Is the era of the cheap car dead in Canada? Based on recent trends, this certainly appears to be the case. Less than a decade ago, it was possible to buy a brand new car in Canada, warranty and all, with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of less than $10,000. Today, it’s not even possible to find a new car that starts at less than $20,000 before fees. How did this happen? Blame SUVs and trucks, which Canadians are buying up in huge numbers. These larger and more feature-heavy vehicles inherently cost more, and Canadians have shown they don’t mind absorbing the expense. Today, the average price for a new car now pushes well past $50,000.
As a result, we’ve watched even more cheap options disappear over the past year. Key among them is the Mitsubishi Mirage, which was the last true econobox left on the market when it was discontinued at the end of 2024. The writing is on the wall for the lowest-price car on this list of the cheapest new cars in Canada for 2025, too: the Nissan Versa is on the chopping block at the end of this model year.
All hope is not lost, though. There are still a few deals kicking around, provided you know where to look. If you want a new car but you’re working with a tight budget, check out the top 10 cheapest new cars in Canada for 2025 below.
Note there are no sports cars or electric vehicles on this list—at least, not yet. The models listed here are all low-volume gas-powered base trims, which will always be the cheapest cars within any given line-up. There aren’t many manual transmissions left among this bunch, but we’ve noted it where they exist. All models listed, including the crossovers, come with front-wheel drive (FWD) rather than all-wheel drive (AWD). These models are priced to entice buyers into dealerships where they can be upsold into something more robustly equipped.
To get into one of Canada’s most affordable cars, you’ll need to stick to your guns at the dealership, live without heaps of space or more modern features, and be willing to compromise. What you won’t find here are any trucks like the Ford F-150 or the Ram 1500, or any minivans or larger SUVs. These are too pricey in 2025 to make our list of Canada’s top 10 most affordable vehicles.
Prices shown include destination charge and dealer fees but do not include sales taxes or any available rebates or incentives. All were correct at the time of publication but are subject to change.
The Cheapest New Cars in Canada 2025
- Nissan Versa
- Hyundai Venue
- Hyundai Elantra
- Kia Soul
- Nissan Kicks Play
- Nissan Sentra
- Toyota Corolla
- Kia K4
- Chevrolet Trax
- Mazda3
2025 Nissan Versa, from $23,105 (2024 pricing)
For 2025, the Nissan Versa takes over the title of Canada’s cheapest car as the Mitsubishi Mirage meets its demise. The Versa subcompact sedan continues to fill the void left by the budget-friendly Nissan Micra hatchback, which was discontinued in 2020. While 2025 pricing had not been announced as of this writing, the Versa saw a $2,000 price bump for 2024. This is due in part to the five-speed manual transmission previously offered on the S trim being dropped, making a continuously variable transmission (CVT) the default. The 2024 Nissan Versa’s 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine puts out 122 horsepower and 114 lb-ft of torque. The base version of the Versa small car comes with 15-inch steel wheels, keyless entry, automatic emergency braking and lane departure warning, and a 7-inch touchscreen display (though Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are not standard). Heated front seats are not included as standard equipment. Note this won’t be Canada’s cheapest car for long: the Versa is expected to be discontinued at the end of the 2025 model year.
2025 Hyundai Venue, from $23,784
For 2025, the Hyundai Venue subcompact crossover received a modest $200 price bump in its base configuration, which keeps it at the low end of our list of Canada’s cheapest cars. The 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine creates 121 horsepower and 113 pound-feet of torque. Heated front seats are standard, as are 15-inch steel wheels, an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and keyless entry. On the safety features side, the Hyundai Venue includes standard lane keep assist, forward collision avoidance, rear occupant alert, high beam assist, and a driver attention monitor.
2025 Hyundai Elantra, from $24,809
The edgy-looking Hyundai Elantra is looking better all the time as it makes gains on our list of Canada’s cheapest cars for 2025. It remains priced under $25,000 with fees in its base Essential grade, which comes with a CVT since the manual transmission option was dropped going into 2024. The 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine here is good for 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, and the base Elantra comes equipped with 15-inch aluminum alloy wheels, heated front seats, an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as Bluetooth, and a long list of safety features including forward collision avoidance, lane departure warning and lane follow assist, high beam assist, and a driver attention monitor.
Hyundai Elantra Review
2025 Kia Soul, from $25,530
Here’s a vehicle that takes the term econobox literally: the 2025 Kia Soul, which starts at just over $25,000 in Canada, fees in. Because of its upright and squared-off shape, the Soul maximizes interior space and practicality while offering cargo capacity of up to 663 litres behind the rear seats, which is excellent for its size. The 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine makes 147 hp and 132 lb-ft of torque, sent to the front wheels through a CVT. Standard feature highlights include 16-inch steel wheels, heated front seats and exterior mirrors, an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, and a rear occupant alert. Now, the gas-powered Soul is the only version left since the Kia Soul EV was discontinued at the end of the 2023 model year.
Kia Soul Review
2025 Nissan Kicks Play, from $25,385
What the heck is a Nissan Kicks Play? Nissan had two subcompact crossovers for a few years, the Nissan Kicks and Nissan Qashqai (known as the Nissan Rogue Sport in the U.S.). The Qashqai was discontinued after the 2022 model year. This year, a new crossover launched that Nissan called the Kicks, but since it’s larger and offers AWD, it’s technically a replacement for the Qashqai. Now, the more affordable entry-level vehicle formerly known as the Nissan Kicks carries on exclusively in Canada with a new name, the Nissan Kicks Play. As it begins 2025 with its new monicker, the Nissan Kicks Play’s underpinnings remain the same. The 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine produces 122 horsepower and 114 lb-ft of torque sent to the base model’s 16-inch steel wheels through a CVT. Standard features include keyless entry with push-button start, a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, key safety features like blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, and automatic emergency braking, as well as heated exterior mirrors – but not heated front seats.
2025 Nissan Sentra, from $26,505
Nissan holds onto its title for having the most entries on our list of the top 10 cheapest vehicles in Canada for 2025. Unlike most vehicles you’ll see here, the brand’s compact Sentra still comes with a six-speed manual transmission in its base setup. Shifting your own gears is increasingly becoming a rarity, so third-pedal fans looking for a deal may want to give the Sentra some serious consideration. The 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine creates 149 horsepower and 146 pound-feet of torque. A 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system is included with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, as is keyless entry with a push-button start. Standard equipment includes 16-inch steel wheels, heated front seats, and even a couple of standard safety features that are unusual at this price point such as blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic emergency braking on the front and rear, and lane departure warning.
2025 Toyota Corolla, from $26,565
Canada’s best-selling car is also one of its most affordable. It was too expensive to make our list of Canada’s cheapest cars just two years ago, but prices on other vehicles have caught up enough that the Corolla has firmly cemented its mid-pack position here. In the lowest-priced version, the 2025 Toyota Corolla L gets a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine produces 169 hp and 151 lb-ft of torque, which is delivered to the front wheels via a CVT. On top of Toyota’s reputation for dependability, buyers receive a solid list of standard features, including an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, keyless entry, and the Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 suite of driver assistance and safety features, which includes adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane departure alert, automatic high beams, and other features. You will need to give up one feature that’s a favourite in Canada, though, and that’s heated front seats. The Toyota Corolla Cross hatchback version deserves a nod here. If we treat it as a separate vehicle—which technically it is, though not many people would see it that way—then it makes this list on its own merits with a starting price of $26,970.
Toyota Corolla Review
2025 Kia K4, from $26,580
The Kia Forte sedan and Forte5 hatchback were both discontinued at the end of 2024, but the all-new 2025 Kia K4 compact car has tagged in to keep the Korean brand in the running on this list of Canada’s cheapest vehicles. The new K4 has some edgy styling characteristics and surprisingly good visibility given that it’s one of the smallest new cars on the road. Two powertrains are available, but the version in the base trim being discussed here is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder mill producing 147 hp and 132 lb-ft of torque, sent to the front wheels through a CVT. Base fuel economy measures up at 7.0 litres per 100 kilometres combined, which is respectable for a non-hybrid car in this class. On top of 16-inch steel wheels, the LX base trim receives heated front seats, a 12.3-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, forward collision warning, lane keep assist, driver attention monitor, and a rear seat occupant alert.
2025 Chevrolet Trax, from $27,133
The Chevrolet Trax subcompact SUV entered its second generation for the 2024 model year and received significant upgrades. On top of stylish new looks and a more spacious interior, the Trax’s new 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine is rated at 137 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque and performs surprisingly well for its size. The standard six-speed automatic transmission presents a bit of a ding to fuel efficiency, which averages 7.9 L/100 km combined, but goes a long way toward improving overall drive feel versus a CVT. Beginning with this generation, the Trax is built on a dedicated FWD platform, while customers looking for AWD are being redirected toward the more expensive Chevrolet Trailblazer. Standard features include wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 17-inch steel wheels, and heated front seats. This makes the Chevy Trax a purpose-built econobox that’s on-trend with the key features drivers are seeking in new vehicles. It’s a solid choice at the budget end of the market.new vehicles. It’s a solid choice at the budget end of the market.
2025 Mazda3, from $27,687
The Mazda3 squeaks onto our list of the 10 most affordable cars in Canada for 2025, and trust us when we say this is a screaming deal. Mazda’s products are edging ever closer to premium territory, and the Mazda3 was one of the first products to lead that charge when it was last redesigned for the 2019 model year. In its base format, the Mazda3 sedan in GX trim employs a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine to produce 191 hp and 186 lb-ft of torque, which sends power to the front wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive and turbocharged engines are also on offer, though those features would push the 3’s price beyond the scope of this list. The GX trim’s stout list of standard features includes 16-inch alloy wheels, heated front seats, an 8.8-inch screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, and plenty more safety technologies. Pricing on the 2025 Mazda3 Sport hatchback — perhaps the closest thing to sporty anywhere on this list — is not much further behind, starting at $28,937.
More of Canada’s Cheapest Cars
Though they don’t make the top 10 list, there are a few more cars on sale in Canada with fees-in pricing that lands below $30,000. The 2025 Mitsubishi RVR starts from $28,019, while the 2025 Kia Seltos has pricing beginning at $28,280. The 2025 Volkswagen Jetta begins at $28,381, and the 2025 Hyundai Kona begins at $28,934 coming off its full redesign for 2024. 2025 pricing for the Subaru Impreza compact sedan had not been announced as of this writing, but the 2024 model rang up beginning at $29,270. And the made-in-Canada 2025 Honda Civic has a base price of $29,506.
Note: Images may show US models.
