Top 2026 New Cars & SUVs Under $25,000

[00:00] Hey everybody, I'm Sam Heymar and you're watching Test Driven TV. Today we're going down a list of new cars, 2026 models that are available for under $25,000.

[00:14] Today's lineup of new cars, trucks, and SUVs available in the US market, command a fleet average price of $55,000. That's up nearly 30% in just about five years.

[00:27] The good news is that while the $25,000 figure that represents what we call an affordable car today is more expensive, what you get for the money in almost all cases is pretty impressive.

[00:39] Our stable of top 2026 cars priced under $25,000 are all based models and due to our progressive safety regulations here in the United States, all can standard with an oppressive list of

[00:51] semi-autonomous driving features, backup cameras, forward emergency braking, and multiples of airbags, standard on all. As we go down the list here, please note that all car prices discussed include destination

[01:06] fees in order to be included on the under $25,000 list. First on our list is the 2026 Chevrolet Tracks Compact SUV starting at $22,995.

[01:20] The entry level for the Chevrolet range is the Tracks Compact SUV which was just introduced a couple of years ago. It offers three trim grades before breaking the $25,000 barrier, not just the base model.

[01:34] I tested the Rumi and Well-built Tracks just last year and was very impressed with its style, its quality, its driving character, and value for all of it. It's powered by 137 horsepower 1.2 liter turbocharged 3-cylinder engine combined with a traditional

[01:50] 6-speed automatic transmission. As such, it can achieve an EPA-estimated 28mpg city and 32mpg highway, though it is considered an SUV, it's not available with all-wheel drive.

[02:04] Next on the list is the 2026 Chevrolet Trailblazer LS starting at $24,995. Available in a bright selection of colors, even in base model trims, the 2026 Chevrolet Trailblazer

[02:17] comes standard with the very same 137 horsepower 1.2 liter 3-cylinder turbocharged engine found in the Tracks, but here it comes with a continuously variable automatic transmission.

[02:29] It does offer all-wheel drives an option though it does cost considerably more. Compared to the less expensive Tracks, the Trailblazer design is slightly older, is silhouette as taller, and slightly shorter in length.

[02:41] Giving the driver a passenger's the sensation of a higher seating position, more akin to a traditional SUV. Next up is the 2026 Hyundai Elantra SE for $23,370.

[02:55] A car I've tested before, the current generation Hyundai Elantra has been with us in the current generation for a few years now. The Hyundai Elantra has won the accolade of being on our test-driven TV I'd Buy at List for

[03:07] its sharp, crisp standout styling inside and out, top quality fittings in the cabin, and a lot of features for the money even on the base SE trim. Compared by 147 horsepower, naturally aspirated 2-liter 4-cylinder engine, the Elantra comes

[03:22] exclusively with a continuously variable transmission. While a hybrid variant is available for a higher price, the base model achieves a respectable 32 MPG city and 41 MPG highway, almost hybrid numbers for a lot of vehicles.

[03:37] 2026 Hyundai Venue SE Also from Hyundai, their entry-level model is the Venue subcompact SUV, which while one of the oldest designs in the brand showroom still offers up a unique sense of style.

[03:51] Plenty of roomy, well built, and simple to the core, I really enjoyed its character and value when I test drove it a few years ago. Offering a bright selection of colors and standard alloy wheels in base trim, it's powered

[04:04] by 121 horsepower 1.6 liter, naturally aspirated 4-cylinder engine, combined with a continuously variable transmission in front wheel drive only, it can achieve 29 MPG city and 33 MPG highway.

[04:18] 2026 Kia K4 LX 23185 First introduced as a 2025 model, the K4 Sedan is one of the newest designs from Kia. It offers up styling that you're either going to love or hate.

[04:31] It's daring, it's bold, and modern as it comes. The smartly designed cabin is pretty fresh too, well equipped for the basic class with a 12.3-inch touchscreen with lots of features and a push button start, items most cars don't

[04:45] give you until you step up into the higher trim grades. Larger than the previous generation Sedan at replace, the K4 is roomy due to its larger greenhouse. It's powered by a simple and reliable 2 liter naturally aspirated 4-cylinder engine with

[04:59] 147 horsepower and a continuously variable transmission, all good for 30 MPG city and 40 MPG highway. Next on the list is the 2026 Kia Soul LX for $21,935.

[05:16] One of the most recognizable models from Kia, the cute and boxy Soul has been around for quite some time, in fact, it's now and it's their generation. The Soul has grown a few inches here and there, but continues with its cheeky style and character

[05:30] in a way that few cars do at this price. It's powered by the same 2 liter engine and transmission combination we just talked about in the K4 Sedan, with its 147 horsepower. Here though, the boxy shape and size bring the fuel economy down a few ticks to 27 MPG

[05:46] city and 30 MPG highway. Next up, the 2026 Nissan Kix S for $23,925. Fresh off the heels of a striking 2025 ground up redesign, the 2026 Nissan Kix S adds a 12.3-inch

[06:02] infotainment system featuring wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, and two front USB-C ports. With a modest 141 horsepower 2 liter 4-cylinder engine and continuously variable automatic

[06:15] transmission, Kix has an impressive fuel economy of 28 MPG city and 35 MPG highway. It does come in front wheel drive and available also with all wheel drive, much bigger than

[06:28] the previous generation Kix. The 2026 Toyota Corolla LE, $23,920, well it may not be the most exciting or newest design of the collection, the 2026 Toyota Corolla continues to offer a combination of value, solid reliability,

[06:46] and confidence that's made it a favorite for bargain shoppers for decades. It's always considered the safe choice even if it's not the most in terms of styling, value, and the latest features. It does however stand out as the most powerful option on our list here today, with a 169

[07:03] horsepower 2 liter naturally aspirated 4-cylinder engine and a continuously variable transmission. And while you might think that would hit the gas mileage, no, it's rated at 32 MPG city

[07:16] and 40 MPG highway. Last but not least, the 2026 Volkswagen Jetta S for $24,720. The car that's landed on our test-driven TBI Biolist is the current generation Volkswagen

[07:30] Jetta Sedan. It's a design that's been around for more than a few years, but just got a styling update for the 2025 model year. It remains the sharpened down-to-business German designed Sedan, it's always been.

[07:43] It's also been brought up to date with a modern infotainment system and a decent collection of features for the money, including standard alloy wheels. The Jetta is a 1.5 liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine and a premium 8-speed automatic transmission,

[07:58] with 158 horsepower and MPG ratings of 29 city and 39 highway, it's almost top of class in the performance specs, just behind the Toyota Corolla.

[08:10] Well there you have it my friends, a collection of 9 vehicles for 2026 available for under $25,000 as a starting price, and as I said at the outset, these prices that I mentioned here

[08:22] include the destination fee, hence, under $25,000. Now there is a caveat here, we're living in this crazy tariff world right now, and most of these cars are imported, which means these prices can change literally by the day.

[08:37] Days, weeks, months down the road from the time this video goes live, these prices may not be accurate in your neighborhood. And of course, when you get to the dealership, there's taxors, license, there's dock fees, there's whatever else, the who-ha dealers want to put on the car.

[08:51] So keep in mind, these are MSRP prices, and only that. But I have to say that this collection of cars for under $25,000 is a pretty impressive collection

[09:03] of cars. There's some brand new designs here, which are pretty striking. And as I mentioned at the beginning, these cars have a lot of great safety features and some of them have some pretty good infotainment features, which used to be only on the upper

[09:15] end models. So you just have to shop and decide which one you like. The newest ones have the most features as far as the modern stuff. The older ones tend to be a little bit behind the curve as they haven't been updated.

[09:28] So there you go, the top list of cars for $20,000, $25,000, that's affordable. Anyway, if you like what we do, you can see our latest video right there, better yet, subscribe to our YouTube channel right there, either way.

[09:42] Stay tuned.