Australia’s cheapest cars by segment

With living costs still rising and interest rates remaining high, Australians are keeping a closer eye on the affordability of new cars. While average prices have increased steadily in recent years, several brands continue to offer relatively low entry points into new-car ownership across different vehicle segments.

Chinese and Korean manufacturers now dominate the budget end of the market, filling space once occupied by Japanese brands. Models from MG, Chery, BYD, GWM and LDV now set many of the price benchmarks, while India’s Mahindra has also joined the competition with its sharply priced XUV 3XO small SUV.

CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal.

It’s important to note that some brands, particularly MG, Chery, GWM, LDV and Mahindra, quote national drive-away prices, which include statutory costs like registration and stamp duty, plus dealer delivery fees.

Other manufacturers list prices before on-road costs, so figures are not always directly comparable – but they do indicate where the most affordable options sit within each class. Also note that some of these prices fluctuate month to month as some brands apply promotional offers and deals.

Despite tightening emissions standards and increased production costs, a number of options remain available in Australia for under $30,000, led by the Kia Picanto and MG 3 hatchbacks and the MG 5 sedan, alongside affordable newcomers like the Mahindra XUV 3XO, Chery Tiggo 4, and GWM Haval Jolion SUVs.

Larger families are still well served by LDV’s people movers and vans, which remain the least expensive options in their categories, while BYD leads the way for affordable electric vehicles (EVs), starting at $29,990 before on-roads for the Dolphin small hatch.

Plug-in hybrid (PHEV) options have also become more accessible, with the Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV starting from below $40,000 drive-away.

Below are the top three cheapest models in each segment (whether on-road costs are included or not), based on November 2025 data.

Micro and light passenger cars

Small passenger cars

Medium and large passenger cars

Upper large passenger cars

Sports cars

Light SUVs

Small SUVs

Medium SUVs

Large SUVs

Upper large SUVs

People movers

Utes / cab-chassis (4×2)

Utes / cab-chassis (4×4)

Small vans

Medium vans

Large vans

Electric vehicles (EVs)

Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs)

Commercial EVs

Commercial PHEVs

Top 10 cheapest cars in Australia (excluding utes):