So the cheapest cars for 2024 are (not including destination fees, which puts all 2025 cars over $20,000. City/combined/highway):
- Nissan Versa sedan manual $16,390 27/30/35 : auto $18,060 32/35/40 To be cut from production
- Mitsubishi Mirage sedan/hatch $16,695 36/39/43 To be cut from production
- Hyundai Venue SUV $19,900 29/31/33
- Kia Forte sedan $19,990 31/35/41 To be cut from production However, should be replaced by new K4
- Kia Soul SUV $20,190 28/30/33
- Chevy Trax SUV $20,400 28/30/32
- Nissan Sentra sedan $20,890 30/34/40
- Nissan Kicks SUV $21,050 30/33/36
- Volkswagen Jetta sedan manual $21,435 29/34/42
- Hyundai Elantra sedan $21,625 32/36/41
If up to 40mpg is a requirement, then the only vehicles left are the Nissan Sentra, Volkswagen Jetta and Hyundai Elantra and maybe the new Kia K4. Which would you pick?
The thing about the Trax is that 14k per month does make more financial sense than 14K per year. The more a vehicle is sold the cheaper it becomes. I wonder how good it's autobraking is. One thing that I hate, hate, hate about SUV's is how much they kill pedestrians. I know 10 here in town that have been ran into. I have a friend in Denver who's been ran into twice by SUV's and once by a tractor trailer and he's not doing so well as a result.
Now I want to get a Trax just so I can put crossover mirrors on the front.