These are the 10 most affordable new cars in Australia going into 2026

New car buyers have more choice in the market than ever before, and with plenty of new brands trying to make their mark, there’s some heavy competition at the pointy end of the price spectrum.

Gone are the days of spartan interiors and limited support; today’s budget buyer is supported by plenty of mandatory safety technology, standard equipment and long warranty offerings.

In even more surprising news, you now have the option of a fully-electric hatchback in the BYD Atto 1, plus hybrids from MG, Suzuki, GWM and Chery thrown into the mix.

Here are the top-10 most affordable new cars in Australia, noted with their starting list price and model range price span. Note that we have ordered them by price order, irrespective of whether the price is listed before on-roads or as bundled drive-away pricing.

The GWM Haval Jolion Premium is available from $26,990 drive away. This variant is powered by a 105kW / 210Nm 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine and comes with a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.

The GWM Haval Jolion range offers a hybrid model from $32,990 drive away and tops out at $38,990 (drive away) for the Haval Jolion Ultra Hybrid.

Priced from $25,990 drive away, the compact MG ZS Vibe is a compact SUV with an 81kW / 140Nm 1.5-litre petrol engine. It is supported by a seven-year unlimited-kilometre warranty that can be extended to ten years if you service the car with MG.

There is a hybrid version of the MG ZS priced from $32,990 drive away (Excite), with the range-topping Essence Hybrid priced from $34,990 drive away.

A brand new player in the market, the GAC Emzoom Luxury is priced from $25,590 before options and on-road costs. There is only one variant in the range so far, powered by a 125kW / 250Nm turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol engine and supported by a seven-year unlimited-kilometre warranty.

You can get your hands on a manual Suzuki Swift from just $24,990 before options and on-road costs. The new Swift has a 61kW / 112Nm 1.2-litre petrol engine supported by a 3Ah battery, that gives the car better efficiency in stop/start traffic.

All Suzuki Swift models feature a five-year unlimited-kilometre warranty, with the range topping out at the GLX Automatic for $29,490 before on-roads.

The most surprising addition to this list, and with an even more surprising placement as the sixth-most affordable car in Australia, is the fully-electric BYD Atto 1 hatchback.

Priced from just $23,990 (before on-road costs) when equipped with a 30kWh battery and 65kW electric motor (220km range), or $27,990 with a larger 43.2kWh battery and 115kW motor (310km range), the Atto 1 brings electric affordability to everyone.

The Atto 1 has a six-year, 150,000km warranty

The compact Mahindra 3XO SUV is priced from $23,990 drive away and is available in two trim grades: AX5L and AX7L for a $3000 premium ($26,990 drive away).

Powered by an 82kW / 200Nm 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine, the 3XO is supported by a seven-year, 150,000km warranty.

In equal placing with the Mahindra, the Chery Tiggo 4 Urban is also priced from $23,990 drive away. The petrol models are powered by a 108kW / 210Nm 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine, but the new Tiggo 4 Hybrid (priced from $29,990 drive away) offers a 150kW hybrid driveline.

All Tiggo 4 models are supported by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.

The Hyundai Venue SUV is priced from $23,000 before on-road costs with a manual transmission and 90kW / 151Nm 1.6-litre petrol engine. The range climbs to the Venue Elite with automatic transmission for $29,750 (before on-roads), and all models are supported by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.

The MG3 Vibe hatch is priced from $21,990 drive away, which arguably gives it the number one spot on our list, as the Kia below is priced before on-road costs. The new MG3 lineup offers a hybrid model priced from $27,990 and tops out with the MG3 Essence Hybrid at $29,990 before on-roads.

The petrol-powered MG3 has an 81kW / 142Nm 1.5-litre petrol engine, and all models are supported by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty that can be extended to ten years if the car is serviced to schedule with your local MG dealer.

The most affordable car in Australia, by its list price, is the cheeky little Kia Picanto hatch, which can be had with a manual transmission for just $19,190 before on-road costs. The little Picanto is powered by a 62kW / 122Nm 1.2-litre petrol engine, and is supported by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.

Wildly, the range-topping Kia Picanto GT-Line Automatic tops out at $22,590 before on-roads, making the entire Kia Picanto range more affordable than the Hyundai Venue, the third-most affordable car in the country.

With over 20 years of experience in digital publishing, James Ward has worked within the automotive landscape since 2007 and brings experience from the publishing, manufacturer and lifestyle side of the industry together to spearhead Drive's multi-media content direction.

Read more about James Ward