iSeeCars study: These are the 10 best new cars for the money

When you’re shopping for a new car, it can feel like a bit of a gamble as to whether you’ll get one that lasts and offers the value it promises at first. iSeeCars has done the research to help suss out some of the best new cars for the money, and while the list is populated by high-value, low-cost autos, they aren’t the most exciting vehicles on the market by any stretch of the imagination.

iSeeCars named the Mitsubishi Mirage its best new car for the money. The research found that the car costs just $1,099 per 10,000 miles to own, and its $18,991 average new price makes it one of the cheapest cars on the market. The top 10 best cars are:

1. Mitsubishi Mirage: $1,099/10k miles
2. Toyota Corolla: $1,374
3. Subaru Impreza: $1,409
4. Honda Accord: $1,432
5. Honda Civic: $1,531
6. Toyota Camry: $1,585
7. Nissan Versa: $1,588
8. Honda CR-V: $1,617
9. Mazda3: $1,644
10. Toyota Prius: $1,683

There are several gems on that list, but they all look attractive compared to the overall average 10,000-mile cost of $2,779. Three Toyotas and three Hondas made it to the top 10, and Toyota had seven cars in the top 25. (Follow the link at the beginning of this post to see the full list.)

The iSeeCars research focused exclusively on vehicle lifespan and the lowest purchase price, which is how we ended up with the Mirage at the top of the list. Its 100,000-mile powertrain warranty and shockingly cheap MSRP make it cheap to buy and own, which, for many people, is worth the tradeoff in comfort, features, and performance.

iSeeCars looked at more than 8.3 million new car sales between September and December last year to come up with its assessment. It also reviewed the odometer readings on more than 181 million used cars from a separate study to determine which models offer the best longevity.