2013 Kia Optima Lx on 2040-cars

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Only 3 new cars cost under $20,000. Here’s what you should buy used instead

Looks like some more people have realized something we pointed out late last year. There are only three new cars under the magic $20,000 price limit currently for sale in the United States. Those three vehicles are the Nissan Versa with a starting price of $16,925 (all prices here include destination fee), the Kia Rio at $17,390 and the Mitsubishi Mirage at $17,650. Should push come to shove, so to speak, we'd probably pick the Nissan as our top choice among those three due to its practicality, comfort and overall polish when compared to its similarly priced peers. But really, as we've suggested before, there are better options. Our top pick for a used vehicle under $20,000 remains the Chevy Volt. It's stylish, comfortable, practical and, above all else, efficient, assuming you can plug it in at home. If you don't have access to a plug at home, you'll likely be able to find a very gently used car for the same price as one of the budget options above. We'd check out the Honda Fit, Kia Soul, Subaru Impreza, Toyota Corolla hatchback and Volkswagen Jetta from the  model years and aim for something with under 20,000 miles and with a year or two left of its factory warranty. A quick inventory search shows that some of those cars, notably the Impreza and Jetta, can even be found Certified Pre Owned in most parts of the country. For a more thorough breakdown of some of the available used-car options we'd recommend, check out our guide to the Best Cars Under $20,000. For what it's worth, with the average new car transaction price hovering alarmingly close to $50,000, we wouldn't expect to see any more options coming any time soon for well under half that sum. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Green Kia Mitsubishi Nissan Car Buying Used Car Buying Sedan

Kia teases handsome 2021 Sorento interior with design sketches

True, we've seen the fourth-gen, 2021 Kia Sorento uncovered on a commercial shoot, answering the biggest question we had about one of Kia's bestsellers. On top of that, an Instagram post revealed a couple of low-res interior shots. Kia's carried on with the tease campaign, serving up interior sketches that tell us more about the cabin than the photos. As with with exterior, the revamped passenger space leaves benign curves of the third-gen Sorento behind. Strong horizontal layering is broken up by vertically oriented vents. A 12.3-inch digital cluster lives behind the steering wheel, the screen blending almost seamlessly into a 10.25-inch infotainment display. Another screen for climate control sits dead center on the console, with a few buttons and toggles to improve ease-of-use. A large knurled knob stands atop the center tunnel, it being the rotary shifter that supplants the current gear lever. Behind that, another knurled dial could control the choice of driving modes. That smaller unit is accompanied by a number of buttons for features like auto stop/start, a parking sensor, and the electronic parking brake. The stitched leather upper on the instrument panel should be joined by upgraded fabrics, materials, and finishes throughout. There's also talk of a hidden rear wiper, but we need to wait for the reveal to understand what that's about. The Korean Car Blog happened upon an Excel spreadsheet with engines listed for the crossover internally codenamed MQ4. Globally, the coming Sorento's full complement of powertrain options will cover possibly four four-cylinder gasoline engines, Kia's new R diesels, an eight-speed automatic transmission, a six-speed auto, and — if we can believe our eyes — a four-speed manual. TKCB says the gas engines for the U.S. market should include a 2.5-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder, a 2.0-liter turbocharged four, and a 2.5-liter turbo four. Since we know the new Sorento will come in a hybrid flavor, expect the 1.6-liter turbo four this way as well. That seems like a lot of choice, though, what with the current Sorento offering only a 2.4-liter four-cylinder and a 3.3-liter V6. And on the spreadsheet, the eight-speed dual-clutch is only paired with the diesel engine; the gassers get the six-speed auto or the manual. The 2021 Sorento debuts in a little more than two weeks at the Geneva Motor Show on March 3. American audiences could greet it as soon as the New York Auto Show in April.

2021 Kia Sportage Review | Sporty-ish value

The 2021 Kia Sportage picks up right where last year's mid-cycle refresh left off, with some modest improvements to design and technological updates that make driving easier and safer. An often overlooked vehicle in the increasingly crowded compact crossover segment, the Sportage provides comfort and value on a budget, but doesn’t quite match the style, fuel economy or cargo space of its competitors, many of which have been recently revamped as all-new models. Still, with the features available for the price, itÂ’s worth a test drive if youÂ’re looking at vehicles like the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape or Toyota RAV4. You just might find the Sportage to be the right fit for you and your budget, and with its roomy backseat — at the expense of cargo volume — it might be the right fit, literally, for you and your passengers. Finally, if you like the packaging of the Sportage, but are looking to save some money up front, as well as at the pump, it might be worth taking a look at the similarly sized Kia Seltos. YouÂ’d be giving up some power and nicer interior materials, but would be getting a more efficient and arguably more stylish Kia for about $2,000 less. What's new for 2021? The 2021 Kia Sportage builds upon the previous model yearÂ’s mid-cycle refresh with an update to S trim level offerings. The new Nightfall Edition and Nightfall Edition Premium appearance packages replace the S Sunroof and Premium Package, respectively. Nightfall gets unique 18-inch wheels with blacked-out center caps, and adds piano black trim on the front bumper, side sills, front and rear skid plates, and fog lights. It also gets unique Sportage badging on the liftgate. The LX, EX and SX Turbo trims remain unchanged. What's the Sportage interior and in-car technology like? The Sportage's interior styling is straightforward and functional. ThereÂ’s not much to visually break up the square footage of plastic, but the materials donÂ’t scream “cheap.” In fact, its superior materials quality to the Seltos is one area that justifies the Sportage's higher price. The leather seating in the SX Turbo trim looks and feels quite nice, especially when you consider those front seats are heated and, optionally, ventilated. The seating position is upright for a good view of the road, and the center stack tilts slightly toward the left to give a sense of ergonomic care to the driver.