Cheap Cars In America? Where?!

New and used car prices keep on climbing in the US. However, that doesn't mean you can't find cheap options.

Author

Bernardo Montes de Oca
November 22, 2025

In partnership with

Four Wheel Trends Automotive Newsletter
Issue #169

There are still cheap cars out there.

It only takes a bit of finessing to find the right one for you. We explain.

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In The Know

Cheap Cars In America? Where?!

New and used car prices keep on climbing in the US. However, that doesn't mean you can't find cheap options. 

It was a news article that barely registered on our radar. However, it carried a lot of weight. As this Autoexpress article explains, Jeep is relaunching the Renegade, and it will follow a simple equation: tough and cheap. 

Granted, as this article highlights, selling a compact SUV is a challenge in the US. However, the Renegade's core idea isn't really about size.

What's important is the price. Jeep (and Stellantis) understands that price is now a crucial factor for most car buyers. 

We discussed car prices a couple of issues back, when we reviewed the new Nissan Sentra. It will be boring, but it will sell. This time, the Renegade stands a chance for the same reason. 

At the same time, prices keep rising. It's gotten so bad that Ted Cruz is hauling automotive CEOs to DC. His question is simple: why are new cars so expensive? Here's more on this. 

It may come as a surprise that you can find at least ten cars under $30,000 in the US today. 

If you're looking for the cheapest out there, you will have to narrow down your search. None of the most affordable cars are trucks; most are sedans. 

The Versa leads the list with an average price of $20,435, but what's astounding is that between it and the Sentra, there are three cars: the Hyundai Venue, Chevy Trax, and the Kia Soul (defunct for 2026). 

Check out the complete list here. 

What if you want a pickup truck? This means you have to pay more and make greater sacrifices. 

Cars.com also released the list of the cheapest pickup trucks, and the Maverick leads it with an average price of $29,940. (Hey, it's still under $30,000). 

There are other candidates, such as the Santa Cruz and Frontier, but what caught our attention was that, if you want a full-size truck, you have to opt for the Chevy 1500 Work Truck edition. Personally, I love the no-frills version, but it's the only option under $40,000. 

Of course, there's a list for those seeking a bit more fun, but the only car under $30,000 is the Miata. 

This information could come in handy because 2025 and 2026 will create one of the strangest phenomena in recent car history.

The pandemic's impact on production was strongest in 2021 and 2022. So, used cars from those years are rare. As this article highlights, used-car prices are so high that it's cheaper to buy a new car. 

What does this mean, in the end? We're not saying that you should rush to buy a car. However, it does mean that, in these challenging times, you will have to do a lot more research to find what suits you. Sometimes, that's not the same as what we want. 

Or, you could wait for the new Xterra. In the words of a Nissan executive, it doesn't have to be high-tech or high-cost. It needs to be capable and fun. Now, we're talking.