that hatched the Smart model line, then to a Mercedes. Nevertheless, the build qual...
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Why it's a best pick:
Earlier this year, Nissan announced that they were rolling out a budget version of its subcompact Versa sedan, pricing the car at $9990, the first sub-$10K in years. Naturally, there is a $695 destination charge which adds to the price, but the Versa truly is one of the lowe...
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