Irvine, Calif. - People looking to make affordable car purchases have a new set of guidelines.
Kelley Blue Book researchers are out with this year's rundown of the most affordable cars on the market. Overall, the most affordable brand is Mazda. Lexus gets the nod for the most affordable luxury car brand.
Researchers say it's important carbuyers looking for affordability consider more than just what it costs to take a car home. "Most cars are worth usually thirty to forty percent of their original MRSP's. So that can have a huge impact on what it could cost to own a vehicle. There is a lot of variation there depending on brand. Things like insurance costs will vary widely depending on segment. Luxury cars and sports cars are a lot more expensive to insure than something like a midsize Sudan like a Camry or a Honda Accord," says Kelley Blue Book's Alec Gutierrez.
The following is a breakdown of the most affordable cars by class.
SUBCOMPACT CAR: Scion iQ
COMPACT SUV/CROSSOVER: Jeep Patriot
COMPACT CAR: Hyundai Veloster
MID-SIZE SUV/CROSSOVER: Mitsubishi Outlander
SPORTY COMPACT CAR: Hyundai Veloster Turbo
FULL-SIZE SUV/CROSSOVER: Ford Explorer
MID-SIZE CAR: Hyundai Sonata
LUXURY COMPACT SUV/CROSSOVER: Acura RDX
FULL-SIZE CAR: Chevrolet Impala
LUXURY MID-SIZE SUV/CROSSOVER: Lincoln MKX
ENTRY-LEVEL LUXURY CAR: Buick Verano
LUXURY FULL-SIZE SUV/CROSSOVER: Lincoln MKT
LUXURY CAR: Lexus GS
MID-SIZE PICKUP TRUCK: Toyota Tacoma Double Cab
HIGH-END LUXURY CAR: Porsche Panamera
FULL-SIZE PICKUP TRUCK: Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Regular Cab
SPORTS CAR: Ford Mustang
MINIVAN/VAN: Mazda MAZDA5
HIGH-PERFORMANCE CAR: Ford Mustang GT
HYBRID SUV/CROSSOVER: Toyota Highlander Hybrid
HYBRID/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY CAR: Honda Insight
ELECTRIC VEHICLE: Chevrolet Volt
File/AP Photo
