10 low cost vehicles to purchase now, in response to Shopper Stories

Tariffs have been one in every of President Donald Trump’s greatest marketing campaign guarantees, they usually have change into a actuality, albeit with just a few caveats.

Among the many 50+ government orders Trump signed inside his first three weeks in workplace was one implementing a further 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico (with a decrease 10% cost on Canadian power assets) and a ten% cost on imports from China. A press release from The White Home defined that these tariffs are “a strong confirmed supply of leverage for safeguarding the nationwide curiosity,” aimed toward addressing “the extraordinary menace of unlawful aliens and medicines.”

In the future earlier than the tariffs have been to take impact, nevertheless, Trump halted the costs in opposition to Mexico and Canada for one month. This was on account of a “pleasant dialog” he had with Claudia Sheinbaum, the president of Mexico, and a “good name” with Justin Trudeau, the prime minister of Canada, who promised to step up their efforts at patrolling their borders.

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How will tariffs have an effect on automobile patrons?

Time will inform what occurs subsequent on this unfolding world drama, however the outlook appears grim for U.S. automobile patrons, as customers ought to typically anticipate finding larger costs at automobile dealerships in addition to on the pump.

Automakers like Common Motors, Stellantis, Toyota, and Honda make about 40% of their North American vehicles and vehicles in Canada and Mexico, and 60% of the oil the US imports comes from Canada, in response to information from The New York Occasions.

Associated: The ten most dependable vehicles in response to Shopper Stories

Here is an inventory of among the automakers and their automobile fashions manufactured in Mexico and/or Canada:

Automakers & automobile fashions impacted by Canada/Mexico tariffs

Detroit Free Press and The New York Occasions
Automaker	Fashions	Plant places
Audi	Q5	San Jose Chiapa, Mexico
BMW	3 Collection, 2 Collection Coupe, M2, Neue Klasse	San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Ford	F-Collection, Maverick pickup, Bronco Sport, Mustang Mach-E	Chihuahua, Cautitlan, and Hermosillo Mexico, and Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Common Motors	Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Silverado, Chevrolet Blazer, GMC Sierra	Silao, Mexico
Mazda	Mazda3	Salamanca, Mexico
Nissan	Sentra, Versa, Kicks	Cuernavaca and Aguascalientes, Mexico
Stellantis	Ram, Jeep Compass	Saltillo and Toluca, Mexico and Windsor and Brampton, Ontario, Canada
Toyota	RAV4, Tacoma	Tijuana and Guanajuato, Mexico and Woodstock and Cambridge, Ontario, Canada
Honda	Civic, CR-V	Alliston, Ontario, Canada
Volkswagen	Jetta, Tiguan, Taos	Puebla, Mexico and St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada

EVs are additionally weak. On his first day in workplace, Trump revoked President Biden’s mandate, which known as for 50% of latest autos within the U.S. to be battery-powered by 2030. He has additionally criticized incentives aimed toward encouraging EV purchases, though it is going to take an act of Congress to take away the $7,500 clear automobile tax credit score that started in 2023.

If all this information makes yesterday appear to be the proper time to scoop up a brand new automobile, truck, or SUV, you’re in all probability proper. In line with The Detroit Free Press, new autos are estimated to extend between $1,000 to $9,000—and even larger when the tariffs take impact. And if the tariffs stay in place, they might trigger as many as 165,000 autoworkers to lose their jobs.

However proper now, the Mexico/Canada tariffs stay on pause.

Shopper Report’s listing of low cost vehicles to purchase now

Fortunately, Shopper Stories, a shopper watchdog and automotive authority since 1936, already crunched the numbers for its thousands and thousands of readers. In January 2025, it printed its listing of 10 low cost vehicles to purchase now.

Associated: The ten most fuel-efficient vehicles in response to Shopper Stories

By means of highway assessments at its 327-acre auto testing middle in Colchester, Connecticut, and intensive surveys of its members, CR authorities ranked these fashions as each secure and dependable when it comes to efficiency and proprietor satisfaction. Every mannequin additionally carries the designation of being “CR Really useful,” which implies they ranked on the high of their respective classes in highway and crash check scores and had above-average reliability rankings.

Better of all, they’re steals at present costs—and, let’s be actual, when will you ever have the ability to say that once more?

One other large plus: CR reached its pricing conclusions by sorting by way of thousands and thousands of knowledge factors containing precise transaction costs—not sticker costs.

Extra on automotive:

Simply notice that at the very least two of the fashions, the Mazda3 and Nissan Sentra, are anticipated to be affected by the upcoming tariffs since they’re in-built crops in Salamanca and Aguascalientes, Mexico, respectively. So, if in case you have these vehicles in thoughts, it is perhaps sensible to place your foot on the gasoline pedal.

Or should you don’t have already got a automobile, hop in an Uber to get to your nearest dealership.