Key Takeaways

• Affordable cars can still offer ample interior space for a reasonable price, catering to those on a budget.
• These cost-effective vehicles may be cheap but are practical and versatile, offering great value in terms of interior space.
• Research reveals the top cars with the lowest price per cubic foot, making them the best options for spacious yet affordable rides.

Just because you can’t afford an expensive car, doesn’t mean you need to give up interior space. Here in the US, we’ve fallen in love with massive vehicles, whether they are 17-foot-long pickup trucks or a land yacht that can fit you and your entire extended family across three rows. Unfortunately, those models come with some hefty price tags – price tags that put them out of reach for many Americans. Fortunately, there are still plenty of vehicles on sale that offer impressive interior volume for a reasonable price, and we’ve picked an assortment for you that has the lowest price per cubic foot.

Many of the vehicles on this list are also some of the cheapest cars for sale in the US, but don’t let the price tag fool you into thinking they aren’t practical. You’d be surprised at just how versatile they can be when tasked with the challenge. These 10 cars represent the best value in terms of interior space for the price; but if these don’t take your fancy, there are many other options out there – just at a higher cost.

To compile this list,
CarBuzz
researched each of the cheapest vehicles on the market in 2024, and combined their passenger and cargo volumes to find a total interior volume figure (with the rear seats up). We then divided the base/starting price for each model by the total volume figure, to find the price per cubic foot. This list ranks the top ten cars from highest price per cubic goot to lowest.

10 2024 Nissan Sentra

The Nissan Sentra may not be the most exciting car on the market, but that’s never been its goal. Its goal is to be affordable and to offer the options buyers want with none of what they don’t need (unless they’re willing to pay for it). Power is fine from the four-cylinder engine under the hood, and reports of the unreliability of the CVT may have been stretched a little, but where the car really shines is in its packaging. It offers 110.3 cubic feet of space; plenty of room for you, your friends, and a weekend’s worth of supplies. It’s a great cheap option from Nissan, but there is one better for the time being.

9 2024 Hyundai Elantra

Hyundai has been knocking it out of the park recently by carefully updating its products to bring them more in line with what consumers want, and the Elantra is no different. Refreshed for 2024, the compact sedan has sharpened its looks while adding more standard features across the lineup. This includes an increased speaker count on the base sound system and more safety features like more airbags in the rear. Despite its cheap price, it also offers a healthy amount of total space, reaching all the way to 113.6, a number that’s hard to beat in this segment.

8 2024 Hyundai Venue

We won’t lie to you, the Hyundai Venue isn’t the most compelling option in its segment. This tiny crossover boasts a decent amount of interior space at 110.6 cubic feet, but there are other vehicles in the segment with more, and even Hyundai offers a more compelling option in the Kona. Fortunately, what the Venue has going for itself is its sub-$20,000 starting price, and a decent number of standard features that could make the vehicle a good option as a commuter vehicle for someone on a budget.

7 2024 Kia Forte

The Forte is a supremely solid compact sedan, with plenty of standard features that would make it a compelling option for anyone looking for a sedan on a budget. It’s 111.3 cubic feet of space makes it roomy enough for you to be able to live your life without having to worry about space, but don’t let the picture above fool you into thinking the base model is a looker, as only the GT line with the turbocharged engine and manual transmission are going to offer the slick accent pieces and sporty driving dynamics. The company is planning on replacing it with the K4 sedan in 2025, so if you’re looking to grab a forte, now’s the time to do it.

6 2024 Ford Maverick

As the only truck on this list, the Maverick is already a winner in our eyes, but then again, it’s hard not to love one of the smallest pickup trucks in the US. The model has been selling up a storm since its debut, and a lot of that is thanks to just how darn practical it is. With 133.6 cubic feet of total space including the bed, it’s one of the most versatile vehicles on the market, as you can fit your friends in the cabin and some bags of mulch in the bed without worrying. Ford has only managed to enhance the truck further in 2025 with some serious upgrades, including a street truck version, and we have a feeling it’s only going to elevate its status further.

5 2024 Nissan Kicks

The Nissan Kicks isn’t as young as it used to be, which is why it’s no surprise the company has updated it heavily for 2025. While the new one looks like a completely different vehicle, the old one still soldiers on for now, and it’s hard to ignore its style. It’s a decent-looking little crossover, even if its 122 horsepower leaves a lot to be desired. Space is commendable, but even here some of its competitors make a better option. Its main driver is its price, which is pretty darn cheap, but we can’t help but feel the next option on the list is an all-around better buy.

4 2024 Chevrolet Trax

The Trax is simply a fantastic vehicle. In a segment full of bland-looking cars, it’s actually quite good-looking, and the proportions only get better once you’re inside and see just how much room you have at your disposal, which is a whopping 123.6 cubic feet. Sure, the performance of the three-cylinder engine is less than inspiring, and the lack of AWD is going to limit the customer base, but it has everything most people need, and all of this is overshadowed by its incredible price of just $20,400 for 2024. It’s a killer second generation and shows Chevy isn’t messing around.

3 2024 Mitsubishi Mirage

The Mirage is finally fading away as Mitsubishi plans to say goodbye to its cheapest model in the near future. We can’t say we’ll miss it too much, but we understand it fits a city car hole that’s only growing bigger in the world. For how tiny it is, it’s also hard to argue with just how much room it has, with a respectable 103.3 cubic feet at your disposal, and even more with the seats folded flat. Still, no one is buying these because they can fit so much inside, they’re buying them because they’re the cheapest new car you can buy in the US. It’s Bittersweet, to say the least.

2 2024 Nissan Versa

The Versa is what the Mirage aspires to be. It’s attractive, roomy, and filled with a host of standard features that would be a welcome surprise to any driver. It’s still a slow little sub-compact sedan, but it’s certainly better powered than the Mirage, plus, the fit and finish of the model are just a step above. With a base price of $16,680, it’s the perfect vehicle to adopt the mantle from the Mirage as the cheapest vehicle on sale in the US. It’s just too bad Nissan doesn’t see the appeal in such a cheap car and is planning on discontinuing it at the end of 2025.

1 2024 Kia Soul

Despite being the butt of jokes for years, the Kia Soul has persevered, and the newest models are genuinely compelling vehicles. Its upright, boxy design makes it perfect for filling it with things, which is why it’s no surprise it offers 126.2 cubic feet of space, which bests everything else on this list besides the Maverick. Performance is fine, but the standard feature count is above average, and you’ll have access to one of the best warranties in the business. The real cherry on top is the fact that it only costs a hair over $20,000, which, coupled with the volume, gives you the most room for your money.