vLane Blog

10 Cheapest 2008 Cars You Can Buy

From Brian Sy, Featured Contributor
Posted on July 17, 2008

Filed under Top 10

Cash a little tight? Here are the cheapest 2008 models money can buy.

The term "cheap wheels" sure doesn't mean what it used to. $5,000 cars pretty much faded with the 80s; heck, even 10 grand can't buy a new ride anymore.

The upside is that these days, cars at the bottom of the barrel are, in all honesty, not that bad. Former "luxuries" like power steering, air conditioning, and 100 horsepower are almost universal. Most drive just fine, and their cabins can usually swallow four fully-grown adults. Just think, all this can be yours with just a few months' income!

So if the cost matters more than the car, take a look at the ten most affordable cars in America:

	Car	Price	Horsepower
1	Chevrolet Aveo SVM	$10,895	103
2	Hyundai Accent GS hatchback	$11,395	110
3	Kia Rio sedan	$11,515	110
4	Toyota Yaris hatchback	$12,010	106
5	Smart ForTwo Pure	$12,235	70
6	Nissan Versa sedan	$13,335	122
7	Kia Spectra LX	$13,520	138
8	Hyundai Elantra GLS sedan	$14,145	138
9	Suzuki Reno	$14,224	127
10	Mazda Mazda3	$14,530	148

Notes:

• Prices include destination charges; automatic transmissions typically add $800.
• More than half these cars have appeared on a "10 Worst Resale Value" list in the past few years.
• The Reno is the most generous in features, with A/C, power windows and locks, MP3 CD player and input jack, 15-inch wheels, and disc brakes all part of the deal.
• In contrast, the Smart comes like it's been looted. Don't even look for an AM radio, power steering, or a fourth cylinder.
• Car #10 is about 10,000 times more desirable than car #1.

Read More:

• Road Rant: Double Yellow Lines
• That Did NOT Just Happen
• How to Sell a Car to a Woman

Brian Sy is a featured contributor for vLane.