The Top 5 best new cars under $20,000 include 2022 Hyundai Elantra, 2022 Nissan Sentra, 2022 Kia Forte, 2022 Hyundai Accent, and 2022 Kia Rio.
As the economy is booming, inflation is also increasing that’s why everything is expensive now from basic necessity items to luxury items. Right now finding a car at an affordable and value-for-money price has become very difficult, but still, even in 2022, there are some good cars available at a very low cost.
If you are looking for the best new car under $20,000 then read the full article, because we have mentioned a total of 5 best affordable cars that you can buy right now in the United States under $20,000.
We have shortlisted these cars based on their performance, safety, fuel economy, and price.
Car name | Fuel Economy (Combined) | Rating | Price (USD) |
---|---|---|---|
2022 Hyundai Elantra | 37 MPG | 8.0/10 | $20,200 |
2022 Nissan Sentra | 33 MPG | 7.4/10 | $19,950 |
2022 Kia Forte | 35 MPG | 8.5/10 | $19,090 |
2022 Hyundai Accent | 36 MPG | 7.9/10 | $16,645 |
2022 Kia Rio | 36 MPG | 7.0/10 | $16,150 |
Also see |
- Kendall Jenner Car Collection worth $5.1 million
- Top 5 Best Compact SUV under $25000
- Victoria Justice Car Collection worth $182K
- Top 10 Best used SUV under $10000
Best new cars under $20,000 in the United States

1. 2022 Hyundai Elantra
Starting MSRP: $20,200
EPA fuel economy | Top speed | Power |
37 MPG | 155 mph | 147 hp |
In terms of looks the 2022 Hyundai Elantra is my favorite because it is one of the best looking car at this price point. It comes with a 2.0 liter inline four-cylinder DOHC engine coupled with a Continuously variable-speed automatic transmission.
It produces a max power of 147 hp at 6200 rpm and a max torque of 132 lb-ft at 4500 rpm. It can hit the top speed of 155 mph. It comes with a 12.4 gallons fuel tank that can give a range of 409 miles in City and 533 miles on the Highway. The 2022 Hyundai Elantra gives an EPA combined fuel economy of 37 MPG.

2. 2022 Nissan Sentra
Starting MSRP: $19,950
EPA fuel economy | Top speed | Power |
33 MPG | 124 mph | 149 hp |
The 2022 Nissan Sentra comes in multiple variants but only S 4dr variant comes under $20,000. The affordable sedan is powered by a 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder gasoline engine paired with a Continuously variable automatic transmission.
The Nissan Sentra produces a maximum power of 149 hp at 6400 rpm and a max torque of 146 lb-ft at 4400 rpm. It comes with 12.4 gallons of gasoline tank that can give a range of 359 miles in the city and 483 miles on the highway. The EPA combined fuel economy of the 2022 Nissan Sentra is 33 MPG. It can hit the top speed of 124 mph with an acceleration of 0-60 mph in 7.3 seconds.

3. 2022 Kia Forte
Starting MSRP: $19,090
EPA fuel economy | Top speed | Power |
35 MPG | 120 mph | 147 hp |
The 2022 Kia Forte comes with 2.0 L inline four-cylinder gasoline DOHC engine paired with a Continuously variable-speed automatic transmission that produces the max power of 147 hp at 6200 rpm and peak torque of 132 lb-ft at 4500 rpm.
It can hit the top speed of 120 mph. The 2022 Kia Forte comes with 14 gallons of fuel tank that gives a city range of 434 miles and a highway range of 574 miles. The EPA combined fuel economy of Kia Forte is 35 MPG.

4. 2022 Hyundai Accent
Starting MSRP: $16,645
EPA fuel economy | Top speed | Power |
36 MPG | 124 mph | 120 hp |
When it comes to affordable and value-for-money cars under $20,000 then The 2022 Hyundai Accent is one of the best options to go with. It is available in three variants SE 4dr, SEL 4dr, and Limited 4dr. All the variants of the Hyundai Accent are powered by a 1.6-liter inline four-cylinder gasoline engine paired with a Continuously variable-speed automatic transmission.
It produces 120 hp at 6300 rpm and 113 lb-ft torque at 4500 rpm. It comes with a fuel tank capacity of 11.9 gallons giving a City range of 392 miles and a highway range of 487 miles. The EPA combined fuel economy of the car is 36 MPG and it can hit the top speed of 124 mph.

5. 2022 Kia Rio
Starting MSRP: $16,150
EPA fuel economy | Top speed | Power |
36 MPG | 117 mph | 120 hp |
The 2022 Kia Rio is the best and the cheapest car under $20,000 that you can buy in the United States. It is also available in three variants – LX 4dr, S 4dr, and S 4dr hatchback. It is powered by a 1.6-liter inline four-cylinder DOHC engine that churns out the max power of 120 hp at 6300 rpm and 112 lb-ft torque at 4500 rpm.
It has 11.9 gallons of fuel tank capacity giving a range of 392 miles in city and 487 miles on the Highway. The EPA combined (City and Highway) fuel economy of the 2022 Kia Rio is 36 MPG. The top speed of the car is 117 mph.
Source: cars.usnews.com
Also see |
Cars under $20,000 FAQ’s
What is the most reliable car under $20000 in 2022?
Here are the top 5 best most reliable cars under $20000 in 2022-
2022 Hyundai Elantra
2022 Nissan Sentra
2022 Kia Forte
2022 Hyundai Accent
2022 Kia Rio
What is the most reliable affordable car 2022?
These are the most reliable affordable cars of 2022 –
2022 Hyundai Elantra
2022 Nissan Sentra
2022 Kia Forte
2022 Hyundai Accent
2022 Kia Rio
What is the cheapest car to buy new in 2022?
If you are looking to buy the best and cheapest car in 2022 then you can go for 2022 Kia Rio, 2022 Nissan Sentra and 2022 Hyundai Elantra.
Which is the best fuel economy car under $20,000?
The Hyundai Elantra, Hyundai Accent and Kia Rio are the best fuel economy cars under $20000.