There are automobile manufacturers out there developing the newest aerodynamic and advanced powertrain technology to push the borderlines of their industry in transport comfort and sports performance, and no one expects their top models with groundbreaking figures and technologies to be priced even close to a starter car or an everyday-use car.
But some companies are famous for their reasonably-priced models that can get people from a place to another with no hassle, just like it’s been labeled perfectly in German, “The Folk’s Car,” or in its original language, Volkswagen. Nobody would expect to buy an ordinary car for more than $30,000, just like no one would hesitate to buy a top-shelf model for less than that figure.
Here, we have listed 16 models from these affordable brands that exceed our expectations of their pricing, and we thought they would be interesting to mention.
16. 2020 Kia Stinger GT2 ($50,500)
via Motor1.com
Kia is the South Korean equivalent of the folk’s car since it has been known mostly for developing and manufacturing affordable sedans and crossovers. In 2017, Kia started producing the Stinger model, and in 2018, the Australian police department picked it as its new vehicle. This Stinger GT2 is the most expensive among the Kia Stinger variants.
15. 2020 Volkswagen Phideon ($51,000)
via The Verge
The Phideon is the successor of the VW Phaeton, revealed at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show. Both models are products of the German facility aimed at the Chinese market. This “Premium Class” vehicle, as VW likes to call it, comes with either a 2.0 L l4 or a 3.0 L V6, and its base price starts at 349.000 yuan, which is equal to 51,000 USD.
14. 2009 Honda S2000 Ultimate Edition ($52,000)
via Top Speed
The S2000 Ultimate Edition for the European market, and the GT Edition for the UK market, were modified versions of the S2000 that was being produced in limited numbers to pay tribute to the end of the Honda S2000 production line. This car was a successful model in its time, and the price tag for its final version remains high in 2020.
13. 2020 Kia K900 ($60,000)
via Thenextcars.com
Another pricey Kia is the K9, also known as K900 in the US and Canada. This full-size luxury sedan is priced at around $60,000 for a brand new unit and comes in 3 different engines and 8-speed automatic transmission. This model is also somewhat related to the Genesis G80 and G90 models.
12. 2020 Nissan Armada Platinum ($63,500)
via Nissan News USA
Nissan is one of those Asian companies that most people know for their durable starter cars. The Armada is a full-size SUV and is on the production line from 2003 till now. With the Platinum trim as its most expensive in the 2020 model year, this massive SUV comes in either RWD or 4WD,
11. 2020 Subaru WRX STI S209 ($64,000)
via The Drive
Subaru is long known for making top-shelf WRX, that everyone has seen it in the Fast and Furious movie series. They’re good at racing performance and traveling comfort, they also have excellent fuel economy, which makes them a city-friendly car. The WRX STI S209 is currently the most expensive car in Subaru's line-up.
10. 2001 Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R V-Spec II ($65,000)
via Torque GT
Going back in time and digging up advanced models, we encountered the Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R V-Spec II that was somehow loyal in its looks to the original Skyline GT-R from the early '70s. One reason for such a price tag for this car in 2020 might be the limited number of 1876 units that this car was ever made.
9. 1998 Toyota Supra Twin Turbo ($80,000)
via FastestLaps.com
This is another instance of advancements in sports car development. When Toyota decided to make this grand tourer in the 90s, the plan was to make it faster and lighter as it gets updated every year. So they concluded all the advancements of the Supra in its Twin Turbo version.
8. 2014 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X FQ-440 ($83,000)
via YouTube
The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution was one of those models that were discontinued in 2016. but you can find a Evolution X FQ-440 in good shape for around $83,000, and this is what you pay for: the 2.0 L turbocharged engine putting out 440 bhp with 412 lb.ft of torque, which makes this car to get from 0-60 in only 3.8 seconds.
7. 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk ($87,000)
via YouTube
The fourth generation of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, code-named WK2, was launched in 2010 and is still being manufactured in Detroit with dozens of different features. This car is meant to be the flag holder of the Grand Cherokee model for Jeep and has a price tag of around $87,000.
6. 2020 Toyota Land Cruiser ($87,000)
via The Drive
Toyota is one of the top affordable brands, and the Land Cruiser is so popular in Asia and the Middle East. But besides these statements, there are tons of good things about this car, and you might find the price to be reasonable after reviewing the list of its features. This model is essentially offered as a luxury SUV in the US.
5. 2002 Honda NSX-R ($130,000)
via Wheelsage
NSX stands for “New Sportscar eXperimental” which was the name Honda gave to the model that was produced during 1990-2005. The 2002 model, however, was the last model that went through major changes and facelifts, so it’s fair to consider it the most advanced first-gen NSX ever made. But expect for collectors, there seems to be no one in their right mind to pay $130,000 for this.
4. 2017 Dodge Viper ACR ($130,000)
via Motor1.com
There was a brief 3-year pause during 2010-2013 when Chrysler didn’t make any new Vipers, and it looks like the Viper manufacturers are on another hiatus because the 2017 model was the last year of its production till today. During these days, the last successor of the Viper family stays on top of the price range, with the ACR version coasting around $130K.
3. 2020 Toyota Century ($178,000)
via MotorTrend
The full-size luxury Toyota Century is often labeled as an ultra-luxury car when being classified into different car categories. It is considered as a domestic Rolls-Royce in its birthplace, Japan. The 2020 Century, however, doesn’t show amusing performance records. It also hasn’t gone through a face job since it looks exactly like the first of its generation, the 2018 model year does.
2. 2020 Nissan GT-R Nismo ($211,000)
via MotorTrend
Nissan did a ton of renovations on the GT-R model from the 600 hp V6 engine and to new brakes and suspension. These advancements are labeled Nismo in the Nissan factory to differentiate the markets of its products. But these statements seem a bit excessive for the 100,000 USD bump in the bluebook value of the Nismo model since the non-Nismo GT-R priced around $113,000.
1. 2020 Ford GT ($500,000)
via Pinterest
Looking at Ford's website and finding out that there are multiple advanced technologies used in this model, we gathered our thoughts and said, maybe it’s not so ridiculous for this model to be priced at half a million USD. It might be impractical for everyday use, but 660 American horsepowers are laying inside the nifty 3.5 L twin-turbocharged V6, waiting to unleash and rip the asphalt.
