Every so often a friend or family member will ask me for some kind of car-related advice. Most of the time, people are thinking about buying a new car, but they're uncertain as to which model would bring a bit of joy into their lives. Over the years I've developed a way of helping them filter through the options on the market, and there are a few things you need to consider before going into a dealership.
First of all, you need to establish a budget for buying that vehicle. Being flexible about it isn't a bad thing, but try to set an upper limit that you won't go over. If you don't do that, one thing can lead to another and you might end up buying a car that's way more expensive than you planned initially.
An easy way to filter out the unwanted option is to start asking yourself several questions. What's the average number of miles you will be driving every day or year? What kind of roads will you be driving on? Will you need more room for passengers and luggage? Do you want it to stand out from the crowd or blend in? As you write down the questions, be sure to also come up with the answer.
This way, you'll know exactly what you expect from your new car and you'll be one step closer to making the right choice. For today's story, we'll be looking at the Top 10 best cars to buy for under $30,000. Life's too short to drive boring cars, so we'll mainly be focusing on vehicles that will put a smile on your face. But some of them will be more practical, just in case you've already got a weekend toy at home.
2022 Ford Mustang
Photo: Ford
There are several Ford vehicles you can buy for less than $30,000 these days. But neither of them is bound to be as fun or visually exciting as the Mustang. Given the tight budget we're talking about, the only trim you can aspire to is the EcoBoost Fastback which has a starting MSRP of $27,470 before tax ($1,395 destination charge). You'll be getting access to Ford's 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine, so a maximum output of 310 horsepower and 350 lb-ft (476 Nm) of torque.
Given that this is a turbocharged engine, you can later opt for a tuning package once you get bored with the stock figures. For starters, it will be rolling around on 17" wheels, and you'd better be able to drive stick as the 6-speed manual transmission comes as standard. You won't be the fastest Mustang owner on the road, but you should still have a blast driving it until you can afford to get a major upgrade.
2023 Chevrolet Camaro
Photo: Chevrolet
If a Ford Mustang sounds exciting overall but you can't quite connect with it, then the Chevrolet Camaro could be the perfect alternative. The Convertible version would require an additional financial effort, so let's just look at the Coupe instead. The starting MSRP is set at $27,795 before tax ($1,395 destination charge) and you can opt for either the 1LS or the 1LT trim.
That doesn't mean the budget is going to cover a bigger engine or an automatic gearbox though. The Camaro's 2.0-liter, turbocharged unit, has a maximum output of 275 hp and 295 lb-ft (401 Nm) of torque. So the Ford wins the performance battle, but the Chevy looks arguably better overall. Of course, it's all a matter of personal preferences and there are still other interesting options on our list.
2023 Honda Civic
Photo: Honda
As you would expect, Honda has quite a few options that fit the $30,000 budget. While the Accord would make a great choice if you fancy a more luxurious experience, there's no doubt that it's the Civic that offers the best bang for the buck. You'd need at least $13,000 more to get the keys to a Type R, so the SI Sedan will just have to do. The 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-four has a maximum output of 200 hp and 192 lb-ft (261 Nm) of torque. But instead of using "fun-wheel-drive" (RWD), the Civic relies on its front wheels to get going.
At least fiddling around with the close-ratio six-speed manual should offer some entertainment. The starting MSRP for the Civic SI Sedan is set at $28,100 before tax ($1,095 destination charge). So there's even some spare cash left to fill the tank up a few times, not to mention the fact that this vehicle is considerably more practical than the ones we mentioned earlier.
2023 Subaru BRZ
Photo: Subaru
Buying a brand-new sports car for under $30,000 almost sounds impossible in today's economy. Still, the people over at Subaru have found a way to make that happen. The 2023 BRZ is perhaps the most exciting car on this list, and it's not hard to grasp why. There are two trims to choose from, but the entry-level Premium version is the only one that meets the budget constraints.
It has a starting MSRP of $28,595 before tax ($1,020 destination charge) and that will only get you access to a six-speed manual transmission. The 2.4-liter Boxer engine churns out 228 hp and 184 lb-ft (250 Nm) of torque, but this car wasn't built for straight-line performance. It might not win a drag race against the Mustang EcoBoost, but the Ford owner will probably have a tough time keeping up with you around a section of twisty roads.
2023 Mazda MX-5
Photo: Mazda
On the topic of Japanese cars, let's not forget the options that Mazda has to offer. If you need one of these that's both practical and fun you can get the 2023 Mazda3, just don't count on having a turbocharger under the hood. In case having two seats inside is not a problem, the MX-5 will add a bit of color to your life. The entry-level Sport version starts at $28,050 before tax ($1,065 destination fee) and it's not that much considering the legacy this car brings with it from day one.
The 2.0-liter engine under the hood has a maximum output of 181 hp and 151 lb-ft (205 Nm) of torque. But let's not forget that the whole car weighs 2,341 lbs (1,061 kg) with the six-speed manual transmission. Gone are the days when the MX-5 was thought of as a hairdresser's car, and once you've experienced it for yourself there's hardly any turning back from it.
2023 Toyota Corolla
Photo: Toyota
Over at Toyota, the GR86 will pretty much provide the same level of entertainment, performance, and reliability as the Subaru BRZ. The GR Corolla and GR Supra are well over the budget, so our choice for this list would be the standard Corolla Hatchback.
The superior XSE trim has a starting price of $26,430 before tax ($1,095 destination charge) and it's still good enough for 169 hp and 151 lb-ft of torque. With FWD and a Dynamic Shift CVT gearbox, this won't be quite as fun as the GR86, but could be a good alternative for someone in need of a more relaxed overall driving experience.
2023 Nissan Altima
Photo: Nissan
When introducing the Altima, Nissan mentioned that "It's time to level up". And their mid-size sedan offers a more mature alternative to the other cars we mentioned on the list so far. Given the $30,000 budget, you can almost aim for the top this time as the AWD Altima SR has a starting MSRP of $28,990 before tax ($1,095 destination charge).
The SV trim is the better option if you intend to stick to the plan, and you might not be all that affected by the lack of certain extra options. Still, 182 hp and 178 lb-ft (242 Nm) of torque will have to suffice, as the 2.0-liter turbocharged unit will require additional resources.
2023 Hyundai Elantra
Photo: Hyundai
The 2023 Hyundai Elantra is light years ahead of its early '90s predecessor, and it makes for a viable option these days. While the Elantra N is just out of reach, you can opt between the standard model or the Hybrid one.
The 201 hp N Line version starts at $27,050 before tax ($1,045 freight) and the 7-speed Dual Clutch Transmission with Shiftronic comes as standard. With almost $2,000 left in your bank account, you can go on a quick tour around the country given the 31 MPG average fuel consumption.
2023 VW Jetta
Photo: Volkswagen
You can't have a Top 10 Best affordable cars list without including at least one Volkswagen. Unfortunately, both the Jetta GLI and the Golf GTI are slightly out of reach, albeit not by much. So you're left with looking at the base-model Jetta, which has over 40 years of development behind it.
While the starting MSRP for this model is set at $20,665 before tax ($1,095 destination charge), the upper-class SEL will eat up all of your budget thanks to a large array of extra options. The 1.5-liter, turbocharged unit, delivers less horsepower than most of the other cars on the list, but this vehicle wasn't built with racing in mind. And if you plan on blending in when it comes to everyday driving, it pretty much ticks all the boxes.
2023 Mini Cooper
Photo: Mini
Number 10 on our list is the Mini Cooper, a car that works great for those of you who haven't started a family yet or have another car at home to rely on. The Hardtop 2 Door model just barely fits the budget, with a starting MSRP of $28,600 before tax ($850 destination charge).
This entry-level Mini only comes with 134 hp, so don't expect a John Cooper Works level of performance from it. It will still be nimble and fun to drive, and it does offer a more luxurious experience compared to some of the more affordable vehicles mentioned before. That's our take on the Top 10 cars you can buy for $30,000 or less. If your list looks different, we'd love to hear your opinions on the topic.
