The 10 Best New Cars for the Recent College Graduate
College graduations everywhere are either just around the corner or have already come and gone. Your long, rigorous journey through college has ended, you’ve earned your degree, and you’re ready to conquer the world. We’re certainly excited for you! But chances are that you won’t get very far without a car. You may have inherited a vehicle from a family member and used it throughout your college days. You may have had to buy the cheapest car that runs just to get through school. Now though, you may have a job lined up and can get out of your mom’s old minivan. Perhaps your college beater has seen much better days, and it’s just time to let it go.
The good news for you is that there are many dealers and manufacturers who offer “college discounts” if you want a new car. There are also plenty of new cars you can buy that are actually quite affordable. While buying new isn’t always the top priority for a lot of new grads, it can be a good option with discounts, good financing, and potentially high repair costs aren’t a risk you are willing to take.
Whatever your situation, here is our list of the best new cars for college graduates.
Honda Fit:
The Fit is a good place to start for just about anybody. It’s the first car that appears on just about every list on the internet. It gets high marks for practicality, affordability, and reliability. You can also still get a Honda Fit with a manual transmission, which brings down the initial price of the car even more. The base model with a manual transmission will only set you back a little over $16,000, a bargain compared to the average price of a new car at about $29,000. If you love that, you’ll also appreciate the available extras the Fit has to offer. It comes with a ton of factory and aftermarket features that will allow you to make it completely your own.
Mazda 3:
The Mazda 3 is my personal favorite on this list. Why? I bought one after I graduated from college, and it didn’t disappoint. Along with great reliability, great fuel economy, and great fit-and-finish, the Mazda 3 delivers something that’s usually a little lacking in other competitors. It is a hoot to drive. Mazda lives up to their reputation for making cars that go “zoom-zoom”. It’s easy to find incentives to buy these small but nimble cars, and the option to buy in either a sedan or hatchback body style provides any buyer with the flexibility they will need. A base model sedan starts at about $18,000 while the hatchback is a little pricier, starting around $1000 more.
Kia Soul:
All you need to do is see a Kia Soul to feel trendy, but if you buy one, you will establish yourself as one of the coolest people around. The list of available features is about a mile long and buying a base model will only set you back around $16,500. The maintenance costs are low. The fun-factor is high. Kia is even one of Consumer Reports most reliable brands. The Soul doesn’t overlook the unique details either. Available in colors like wild orange, Alien 2, and Caribbean Blue, along with some dual-color options, the Soul isn’t just an attention-grabber. It does just about everything better than just about everything else on the road.
Kia Forte:
Another Kia to make our list is the Forte. Sadly, the Forte Koup was discontinued for 2017, but there is both a sedan and hatchback version still available for your choosing. Starting at about $17,000, the Forte delivers the reliability of the Kia brand in a subtler way than its sibling, the Soul. It may fly under the radar, but that doesn’t hurt it in the value department. A completely decked-out version of the Forte still comes in lower than the average price of a new car. Deals on these are fairly frequent, so be on the lookout.
Toyota Yaris Ia:
It’s a Toyota that isn’t really a Toyota. Despite the name, it has almost nothing in common with the Toyota Yaris, their subcompact hatchback barely larger than your kitchen table. Underneath the Toyota badges, is a Mazda 2 sedan. That means it’s fun to drive. It’s also surprisingly spunky. You wouldn’t believe that it only makes 106 horsepower, but it does. You will be both smiling and saving money when you buy one of these. Fuel economy is rated at 32 miles per gallon in the city and 40 on the highway, it starts at around only $16,000.
Subaru Impreza:
You may pay a little more for the all-wheel-drive, but hey, it’s all-wheel-drive. The Subaru Impreza was re-designed this past year, and I even have to admit that it looks pretty good. After paying about $19,000, you can rest assured that you will have bought a safe and reliable vehicle with one of the best names in the auto industry to back it up. Marketed to the adventurous type, there is no lack of added accessories that you put on your Impreza. I personally think that the whole lineup of Subarus has gone a bit soft in the past couple years, but nobody can deny the strength of the brand and the value of the Impreza.
Chevy Cruze:
The Cruze isn’t too interesting in its own right, but Chevy did make it available as a hatchback, and it doesn’t look bad. It’s one of the most reliable cars in its class, and if it does break, you won’t have any trouble finding parts. The Chevy Cruze is everywhere. That may bring down the resale value, but it also improves maintenance costs. Incentives can be high, and discounts, many. It’s a good, middle-of-the-road choice for any new car buyer, and at sub $17,000 starting prices, this “middle-of-the-road” car starts to rise above the competition.
Nissan Versa:
The Nissan Versa is the cheapest car on sale today. For a college grad, that really helps, especially if you need a car yesterday. Starting at a measly $12,000-ish, the Versa isn’t the most reliable, exhilarating, or feature-laden car you can buy. Indeed, the exact opposite is the case. There’s a difference between inexpensive and cheap. The Versa falls under the latter category. Nonetheless, buying a new Versa will get you a new car with new parts that may be just as expensive as a used car with used parts. Take it how you will, but the Versa is a good option for those who want a new vehicle, but can’t spend much money to get one. If the incentives are available, and you have good credit, the price for a new Versa could approach the $10,000 mark!
Subaru Crosstrek:
So you say that a car just doesn’t cut it for you? The Subaru Crosstrek is one of the best SUVs you can buy. The Crosstrek isn’t really an SUV, but it’s close enough for us to sneak it in here as one. The base model starts under $22,000. You can certainly get SUVs for cheaper with front wheel drive, but we think if it’s an SUV, it should have all-wheel-drive. That’s cheaper than most all-wheel-drive SUVs on the market today. It also has better ground clearance than some true SUVs. If you need a car with a “go-anywhere” attitude that won’t constantly break down on you, the Crosstrek is a good choice.
Nissan Frontier:
The Frontier is the only pickup truck on this list, but if you need a pickup, it’s a pretty good choice. The design is old but also tried and true. It will last for a while and retain its value for when, or if, you decide to sell it. A two-wheel-drive king cab starts at less than $19,000, and if you need four doors, you can get one for around $24,000. Add incentives, college discounts, and good credit, and there’s a possibility of buying yourself a solid truck for not much more than $20,000, a bargain for pickup today.
Buying a new car doesn’t have to be an ordeal. It also doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. If you’re looking for a used car, you can find one after sifting through thousands of available models from a lot of different places. But if you’re the type that wants to avoid the uncertainty that can come with a used car and wants a more focused vehicle choice, take the list above and get the car you want without emptying your savings account.
