Best 5 Cars for Budget Minded Buyers for Model Year 2010 Vehicles

With so many budget conscious car buyers shopping for new vehicles it is not too surprising to see the myriad of budget car model choices available from almost every car company still standing.

Even some of the big names are coming up with budget models that are much less expensive than their top of the line models. There are a few players who have been consistently making affordable and reliable cars for those of us with a limited budget for spending on a car.

The top company that is still helping the budget minded consumer quite a bit by offering rock bottom prices on decent transportation would have to be Chevrolet. They have been a true leader in this arena when you think back to their fleet of low cost rides you can not easily skip over the Chevette!

So to that end here is my list of what I see as the five of the more affordable "Entry Level" vehicles on the market today.

Chevrolet Cobalt
Chevrolet Cobalt Sedan will cost you around $10K with incentives. The Cobalt is a very simple car with a reliable drive-train and plenty of options available if you want a little more than just basic transportation.

The base models get fairly good fuel mileage and they have a lot of leg and head room. For a low cost entry level car these are a very reliable platform with a long history of reliability in their engines.

With 5 speed manual transmission the 2.2 liter In-line four cylinder has fairly good spunk and these do get really good mileage, showing 22 mpg in city with stick shift, and 30 mpg on the highway with stick shift.

Nissan Versa
Nissan Versa base price just under $10K. This is the base model and the price can escalate if you start adding on options. Their smooth 5 speed manual transmission is mated to a 1.6 Liter in-line four cylinder gasoline engine which is so quiet you hardly know it is running.

Nissan has always built cars that handle well and are smooth and comfortable to drive. The Versa model is no exception.

The Nissan Versa delivers 26 miles per gallon in the city and 34 mpg on the highway. They are nice looking little cars with plenty of cargo space. This is a great car for teens and college age drivers.

Chevrolet Aveo
Chevy Aveo can be purchased for less than $10K with some incentives.

Their base model comes with a simple to use 5 speed transmission mated to their reliable little 1.6 Liter In-line 4 cylinder. The Aveo offers mileage that is near the top of the heap when it comes to compact cars with high efficiency ratings. Showing a respectable 27 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway.

There are very nimble handling little cars that can be parked easily in any situation. You will find there is less cargo room than it could have but this makes the back seat area larger. Not a bad ride for an inexpensive small car.

Hyundai Accent
Hyundai Accent GS can be had for right around $9970 for their base model. Hyundai has been making quite a name in the low cost auto market and this model is definitely something to check out if you are on a budget!

Their easily managed five speed transmission is coupled with a smooth and quiet 1.6 Liter in-line four cylinder engine which delivers 28 mpg in city driving and 34 on the highway! Hyundai builds these cars to be reliable and they achieve this particular goals exceptionally well. If you are looking for a small inexpensive car this one may surprise you with its quiet and smooth ride.

Smart For Two
Smart For Two is a really cute little people mover that can be purchased for about $11,990 and with that you get the most fuel efficient non hybrid car available in the US. Admittedly I thought that this was a tiny little car from the outside, but once you sit in one you realize that they have optimized the seating and headroom to fit a driver that is over six feet very easily.

The cargo space is also a little bigger than i would have expected it to be, but that can save you money on shopping trips since it does not hold a lot of booty. Not a big problem since it is so fuel efficient you can always run back and get more of your purchases later.

The real news is the fuel efficiency coming in at 33 mpg in the city and 41 mpg on the highway! This is an exceptional car for commuting or running errands and for teens.
With a huge list of options including comforts like air conditioning these little cars are worth a second look.

For more information on the Smart Cars please visit their website:
www.smartusa.com

An excellent resource for comparison information on all car makes and models visit:
www.motortrend.com