Looking for a cheap car that doesn’t feel cheap yet has a cheaper cost of ownership than any other cheap car? The cheapest cheap car is a hybrid, and it should be no surprise it’s a Toyota. With a Toyota Corolla Hybrid and its 50 mpg combined, the EPA estimates that you can save $3,250 in fuel costs over five years compared to a similarly-equipped non-hybrid Corolla, which still gets an efficient 35-mpg combined rating. And it costs $5,000 less than the Prius.
Even though Toyota is the undisputed leader in hybrid powertrains, with more than 25 years of experience selling hybrids in North America, other automakers have expanded their inexpensive hybrid offerings from small sedans to everything from hatchbacks to pickup trucks. By inexpensive, we mean costing less than $30,000 with the mandatory destination fee.
There’s only one new car sold for less than $20,000 in 2025, and that’s the Nissan Versa for $18,330. It might be on borrowed time, but we still count a warm and fluffy baker’s dozen of new cars costing less than $25,000 on our cheapest 2025 cars. Only the Corolla Hybrid doubles up on both of our cheap lists.
Not only do these hybrid models have a lower cost of ownership than gas-only counterparts, they all come equipped with standard safety features such as automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection and active lane control.
Here’s a rundown of the cheapest hybrids, and how they measure up in size, fuel economy, features, and value. All prices listed include the mandatory destination charge.