Autos

Best Cars for New College Grads

2015 Nissan Versa Note
Source: Nissan USA
A new college graduate who is lucky enough to have found a full-time job and is not about to drown under student loan repayments may be thinking about getting good, reliable transportation to make the commute to and from work and maybe have a little fun on weekends. And while there might by a very lucky handful out there who will get the keys to a Porsche 911, a far more modest vehicle is a likelier option for most others.

The editors at AutoTrader.com have put together a list of 10 new and late model certified pre-owned vehicles that may fit into a new grad’s budget. We have noted an MSRP as listed at Kelley Blue Book (from KBB.com) and given the KBB’s out-the-door price, which includes tax and license, in Chicago. Fuel economy ratings come from the U.S. Department of Energy (fueleconomy.gov).

Nissan Versa Note
At a base MSRP of just $15,005, the 2015 Versa Note S hatchback is the lowest-priced car in this list. According to KBB, the out-the-door price is $15,336, including tax and license in the city of Chicago. A down payment of $2,798 and a 60-month, 1.99% car loan yields a monthly payment on the car of $220. The base model Versa Note with a four-cylinder engine and a four-speed manual transmission gets a combined city-highway fuel economy rating of 30 mpg.

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Honda Fit
The 2015 Honda Fit LX hatchback from Honda Motor Co. Ltd. (NYSE: HMC) carries a base model MSRP of $16,470 and the KBB out-the-door price for the car is $17,333. With a down payment of $3,167 and a five-year loan at 1.99% interest, the monthly payment is $248. The Fit LX with a four-cylinder engine and six-speed manual transmission has a combined city-highway fuel economy rating of 32 mpg.

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