As the mad rush for the cheap new car has begun, we must bear witness to historical precedent. Look back in our (relatively) recent history and you’ll find a smattering of cheap new cars from Detroit. Though they may have faded from memory – and precious few have survived the onset of rust – cheap cars like the Ford Maverick and Pinto, Chevrolet Vega, and AMC Gremlin defined a 70s genre that many would like to forget.
Although each of the Big Three have domestically produced vehicles in our list of the 22 Cheapest Cars of 2009, the bulk of today’s bargain-priced rides hail from overseas. The Nissan Versa 1.6 Base Sedan was the cheapest new car on the market, ever so briefly last fall … until Hyundai lowered the price of the Accent to twenty dollars below the Versa.
While the tiny Smart Car is the only European-built car currently on the list, your next cheap new car might just come from Italy. With the recent announcement of Fiat’s stake in Chrysler, our inexpensive transportation options have taken a step in a positive direction. Seeing that Fiat is a world leader in remarkably fuel-efficient clean diesel engines, that new little runabout won’t just be cheap to buy, it might be cheap as beans to drive, as well.
The Ford Fiesta holds great promise, as well. With Ford’s announcement that the acclaimed Fiesta will soon return to our shores, we’re in for a treat …
… cheap is the new black!