5 New Cars That Are Way More Affordable Than They Look

There's no getting around it — new cars are expensive. No matter what brand you pick, and even if you stick with a small car, you will likely be paying north of $20,000 when it's all said and done. While a few models, such as the Mitsubishi Mirage, Nissan Versa, Hyundai Venue, Kia Rio, and Kia Forte, have starting MSRPs under the $20,000 mark, cars that cheap are certainly a rarity. Of course, these vehicles will certainly do the job in that they have four wheels and an engine, which means those options will certainly work if you aren't willing to pick up a used car. 

However, if you want the best value in a car, there are more than enough reasonably priced alternatives. Occasionally, looks can be deceiving and a car can look, feel, and perform like a high-end luxury car and still be relatively affordable. You absolutely don't have to drop $60,000 at the Mercedes-Benz dealer to have a comfortable and nice-to-drive vehicle with a few luxury touches — here are five new cars that are far more affordable than they feel.

Kia absolutely knocked it out of the park with the Stinger, a 300-horsepower turbocharged rear-wheel drive sport sedan. There's not a lot that can go wrong with that formula, and even better, the Stinger retails at $36,690 for the base GT-Line trim, which is definitely the higher end of the affordability spectrum.

You get a lot for the money. Leather heated seats are standard, as are 18-inch wheels and an eight-speed transmission with paddle shifters as a sporty touch. Not to mention, giant Brembo brakes are also part of the standard package. 

If you are willing to spend a little more, all-wheel drive can be added as a $2,200 option, which strangely includes a heated steering wheel as an added bonus. Additionally, a sunroof and a Harmon Kardon sound system can be tacked on for $2,300. If $4,500 of options is too rich for your blood, no matter, as a bone stock Stinger can still accelerate to 60 miles per hour from a dead stop in a fairly quick 5.3 seconds. 

If regular sedans and SUVs have inflated in price, trucks have left all semblance of reality. When optioning out a Ford, Chevy, or RAM, it isn't outside the realm of possibility to end up paying more than six figures if to add every bell and whistle. Taking that into consideration, the Ford Maverick's starting price of $22,595 is a bargain. It doesn't have the same bed capacity or towing power of, say, a Ford Super Duty or a midsize truck like a Toyota Tacoma, but it's also a fraction of the price – if you can get your hands on one, that is.

A hybrid drive system is also standard on the Maverick, allowing it to achieve an estimated 37 combined miles per gallon. Adding a 250 horsepower turbocharged 2-liter motor and all-wheel drive puts the price up to a pretty reasonable $27,055 when it's all said and done. That's just under the starting price of a new base model Ford Ranger, which is only two-wheel drive and can't seat five people.

Even someone with no interest in anything automotive knows that BMW is one of the preeminent luxury car brands. A BMW M8 Competition Gran Coupe retails for a solid $138,800, putting it firmly in the "mathematically impossible to afford" category for the vast majority of people in the market for a new car. Even your average BMW M3 sport sedan starts at $75,295, making it decidedly not a budget option by any means. However, that doesn't rule out BMW entirely for someone who wants a nice car from a respected brand. 

The BMW 2 Series occupies the lowest rung on BMW's price ladder at $38,200 for the 230i Coupe. For that, you get a rear-wheel drive coupe with a twin-turbo inline-four and 255 horsepower. It will do the zero to 60 haul in a solid 5.1 seconds. As far as options go, you don't get a lot and features like heated seats, remote start, or leather seats. Beyond that, something like a sunroof can propel the price past the $40,000 mark. However, you still have the all-important BMW roundel badge on the hood and rear wheel drive.

Similarly to BMW, Audi and luxury are inseparable. Depending on how much you spend, you can have anything ranging from the all-wheel drive A4 all-road station wagon that starts at $45,900 to a veritable supercar like the V10 R8, which can easily eclipse the $200,000 mark. Back on Earth, the Audi A3 occupies the entry spot in Audi's lineup, retailing for $35,400. Of course, it wouldn't be a proper Audi if the all-wheel drive quattro option wasn't part of the equation. Which that box checked, the price jumps up slightly to a still somewhat realistic $37,400. 

Unlike the BMW, you get a decent set of equipment. First and foremost is the all-wheel drive powertrain and a 201 horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine that's connected to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. A sunroof is standard, as are eight-way power front seats and all manner of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. 

Coming completely out of left field is the current Chevy Malibu, the very last traditional four-door sedan in Chevy's lineup, absolutely holding on for dear life. It's entirely possible Chevy just forgot it was still making Malibus and hasn't shut down the assembly line, as the vehicle hasn't been upgraded in any meaningful way since about 2019. Regardless, the Malibu is a relative bargain for what it is. While you can get away with forgoing certain options with BMWs and Audis to keep the MSRP down, the Malibu isn't the same case. 

With every possible option and accessory applied and every box checked, the Malibu tops out at $33,310. There are no engine or transmission choices and you're stuck with a CVT and a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that makes, well, enough horsepower. However, on the inside you get heated and vented power seats with leather panels, a wrapped steering wheel, a Bose sound system, a sunroof, wireless charging, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and remote start. That's quite a lot packed into a sedan that most people thought Chevy didn't make anymore.