Once graduation happens, students say good-bye to the textbooks, part-time jobs and classrooms and say hello to 9-5 work days and full-time careers. With their new incomes, these young professionals begin to pay off their debts and loans and often purchase new cars to fit with their trendy and stylish new lives.
Moving up is an ideal time to move on and scrap the old clunker that may have sufficed for a student, but just seems shabby for an up and coming mover and/or shaker. Fortunately, the range of models in today’s new-car market is so broad, those entering a new-car dealer’s showroom for the first time can choose from an ample selection of affordable makes and models that can stir the soul and be kind to the pocketbook while transporting an owner from the proverbial Point A to Point B.
How affordable? The personal finance website GOBankingRates recently compiled a compelling list of 30 cars from the 2015 model year that can be purchased and financed for under $300 a month. Actually, most of the models on the list can be had for a monthly nut of less than $250, with a few – including the Nissan Versa, Chevrolet Spark and Mitsubishi Mirage coming in with payments under $200. That’s a new car for what is essentially the cost of stopping at Starbucks each day on the way to the office.
We’re featuring 30 2015/2016 cars GOBankingRates determined can be financed for less than $300 a month (at least in their base versions) in the accompanying slide show, with estimated payments noted for each.
These models run the gamut from the small and economical (Toyota Yaris, Kia Rio and Ford Fiesta) to the expressive (Dodge Dart, Kia Soul and Fiat 500) and the downright aggressive (Jeep Renegade, Nissan Frontier and Hyundai Veloster). The selection even includes a fuel-saving gas/electric-powered hybrid car, the Toyota Prius c.
Of course one doesn’t have to be a recent graduate to appreciate a new car at an affordable price, so each of these models possesses broad appeal for the budget minded of all ages.