Cheapest New Cars in the United States

Even during a horrible recession and a near 55% drop in American car sales, automobile purchases must continue. The market for car sales is getting very competitive and dealers are lowering prices to encourage people to buy more cars. Nowadays, it is possible to get the keys for a new car at almost unheard of prices. If you have the money and want to go car shopping, remember that the market is in your favor and that dealers will drop their prices or be faced with an aging inventory.

This list highlights some of the most affordable cars in the American market:

1) 2009 Nissan Versa, $9990
Four Cylinders, 107 HP, 1.6 Liter Engine

2) 2009 Chevrolet Aveo5 Special Value, $10895
No CD Player, optional A/C, manual transmission

3) 2009 Hyundai Accent GS Hatchback, $11,425
Not so well equipped; price skyrockets if you want to equip.

4) 2008 Kia Rio Base Sedan, $11,540
Similar to the Hyundai Accent, not well equipped, even for a cheap car.

5) 2008 Smart Fortwo Pure, $12,190
Lacking in power windows, A/C and a stereo, it redeems itself in the automatic transmission and the safety gear.

6) 2009 Toyota Yaris Liftback, $12,210
A very good buy for its price, it has a 106 HP engine and great MPG.

7) 2008 Suzuki Reno, $14,224
Getting expensive, the Suzuki Reno offers everything a decent car should.

I chose to stop my list with the Suzuki because after this price range, there is a ton of cars around 15-17k, all with great features. For an overall cheapest car to own over a 5 year period, including gas and mechanical fixes, here is the list from Edmunds.com with cost per mile in parentheses.

1.) Chevy Aveo5 Special Value hatchback ($0.42)
2.) Hyundai Accent GS 2-door hatchback ($0.43)
3.) Honda Fit 4-door hatchback ($0.44)
4.) Toyota Yaris 2-door hatchback ($0.44)
5.) Honda Civic DX 4-door sedan ($0.45)
6.) Nissan Versa 4-door hatchback ($0.45)
7.) Mazda3 4-door sedan ($0.46)
8.) Kia Rio 4-door sedan ($0.46)
9.) Scion xB 4-door wagon ($0.46)
10.) Toyota Corolla CE 4-door sedan ($0.46)