The $20,000 new vehicle is all but extinct—what the most affordable new car looks like now

According to CNBC, the twenty-thousand-dollar new car is all but extinct. A decade ago, you could drive a brand-new vehicle off the lot for that price. Today's entry-level models start at thirty-two to thirty-five thousand dollars—a jump driven by rising manufacturing costs, supply-chain pressures, and expensive safety and emissions technology. Budget-conscious shoppers are adapting by turning to used vehicles, lease programs, and longer financing terms. The affordable new car didn't disappear—it just got a reality check.

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