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The Best New Cars You Can Buy for Under $40,000

Written By, NowCar Team

2015 Ford Mustang GT - Best New Car

You don't have to sacrifice what you want in order to drive an affordable vehicle, priced under forty-thousand dollars. There are plenty of outstanding options that fall below that benchmark and we're here to introduce them to you.  

Before you buy a new car online, check out this year's five under forty top-rated vehicles from the major car classes. Make buyer's remorse a thing of the past.   

Compact Car: The 2015 Honda Fit

2015 Honda Fit

When it comes to affordability and class-leading fuel efficiency, the 2015 Honda Fit can't be beat. Able to comfortably seat five passengers, even despite it's tiny size, this front-wheel drive five-door wagon was ranked number one in the subcompact class by Car and Driver 

Equipped with a 16-valve inline four-cylinder aluminum block engine with direct fuel injection, the Honda Fit generates 130 horsepower at 6,600 rpm with 114 lb.-ft. of torque. Able to reach top speeds of 110 miles per hour, the Honda Fit has incredible fuel economy with an EPA-estimated efficiency of 33 city and 41 highway miles per gallon.  

The new Honda Fit is loaded with a wide range of standard features including its tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, cruise control, rearview camera, and USB port. As you move up the trim levels from LX to EX and EX-L (leather), options include navigation systems and satellite radio. The MSRP for this year's Fit starts at $15,650, a small sticker for serious savings at the gas pump.    

Sedan: The 2015 Lexus ES 350

2015 Lexus ES 350

Celebrated for its responsive handling and whisper quiet ride, the 2015 Lexus ES 350 is outfitted with a 3.5-liter V6 engine, producing 268 horsepower. The ES comes in only one trim; however, a hybrid option is also available and equipped with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine coupled with an electric motor paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT).   

Although the ES and ES Hybrid are the only trims, this luxury, yet still affordable, sedan is loaded with standard features including a sunroof, push button start, rearview camera, eight-speaker audio system, Bluetooth technology, USB port, and infotainment broadcast on a seven-inch screen.  

Rated the top level "Good" by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), and earning five out of five stars in government crash tests, the 2015 Lexus ES, priced at $37,700, is a safe bet backed by the Lexus-brand's incomparable reputation for reliability and customer service.  

SUV: The 2015 Nissan Pathfinder

2015 Nissan Pathfinder Snow

This SUV is able to seat seven passengers comfortably and is among the largest in its class. A true SUV with a car-like drive, those who drive the Pathfinder consistently hail its roomy, high-end interior and ingenious folding design, which expands the car's 16 cubic feet of cargo space to a very useable 79.6 cubic feet.  

Competitively priced at $29,630, the 2015 Nissan Pathfinder comes in four trim levels: S, SV, SL, and Platinum. Powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine, the Pathfinder produces 260 horsepower with 240 lb.-ft of torque and uses a continuously variable transmission (CVT) for its front or all-wheel drive.   

Similar to the Lexus ES 350, the 2015 Pathfinder also has a hybrid alternative, which shares the same 19.5 gallon gas tank, but pairs it to a lithium-ion battery pack. This gives the hybrid model a total range of 500 miles, with an estimated 25/27 fuel economy. Amazingly, the hybrid option, even with its battery pack, doesn't sacrifice any space, which turns the traditional image of the pint-sized hybrid on its head.   

Pickup Truck: The 2015 Chevy Silverado 1500

2015 Chevy Silverado

The ever-popular Chevy Silverado 1500 is a lightweight, but full-size pick up truck that offers class-leading towing of 12,000 pounds from its V8 engine, one of three engine options available on the 2015 model. All three of the Silverado's EcoTec engines offer different performance potential, but each one uses Active Fuel Management, Direct Fuel Injection, and Continuously Variable Valve Timing (CVVT).  

For the standard V6, the Silverado's 4.3-liter engine gets the most torque in its class at 305 lb.-ft. and is the first with Active Fuel Management. Fuel economy with this engine is rated at 18 city and 24 highway miles per gallon.   

If fuel efficiency is one of your primary concerns when considering your next pickup truck purchase, choose the Silverado outfitted with the V8, representing the most fuel-efficient V8 pickup truck engine on the market, with 16 city and 23 highway miles per gallon. Generating 355 horsepower with 383 lb.-ft. of torque, the V8-equipped Silverado is powerfully efficient. 

However, for the most powerful Silverado you'll want to check out the 6.2-liter V8 engine. Able to produce 420 horsepower with 460 lbs.-ft. of torque, this engine is the most powerfully-equipped of any lightweight full sized Chevy trucks yet.  

Although the Silverado comes in five trim levels, you'll want to avoid the top of the line LTZ if you want to keep below the forty-thousand dollar mark. Limit your search to the WT, LS, LT, and LTZ 71, each loaded with an abundance of standard and available features and packages. The 2015 Chevy Silverado comes as a regular, crew, or double cab, and starts at the base price of $26,560.  

Sports Car: The 2015 Ford Mustang GT 

2015 Ford Mustang GT

We wanted to round off the list with a little excitement. What's more exciting in the automotive world than a shiny new sports car? 

Now in its sixth generation, this year marks the 50th anniversary of the all-American icon, the Ford Mustang. Priced starting at $32,300, the Ford Mustang is equipped with a 5.0-liter V8 engine, able to produce a whopping 435 horsepower and crush the zero-to-sixty test in 4.5 seconds.  

The available Performance package features an upgraded suspension system, Brembo brakes, with a limited slip differential that gets this car ready for the next race. The 2015 model year is the first to release a mass produced Mustang with independent rear suspension.   

Operated by a standard six-speed manual or the available six-speed automatic transmission, the 2015 Ford Mustang GT gets an estimated fuel economy of 16 city and 25 highway miles per gallon. Of course, no one buys a sports car for its fuel efficiency.  

 

With these award-winning brands and outstanding model lineup, buying a new car online is a breeze.  

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