Consumer Reports' Best New Cars Under $25,000

With a base price of $21,700, the Toyota Corolla is one of the most affordable new cars in the U.S., and it still offers the reliability that older Corollas are known for. It’s also fuel efficient, with an EPA rating of 35 mpg combined. Just don’t expect it to be particularly quick.

Because the Toyota Corolla has such a low base price, you don’t have to settle for a stripped-out model if you’re hoping to stay under $25,000. For more features, you can jump up to the Corolla SE, which adds better seats, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, a smart key and 18-inch wheels, among other things. Or you could go for the Corolla Hybrid that gets 50 mpg combined.

With a base price of $22,550, the Mazda 3 is more expensive than the Toyota Corolla, but it also delivers style in spades. It’s also sportier than the Corolla, which we’re always going to appreciate. And while it may not be as fuel efficient as the Corolla, we’d still be happy with the Mazda’s 31 mpg combined rating.

Like the Corolla, you can also get a Mazda 3 with a couple of options and still keep the total price under $25,000. The 2.5 S Select adds 18-inch wheels, keyless entry and blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. At that point, there’s even still room in the budget for Mazda’s wonderful Soul Red Crystal Metallic paint.

Technically, the Hyundai Elantra starts at $20,950, but Consumer Reports recommends skipping the regular Elantra and going right to the $24,550 Elantra Hybrid instead. Not only is it rated at 50 mpg combined, but it also reportedly rides and handles better than the non-hybrid Elantra.

Since the Elantra Hybrid starts so close to $25,000, there really isn’t much room to add options. That said, it does come with a number of things that won’t make you feel like you’re driving a base car, such as heated front seats, 16-inch alloy wheels and a number of safety and driver-assist features.

You might not have expected to see the Volkswagen Jetta on this list, but did you also know that it starts at $20,655? It’s not the sportiest car on the list, nor will it probably be the most reliable, but it does cost less than a base Corolla. Plus, since it’s a Volkswagen, it should feel a bit more premium inside than the Corolla, too. All while getting 35 mpg combined.

With a base price so close to $20,000, you can also add quite a few options to the Jetta while still keeping it under $25,000. You won’t be getting into a Jetta GLI at that price, but you can at least jump up to the Jetta SE, which offers 17-inch wheels, faux leather seats, heated front seats and dual-zone automatic climate control. Drop down to the Jetta Sport, though, and you can still get a manual transmission.

Did the Toyota Corolla sedan already make this list? Yep! Is it a bit redundant for Consumer Reports to include the hatchback, as well? Possibly. Are we a little confused why the Honda Civic hasn’t shown up on the list yet? Absolutely. But we won’t complain about any automaker offering a sub-$25,000 hatchback in the U.S. Nor will we complain about it getting 35 mpg combined.

If you want a Corolla Hatchback, it starts at $23,155. Unless you upgrade to the out-of-budget XSE version, though, there aren’t really any options to add to the base SE. That said, you can still go with a premium paint color while keeping the price under $25,000, so that’s nice.

The Nissan Kicks is certainly no Range Rover, but with a base price of $20,440, it’s a solid subcompact crossover that you can get for way less than $25,000. You don’t get a lot of frills with the Kicks, and all-wheel drive isn’t even an option, but if you’re looking for an inexpensive crossover, the Kicks does the whole “budget car” thing well. And you’ll also get 33 mpg combined.

With almost $5,000 to play with, you can definitely upgrade the base Kicks while still sticking to your budget. In fact, you can go all out with the top-trim Kicks SR, and you’ll still be under the $25,000 mark. Want two-tone paint and black wheels? That’s an option, and it won’t even take you over budget.