Latest news with #budgetcar
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Mitsubishi Mirage Bows Out With Shockingly Low Prices
Mitsubishi Mirage Bows Out With Shockingly Low Prices originally appeared on Autoblog. Mitsubishi Mirage Is Leaving America With Dirt-Cheap Pricing The Mitsubishi Mirage has held the title of America's cheapest new car for years, but its reign is almost over. Mitsubishi confirmed last year that production of the Mirage, both the hatchback and the G4 sedan, would end by late 2024, with no 2025 model coming to US showrooms. That alone is a major shift for the budget car segment. Dealers still sell the humble nameplate, with a base MSRP of $16,695 for the hatch and $17,795 for the sedan, undercutting everyone. But there's a bigger twist: dealers are slashing prices even further. Right now, the cheapest new car in America is not just affordable – it's shockingly cheap. View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article Dealers Are Letting the Mirage Go for Less Than Used Car Money A quick scan through listings on reveals just how steep the discounts have become. Some new Mirage hatchbacks are being listed for under $12,000 – brand-new, with full factory warranty and delivery mileage. Even the Mirage G4 sedan, which traditionally had a slightly higher MSRP, is showing deep discounts across the board. Listings with $3,000 to $5,000 off MSRP are common, and some sedans are going for below $13,000, making them cheaper than many used Honda Civics or Toyota Corollas from five years ago. While these fire-sale prices vary depending on location and dealer strategy, it's clear that Mitsubishi's final batches of Mirages are being moved quickly and aggressively. For someone looking for basic, reliable transportation on a tight budget, this is the best time to get one. View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article The End of Sub-$20K Cars Is Near Once the Mirage disappears from showrooms, which is expected as soon as inventories dry up. There will be just one car left under the $20,000 mark: the Nissan Versa. But even that title is slipping. Due to new US tariffs affecting vehicles built in Mexico (where the Versa is assembled), Nissan is ending the manual transmission version and raising base prices. Current 2025 models with CVT already flirt with the $20K line, and that's before further pricing updates or inflation. With the Mirage gone and the Versa climbing in price, the era of the sub-$20,000 new car in America is effectively ending. What replaces it are entry-level models in the low $20K range – better equipped, but notably more expensive. For the absolute lowest cost of entry into new car ownership, the Mirage's final stretch may be your last real chance. Mitsubishi Mirage Bows Out With Shockingly Low Prices first appeared on Autoblog on Jul 20, 2025 This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Jul 20, 2025, where it first appeared.
News.com.au
13-07-2025
- Automotive
- News.com.au
Review: Mahindra XUV 3XO
In a market where cheap cars are hard to find, Mahindra's XUV 3XO takes the title as Australia's most affordable SUV at $23,490 drive-away. With that price, you'd expect some major compromises. But after a day behind the wheel, it turns out this Indian budget SUV offers great value. It won't knock your socks off, fly around corners like a hot hatch or impress you with the latest technology. But it doesn't have to. Instead, you get a surprisingly complete package with 55 safety features, twin 10.25-inch displays, a 360 degree camera, Level 2 ADAS and a 7-year warranty. Driving the Mahindra 3XO through city traffic and torrential rain on Melbourne's motorways, the SUV handles better than expected. In pouring rain, the compact SUV felt stable, planted and safe. Visibility was great thanks to a high and commanding 1398mm drive eye point. While its 1.2-litre turbo petrol engine (82kW/200Nm) felt sluggish off the mark, there's enough punch when you get going. Mahindra's quirky drive modes - Zip, Zap and Zoom felt a bit gimmicky as there was barely a noticeable effect on throttle or gearbox behaviour. Suspension felt firm but manageable. In peak hour traffic, fuel consumption was high at 11.4L/100km far from the claimed combined 6.5L/100km - something to consider for urban buyers. The XUV 3XO might be a budget buy but Mahindra has added plenty of kit to make it feel like a great package. Both the AX5L and AX7L variants come standard with dual 10.25-inch HD displays, Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Level 2 ADAS, 360 degree camera and even a sunroof. The AX7L steps it up with a panoramic skyroof, 7-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, 17-inch diamond-cut alloys and LED fog lamps. The interior layout is smart and user friendly, with a mix of physical and screen buttons. You've got two cupholders per front door, a cooled glovebox, wireless phone charger, and even rear seat air vents and phone storage. Comfort wise, the seats are very firm, within 30 minutes I found myself readjusting to get comfortable, however some drivers may prefer a firm seat. The leatherette upholstery is OK but feels budget. The infotainment system looks good but did have a few glitches when running Apple Car Play. There's a bit of an old-school charm about this car, a proper gear shifter, chunky A/C dials and an easy-to use interface, which may appeal to buyers who aren't into tech-heavy vehicles. The car does have some quirks though, the model I was driving kept making a clicking noise when the windscreen wipers were on. The indicator tone is also loud and annoying, a softer tone would enhance the driving experience. The boot size is small with 364L capacity - not enough for big families. In terms of safety, the 3XO comes packed with impressive driver-assist features including adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, autonomous emergency braking and more. But the 3XO hasn't been tested by ANCAP yet. Mahindra's says it's working on a revised version for 2026 to meet new, tougher crash ANCAP protocols. The 3XO comes with 7-year/150,000km warranty, 7-year roadside assist and capped price servicing at $1,994 over 6 years, that's approximately $0.02/km, 17 per cent below segment average.
The Sun
04-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
‘Radical' new budget ‘supermini' EV rivalling ‘beast' Renault & ‘powerful' Volkswagen is coming to UK in months
A "RADICAL" new budget "supermini" EV, set to rival Renault's "beast" and Volkswagen's "powerful" models, is arriving in the UK in just months." The Nio Firefly has been confirmed for the European market, with UK sales expected soon. 3 3 The Chinese EV offers an impressive 260-mile range and a single rear-mounted 141bhp motor. The budget electric car is expected to cost around £12,500. After launching in China, Nio sold 3,680 Firefly models last month, boosting the brand's overall sales by a whopping 13.1 per cent. Reports suggest that the Firefly will be available in UK showrooms imminently, according to Autocar. Qin Lihong, Nio's president, revealed that it would launch a right-hand-drive variant for the UK by October. The Chinese car brand is rapidly expanding across Europe, aiming to enter 16 new global markets this year. It comes after an ultra-ambitious car maker revealed a new budget E V that some claim could rival Tesla. Little-known Chinese manufacturer Nio is to release a sub-brand called Firefly - which will offer entry-level electric vehicles. Spy shots have revealed the brand testing a small city-style hatchback, which is tipped to be showcased to the world on December 21 for their so-called Nio Day in Guangzhou, China. Known for their advanced technology and innovative features, Nio is a relatively new EV startup - established in 2014 and adopting its current name in 2016. Their first mass-produced car was the ES8, an all-electric SUV, which began sales in June 2018. Nio also has a family-oriented brand called Onvo, with Onvo L60 the only model currently available for sale under that name. The new Firefly marque will sit at the bottom of their tier of brands and will focus on small and mid-size EVs. Automotive outlet CarScoops first revealed the motor back in March, and new photos they obtained revealed it will look like a typical hatchback in size with a short front and rear overhang - resembling the five-door Mini Cooper and BYD Dolphin. Photos of the Firefly's interior have also been published by IT Home and CarNewsChina. Judging by these, it appears it will feature a large central infotainment screen along with a digital instrument cluster - all despite its budget-orientated appeal. Little else is known about the new hatchback, and it will initially be launched in China before it comes to Europe - although tariff hikes will likely make it pricier than originally planned. The release of the Firefly could certainly give Tesla something to think about in the future.
Mail & Guardian
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- Mail & Guardian
Suzuki Dzire first impressions: Game changer in the budget segment or the new rideshare vehicle?
The new Suzuki Dzire. Suzuki has experienced great success recently with the new The Swift was also victorious in the budget segment at the 2025 Suzuki Auto South Africa has not rested on its laurels and is back with yet another car in the budget segment. It was initially known as the Swift Dzire but Suzuki gave the Dzire its own identity in 2017, instead of labelling it a Swift variant. Now, the Japanese manufacturer has released the fourth-generation Dzire into the South African market. It's interesting that the marque has opted to release a new sedan into a market dominated by hatchbacks and compact SUVs, but more importantly, it is yet another of their products that South Africans will not have to sell a kidney to buy. Like the new Swift, the Suzuki Dzire is a good-looking vehicle. The exterior begins with a wide, sassy front fascia. The badge is slap-bang in the middle of the headlights and the clamshell bonnet brings the very neat and stylish front together. The back looks slightly boxy but the assertive C-pillar that flows into the compact boot lid and T-shaped LED taillight clusters help round off the shape. The Dzire borrows its interior architecture from the award-winning fourth-generation Swift. This means it features a wraparound dashboard design with horizontal air vents and centre controls angled towards the driver for improved ergonomics. I guess it's a matter of, if it isn't broken, don't fix it. But Suzuki has managed to elevate this interior with the colour scheme. The beige-and-black interior brings an upmarket feel to the vehicle. The only worry I would have is how dirty those beige cloth seats might get if you are not careful, especially since the vehicle is now being marketed as a family car. The Dzire has a 7-inch infotainment screen that is equipped with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. All in all, Suzuki has produced a really comfortable and neat interior. A short drive around Johannesburg in the Dzire showed me three things about the car: it is comfortable for passengers, it has enough to keep you entertained and it requires a heavy foot but is not underpowered. It uses the same 1.2-litre engine as the Swift and delivers 60kW of power and 112Nm of torque. Suzuki claims a fuel consumption of 4.4 litres/100km but a figure closer to 5 litres/100km is more realistic. The Dzire comes in three options: a GA manual which is pretty basic and you only get steel wheels; a GL+ manual which is the top-spec manual and a GL+ CVT that has everything the manual has but comes in a CVT transmission. The basic GA+ comes in at R224 900, the GL+ manual is priced at R246 900 and the CVT completes the line-up at R266 900. This could become an extremely popular vehicle as the cheapest compact sedan in the country — or it could fall into the 'next most popular Uber ride' category. However, I don't think this is top of mind for Suzuki. It won't mind what the car is used for, as long as it continues to contribute to the brand's upward trajectory in the country.
Forbes
12-05-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
Serbia's Yugo Cult Car Could Be Back On The Road By 2027
Budget cult brand Yugo has been reborn, and promises a running prototype of its eponymous comeback ... More car by 2027. Photo: Yugo. Serbian budget car brand Yugo is back. Almost. Just three months after the announcement of the brand's rebirth, it showed a 1:5 scale model of its promised new Yugo at the Car Design Event in Munich, Germany, last week. Yugo promised the hatchback will be true to the brand's traditional budget ethos, with only two doors in the B-segment (or subcompact) market. Boasting a clean design that could have come from any number of European hatch specialists, the Yugo is yet to be given a specific model name, despite there being plans for three different models. A sporty derivative of the Yugo will be announced at the Car Design Event Classic in September, while fans of the cult brand will have to wait until the 2027 Belgrade Expo to see a fully functioning prototype. Only a scale model so far, but Yugo promises to return with a fun, affordable two-door hatch. Photo: ... More Yugo. Yugo, lead by Professor Doctor Aleksandar Bjelić, promises to deliver a fun, affordable car that will meet global safety standards and launch with both manual and automatic transmissions attached to combustion engines. Electric versions are 'possible' (not probable) and there will be different body styles, too. The new model reveal comes 17 years after production of the Zastava Automobiles Yugo GV (as it was called in the U.S.) ended, having spent 28 years developing a cult following despite a reputation for poor build quality and reliability. Malcolm Bricklin introduced Yugo to the United States in 1985, achieving surprising success, with 48,812 sales in 1987 alone, despite it being the slowest car sold in the country. By 1992, that figure had fallen to just 1412, and Yugo departed U.S. showrooms having pushed 141,651 cars through to the streets. The original Yugos were very Yugoslavian cars, with parts made in Macedonia, Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia Herzegovina, as well as Serbia. But Yugo's demise saw the ascent of Dacia, in neighboring Romania, and the Renault Group's budget brand is one of the rising sales stars of the European car market.
