Cheap Cars That New Car Shoppers Are Buying Today Recommended by Consumer Reports

According to a recent Consumer Reports newsletter update on the lowest price you can expect on a new car, "The cheapest cars in America can be found by looking at transaction prices—what people are actually paying—rather than looking at just the window stickers."

What Cars Are the Cheapest to Buy Right Now?

Fortunately, CR analysts are watching the market closely and trying to find the makes and models that will provide new car shoppers with good, solid, and reliable cars without going into serious car debt.

"To help members find the best car at the lowest cost, we have analyzed the average transaction price for new cars using national data from TrueCar, a CR partner, and sorted all models based on their selling price. We then selected ten models to highlight; they are recommended by CR, meeting our stringent standards for road-test performance, owner satisfaction, reliability, and safety," stated CR automotive experts.

All ten of featured models are from makers Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Nissan, Buick, Subaru, and Toyota.

Which is the Cheapest and Most Reliable Model?

From CR's list, you will find amongst the recommended models "…those models ranked based on the transaction price—not the MSRP—starting with the cheapest model, at $20,483. Because we're citing actual figures, we list the specific configuration. Other versions of the featured models often carry relatively similar pricing, with the same percentage above or below the MSRP," states the recent newsletter update.

That said, here are the models still available in 2024, which you should consider as car dealers are beginning to clear their floors for the 2025 models.

CHEAP CARS THAT CR RECOMMENDS

1. Kia Forte 2024 ($20,483)

Price Range: $19,990 - $25,390

CR MPG: Overall 34 / City 22 / Hwy 49 mpg

#15 of 18 Compact cars

Recommended model: 2024 Kia Forte LXS IVT

Average transaction price: $20,483

Average spent over MSRP: $7

MSRP: $20,490

2. Nissan Sentra 2024 ($21,818)

Price Range: $21,180 - $24,270

CR MPG: Overall 32 / City 22 / Hwy 44 mpg

#16 of 18 Compact cars

Recommended model: 2024 Nissan Sentra SV CVT

Average transaction price: $21,818

Average spent over MSRP: $292

MSRP: $22,110

3. Hyundai Venue 2024 ($22,650)

Price Range: $19,900 - $23,150

CR MPG: Overall 32 / City 23 / Hwy 41 mpg

#2 of 5 Subcompact cars

Recommended model: 2024 Hyundai Venue SEL IVT

Average transaction price: $22,650

Average spent over MSRP: $750

MSRP: $21,900

4. Buick Envista 2024 ($22,720)

Price Range: $22,400 - $28,600

CR MPG: Overall 29 / City 21 / Hwy 39 mpg

#5 of 7 Luxury entry-level cars

Recommended model: 2024 Buick Envista Preferred

Average transaction price: $22,720

Average spent over MSRP: $320

MSRP: $22,400

5. Toyota Corolla 2024 ($22,883)

Price Range: $22,050 - $28,340

CR MPG: Overall 36 / City 24 / Hwy 51 mpg

#9 of 18 Compact cars

Recommended model: 2024 Toyota Corolla LE CVT

Average transaction price: $22,883

Average spent over MSRP: $833

MSRP: $22,050

6. Nissan Kicks 2024 ($23,828)

Price Range: $21,340 - $23,900

CR MPG: Overall 32 / City 24 / Hwy 40 mpg

#1 of 5 Subcompact cars

Recommended model: 2024 Nissan Kicks SV FWD

Average transaction price: $23,828

Average spent over MSRP: $628

MSRP: $23,200

7. Hyundai Elantra 2024 ($23,997)

Price Range: $21,625 - $35,200

CR MPG: Overall 33 / City 21 / Hwy 49 mpg

#10 of 18 Compact cars

Recommended model: 2024 Hyundai Elantra SEL IVT

Average transaction price: $23,997

Average spent over MSRP: $422

MSRP: $23,575

8. Toyota Corolla Hatchback 2024 ($24,028)

Price Range: $23,505 - $26,805

CR MPG: Overall 36 / City 24 / Hwy 51 mpg

#13 of 18 Compact cars

Recommended model: 2024 Toyota Corolla Hatchback SE CVT

Average transaction price: $24,028

Average spent over MSRP: $523

MSRP: $23,505

9. Subaru Impreza 2024 ($24,506)

Price Range: $22,995 - $27,885

CR MPG: Overall 29 / City 19 / Hwy 42 mpg

#7 of 18 Compact cars

Recommended model: 2024 Subaru Impreza Sport AWD

Average transaction price: $24,506

Average spent under MSRP: $489

MSRP: $24,995

10. Mazda 3 2024 ($24,555)

Price Range: $24,170 - $36,650

CR MPG: Overall 30 / City 20 / Hwy 44 mpg

#4 of 18 Compact cars

Recommended model: 2024 Mazda3 2.5 S Select Sport

Average transaction price: $24,555

Average spent over MSRP: $135

MSRP: $24,690

For additional articles related to new car shopping, here are three useful ones with car shopping advice for consumers:

• Best SUVs Under $30,000 Recommended by Consumer Reports
• The Reality Of Modern Car Repair is Why You Should Consider Buying an Older Used Model
• Toyota Turbo Assessment by Toyota Expert Explains This Potential Engine Killer

Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites for daily news and topics related to new and used cars and trucks.

Image source: Deposit Photos