7 Best New Sedans Under 20K in 2023 - Cheap but Good?

When searching for a budget-friendly car, you will likely choose a sedan. This type of body has proven to be inexpensive in comparison with more popular SUVs. But there is so little information about cheap sedans because people turned their attention to compact SUVs and other more premium types of vehicles to drive with more comfort.

Today, we'll tell you about the new sedans in the American market that you can buy for under $20,000 or just around $20K and have a cool new car without breaking the bank.

Well, if you are getting the new vehicle under one of the leasing programs, maybe, you will want to look at the higher price range. For twenty thousand, you are likely to get older technologies, the smaller size of vehicles, and also not so many wonderful features. But if you are buying your car for cash or a loan, you will most likely want to get it as cheap as possible.

So, let's see what your options are!

1. Nissan Versa ($15,830)

The Nissan Versa is one of the cheapest new vehicles in the US now. It's marketed to cost as little as $15,830 although the cheapest trim with all those important add-ons will cost at least $1,000 more than that. Anyway, this fits our budget well and lets us take this model as one of the main targets.

The Versa comes with a pretty simple 1.6L non-turbo engine, the CVT, and the FWD. It's a small sedan car that provides sitting for four and is actually not really comfortable for interstate rides. But for city driving, the Versa is a cool choice. With its maneuverability and very good gas mileage (up to 27 MPG in the city), the vehicle is great for young buyers or as the second car in the family.

In terms of durability, we have some concerns with the Nissan CVT - it's going to last about 100,000 miles until it needs a pretty expensive repair or even replacement. But this is the only concern, all other units should be fine for many years and miles.

2. Hyundai Accent ($16,645)

Don't forget about the Korean manufacturer and its popular sedan car called Accent. It's still available new and it only costs $16,645 for the base version. Though you better have a little over $17K if you want to buy it at least with some comfort features.

The Accent comes with a pretty simple and well-known 1.6-liter 123-horsepower engine and also the CVT. There are three trim levels and all of them come under or just a little above $20K. So, in your budget, you can get a really decent car with good equipment onboard. Hyundai says the Accent can go 33 MPG in the city and an astonishing 41 MPG on highways. Well, you won't be really comfortable at high speed here, so consider this vehicle for city driving mainly.

Again, CVT is one of the top concerns about longevity. But Hyundai transmissions have proved to live longer than Nissan ones. So, we see the Accent as a better choice but with an older design.

3. Mitsubishi Mirage ($16,245)

The Mirage is not a sedan anymore, it's a hatchback but it fits into the category of under-20K vehicles. Well, we don't like this car really because its design is ancient. But if you like the way it looks, this car is not a bad option.

The base trim with some add-ons will cost you about $17,000 while the best trim (SE) will still be well under $20K. The Mirage comes equipped with the 1.2-liter 3-cylinder engine and the CVT. But the Mitsubishi CVT doesn't look as bad as the Nissan one, so it will most likely last longer. The best part is the gas mileage which is estimated to be 36 MPG in the city and 43 MPG on highways.

We are concerned about the 3-cylinder non-turbo engine. It's pretty weak and you will most likely want to rotate it as hell. This will add to its wear and tear and the engine may die pretty quickly. But the warranty of 5 years or 60,000 miles is a positive thing.

4. KIA Rio ($16,750)

Another Korean sedan car, KIA Rio, is actually the sibling of the Hyundai Accent. It has all the same technical equipment but the design is a little fresher, we would say. Also, the Rio looks better in the interior and is a more reasonable choice if you care about what your car looks like.

For about $17,800, you will get the optimal base trim and then there is another trim that would cost you less than $1,000 more but with minimal improvements and upgrades. The Rio is equipped with the 1.6-liter non-turbo engine and a CVT. Again, this CVT will probably become a problem after you reach about 100,000 miles, so if it scares you, consider something else.

The Rio is one of the more beautiful cars, so we would certainly consider it for this money. But in terms of technology and equipment, it doesn't give you anything advantageous or something that would put it in the first place on the list of competitors.

5. Subaru Impreza ($19,795)

Now, this is a tiny border but the car is certainly worth some effort on your side. While Subaru says it may cost you as little as $19,795, the cheapest Impreza Base in a dealership is now $20,800. But you get really much if you are ready to pay a little more!

This is a larger vehicle that is quite OK for interstate driving or for cities. The Impreza is a legendary model that comes with the 2.0L 4-cylinder engine with 152 horsepower and manual transmission. Want a CVT? Then you will need to pay more. Also, you are having the standard all-wheel drive as in all Subaru cars.

The Impreza will go 23 MPG in the city and over 30 MPG on highways. It's a more powerful and also more reliable car than all other options on this list. If you buy the version with the manual tranny, it can be there for you for over 220,000 miles with no major issues.

6. KIA Forte ($19,690)

While the new Forte in the dealership will obviously start a little over $20K, KIA claims its starting price is just a little under this mark. This is one of the most up-to-date and modern vehicles on the list.

The new KIA Forte comes with the 2.0L non-turbo engine offering 147 horsepower. It has the CVT, as almost all vehicles on our list today. The vehicle looks great and feels wonderful on the road. Well, yes, its handling and power may not be something you will be proud of, but for this money, the vehicle is perfect.

You will also get great fuel economy - 30 MPG in the city and about 41 MPG on highways. So, if you want an economical car, you may prefer the KIA Forte over the Impreza which is sportier and with much better handling but with awfully worse gas mileage.

We like the Forte but here is the concern about the CVT. The longevity of any other units will not cause problems for owners.

7. Nissan Sentra ($20,050)

The Sentra is the most expensive car on our list but it's also the most good-looking one! The base trim in one of the dealerships we saw for a little over $21,000. But is the car worth its money?

Well, the Sentra comes equipped with the 2.0L 149-horsepower engine and the CVT. The engine is good and the transmission is as bad as in almost all other vehicles on this list but the Impreza with its dinosaur manual tranny. You will get 29 MPG in the city and 39 MPG on highways which is a pretty decent economy.

But what we love most about this vehicle is its comfort and handling. It's not extremely powerful, so you aren't likely to be overwhelmed with emotions when driving it. But it's a very good car for comfortable driving around the city or on highways.

If we had $20K, this would probably be our choice, even though we could only get the cheapest S trim which is pretty poor.

Final thoughts

Overall, the car market is getting more expensive. Getting a new car under $20,000 is pretty hard and you will only get some old technologies and limited comfort equipment. Manufacturers started turning their attention to SUVs and EVs and they basically discontinued the majority of budget-friendly cars that didn't make a lot of profits for them.

You will not be able to buy a new Fiesta or Focus in the US, Chevy discontinued all affordable vehicles, and European brands quickly change to EVs and more expensive luxury cars. So, the price niche of under $20K is emptier every single year.

For now, we've compiled a list of seven great sedan cars that you can still buy under $20,000. Yes, they are not perfect, but they are affordable, new, and more reliable than almost any used vehicle for the same money.