Cheapest New Cars in 2025: Top 10 new cars

Finding a car that’s both affordable and reliable can feel challenging. While used cars under $15,000 are widely available, buying pre-owned carries risks, such as unexpected mechanical issues. For those who prefer the assurance of a brand-new vehicle, 2025 offers several budget-friendly options. Let’s explore the top affordable cars that deliver value without straining your finances.

Understanding Pricing Details

The prices mentioned in this guide reflect the base Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for each vehicle. Additional costs, such as destination charges and optional features, may apply. Both 2024 and 2025 models are included since many 2024 vehicles are still widely available but may become harder to find over time. Keep this in mind as you plan your purchase.

Mitsubishi Mirage (2024) – $16,695

The 2024 Mitsubishi Mirage stands out as the most affordable new car on the market, with a starting MSRP of $16,695. This compact hatchback offers excellent fuel efficiency, making it a cost-effective choice for daily commutes. Its G4 sedan version is also under $20,000, even with additional fees. However, with the Mirage now discontinued, its availability may decrease. While its horsepower is modest and reviews are mixed, it’s an option worth considering if affordability is your top priority.

Nissan Versa (2025) – $17,190

With a base price of $17,190, the 2025 Nissan Versa is the most affordable new car for the latest model year. It offers reliable performance and a straightforward design, though it lacks advanced infotainment features and high engine power. Despite these trade-offs, the Versa is a practical option for buyers focused on cost. Within Nissan’s lineup, it stands out as the most budget-friendly choice.

Hyundai Venue (2024) – $19,900

The 2024 Hyundai Venue is the most affordable new SUV, priced at $19,900. Its compact size and excellent fuel economy make it ideal for city driving. While it has less horsepower and cargo space compared to competitors, it’s an excellent option for budget-conscious SUV shoppers. The 2025 Venue is slightly pricier at $20,100 but offers similar features, giving buyers flexibility based on availability.

Kia Forte (2024) – $19,990

The 2024 Kia Forte is a strong contender with a starting price under $20,000. It delivers excellent power and fuel efficiency, competing with pricier sedans. However, its limited customization options may not appeal to all buyers. With the Forte replaced by the higher-priced Kia K4 in 2025, this model is becoming a rare find. If you can locate one, it’s worth serious consideration.

Chevrolet Trax (2025) – $20,400

The 2025 Chevrolet Trax offers SUV versatility at a base price of $20,400. Despite its compact design, it provides generous cargo space and a well-equipped base model. While it sacrifices some power and MPG compared to rivals, the Trax is a top choice for budget-conscious buyers seeking an SUV. Chevrolet also offers the slightly pricier Trailblazer, but the Trax’s affordability makes it a standout.

Volkswagen Jetta (2025) – $21,995

Priced just below $22,000, the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta is a reliable and well-rounded sedan. Though it lags slightly behind competitors in fuel efficiency and horsepower, the Jetta is known for its durability and build quality. Its higher trims, like the Sport and SE, also remain under $25,000, giving buyers more options without breaking the bank.

Toyota Corolla (2025) – $22,325

The 2025 Toyota Corolla remains a popular choice in the affordable sedan category, starting at $22,325. It matches the Honda Civic in fuel efficiency and horsepower while offering customizable interior colors. Hybrid and hatchback variants also stay under $25,000, giving buyers versatile options. For those seeking reliability and efficiency, the Corolla is a smart choice.

Subaru Impreza (2024) – $22,995

Subaru’s 2024 Impreza starts at $22,995, featuring all-wheel drive and a reputation for reliability. While it trails competitors in fuel efficiency, it excels in customization and durability. The 2025 Impreza sees a slight price increase but remains a strong contender in the budget-friendly market.

Ford Maverick (2024) – $23,920

The 2024 Ford Maverick is unique as the only truck on this list, with a starting price of $23,920. Its towing capabilities and robust EcoBoost engine make it a standout option for truck enthusiasts. However, the 2025 Maverick’s base price rises to $26,395, so buyers seeking affordability should act fast to secure a 2024 model.

Honda Civic Sedan (2025) – $24,250

Starting at $24,250, the 2025 Honda Civic Sedan is Honda’s most affordable car. Known for its safety features and strong performance, the Civic offers excellent value within its price range. However, it is the most expensive vehicle on this list, and alternatives like the Honda HR-V and Accord may offer better value depending on your needs.

Conclusion: Budget-Friendly Cars in 2025

While the market for affordable new cars is shrinking, several models in 2025 still offer great value. From compact sedans like the Nissan Versa and Toyota Corolla to versatile SUVs like the Hyundai Venue and Chevrolet Trax, these vehicles provide reliable transportation without breaking the bank. For buyers willing to spend slightly more, options like the Ford Maverick and Honda Civic deliver added features and performance. With careful planning, you can find a new car that fits your budget and needs.

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Cars

Despite not being enjoyable, the 2026 Toyota Corrola Cross hybrid is funny

by George Mensah 2025-10-29

Generative AI has moved from specialist interest to part of daily life — transforming all from entertainment to the workplace. From AI-generated art, deepfakes, and intelligent chatbots capable of talking like humans, AI is now part of modern life. Yet with technology racing ahead, so do fears it will spin out of control.

Now, a new generation of scientists, business leaders, and celebrities are calling for a slowdown on the next frontier: AI superintelligence — a form of artificial intelligence that potentially could surpass human intellectual ability in almost every dimension.

The Pushback: A Global Call to Slow Down AI Development

A collection of public personalities — such as Virgin Group creator Richard Branson, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and musician will.i.am — signed a new open letter called the “Statement on Superintelligence.”

The warning asks developers and businesses racing towards state-of-the-art AI systems, including OpenAI and Elon Musk’s xAI, to delay the magnitude of massive AI projects until there is a “broad scientific consensus that it will be done safely and controllably” and a “strong public buy-in” to support it.

Notably among them are two of the leading AI researchers, who are also cofounders of modern machine learning. The movement is thus quite heavily weighted.

“We must ensure that AI is serving humanity, and not vice versa,” the letter demands, threatening dire consequences in the event of runaway progress.

What Is AI Superintelligence — and Why Does It Worry Experts?

In order to understand the alarm, defining what AI superintelligence really is, is essential. Superintelligent AI, according to IBM, is a system which not only matches but far exceeds human intelligence — capable of reasoning, learning, and solving problems for itself in every respect, free of human control.

Contrary to current AI systems such as ChatGPT or Gemini, whose boundaries and data sets are defined, superintelligent AI would be continuously learning and evolving, rewriting its own code to increase efficiency and capability. Such recursive enhancement could make it almost impossible to contain.

“A true superintelligence would no longer need human oversight,” said Stuart Russell, an AI researcher at UC Berkeley. “At that point, its goals might diverge from ours — and we’d have no way to stop it.”

The Risks: From Job Losses to Existential Threats

The possible dangers of AI superintelligence go much beyond job automation or misinformation. The threat is mentioned by experts as the possibility of AI systems executing on their own in pursuit of ends that are in conflict with human values or safety.

Some of the highest threats:

Massive Job Displacement – AI already revolutionizes industries, but an entirely automated self-enhancing system could eliminate entire professions, ranging from programmers to creative professionals.

Loss of Human Control – The moment an AI begins to be smarter than the people who create it, it might be beyond control.

Weaponization and Surveillance – AI might be utilized by governments or corporations for total surveillance or robot war.

Existential Risk – In the worst-case scenario, a rogue AI with goals of its own would view humankind as an obstacle — one which scientists describe as a “digital doomsday.”.

Even if these ideas sound like science fiction, specialists argue that rejection of them would be naively dangerous. History has shown that humanity always underestimated the capabilities of its own inventions — from nuclear energy to biotechnology.

Increasing Public Alarm and Demand for Regulation

Public sentiment is shifting rapidly. A 2025 Pew Research Center survey found that 67% of Americans now support greater government regulation of AI, up from 42% two years earlier. The European Union has already legislatively signed the AI Act into law, establishing the globe’s first extensive regulatory framework for artificial intelligence, while U.S. lawmakers are determining how to follow.

Tech giants, however, are still racing ahead. OpenAI, xAI, Google DeepMind, and Anthropic are investing billions in “next-generation” AI models that could approach or surpass human-level reasoning.

“We’re in an AI arms race, and everyone wants to be first — but that could also mean being first to make a catastrophic mistake,” warned Richard Branson in a recent statement.

Is It Already Too Late to Stop?

Until now, actual AI superintelligence is still theoretical, although most experts foresee that it might arise in the next two decades if trends continue. The question is not whether or when it will happen, but whether human civilization will be prepared — morally, technically, and legally — when it does.

“The clock is ticking,” declared Yoshua Bengio. “We still have time to make this technology safe. But not much.”

The Bottom Line: Humanity at a Crossroads

The debate over AI superintelligence is no longer confined to labs or tech circles — it has become a global conversation about the future of humanity itself. As generative AI becomes ubiquitous, the next phase could redefine civilization in ways we’re only beginning to imagine.

Whether the Statement on Superintelligence does indeed result in change is yet to be known. But this much is definite: the world has finally realized that the latest technology human beings have ever come up with has the potential to be the most deadly — unless we can learn how to control it before it controls us.

Cars

Why Did Caterpillar Stop Making Truck Engines? The Full Story Explained

by George Mensah 2025-10-27

For half a century, Caterpillar Inc. has been a heavyweight of heavy machinery and industry globally. Renowned for producing some of the world’s hardest-nosed loaders, bulldozers, and tractors, the Illinois company has built a reputation for toughness and reliability. But behind earthmovers and mining equipment, Caterpillar had another profitable business — truck engines that powered some of America’s most iconic long-distance rigs on highways from sea to shining sea.

Engines like the Cat 3406E and C15 became legends of the trucking aspect, being famous for pure torque, longevity, and going a million miles with TLC. But despite popularity, Caterpillar finally closed down its on-highway truck engine manufacturing — something that took many by surprise within the industry.

So, what drove one of the biggest brands in diesel power to walk away from the trucking market it assisted in generating?

Caterpillar’s Truck Engine Heritage Traces Back to 1939

Eight decades of producing truck engines for Caterpillar started in 1939, when the company entered its first foray into this marketplace with the Caterpillar D468, a six-cylinder diesel engine that produced 90 horsepower at 1,800 RPM — humble by today’s standards, but revolutionary at the time.

This initial introduction began the long-term legacy of Caterpillar in the trucking industry. Over the years, the company released a number of other important engines, including the D312, 3408, and the wildly popular 3406E. The latter, introduced in the 1990s, was a driver and fleet operator favorite due to its power, fuel efficiency, and smooth performance.

But with the dawning of the 21st century, the landscape of diesel engines was about to change overnight — and Caterpillar found itself at a crossroads.

The Emissions Challenge That Changed Everything

By the early 2000s, governments around the world — and especially the U.S. — began implementing stricter emissions regulations to reduce emissions of NOx and particulate matter. For engine manufacturers, this meant massive investments in cleaner-burning technology in a bid to meet the 2007 and 2010 EPA standards.

Caterpillar initially responded to the challenge with its Advanced Combustion Emission Reduction Technology (ACERT) technology. This cutting-edge technology utilized a mix of precise fuel injection, advanced air management, and electronic controls to minimize emissions without compromising power.

But even with its greatness, ACERT engines began causing headaches in the real world. Truck operators reported reliability issues, maintenance nightmares, and higher operating costs, all of which smudged Caterpillar’s then-tarnished image in the trucking industry. There were even customers who sued for performance issues, further damaging the brand’s reputation with its top highway customers.

Meanwhile, competitors like Cummins, Detroit Diesel, and PACCAR were adapting faster and better to the new emission regulations. Their engines met emission regulations with fewer problems of reliability — leaving Caterpillar in a more and more vulnerable position.

Too Costly to Compete

Meeting the rapidly evolving emission standards would cost more than technical expertise — it would cost millions of dollars. Caterpillar would have needed to spend a lot on research, redesigning, and testing to keep its engines in compliance and competitive.

For a company whose business is in the construction, mining, and industrial segments, the revenues no longer justified the investment for its trucking operations. Rather than continue investing in a shrinking, regulation-based business, Caterpillar decided to strategically phase out on-highway truck engine production in 2010.

Though Caterpillar’s off-highway engines — those that drove heavy equipment, generators, and marine equipment — were still strong, driving big rigs was no longer in its plans.

The Legacy Lives On

Even though Caterpillar is no longer making on-highway truck engines, its reputation can’t be shaken. Engines like the 3406E and C15 remain legends for their strength and longevity, typically commanding high prices on the used market. Many owner-operators still rebuild and maintain these engines to this day, holding them as symbols of a generation when power and simplicity ruled the road.

In the last couple of years, Caterpillar has exerted enormous efforts in shifting its focus toward sustainable energy solutions like hybrid systems, electrically propelled machinery, and next-generation diesel technologies optimized for reduced emissions in mining and construction purposes.

Although the golden age of Caterpillar truck engines is in the past, the company’s engineering skills and genius continue to shape industries across the globe — ensuring that legends also evolve with the times.

Final Thoughts

Caterpillar’s decision to stop making truck engines wasn’t a decision based on rules alone — it was one based on survival on a strategic level. Compliance expenses, changing market dynamics, and the emergence of cleaner technology all played a role.

Today, with the trucking sector moving toward electrification and alternative fuels, Caterpillar’s pullback appears a visionary move that allowed it to focus on its core strength: building the world’s toughest machines.

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