Cheapest New Cars | Edmunds
According to Edmunds data from July 2025, the average transaction price of a new vehicle in the United States was $47,976. When you combine that with high interest rates and inflation rising faster than wages, it may seem like purchasing a new car is out of reach for many shoppers. Yet the cheapest car on sale today, the 2025 Nissan Versa, can be had for just $18,385 MSRP (including destination). To that point, while the average price of a new car is higher than ever, there are still plenty of relatively affordable vehicles on sale today, like the Versa. We’ve gathered the 21 most affordable new cars on sale in 2025, topping out at around $30,000. Note that we’ve listed the starting price, which is usually the base model. You can certainly go higher up in the trim levels for more features, but it’ll cost more and perhaps take you past the price point of what you consider a “cheap new car” to be.
Most cars on this list may have previously premium features, like ventilated seats, advanced driver aids, and more — cheap car concessions such as manual door locks and crank windows are a thing of the past. Backup cameras are mandated on all new cars, and all of these vehicles have at least Bluetooth connectivity to stream music from your devices. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity is common on these models too. Driver aids like forward collision warning are found across the board, and some of these vehicles come standard with even more driver aids.
This list of 21 vehicles includes cars, hatchbacks and SUVs, including some with turbocharged powertrains and a handful with all-wheel drive. There’s even fuel-efficient hybrids on the list, though most of these cars offer solid fuel economy ratings. Check out the list to learn more about 21 of the cheapest new cars on sale today.
