You don’t have to spend a fortune for great looks, lots of tech, and strong performance, because they’re available with lots of affordable cars. Here’s a look at 10 of the best cars available at your local dealership with a starting price of $40,000 or less—and way less in some cases. They cost significantly less than the average new vehicle and don’t look, feel, or drive like used cars or like the cheapest cars on the lot, all of which makes for a rather appealing car buying experience.
The Best Cheap (But Nice) Cars 2025
- Electric car: Nissan Leaf
- Compact sedan and hatchback: Toyota Corolla
- Mid-Size Sedan: Honda Accord
- Sports car: Mazda MX-5 Miata
- Small crossover SUV: Hyundai Tucson
- Mid-size crossover SUV: Subaru Forester
- Three-row crossover SUV: Hyundai Santa Fe
- Off-road-ready SUV: Jeep Wrangler
- Mid-size pickup truck: Nissan Frontier
- Minivan: Kia Carnival
Electric Car: Nissan Leaf
Standout feature: An estimated range of up to 212 miles
Starting Price: $29,280 (S); $37,330 (SV Plus)
It’s hard to argue with this electric car when it comes to value. The Nissan Leaf may not boast the freshest design or the longest range estimates, but its sub-$30,000 base price makes it the least expensive electric car on the market. The base model is hardly basic, though the $8,000 upgrade to the Leaf SV Plus buys an amazing amount of tech for the money, including the automaker’s ProPilot Assist driver-assist system that helps center the vehicle in its lane and keep it a set distance from the vehicle in front. A warranty on the battery up to 100,000 miles provides peace of mind and it also includes what may be the raddest wheels on the market. If you’re not ready to go full-electric but still want a low-cost car, then check out the Nissan Versa subcompact car (sub-$18,000) and the Nissan Sentra compact car (sub-$25,000).
Compact Sedan and Hatchback: Toyota Corolla
Standout feature: Hybrid frugality for less than $25,000
Starting Price: $23,460 (LE); $24,960 (Hybrid LE)
The Toyota Corolla offers something for just about everyone: it’s available as a sedan, a hybrid or in a hatchback body style, and many configurations can be had with front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). Equipped with a CVT transmission, the Corolla Hybrid achieves an EPA-estimated 50 mpg, making it an economical choice for commuters after great gas mileage. Every Corolla comes loaded up with safety features like automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control, making these some of the best cheap cars when it comes to value. Fellow affordable contenders in this segment include the Hyundai Elantra, the Kia K4 (which replaced the long-serving Kia Forte last year), the Mazda 3, the Subaru Impreza, and the Volkswagen Jetta.
Mid-Size Sedan: Honda Accord
Standout feature: The quickest version is also the least-thirsty
Starting Price: $29,445 (LX); $34,805 (Hybrid Sport)
Unless you truly need the cargo space of an SUV or all-wheel-drive traction, the Honda Accord may be the perfect choice. Larger than a Honda Civic, the Accord is a midsize sedan with a spacious interior, impressive handling, and available Google built-in infotainment for easy access to many mobile apps. The Accord also delivers great fuel economy in any form. Honda’s two-tier powertrain approach means a gas-only turbocharged engine is the entry to the lineup, while a more powerful “have your cake and eat it, too” hybrid delivers 204 horsepower and impressive fuel efficiency up to 48 mpg combined.
Sports Car: Mazda MX-5 Miata
Standout feature: Track-ready handling in all forms
Starting Price: $30,515 (Sport)
Car enthusiasts like to say, “the answer is always Miata.” While that’s not necessarily true for every question, it’s accurate when considering high-value sports cars. With 181 horsepower under the hood from an eager, high-revving four-cylinder engine, the MX-5 Miata may not seem like a performance car. But it weighs less than 2,500 pounds in its fleetest form and has a six-speed manual transmission, making its power-to-weight ratio impressive. And acceleration isn’t the Miata’s modus operandi, anyway. Few new cars at any price—let alone well under $40,000—offer the Miata’s sporty handling and top-down classic roadster experience. Drivers looking for a quieter, better-insulated, coupe-like cabin can look for the MX-5 Miata RF with its retractable hardtop.
Small Crossover SUV: Hyundai Tucson
Standout feature: You can move it with a remote key fob
Starting Price: $30,155 (SE)
Few automotive brands pair style and value like Hyundai. We could just have easily slotted in the Hyundai Kona or subcompact Hyundai Venue, but we feel the Hyundai Tucson delivers the best value, wearing avant-garde exterior styling over a cabin that’s more spacious than its slim proportions might otherwise suggest. The Tucson is available in a wide range of configurations: there’s a peppy plug-in hybrid and an also-frugal standard hybrid, not to mention a turbo option, but the lowest prices will found on the standard gasoline-engine Tucson. Top versions of the Tucson can be decked out with remote parking assist, which allows you to move this crossover SUV forward or backward from the remote key fob. The Hyundai arguably has the edge over many of its rivals when it comes to outright appeal and versatility, but if it’s sheer value you’re after, then the Kia Soul and the Chevrolet Trax both start at less than $21,000.
Mid-size Crossover SUV: Subaru Forester
Standout feature: A cargo area up to 74.4 cubic feet
Starting Price: $31,415 (Base); $34,805 (Premium); $38,015 (Hybrid Premium)
The Subaru Forester brims with value. You’ll find standard all-wheel drive and a thorough suite of crash-avoidance tech features even at the base trim level, while the step-up Premium has an MSRP just south of $35,000 with plenty of standard features, such as heated front seats, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, and available blind-spot monitors. The Forester isn’t just a value play, though. Its spacious interior, large rear seat and big cargo area make it an exceptionally practical choice.
Three-row Crossover SUV: Hyundai Santa Fe
Standout feature: Land Rover-like styling
Starting Price: $35,775 (SE); $39,275 (SEL Hybrid)
The Hyundai Santa Fe packs a serious visual punch with its squared-off exterior and show car-like interior. It’s more than just a stylish face, though. This three-row crossover is available in myriad configurations with up to 277 horsepower under the hood, or thrifty hybrid power. Tech-wise, you’ll find a big 12.3-inch touchscreen as standard equipment, while a digital key that turns your smartphone into a locking and unlocking device is still within our sub-$40,000 budget.
Off-road-ready SUV: Jeep Wrangler
Standout feature: Impressive off-road ability in every form
Starting Price: $34,090 (Sport 2-Door); $38,690 (Sport 4-Door)
Off-roaders have long flocked to the Jeep Wrangler, making it the brand’s second-best seller. Even the least-expensive version of the Wrangler ticks plenty of off-roady boxes with its high ground clearance, meaty tires, and coil-sprung solid axles intended for severe-duty use. While nobody will call the Wrangler a luxury vehicle, it’s more refined than you might expect inside with its 12.3-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, push-button start, and newly standard (for 2025) power windows and locks.
Mid-size Pickup Truck: Nissan Frontier
Standout feature: Costs less than top rivals
Starting Price: $33,560 (S)
The Nissan Frontier offers tremendous value in the mid-size pickup segment. A revamp for the 2025 model year brings fresh styling inside and out, plus an available 12.3-inch touchscreen. Drivers who spend a lot of time on the highway will appreciate its standard adaptive cruise control, too. Under the hood, the Frontier’s muscular, smooth, luxury-grade 3.8-liter V6 puts out a hearty 310 horsepower via a slick nine-speed automatic transmission. Shop wisely and you can find several configurations, including extended- and crew-cabs with short or long beds for under $40,000.
Minivan: Kia Carnival
Standout feature: Holds eight adults in comfort
Starting Price: $38,235 (LX)
You won’t find and luxury cars on this list of nice, cheap vehicles (we didn’t even include any German vehicles), but you might be surprised by how luxurious a minivan can feel. Blending crossover SUV styling with minivan utility, the 2025 Kia Carnival is a standout. It’s exceptionally spacious inside with true stretch-out space in all three rows, plus plenty of cargo room even with each seat occupied. The Carnival hardly wants for features, either, with a big 12.3-inch touchscreen and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto even on the base model.
