The "Soul" Strikes Again!!!

10 Great Cars for Less Than $20,000

Although the economy is showing signs of recovery, consumers are still cautious when buying a car. If you're on the fence, try one of these 10 new cars. Your wallet will thank you.

By Andrew Wendler of MSN Autos

 

Twenty grand — for many car shoppers, that figure represents the financial tipping point where the reality of buying a used car begins to blur with the dream of buying a new one. We've all heard that a new car loses 10 to 20 percent of its value as soon as it's driven off the dealer's lot, and that the smart move is to let someone else take the hit of depreciation for you. On the other hand, never before has the marketplace been so rife with competent, attractive and truly affordable new vehicles, each of which comes equipped with a manufacturer's warranty. So before you resign yourself to purchasing a used vehicle, take a look at what less than $20,000 can buy you in today's new-car market. You might be surprised.

 

2012 Kia Soul 

Price: $13,900

That's not a misprint. For about the same money as a used sedan or an off-lease mini-ute, you can put a brand-new, Kabuki-faced Kia Soul in your driveway. Refreshed for the 2012 model year, this smaller version of the Nissan Cube has been earning fans from an unlikely demographic: tall people. Internet forums and message boards are littered with earnest testimonials from people standing 6 foot 2 inches and taller who are thrilled to find a small, efficient vehicle with plenty of headroom and legroom. A 6-speed manual transmission and a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine team up to deliver an estimated 27 mpg city/35 mpg highway, and Kia's 10-year/100,000-mile drivetrain warranty helps keep operating expenses fittingly low.