One of the average college student’s non-scholastic concerns is budget, and transportation can be quite a financial burden. To help lighten the load, here are our top ten picks for the new college student. These are our favorite affordable cars that all have great gas mileage, smaller price tags and are a bit cheaper to fix.

1. Ford Focus

  • Starting Price: $16,810 manual / $17,480 automatic
  • Engine: 2.0-liter 4-Cylinder w/ 160hp and 146 lb-ft of torque
  • MPG: 26/36 City / Hwy
  • Warranty: Bumper to Bumper: 3 years / 36,000 miles
  • Highlights: Plenty of aesthetic details in and out, sporty ride and handling

Shop for a Ford Focus near you

2. Chevrolet Cruze

  • Starting Price: $17,520 manual / $18,705 automatic
  • Engine: 1.8-liter 4-Cylinder w/ 138hp and 125 lb-ft of torque
  • MPG: 22/35 City/Hwy
  • Warranty: Bumper to Bumper Limited: 3 years / 36,000 miles
  • Highlights: Bluetooth and USB come standard

Shop for a Chevrolet Cruz near you

3. Honda Civic

  • Starting Price: $18,390 manual / $19,190 automatic
  • Engine: 1.8-liter 4-Cylinder w/ 143hp and 129lb-ft of torque
  • MPG: 28/36 City/Hwy
  • Warranty: 3 year / 36,000 mile New-Vehicle Limited
  • Highlights: 5-inch LCD with rear view camera, Bluetooth, SMS and USB come standard

Shop for a Honda Civic near you

4. Volkswagen Golf

  • Starting Price: $19,995 automatic
  • Engine: 2.5-liter 5-Cylinder w/ 170hp and 177lb-ft of torque
  • MPG: 23/30 City/Hwy
  • Warranty: No charge, scheduled Carefree Maintenance: 2 years / 24,000 miles, 3 years / 36,000 mile Basic Limited
  • Highlights: One touch power windows, power adjustable heated exterior side mirrors come standard

Shop for a Volkswagen Golf near you

5. Mazda3

  •  Starting Price: $16, 945 manual or automatic
  •  Engine: 2.0-liter w/ 155hp and 150lb-ft of torque
  •  MPG: 29/41 City/Hwy
  • Warranty: 3 year / 36,000 mile Bumper to Bumper Limited, 24/7 Roadside
  • Assistance for warranty part failure
  • Highlights: Bluetooth, USB and Daytime Running Lights come standard

Shop for a Mazda3 near you

6. Hyundai Elantra

  •  Starting Price: $17,200 manual / $18,200 automatic
  • Engine: 1.8-liter 4-Cylinder w/ 145hp and 130lb-ft of torque
  • MPG: 27/37 City/Hwy
  • Warranty: 5 year / 60,000 mile New Vehicle Limited Warranty
  • Highlights: Heated Side mirrors, Daytime Running Lights, USB come standard

Shop for a Hyundai Elantra near you

7. Hyundai Sonata

  •  Starting Price: $21,450 automatic
  • Engine: 2.4-liter 4-Cylinder w/ 192hp and 181lb-ft of torque
  • MPG: 24/35 City/Hwy
  • Warranty: 5 year / 60,000 mile New Vehicle Limited Warranty
  • Highlights: Active Eco System, Steering mounted audio, Bluetooth and cruise control, USB come standard

Shop for a Hyundai Sonata near you

8. Honda Accord

  • Starting Price: $21,955 manual / $22,755 automatic (CVT)
  • Engine: 2.4-liter 4-Cylinder w/ 185hp and 181lb-ft of torque
  • MPG: 24/34 City/Hwy
  • Warranty: 3 year / 36,000 mile New-Vehicle Limited
  • Highlights: 8-inch high resolution screen, back up camera, Bluetooth, SMS, steering mounted controls, 16- inch alloy wheels all come standard

Shop for a Honda Accord near you

9. Dodge Dart

  • Starting Price: $15,995 manual / $18,240 automatic
  • Engine: 2.0-liter 4-Cylinder w/ 160hp and 148lb-ft of torque
  • MPG: 25/36 City/Hwy
  • Warranty: 3 year / 36,000 mile Basic Limited
  • Highlights: Power windows with one-touch up/down, LED stop/turn/tail lamps come standard

Shop for a Dodge Dart near you

10. Hyundai Veloster

  • Starting Price: $17,800 manual / $19,050 automatic
  • Engine: 1.6-liter 4-Cylinder w/ 138hp and 123lb-ft of torque
  • MPG: 26/35 City/Hwy
  • Warranty: 5 year / 60,000 mile New Vehicle Limited Warranty
  • Highlights: Rearview Camera, Bluetooth, USB, 7-inch high-resolution LCD touchscreen come standard

Shop for a Hyundai Veloster near you

There are some really great options here, with the Mazda3 giving you the most miles to the gallon, the Hyundai Sonata offering up the most power, Volkswagen giving out 2 years of maintenance and the Accord full of technology, each of these models has their own set of strong points to meet the needs of college students in any region or climate. All of these comparisons have been done based on the base model for each vehicle as well, so if you want a little bit more from your favorite it is more than likely available to you. Some models, like the Ford Focus, have up to seven variants, and some offer electric, diesel and hatchback versions, as well.

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