The cheapest new cars in America come surprisingly well-equipped with safety features and technology in 2023.

New cars don’t always have to come expensive or break the bank. After all, not everyone can afford a brand-new, pricey sports car or luxury sedan. Plus, there is a huge segment of customers in the market that simply want reliable cars that take them from point A to B with as little hassle as possible. There are plenty of people who aren’t quite keen on buying used cars, and that is also understandable. However, bringing home a new car straight from the dealership is often an expensive venture.

Updated June 2023: Shopping for a brand-new car can be a daunting task for budget-minded gearheads, especially in the last few years when car prices have gone up drastically. Thankfully, there are still many affordable new cars on the market, and we’ve just updated this list with more of them.

Nonetheless, many manufacturers today offer quite affordable new cars, which prove to be a lot more reasonably-priced than some others in the market today. A lot of these cars, especially with their base trims, manage to undercut most others. Of course, the affordability does come at the cost of features, comforts, and luxuries on the inside, but when it comes to affordability, a few luxuries being absent isn’t a deal-breaker at all. In that vein, here are 10 of the cheapest new cars you can bring home in 2023.

We used reliable information from websites like Kelley Blue Book and Edmunds to put together this list of some of the cheapest cars in 2023.

13.2023 Nissan Kicks

Starting MSRP: $21,775

The Nissan Kicks is an ideal family car, with spacious interiors despite its small size. The 122-horsepower engine is certainly not the most powerful, but for going around town, it definitely does the trick. Longer trips, however, which require merging and passing at highway speeds, might not a piece of cake for the Kicks.

With sufficient space inside, the Nissan Kicks also comes with a decent-sized 7-inch infotainment screen, and has plenty of features as standard. The 36 MPG economy on the highway is particularly impressive, and for a base price of $20,595, the Nissan Kicks is one of the better affordable options out there.

12.2023 Hyundai Elantra

Starting MSRP: $22,065

Undoubtedly one of the best cars on the market in 2023 with a budget-friendly price tag, the 2023 Hyundai Elantra delivers great value with a refined and polished driving experience. The base SE trim, which retails at $20,500, comes surprisingly loaded, with a 147-horsepower engine which returns up to 42 MPG on the highway and 33 MPG in the city.

Despite being the base model, the SE trim offers wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, along with driver-assistance and safety tech like Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist and Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist. There’s also an 8-inch color-touchscreen infotainment screen, making the Hyundai Elantra one of the best quality cars while also being one of the cheapest.

11.2023 Mazda 3

Starting MSRP: $22,550

Although the Mazda 3 has a low price just like other subcompacts in the market, it aims to compete with more premium cars — and it does a pretty good job of it. The 2023 Mazda 3 looks fantastic as it embodies Mazda’s modern design language and is available as a sedan or hatchback. The interior feels more premium especially in top trims and is full of advanced tech.

The Mazda 3 also shines when it comes to driving feel, especially for those who choose the turbocharged version with 250 hp to play with. It’s also one of the few remaining new cars that offer a manual transmission, but buyers have to choose the front-wheel-drive version.

10.2023 Volkswagen Jetta

Starting MSRP: $21,510

Volkswagen knows a thing or two about making affordable cars for the masses — the legendary Beetle and the Golf immediately come to mind. Another Volkswagen model that promises great value at an affordable price is the Jetta, which has been around since the late ’70s. With over 14 million sold, the Jetta is among the best-selling cars ever.

The latest 2023 Jetta shows why the nameplate will stick around for many more years to come. We love its handsome looks, spacious and comfy interior, and even though it only produces 158 hp in the base model, it’s still a joy to drive.

9.2023 Ford Maverick

Starting MSRP: $23,690

The F-Series has been Ford’s bread and butter over the last few decades, particularly the F-150. This awesome truck has been on top of sales charts for decades, and its demand isn’t slowing down any time soon. However, many gearheads have always wanted a smaller version of the F-Series, which is why Ford built the Maverick in 2021.

The Maverick is a crew cab pickup truck that uses the same unibody platform as the Ford Escape and Bronco Sport. Despite being the smallest pickup truck in Ford’s lineup, the Maverick has been such a huge hit that it caused a backlog in vehicle production, forcing Ford to suspend orders. The 2023 Maverick is supposed to start at $23,690, but since Ford closed sales after just a week of ordering, buyers can expect to pay quite a bit more.

8.2023 Nissan Sentra

Starting MSRP: $21,145

The 2023 Nissan Sentra remains unchanged from the 2022 model, and so does its price. The Sentra offers great value for money, with its interiors being comfortable and well-built. In this segment, engine power is not usually a concern for either the buyer or the manufacturer, and thus, the 149-hp engine gets the job done.

With a standard 7-inch touchscreen system which supports both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, the 2023 Nissan Sentra, at just $19,950, definitely is one of the best deals one could get. Plus, the car boasts a five-star safety rating from the NHTSA, which is certainly another feather in its cap.

7.2023 Kia Soul

Starting MSRP: $21,215

Kia begins selling the 2023 Soul crossover’s base LX trim at $19,890, and boy have they packed it with features. One of the best cars when you consider features-per-dollar, the 2023 Kia Soul LX comes with an 8-inch touchscreen display, remote keyless entry with vehicle immobilizer, a rearview monitor, and it also supports both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

The LX trim also comes with a rear privacy glass, and rides on 16-inch wheels. Kia offers plenty of driver-assistance tech on the 2023 Soul LX through their Drive Wise safety suite, which includes features like Auto Emergency Braking, Auto Lane Following and Keeping Assist, among a host of others.

6.2023 Subaru Impreza

Starting MSRP: $21,315

All-wheel drive being standard on a new car under $20,000 would immediately make anyone’s ears perk up. Armed with a 152-horsepower engine, the 2023 Subaru Impreza delivers a smooth and composed ride, along with a remarkable seating space that wouldn’t leave anyone uncomfortable.

With a base price of $19,795, the 2023 Impreza certainly cuts an impressive figure. If cargo room is important to you, however, you’d be better off with the hatchback, which offers 20.8 cubic-feet of space as opposed to the sedan’s 12.3 cubic-feet trunk.

5.2023 Hyundai Venue

Starting MSRP: $20,985

The Venue is Hyundai’s cheapest new car in 2023, and it does the job quite well. The SE trim is the base model, and for $19,500, it does offer plenty to be happy about. A 121-hp engine returns 31 MPG combined, along with safety tech like Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, and Driver Attention Warning.

A compact car, the 2023 Hyundai Venue is remarkably easy to maneuver in city streets, and thanks to the small size and light weight of the car, it also offers a reasonably enjoyable drive. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has given the 2023 Hyundai Venue its Top Safety Pick award, meaning the cheapest new Hyundai is also one of the safest cars for your family.

4.2023 Kia Forte.

Starting MSRP: $20,815

A refreshingly premium sedan in this segment, the 2023 Kia Forte will leave you thoroughly impressed. The car comes with great fuel economy, where its 147-hp engine returns 41 MPG on the highway. There’s plenty of user-friendly tech on the inside, along with a remarkably spacious cabin that would keep occupants comfortable even over longer rides.

A proper five-seater, the 2023 Kia Forte offers an 8-inch touchscreen display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with a number of advanced safety features like Auto Headlight Control and High Beam Assist, Auto Lane Following, and Lane Keeping Assist.

3.2023 Kia Rio

Starting MSRP: $17,875

With fantastic fuel economy, a comfortable ride, and a $16,000 price tag, the 2023 Kia Rio is, hands down, one of the best affordable subcompact cars on the market today. The 120-horsepower engine on the 2023 Rio returns up to 41 MPG on the highway, but the car is certainly not without its sacrifices.

A lack of steering-wheel adjustments might frustrate some drivers, but at just over $16,000, the 2023 Kia Rio also offers an 8-inch screen with a rearview camera, support for both Apple and Android’s operating systems, and a tire-pressure monitoring system.

2.2023 Mitsubishi Mirage

Starting MSRP: $17,340

The 2023 Mitsubishi Mirage is one of the cheapest new cars in 2023, but it is not without its flaws, even for its price. For starters, the engine doesn’t even make 80 horsepower. Plus, it’s rather noisy, and Mitsubishi’s cost-cutting in the Mirage shows in every corner, outside and inside.

Nevertheless, the car does have some fantastic fuel economy, offering up to 43 MPG on the highway. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto both come standard on the 2023 Mitsubishi Mirage, along with a 7-inch infotainment display. For our money, though, there certainly are better options on the market than the 2023 Mirage, in pretty much the same price range.

1.2023 Nissan Versa

Starting MSRP: $16,925

The cheapest, most affordable new car in the United States in 2023, the Nissan Versa is actually a pretty damn impressive package. A comfortable ride, solid fuel economy, and a peppy 122-hp engine come together to make the Versa an impressive offer, especially considering you get all of that for just $15,730.

The cheapest car in the USA right now, the 2023 Nissan Versa offers a spacious five-seat cabin which isn’t all that fancy, but definitely comfortable. Ride quality remains agreeable on the Versa, too. Even though there aren’t any new cars under $15,000 today, there are plenty of brand-new cars you can bring home for just a little over that amount, and those options are far from unimpressive.