I queried carsheet.io for all vehicles under $32,000 MSRP. Then, I aggregated the reviews for each vehicle from Car and Driver, Edmunds, Motor Trend, and Kelley Blue Book. I removed the lowest score and averaged the remaining three for a final score.
Top 5 Vehicles under $32,000
| AVG | Make | Model | Body |
| 9.7 | Toyota | Prius | Hatchback |
| 9.4 | Honda | CR-V | SUV |
| 9.4 | Honda | Accord | Sedan |
| 9.4 | Honda | Civic | Sedan |
| 9.3 | Ford | Maverick | Truck |
Top 5 Vehicles under $25,000
| AVG | Make | Model | Body |
| 9.4 | Honda | Civic | Sedan |
| 9.3 | Ford | Maverick | Truck |
| 8.9 | Mazda | CX-30 | SUV |
| 8.8 | Hyundai | Elantra | Sedan |
| 8.8 | Subaru | Crosstrek | SUV |
Top 5 Vehicles >45 MPG
| AVG | Make | Model | HMPG | CMPG |
| 9.7 | Toyota | Prius | 56 | 57 |
| 9.4 | Honda | Civic Hybrid | 50 | 47 |
| 9.0 | Hyundai | Elantra Hybrid | 58 | 51 |
| 8.9 | Toyota | Camry | 53 | 50 |
| 8.6 | Kia | Niro | 54 | 53 |
Thoughts
The only EV under $32,000 is the Nissan LEAF, which has poor reviews. The Mini Cooper EV starts at $30,900, but good luck finding one near that price, so that also was excluded. If you want an efficient car, you are looking for a hybrid. This should be a vital factor when getting your first car, as saving on fuel helps you grow your savings.
I was also surprised to learn that the 2025 Toyota Camry is now a hybrid in all models. This is a move in the right direction.
Finally, the Prius, Elantra, Maverick, and Crosstrek are still on their 2024 models. If you buy a car today, you may get a deal on these “old” models as the dealers try to get them off their lots.
