The average price of a new car is flirting with $50,000. It’s up by nearly $15,000 in the last decade, making it increasingly difficult for a car shopper to justify the expense of a new set of wheels. But that doesn’t mean buyers can’t set their sights on the cheapest car brands in the pursuit of a good deal. 

These five brands boast the cheapest average car prices on the market, but next year may look different

When I say “cheapest new car,” what springs to your mind? A Nissan Versa? Well, even with an average MSRP under $20,000, Nissan doesn’t make the list of brands with the lowest average starting price. Instead, Mitsubishi takes the top spot on the iSeeCars rankings, followed by a couple of unlikely additions. 

Mitsubishi

Mitsubishi takes the No. 1 spot among the cheapest car brands on the market, and that title rests on the shoulders of one name: Mirage. The now-discontinued Mirage had a starting MSRP as low as $16,695 for the hatchback, and bumped up $1,100 for the G4 sedan variant.

As a result, the Japanese car marque’s entire vehicle lineup averages at $25,812, almost $5,000 ahead of its closest competitor. However, next year is certain to change due to the departure of the little, bare-bones Mirage. 

FIAT

Believe it or not, FIAT takes the second spot on the list of wallet-friendly automakers. Of course, that spot isn’t the result of the Italian marque rolling out sub-$20,000 options. It’s due to the scarce lineup wearing the FIAT badge in 2025.

Specifically, FIAT is down to just one offering this year: the FIAT 500e. The electrified little 500 hatchback starts at $30,500, which means the average MSRP for the car brand sits at that number, lower than nearly every alternative.  

Subaru

Now, the cheapest vehicle in Subaru’s lineup is the Impreza for 2025, which has a starting MSRP of around $24,360. However, Subaru’s lineup is firmly below the rising industry average for a new car, meaning the brand has an average starting MSRP of $32,376 across all of its models.  

Buick

Another unlikely name on the list, Buick has an average starting price point of $33,025 for its lineup. But like FIAT, Buick doesn’t exactly have a lengthy list of current production models. For 2025, Buick produces just four SUVs: the Enclave, Envision, Encore GX, and Envista.  

Hyundai

Hyundai rounds out the rankings, with an average starting MSRP of $33,154. But unlike Buick and FIAT, the Korean brand has a wide range of starting price tags. At the lowest price point, the Hyundai Venue starts at around $20,200. But Hyundai produces 18 models, topping out at $60,555 for the spaceship-esque 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 9.