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Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy, so you can trust that our content is honest and accurate. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions. The content created by our editorial staff is objective, factual, and not influenced by our advertisers.
We’re transparent about how we are able to bring quality content, competitive rates, and useful tools to you by explaining how we make money.
Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. We are compensated in exchange for placement of sponsored products and, services, or by you clicking on certain links posted on our site. Therefore, this compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear within listing categories. Other factors, such as our own proprietary website rules and whether a product is offered in your area or at your self-selected credit score range can also impact how and where products appear on this site. While we strive to provide a wide range offers, Bankrate does not include information about every financial or credit product or service.
Standard equipment: Dual front air bags, front-seat mounted side-impact air bags, anti-lock brake system, power steering, power windows, power door locks, heated mirrors, keyless entry, tilt steering wheel, tire pressure monitoring system, tachometer, variable intermittent wipers, air conditioning.
Safety data: “Good” in front impacts, “acceptable” in rear impacts, not tested for side-impact collisions.
Safety data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, or IIHS.
Price data: Manufacturers and Kelley Blue Book.
“It’s amazing how good the least expensive cars are these days,” says Jack Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book and kbb.com. “The level of the least expensive cars in the American market these days would have been at least mid-level 10 or 15 years ago. They’re really quite good in all kinds of aspects, from driving dynamics to just the interior treatments that you get. They’re pretty doggone well-equipped, even at the bottom of the price range.”
That’s a reflection of the competition in the automobile market, which is forcing manufacturers to add more, even to base models for those priced at less than $15,000, he says. Compact sizes are drawing buyers to vehicles such as the “smart fortwo,” an 8.8-foot long, 5.1-foot tall and 5.1-foot wide car manufactured by Daimler AG that went on sale in the U.S. in January 2008.
To compare insurance policies and quotes for your frugal vehicle, visit Insureme.com, a Bankrate company.
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