12 Affordable V8 Cars You Can Buy Right Now

With hybrid and electric cars slowly evolving from a left-field choice to the industry default, it seems like the days of gas-guzzling V8 engines might be numbered. There are still plenty of new cars left on the market sporting V8s for now, and they can generally be broken down into one of two main categories: either vehicles for hauling, or old-school muscle cars. It's these two segments where the V8 engine is arguably most revered, but it's also where said engine is most affordable for buyers looking for a new car.

With rising prices caused by supply shortages, inflation, and the ongoing fallout from the pandemic, car prices have hit record highs in recent months. According to a report from KBB, the average price for a new vehicle in the U.S. hit $49,507 in December 2022, and the average truck price was even higher, with many vehicles selling for more than $60,000. While the days of truly cheap V8 power might be gone, at least if you're shopping for a new car, these are the 12 cheapest ways to get a vehicle with a V8 under the hood right now.

Even with the recent unveiling of its first electric muscle car, Dodge remains a big proponent of the traditional V8 engine, and several of its cars feature among the most affordable V8-powered vehicles on the market. The Durango R/T is the cheapest Dodge SUV on the list, with a regular base price of $52,150. At the time of writing, however, the automaker is offering several thousand dollars worth of incentives to bring that figure down to under $50,000, depending on location.

The Durango R/T packs a 5.7L engine with variable valve timing for optimal power delivery and fuel-saving technology, although with an EPA rating of 14 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway, it's still not what you'd call frugal. SlashGear tested the 2021 Durango R/T and only achieved 13.4 mpg across our whole drive, but hey, you don't buy one of these SUVs because you want to save on fuel. You buy it because it's got a Hemi V8 under the hood, and an affordably-priced one at that.

The current generation Nissan Armada was introduced for the 2021 model year, and when SlashGear reviewed the car at launch, it possessed a level of old-school SUV charm that's missing from many rival SUVs today. The Armada makes no attempt to feel sporty or futuristic, instead focusing on offering as many premium features as possible while still keeping the price down. For the 2023 model year, that price clocks in at a minimum of $50,700 for the 2WD Armada S.

It's powered by a 5.6L V8 engine making 400 horsepower, with plenty of grunt at both ends of its rev range. It doesn't feel very athletic to drive, with a noticeable body roll if you dare to take a corner too fast, but its squishy suspension does make it very comfortable for all passengers, even those in the third row. Opting for a fancier trim can push the price up closer to traditional luxury rivals, but in its base form, the Armada is currently the cheapest V8 SUV you'll find.

The GMC Sierra saw a refresh for 2022, and SlashGear was impressed with the wide range of trims on offer. From luxury to trail-ready, the Sierra offers something for almost every kind of truck buyer, including those looking to score a V8 engine without breaking the bank. The Pro trim with the 5.3L EcoTec3 V8 starts at $46,635, with most of its components shared with the Chevrolet Silverado. That includes the 10-speed automatic transmission, which is the sole option across the whole of the V8 Sierra range.

This basic trim doesn't feature many luxuries, although adaptive cruise control and GMC's MultiPro tailgate are available for an extra cost. The next trim up, the SLE, offers a more comprehensive suite of features, including heated front seats and a 13.4-inch infotainment touchscreen, but it's also significantly pricier, starting at $54,495. Even in base trim, the Sierra is far from the cheapest V8 pickup on the market, with rivals from Ford, Chevy, and Ram all available for less.

After a long production run that's seen it remain on sale largely unchanged since 2005, Chrysler is finally giving the 300 a proper send-off for 2023. A limited run of 300C cars will be made with a Hemi 6.4L V8 under the hood, plus some visual extras like commemorative badging and red brakes. After 2023, the 300 will be no more, with no immediate successor planned for the veteran sedan.

However, for the remaining months that the 300 is on sale, there's also a cheaper way to buy a V8 version without having to resort to the limited-edition model. The 300S V8 is available for a starting MSRP of $46,000, and it packs a 5.7L Hemi V8 engine that's shared with the Dodge Charger and Challenger. However, both of the Dodges are available slightly cheaper than the 300S V8, so in terms of pure value for money, the Chrysler doesn't quite cut it.

While the Ford F-150 remains the best-selling pickup in the U.S. by a considerable margin, two rival models have been competing for second place in recent years: the Chevy Silverado 1500, and the Ram 1500. The Silverado gained the upper hand in 2022, finishing the fourth quarter with strong sales results. However, with a starting price of at least $45,835 for a V8-powered Silverado, it's the priciest out of all three top sellers.

The cheapest trim with a V8 option is the 2WD base-spec WT, which features a 5.3L EcoTec3 engine mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. That engine makes 355 horsepower and 383 lb-ft of torque, and it's the sole V8 option for most trims, excluding the top-spec Silverado ZR2, which is only available with a beefier 6.2L V8. Alternative engine options for every other trim consist of either a 3.0L six-cylinder turbodiesel or a base-spec 2.7L gas four-cylinder engine.

The cheapest way to get a V8-powered Ram 1500 is by equipping it as an option with the Big Horn trim, which retails for around $43,000. Like Ford with its F-150 Lightning, Ram is looking to capitalize on improving EV technology to offer an electric version of the pickup within the coming years. It unveiled the new truck at the 2023 New York International Auto Show, with one particularly impressive trick up its sleeve: a 500-mile range. However, the truck is a couple of years from hitting dealerships, and even when it does, it doesn't necessarily spell the end of the V8, at least not immediately.

Speaking to SlashGear at the New York show, Stellantis' head of RAM 1500 Product Marketing confirmed that "we'll continue to offer [a] range of trims. The power of choice is gonna be a big thing for us, as we add to the lineup. We want to continue to give people the options they're expecting from us." Whether that means the traditional lineup of V8 trucks will continue to be sold alongside electric versions in the future remains unclear, but for now at least, there's still plenty of chance to get an affordable Ram V8 truck.

If parent company Stellantis takes the same approach with the Ram 1500 as it already has done with the Dodge Charger, then it seems like the end of V8 power might not be too far away. Executives confirmed that both the Charger and the Challenger will end production by 2024, making way for new electric vehicles in the lineup. So, it seems like there's only a year or so left to buy the Charger R/T, which is currently the cheapest V8-powered variant in the lineup.

Prices start from just over $43,000, with the Charger packing the same 5.7L V8 engine that's also shared with multiple other Dodge and Chrysler models. Much like those other models, the Charger hasn't been subject to any major overhauls since it was first re-launched back in 2006, which is a good thing for buyers looking for a traditional muscle car, but means it's vulnerable to tightening emissions laws and safety regulations. It seems 2024 is the year the Charger will be finally given the chop, but for now, it remains both readily available and temptingly affordable.

It might not be the most refined or tech-heavy car out there, but the Dodge Challenger R/T still packs a punch. The Challenger hasn't undergone any major transformations since its debut in 2008, which is a testament to the original design. It does mean, however, that things like the interior can look a little dated compared to more frequently-updated models, so if the latest tech and infotainment are a consideration, then it's best to look elsewhere. Where the Challenger R/T really shines is as a straightforward, old-school muscle car, and one that's reliable and comfortable enough to make a great daily driver at that.

The R/T is the cheapest of the V8-powered 2023 Challengers, with a starting price of just over $40,000. That price leaps to around $47,500 for the R/T Scat Pack and continues climbing until it reaches close to six figures for a fully-loaded SRT Super Stock. While the top-tier trims attract the most headlines for their outrageous power outputs, the R/T still produces a very respectable 375 horsepower.

Despite Nissan's best efforts over the years, the Titan pickup has never quite made the sales splash that the company surely hoped it would. A Nissan dealership simply wouldn't be the first port of call for most buyers looking for a new truck, so many of them might be surprised to find out that the Titan is one of the cheapest ways to buy a new V8-powered pickup today.

The Titan King Cab S starts at just over $40,000 once fees and taxes are taken into account, and it's equipped as standard with a 5.6L V8 engine making 400 horsepower and 413 lb-ft of torque. That engine has remained on sale mostly unchanged since it was first unveiled in late 2015, with only a minor bump in power to show for its seven years on sale. Rumors suggest that the Titan won't receive another generation after the current one is phased out because the truck's low sales numbers simply don't justify the investment. However, the truck was given a refresh in 2020, which means there's probably at least a year or two left in the current generation before Nissan's cheapest V8 vehicle gets the ax.

The iconic Ford Mustang has a long and storied history, dating all the way back to the first generation's release in 1965. V8 engines have played an integral part in the Mustang's appeal since its earliest days, and the cheapest way to get a V8 today is to opt for the GT trim. Excluding fees, the GT starts at around $38,000, and for that, you'll get a 5.0L engine making 450 horsepower.

The current, sixth-generation car has been around for a few years now, and it's due for an upgrade very soon. Pricing was recently announced for the 2024 seventh-generation Mustang and, excluding any dealership markups, buyers can expect to pay around $42,000 for the V8-powered GT. If you're fussed about getting your hands on the latest iteration then you'll have to wait a while for the order books to open, as there's no official launch date at the time of writing.

America's best-selling truck is also one of the cheapest ways to buy a new V8 vehicle today, with the most affordable V8-powered variant of the Ford F-150 costing a hair under $38,000. For that, you'll get a standard cab XL with very few luxuries, making it best suited to work duties rather than everyday commuting. The 5.0L V8 features start-stop technology and flex-fuel technology to make it a little more environmentally friendly, but it's probably still going to be more thirsty than the F-150's base-spec V6 engine.

While it still packs eight cylinders under the hood for now, there's a chance that the F-150 might eventually phase out its use of larger engines altogether in favor of electric power. Ford has already demonstrated its intention to make the switch with the F-150 Lightning, which SlashGear drove and found to be convincingly similar to its gas-powered sibling. For now, the F-150 Lightning suffers from most of the same problems other EVs face — a less-than-stellar range, limited towing capacity, and patchy charging infrastructure. So, for the immediate future at least, Ford's famous V8 truck is safe.

The cheapest new V8 car in America is the Chevrolet Camaro LT1, which sports a 6.2L engine paired with a six-speed manual transmission as standard. It's available for just under $38,000, but if you want an automatic 'box, that price will rise to at least $39,390. Much like its biggest rival, the Ford Mustang, the Camaro has been in production for a number of years now, with relatively few changes being made over the years.

One of the key changes introduced with the 2019 model year was quickly reversed — that being the controversial front-end redesign of the SS trim that made the car look like it had a gaping mouth. After an overwhelmingly negative reaction to the new look, Chevy reverted back to a more traditional grille design a year later and has kept every Camaro trim with its original look ever since. The LT1 slots in below the SS in the Camaro lineup, with the SS adding around a $3,000 premium, which still puts it among the cheapest V8 cars on the market.