The 10 Cheapest New Cars You Can Buy in 2019

The average transaction price for new cars in the United States in 2018 teetered around the $35,000 mark. Sure, the economy's doing well (for now), but that's still enough scratch to afford a bottom-level luxury car, and maybe you don't feel like spending big (or even medium) on your next car purchase. So for those seeking new cheap wheels with a warranty-you're on your own in the used-car market-we've rounded up the 10 cheapest new cars that you can buy in 2019 (which aren't much different from the cheapest cars you could buy last year) and arranged them in order of most to least expensive. All of these vehicles are around half as expensive as the average new car in America, and fret not, wheels, seats, and engines are included.

Price: $16,545

Don't be confused by the Nissan Versa Note's name: it is more than just a hatchback version of the Versa sedan. Nissan gives the Note its own exterior and interior styling, both of which are a cut above the Versa sedan's. (Please, ahem, note that the top-spec Note SR is pictured here, even though our price reflects the base hubcapped, less fancy S trim.) The Note does share its 109-hp, 1.6-liter inline-four-cylinder engine with the Versa sedan, but unlike on the sedan, you can't have a manual transmission. Even the base Note S includes a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), although, despite being the priciest car in our cheap-car roundup, it doesn't include much else. Sparsely equipped, not as fuel efficient as you might think, and not particularly great to drive, it's not particularly worth its higher price.

Like the current Yaris sedan, it's looking like the 2020 Yaris hatch will also be built by Mazda.

Price: $16,295

The Chevy Sonic is the most powerful car on this list, thanks to its relatively large 1.8-liter inline four, which produces 138 horsepower and 125 lb-ft of torque. In the base Sonic LS sedan (pictured here is a nicer trim with spicy black-colored wheels), the engine is paired with a five-speed manual transmission; a six-speed automatic is available for an extra $1300. Sadly, Chevrolet only offers the Sonic hatchback in fancier trims, meaning the least expensive hatch starts at $18,895 in LT guise (the LT sedan costs $100 less). At least the base LS sedan has LED running lights and power door locks, plus a 7.0-inch touchscreen with a built-in 4G LTE data connection, Wi-Fi, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration.

Price: $16,195

Kia shakes up the Rio sedan's trim levels for 2019, eliminating last year's top-level EX trim and raising the base LX trim's price by $1400. Blame the price hike on Kia's elimination of the base Rio's standard manual transmission; the extra cost covers the now standard six-speed automatic and then some-last year's automatic-transmission LX cost $310 less. Should you be interested in the Rio hatchback, be aware that it costs more than the sedan and is only available in the sedan's midrange S trim. Minor price shuffling aside, the Rio remains a well-styled, high-quality subcompact with a decent features list.

Price: $15,880

Pay no mind to the Hyundai Accent's sub-$16,000 MSRP. This is no crapcan. All new for 2018, the Accent is available only as a sedan, albeit a roomy and well-appointed one. In our testing, the little four-door delivered great fuel economy while coddling us with its long list of standard features, even in its least expensive SE trim. In fact, that base Accent is our favorite, both thanks to its attractive price and Hyundai's sequestering the lineup's sole manual transmission option in it. (Upper-level Accents are automatic only, although SE buyers can opt for one for more money.) In our hands, a 2018 Accent SE with the manual reached 60 mph in a spry 7.5 seconds, way quicker than any other car on this list.

Price: $15,690

The Mirage G4 sedan is a whopping $400 more expensive than last year's model. Hey, when the car only cost a little over fifteen grand to begin with, that kind of increase is notable. At least the new price includes a few new features for the base ES model. Prepare to be wowed by cruise control, a driver's seat with height adjustment, and-brace thyself-silver-colored stitching on the cloth seats! (The aluminum wheels pictured here mark this G4 as a nicer-than-ES variant.) These niceties in no way detract from the Mirage's crushing overall sense of downmarket-ness-the tiny car remains slow, and its build quality is poor-although they help Mitsubishi build a better on-paper argument than before, particularly when added to the G4 ES's power windows, 7.0-inch infotainment display, and strong warranty.

Price: $15,135

This is a leap year for the Ford Fiesta, in that it's leaping into the abyss after 2019. Put in less dire terms, Ford is discontinuing its smallest car (along with, well, pretty much all of its car models save for the Mustang) by 2020. That is too bad, since the Fiesta remains a strong choice for driving enthusiasts shopping in this group of cars. Decent handling, a standard five-speed manual transmission, and a willing 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine make for a fun drive. (The optional six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, which runs $1095, saps a great deal of joy from the equation.) If you can swing an extra $1530 for the Fiesta SE hatchback, we suggest you do so. It looks a lot better than the sedan and (being one trim level up, SE versus S) comes with more convenience features.

Price: $14,690

The hatchback version of Mitsubishi's Mirage G4 sedan costs $1000 less, yet it receives the same new standard equipment for 2019 as does its four-door sibling. So get excited for the same standard cruise control, silver interior stitching, and height-adjustable driver's seat. (No matter which Mirage you choose, the equipment levels are virtually identical.) The Mirage hatch at least looks a little better than the G4 sedan, even if that's not saying much.

The Spark is extremely affordable, but thankfully its cost-cutting measures are well disguised. Its comfortable cabin feels larger than its subcompact classification suggests. While the many hard plastics are par for the course, its interior quality and available features are a cut above. Every model features an intuitive touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Fancier versions receive desirable amenities, such as heated front seats and optional driver-assistance technology. The Activ model adds rugged-looking exterior bits with distinct lower cladding, but every Spark is front-drive only. They're all powered by a dutiful four-cylinder engine and provide lively driving responses.

Price: $13,255

This year, Nissan's Versa sedan again takes the top spot (or is it bottom spot?) on our list of America's cheapest cars. The dowdy subcompact starts at only $13,255. A backup camera is newly standard on the lowliest Versa S, as is a 7.0-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth connectivity. The back seat and trunk are still class-above, at least sizewise, and unlike the Versa Note hatchback, the sedan comes standard with a five-speed manual transmission useful for cracking the whip on the weak 109-hp 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. The highlights pretty much end there, and the bare-bones Versa S still lacks even a center armrest between its front seats. The Nissan doesn't cost much, but, as the saying goes, you get what you pay for.