True, economy is getting tougher and tougher each day to the detriment of shoppers. This is why shoppers are finding ways to slash their expenses and be friendly to their pockets. Auto shoppers, for instance, are searching for some affordable alternatives. The ask: Where are the cheapest cars?
Amid crises, auto buffs simply cannot resist the need to cut costs without compromising quality. In the United States, the cheapest car is the Chevy Aveo with $10,895 as base price. But more affordable cars are set to invade auto industry.
Indian automaker Tata Motors said that it will be selling the Nano which has a sticker price of approximately $2,500 thus making it the cheapest car around the globe. It will be far cheaper than Suzuki Maruti 800 which sells for 195,000 rupees equivalent to about $4,994.
For now, the cheapest car in India is the Maruti 800. The car costs slightly more than China's Chery Automotive QQ priced at 34,499 yuan or $4,781. Unfortunately, none of these affordable vehicles are available in America. Why? They are restricted by some reasons. The Nano, for one, is barred from entry because it did not meet the territory's safety and emissions standards.
"They are cars, but they are a step up from a motorcycle," said George Magliano, the director of automotive-industry research for the market research company North America at Global Insights. Still, for many individuals, "It is the difference between walking and driving a car."
Other affordable cars include the Geely MR sedan, Geely HQ SRV SUV and Chery A1 sedan. They are all sold in China. Included in MSNBC's top 10 cheapest cars are the Hyundai I10, Tata Indica, the Fiat Palio and the Renault Dacia Logan. The cars are reliable like the . This is because their quality is closely guarded.
The 10 feet long and five feet wide Nano is equipped with two-cylinder gas engine that offers 33 horsepower and a top speed of just over 60 mph. "The Nano may open the door for middle-class families in India to get behind the wheel of a vehicle for the first time," said Cody Lusk, president of the American International Automobile Dealers Association. "That's what is happening globally. There is a lot of interest and excitement that the middle class in emerging markets can get in a motorized vehicle." Lusk added there is a great disparity between "inexpensive and cheap."
