Entry-level pricing has crept upward for years, yet a handful of crossovers and sedans still start at modest figures. The prices below mix base MSRP and totals that include destination, so they are best read as a rough guide to the budget end of the market. Here are ten of the cheapest new cars in America, ordered from the lowest listed price.
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1. Hyundai Venue: Cheapest of the Lot
The subcompact crossover sits at the bottom of the price list with a base MSRP of $20,550 for the 2026 model year, which makes it the cheapest new car sold in the US, per a Jalopnik price ranking. That figure is the base sticker price, and the source does not state whether destination is included.
For shoppers, the Venue marks the entry point of the whole segment. Anything above that number buys more space or equipment, while the Venue itself represents the lowest commitment currently available from a US showroom. Comparing it against prices quoted from other outlets needs care, since those figures can include freight charges.
2. Chevrolet Trax: Small Crossover, Small Price
Chevrolet prices its Trax at a base MSRP of $21,700, according to the same base MSRP of $21,700 used for the Venue. That puts the compact crossover second in this lineup, behind only the Hyundai.
The gap between the two is a modest $1,150 at base price, so the choice between them often comes down to size, styling and available trims rather than money alone. Buyers should remember that a base MSRP is a starting point, and the final amount paid typically rises once destination fees and options are added to the window sticker.
3. Nissan Kicks: Third on the Price Ladder
Nissan lists the Kicks at a base MSRP of $22,430, according to a ranking of cheap new cars. The subcompact crossover therefore slots in as the third-cheapest vehicle on this list, only a few hundred dollars above the Chevrolet Trax.
The Kicks is one of the few vehicles in the group that clearly sits in the crossover class rather than the sedan class, which gives owners a higher seating position and more cargo flexibility than the sedans around it. As with the two models above it, that price excludes any stated destination charge, so the real out-the-door figure will be higher.
4. Nissan Sentra: The First Sedan
The Sentra S for 2026 comes in at $23,845 including a $1,245 destination charge, as reported in the Cars.com list. It is the first traditional sedan to appear in this countdown.
Unlike the three prices above it, this one already folds in freight, so the true gap to the Kicks is smaller than the raw numbers suggest. For buyers who prefer a sedan body style, the Sentra offers a lower-cost route into a new car, and the all-in pricing makes budgeting for the purchase more straightforward.
5. Hyundai Elantra: Korean Sedan Value
Hyundai sets the 2026 Elantra SE at $24,120 including a $1,295 destination charge, per the same Cars.com list. The compact sedan is the second Hyundai on the list, following the Venue at the top.
The Elantra is about $275 more than the Sentra S on an all-in basis, a small enough difference that equipment, warranty terms and styling preferences are likely to drive a decision. Because both prices include destination, this pairing offers a cleaner like-for-like comparison than some of the base MSRP figures quoted earlier in the list.
6. Toyota Corolla: A Familiar Name
The 2026 Corolla LE is priced at $24,420 including a $1,295 destination charge, according to Cars.com’s cheapest-car roundup. That makes the long-running compact the sixth-cheapest car in this roundup.
Toyota’s entry sedan lands $300 above the Elantra SE, and shoppers weighing the two are choosing between near-identical money. The Corolla’s position here shows that a mainstream, widely recognized nameplate does not have to carry a large premium, with the LE trim keeping the all-in sticker below $25,000 in this comparison.
7. Volkswagen Jetta: German Sedan on a Budget
Volkswagen asks $25,270 for the 2026 Jetta 1.5T S, a figure that includes $1,275 in destination, per the Cars.com ranking. It is the only European-badged entry in the ranking.
At that price the Jetta is the most expensive of the Cars.com picks, but it still lands comfortably in sub-$26,000 territory. Shoppers attracted to a more European feel in a compact sedan can reach it without stepping far beyond the Corolla and Elantra, though the small premium over those rivals is worth weighing against the features each includes.
8. Chevrolet TrailBlazer: Crossover Under $26,000
Chevrolet’s 2026 TrailBlazer costs $25,095 including destination, according to AutoGuide’s under-$30,000 list. The subcompact crossover is the second Chevrolet in the ranking, joining the cheaper Trax.
Its all-in price is slightly lower than the Jetta’s figure from the Cars.com list, though the two prices come from different outlets, and the sources do not present them in a single table. Buyers who want crossover packaging without crossing the $26,000 mark will find the TrailBlazer one of the few options that qualifies.
9. Kia Seltos: Roomy Pick From Kia
The 2026 Kia Seltos is listed at $25,285 including destination, according to AutoGuide’s sub-$30,000 roundup. It is the only Kia in this lineup.
That figure is just $190 above the TrailBlazer, so the two crossovers compete almost directly on price. Because the Seltos figure already includes freight, the sticker amount is close to what a base-trim buyer would see before options and taxes, which makes it easier to compare with the other all-in prices that appear in this roundup, including the Sentra, Elantra and Corolla.
10. Honda Civic: The Priciest Entry Here
Honda’s 2026 Civic closes the list at $25,890 including destination, as reported in AutoGuide’s 2026 pricing. It is the most expensive car among the ten, though it still sits under the $26,000 mark.
Even as the highest-priced member of this group, the Civic is only about $5,340 above the Venue’s base MSRP, and the two figures come from different bases. For compact-car shoppers, the Civic shows that a recognized nameplate can still be had for a modest outlay compared with the broader new-car market.
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