2022 Best cars under $40K

1. Honda Civic Hatchback – $25,000
2. Kia Soul – $27.890
3. Hyundai Tucson Hybrid – $32,000
4. Kia Carnival – $33,635
5. Kia K5 – $23,590
6. Hyundai Santa Fe – $27,700
7. Toyota Sienna – $34,460
8. Toyota Venza – $32,890
9. Hyundai Elantra hybrid  – $21,245
10. Chevrolet Blazer – $34,795

Best cars under $40K

Honda Civic Hatchback

Best cars under $40K, You may already be aware that you need a hatchback. In any event, if you don’t, this one will persuade you otherwise. It boasts a huge touchscreen display for entertainment and communications, with dual-zone climate control and heated seats for optimal comfort. Fold down the second row and you can take nearly any thing with you.

You get fantastic maximum horsepower and top-notch efficiency, paddle shifters, two selectable transmissions, and more. The aesthetic is substantially more beautiful and sculpted than preceding versions. You’ll stand out on the road, even in the center of all premium automobiles. You may select a trim that matches your needs and alter it to make it honestly your own.

There are two engines to select from on this Honda, so it’s fully equipped and ready to go. The 180 horsepower and 177 lb.-ft. of torque are generated by the turbocharged engine. Even the 2.0-liter engine generates 158 hp and 138 lb.-ft. The 6-speed manual transmission gives fun and quick shifting. Sport and Sport Touring versions both feature it. The CVT(What is a CVT) comes with dual-mode paddle shifters on those grades. Right from the wheel, you may travel up or down in the gears.

There’s Sport mode for better acceleration and ECON mode to help you use less gas. Switch between them using the button just under your gear shifter. The driver information interface incorporates a simple layout and customizable gauges. You’ll be able to monitor your current speed, distance, and more. The front and rear suspensions on each model are sport-tuned MacPherson struts. You have up to 39 MPG at your disposal.

Kia Soul

Driving a 2023 Kia Soul says a lot about who you are, given to its unique, stylized toaster design and iconic marketing campaign with dancing hamsters. While it’s true that the Soul looks like nothing else on the road, its boxy exterior belies a wonderfully useful cabin, with lots of room for both passengers and luggage despite its compact size. It’s also a remarkable deal, with a price tag that starts thousands lower than rivals such as the Chevrolet Trailblazer, Jeep Renegade, and Kia Seltos.

The Soul’s 147-horsepower four-cylinder engine is paired simply to a continuously variable automatic transmission and only powers the front wheels, but it delivers a smooth ride and other attributes that make it a delightful companion to have about.

The Soul has an EPA rating as high as 35 mpg for interstate driving and as low as 28 mpg in the city not outstanding for an ostensibly non-aerodynamic box-on-wheels. The Nissan Kicks and the Hyundai Venue its chief rivals offer similar highway ratings, but both top the Kia in the city, achieving 31 and 30 mpg, respectively. The Soul achieved 30 miles per gallon in our 75 mph fuel economy test.

Hyundai Tucson Hybrid

Previewed by the Vision T concept at the 2019 LA auto show, the 2022 Hyundai Tucson has a dramatic new appearance that seems destined to shake up the compact-SUV sector. For the standard Tucson, Hyundai provides a more normal 2.5 liter four cylinder gasoline engine shared with the Sonata sedan, but the firm also sells a hybrid and a plug-in hybrid variant, both of which utilize an electric motor in combination with a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder. The Tucson is one of the most cosmetically beautiful automobiles on the market, although all models come well-equipped.

The plug-in hybrid option contains a 13.8-kWh battery pack that is supposed to enable up to 33 miles of electric-only driving, according to the EPA. A 7.2 kW on-board charger allows the battery to be entirely recharged in roughly two hours when connected to a level 2 charging station.

Kia Carnival

Kia’s minivan has undergone such a significant alteration that it has been given a completely new name: Carnival. The 2022 Carnival replaces the outmoded Sedona in Kia’s lineup and its boxy SUV-like design is no accident, as the Korean automaker seeks to capitalize on the success of its critically-acclaimed and hot-selling Telluride SUV. Large wheels, crossover-like proportions, and unique daytime running lights that flow into the grille give the van an upscale-SUV air that reminds us of a Range Rover.

The 290-horsepower 3.5-liter V-6 engine in all Carnival models is mated with an eight-speed automatic transmission. A number of driver-assistance systems are provided as standard including automated emergency braking. Infotainment tech gets an upgrade as well with an optional dual-display arrangement with digital gauges and a navigation-equipped center touchscreen.

To comparison, the EPA expects that the 2022 Carnival will score an estimated 22 mpg in combination city/highway/combined fuel economy, which is a slight gain over the 2021 Sedona’s numbers. We haven’t had a chance to take the 2022 Carnival to our 75-mph highway fuel-economy test to see how it matches up against the Pacifica, Odyssey, and Sienna, but when we do we’ll update this page with its results.

Kia K5

Hyundai Santa Fe

For folks who don’t want a third row of seats but still love the thought of a mid-size crossover, the 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe combines a pleasant, spacious cabin and a quality appearance. Four different powertrains are supplied, including hybrid and a plug-in hybrid versions. The Santa Fe is really pleasurable to drive, although none of the models could be called aggressively sporty. The Santa Fe’s infotainment system is on line with other SUVs in this class, and Hyundai has baked in a host of driver-assistance capabilities as standard. The Santa Fe’s two rows of seats comfortably accommodate up to four individuals, and the vehicle’s cargo capacity is spacious enough to hold bulky goods or a load of bags.

the 2022 Santa Fe with the non-turbo four-cylinder will get up to 25 mpg city and 28 highway. The turbocharged variant, which is an option, achieves up to 22 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the interstate. The hybrid model obtained ratings as high as 36 mpg city and 31 mpg highway. On our 75-mph highway fuel-economy test, part of our rigorous testing methodology, our all  wheel drive Calligraphy test vehicle earned 27 mpg.

Toyota Sienna

The 2023 Toyota Sienna’s brawny-for-a-minivan exterior design is an attempt at SUV cosplay, but even a brief glance in its manner reveals it for the minivan that it is. That’s OK with us. This minivan features a quiet interior and a smooth ride that we enjoy. Besides the obvious practical benefits that come with any minivan, the Sienna’s interior is roomy and cleverly equipped although its second-row seats aren’t retractable or stowable as they are in other vans. This fourth generation of the Sienna is offered mainly as a hybrid, with front- and all-wheel drive variants sharing the same 245-hp rating, which has proved to be on the poky side in our testing.

mpg ratings of 36 city and 36 highway for Sienna front-wheel drive models, and 35 mpg ratings for all-wheel drive vehicles. In our mix of city and highway driving, we earned 29 mpg with our all-wheel drive Platinum test vehicle. We’ll let you know the results of our 75-mile highway fuel economy test on the new Sienna when we receive them.

Toyota Venza

The elegant 2022 Venza from Toyota is a fuel-efficient mid-size SUV offering, but it’s smaller and less practical than boxier crossovers, some of which are less costly. A 2.5-liter four-cylinder and three electric motors compose the Venza’s all-wheel-drive, hybrid powertrain, which sips fuel better than V 6­ powered rivals such as the Honda Passport and the Nissan Murano.

Toyota supplies a wide array of driver-assistance capabilities as standard and a range of modern amenities including a stylish electrochromic panoramic sunroof are available, too. The Venza’s interior is largely a two-row affair and passenger accommodation is good, but buyers will find larger rear-seat space in the Hyundai Santa Fe and the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

the Venza will give 40 mpg city and 37 mpg highway, which is almost double the ratings of similar two-row mid-size SUVs such as the Passport and the Ford Edge. We achieved 36 miles per gallon on our highway fuel economy test route cruising at 75 mph.

Hyundai Elantra hybrid

The 2022 Hyundai Elantra stands out from the crowd thanks of its unusual appearance, but it conceals a capacious and functional little car behind its angular exterior. The interior of the vehicle has a similarly futuristic aspect, and many high-end amenities are available, especially on the top-tier trims, to contribute to the overall wow impact.

The entry-level engine is a relatively sluggish 147-hp four-cylinder that is paired to a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), but both a hybrid powertrain and a 201-hp turbocharged four are available. The Hyundai Elantra competes with recognized brands in the compact car sector, such as the Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra, and Toyota Corolla, and it distinguishes out for its appealing appearance and outstanding price.

2022 Elantra with the 2.0-liter four-cylinder will score up to 33 mpg in the city and 43 mpg on the highway. Models with the turbocharged 1.6-liter four have ratings as high as 28 mpg city and 36 highway. The thriftiest hybrid Elantra is rated at 53 mpg city and 56 highway. On our 75-mph highway fuel-economy route, which is part of our extensive testing regimen, the Elantra hybrid obtained barely a 48-mpg result while the nonhybrid Limited with the basic engine received 38 mpg.

Chevrolet Blazer

With a bold face and sculpted bodywork, the 2022 Chevy Blazer is definitely the most assertive-looking mid-size crossover in its class. The external sportiness continues inside with a design influenced by Chevy’s iconic muscle automobile, the Camaro. Sure, the two-row SUV doesn’t boast a booming V-8, but its optional 308-hp V-6 delivers forceful enough shove.

A 228-hp turbo four-cylinder is the base engine, and all variations feature front- or all-wheel drive, but neither combination is especially fuel efficient. Still, compared with most of its two- and three-row competitors, the Blazer is better to drive thanks to accurate steering, confident cornering stability, and powerful brakes. Although it provides loads of space for people and freight, the cabin suffers from certain inferior components, and outward vision is limited. With pricey premium trim levels that monopolize the most sought features, the 2022 Blazer also isn’t a superb deal.

Blazer with the standard turbo four is rated at up to 22 mpg city and 29 highway. The V-6 model is slightly thirstier, with predictions up to 20 mpg city and 27 highway. We haven’t tested the four-cylinder version on our 75-mph highway fuel-economy route, which is part of our extensive testing methodology, but the all-wheel-drive, V-6 Blazer earned 24 mpg during our real-world test. The Honda Passport and Hyundai Santa Fe both earned 27 mpg in the same test.

Read Best cars under $55K.