New cars are more expensive than ever, but it’s hard to nail down one reason as the driving force behind that trend. New technologies and features are a significant factor behind price increases, as it’s ridiculously expensive to pack screens, cameras, and sensors into a car. A recent survey from AutoPacific found that buyers shopping for budget-friendly cars would rather have a more straightforward ride, reporting that they would gladly do without some of the features that come with more expensive vehicle purchases.
AutoPacific surveyed more than 14,000 potential new car buyers in the sub-$35,000 price range, asking about their interest in new features like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, leather seats, and sunroofs. While many said they’d like to have smartphone connectivity and other features, they were far less interested in tech like head-up displays, configurable gauge clusters, and fancy lighting animations.
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AutoPacific’s manager of product and consumer insights, Robby DeGraff, said, “Front-wheel drive, base stereos, cloth seats with various manual adjustments, and analog gauges are ‘in.’ So the array of standard equipment found on entry- and mid-level trims of todays popular vehicles within the $25,000 to $35,000 price range may need to be reexamined as consumers tighten their belts in the face of economic uncertainty.”
Budget buyers may care less about some features, but they agree with their more affluent counterparts in some areas. Everyone cares about safety equipment, like parking sensors and automatic emergency braking, though the budget buyers were less interested in semi-autonomous driving features and adaptive cruise control.
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The number of new cars in the sub-$35,000 price range has dwindled, but there are still several great choices available. Nissan still sells the Versa for under $20,000 to start, and it’s hard to spec a Toyota Corolla or Honda Civic past the $30,000 mark.
Related: Why Cheap New Cars Are Disappearing in 2025