If you’re shopping for a new car these days, there are two things you’ve likely encountered on dealer lots—steep sticker prices and electric vehicles (EVs). But chances are, neither of these are what you have in mind.
The average price of a new car sold in the US is now around $48,000, a staggering increase from the $32,500 average price a decade ago, even after adjusting for inflation. Dealer lots also tend to be dominated by expensive EVs—even though only 8.5% of American buyers choose to buy EVs.
But there is some good news for car buyers. While average prices are high, they are slowly coming down from their post-pandemic peaks. In fact, most new-car buyers now pay only slightly above sticker price, rather than the premiums they had to ante up in recent years. And while expensive EVs abound, there still are some great new gas-powered and hybrid cars reaching the market.
Here are eight appealing new and redesigned 2025-model-year vehicles that can be purchased for less than the current average new-car price, according to Bottom Line’s auto expert Karl Brauer…
Big, upscale SUV for a mainstream price: Buick Enclave, redesigned for 2025, is a three-row SUV that offers comfortable seating for seven…a quiet, refined ride…and a luxurious interior. Best of all, the Enclave (shown above) provides all that for a reasonable price. Its turbocharged four-cylinder engine delivers a very respectable 328 horsepower (hp). This is the first Buick to offer as an option Super Cruise, GM’s hands-free driver-assistance technology. Super Cruise is among the most impressive driver-assist systems currently available—it can completely take over the driving on highways that have been certified by GM for Super Cruise (which is based on sufficient GPS coverage). Starting price is $45,000. Fuel economy is estimated to be 20 mpg city/27 highway/23 combined.*
Upscale reliable station wagon: Toyota Crown Signia, all new for 2025, offers a lot of what car buyers want now—Toyota’s industry-leading reliability…an upscale interior that looks and feels like a luxury car from Lexus…the latest safety technology…all-wheel drive…the functionality of a station wagon…and excellent fuel economy—it’s a hybrid. Officially the Crown Signia is a mid-size SUV, but car buyers old enough to remember the days before SUVs ruled the roads will think “station wagon” when they see it. It’s built on the same platform as Toyota’s Crown sedan, which reached the US in the prior model year. The Crown Signia costs a bit more than many other mid-size SUVs, but it’s a bargain compared with luxury SUVs like the Lexus RX, its true competition. Fuel economy is 39 city/37 highway/38 combined. Starting price is $43,590.
SUV that combines elite build quality and excellent off-road capability: Toyota 4Runner, redesigned for 2025, is the SUV for you if you want something that’s built to last, extremely capable offroad and known for its excellent resale values. It’s constructed on the same platform as the legendary durable Toyota Tacoma pickup, and like Tacomas, 4Runners routinely remain on the road for hundreds of thousands of miles. The redesigned 4Runner is better-equipped than its predecessors, with lots of the latest driver-assistance and safety tech…a heads-up display that shows your speed, navigation directions and more on the windshield or a panel just below that…a wireless smartphone charging pad…and other amenities. A third row of seats is optional. The 4Runner doesn’t provide the smoothest, most refined ride—a degree of on-road roughness is the price you pay for its off-road ruggedness—but it’s not unpleasant or uncomfortable to drive. It’s expected to be available by the end of calendar year 2024 with a starting price around $43,000. Fuel-economy figures have not yet been released but are unlikely to be better than 20 mpg.
SUV that might make buyers seriously consider an EV: Chevy Equinox was redesigned for 2025, and the result is a solid, comfortable, well-equipped entry to the extremely competitive compact SUV segment. But what makes the 2025 Equinox especially interesting is that both a gas-powered and an EV version are available. And by the end of 2024, the Equinox EV lineup will include a trim level that’s both less expensive and more powerful than the popular gas-powered Equinox with all-wheel drive and 300 hp. The base model has front-wheel drive and 220 hp.
High prices are among the reasons why buyers have resisted EVs—but they may take the leap if choosing an EV means they pay less…and if it also means they get better performance. The EV offers 210 hp…the gas-powered Equinox, a relatively modest 175 hp. Gas-powered Equinoxes start at $28,600 and have fuel economy of 26 city/28 highway/27 combined. The base level EV will start at $41,900, but it’s eligible for the $7,500 EV tax credit, effectively lowering that starting price to $34,400 for most buyers, though higher trim levels on the Equinox EV cost significantly more. The Equinox EV is rated at 108 miles per gallon of gasoline-equivalent (MPGe) and provides 319 miles of range.
All-around appealing SUV: Subaru Forester, redesigned for 2025, is a comfortable, reliable, easy-to-love all-wheel-drive small SUV with an extremely reasonable starting price by today’s standards. The 2025 version of the Forester is significantly quieter and better-equipped than its predecessors, and it has a more refined ride. When it comes to reliability, Subaru is legitimately ranked on the very top tier these days, alongside Toyota and Honda. That elite reliability can translate into few repair bills and high resale value. The Forester should be at the top of your list if you’re looking for an SUV with the affordability, versatility and build quality of a Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4, but with a bit more off-road capability. Starting price is $29,695. Fuel economy is 26 city/33 highway/29 combined.
Ultra-fuel-efficient version of one of the world’s most reliable and economical cars: Honda Civic Hybrid (pictured above) is an all-new hybrid version of what has long been one of the best small cars on the road. The Civic has for decades been a great answer to the question, What car should I buy if I want something that will give me a whole lot of trouble-free miles for not a whole lot of money? And “hybrid” is an excellent answer to the question, What should I buy if I care about fuel efficiency but don’t want an EV? Put the two together, and you end up with this very compelling vehicle. Moreover, while the Civic is chronically and accurately described with words like “economical” and “practical,” it doesn’t feel like a low-cost compromise when you’re behind the wheel—it simply feels like a very nice car. The Civic’s interior and driving dynamics are on par with cars that cost significantly more. Prices for the hybrid start at $28,750. The hybrid sedan’s fuel-economy figures are 50 mpg city/47 highway/49 combined. For comparison, the non-hybrid Civic starts at $24,250, with fuel economy of 32 city/41 highway/36 combined.
SUV versatility for a very affordable price: Nissan Kicks has been redesigned for 2025, and the improvements are significant—if you test-drove a Kicks from an earlier model year and were unimpressed, it’s time to give it another chance. The latest Kicks is larger and more powerful than the one it replaces, and for the first time it’s available with all-wheel drive. This still is very much a subcompact SUV, and its 2.0-liter four-cylinder, 141-hp engine won’t win many races, but the Kicks’s size and power now are perfectly reasonable for such an affordable vehicle—it’s less than half the price of the average new vehicle sold in the US. Fuel economy is expected to be 28 city/35 highway/31 combined. Starting price is $21,830.
Arguably the best new vehicle you can get for under $25,000: Kia K4 compact sedan, all new for 2025, is well styled and very well-equipped for an economy car. Its list of standard features includes a multi-screen display and advanced safety tech such as smart cruise control, high-beam assist and automatic emergency braking. The K4 feels fairly roomy inside by compact car standards, and it’s made by Kia, which now ranks not far below the very best brands in terms of reliability. Fuel economy is 30 city/40 highway/34 combined. Starting price is $21,990.
*Prices are manufacturers’ suggested retail prices. Fuel-economy figures are for base models unless otherwise noted and likely will vary for other trims. Prices include destination charges.
