Ten Least Expensive 2007 Cars

Call it new wheels for $15,000 or less.

Of the 10 least expensive models released, 9 can be had for less than $15,000, according to sales figures from J.D. Power and Associates. Vehicles on the list are also among the smallest on the road -- most are compacts or subcompacts.

Here are the 10 least expensive models of 2007, along with the average purchase price for each -- what the customer pays walking out the door, rather than the price on the window.

10 least expensive 2007 cars

1. Chevrolet Aveo

Price: $12,753
Style: Hatchback or sedan
Mileage: 23 city/33 highway
Engine: 4 cylinder/1.6 liter/103 hp
Warranty: 3 year/36,000 basic -- 5 year/100,000 miles drive train
Standard Equipment: Air conditioning, dual-stage driver and front passenger airbags; seat-mounted side-impact airbags; tilt steering, tachometer, clock, intermittent wipers, tire pressure monitoring, and AM/FM stereo with MP3 jack.
Safety Data: "Acceptable" in front impacts, "marginal" in side impacts and "poor" in rear impacts.

2. Hyundai Accent
Price: $13,433
Style: 4-door sedan and 3-door hatchback
Mileage: 27 city/32 highway
Engine: 4 cylinder/1.6 liter/110 hp
Warranty: 5-year/60,000 basic -- 10-year/100,000-mile drive train
Standard Equipment: Dual front airbags; front-seat side-mounted airbags, and roof-mounted curtain airbags; front-wheel drive, tachometer, clock, variable wipers, rear door child safety locks, tilt steering; reclining rear seats, split folding rear seat, and rear defogger.
Safety Data: "Acceptable" in front impacts, "poor" in side impacts (with front and rear head curtain airbags and front seat-mounted torso airbags), and "poor" in rear impacts.

3. Suzuki Reno
Price: $13,781
Style: 4-door hatchback
Mileage: 20 city/28 highway
Engine: 4 cylinder/2 liter/127 hp
Warranty: 3-year/36,000 basic -- 7-year, 100,000 drive train
Standard Equipment: Air conditioning, dual-stage driver and passenger front airbags; front seat-mounted, side-impact airbags; three-point safety belts for five; rear child-safety locks; tire pressure monitoring system; tachometer; clock; adjustable steering column; keyless entry; power windows, door locks and mirrors, and an AM/FM/CD stereo with MP3 capabilities.
Safety Data: "Acceptable" in front impacts, and "poor" in rear impacts and was not tested for side impact collisions.

4. Kia Rio

Price: $13,895
Style: 4-door sedan and 5-door hatchback (Rio 5)
Mileage: 27 city/32 highway
Engine: 4-cylinder/1.6 liter/100 hp
Warranty: 5-year/60,000 basic -- 10-year, 100,000 drive train
Standard Equipment: Tachometer, variable intermittent wipers, front and rear head airbags.
Safety Data: "Acceptable" in front impacts, "poor" in side impacts (with front and rear head curtain airbags and front seat-mounted torso airbags), and "poor" in rear impacts.

5. Chevrolet Cobalt
Price: $14,155
Style: 2-door coupe or 4-door sedan
Mileage: 22 city/ 31 highway
Engine: 4-cylinder /2.2 liter/148 hp
Warranty: 3-year/36,000 basic -- 5-year/100,000 drive train
Standard Equipment: Air conditioning, dual stage driver and front passenger airbags; pass-key theft deterrent system; AM/FM/CD sound system, MP3 audio input, tilt steering column, variable wipers, electric rear-window defogger, tachometer, clock and external temperature display.
Safety Data: Ranked "good" in front impacts; "Acceptable" in side impacts (with optional front and rear head curtain airbags), or "poor" in side impacts (without side airbags); and "good" in rear impacts.


6. Toyota Yaris

Price: $14,193
Style: 3-door liftback and four-door sedan
Mileage: 29 city/36 highway
Engine: 4-cylinder /1.5 liter/106 hp
Warranty: 3-year, 36,000-mile warranty, and a 5-year, 60,000-mile drive train
Standard Equipment: Air conditioning, power stering, clock, Dual stage driver and front passenger airbags; three-point seatbelts; side impact door beams; variable wipers, tilt steering; rear door child safety locks, reclining rear seats, and tinted glass.
Safety Data: "Good" for front impact; "good" for side impact (with optional side airbags), or "poor" for side impact (without optional side airbags); and "marginal" for rear impact.

7. Ford Focus

Price: $14,574
Style: 3-door hatchback, 4-door sedan and 5-door hatchback
Mileage: 20 city/29 highway
Engine: 4-cylinder/ 2.3 liter/151 hp
Warranty:
Standard Equipment: Dual-stage driver and front passenger airbags; 60/40 split folding rear seat; five-speaker AM/FM stereo with MP3 jack; power windows, mirrors, and locks; variable wipers; speed control; tilt steering wheel and clock.
Safety Data: "Good" in front impacts, "poor" in side impacts (without optional side airbags), and "acceptable" in rear impacts.

8. Suzuki Aerio

Price: $14,635
Style: four-door sedan
Mileage: 22 city/ 28 highway
Engine: 4-cylinder/2.3 liter/155 hp
Warranty: seven year, 100,000 mile, drive train warrantee
Standard Equipment: Air conditioning; ABS brakes; dual-stage driver and passenger front airbags, front seat-mounted, side-impact airbags; three-point safety belts for five; rear child-safety locks; tachometer, clock, cruise control, remote keyless entry; power windows, door locks and mirrors, tilt steering, variable wipers and six-speaker AM/FM/CD stereo with MP3 capabilities.
Safety Data: "Good" in front impacts, "poor" in side impacts (with front seat-mounted torso airbags), and "marginal" in rear impacts,
(Suzuki will cease production of the Aerio after the 2007 model year in favor of the SX4 sedan.)

9. Mazda B-Series

Price: $14,680
Style: small truck
Mileage: 24 city/ 29 highway
Engine: 4-cylinder/2.3 liter/143 hp
Warranty: 3-year/36000 basic -- 5-year/60,000 drive train
Standard Equipment: Trailer wiring, tachometer, clock, power steering, tire pressure monitoring, variable wipers, side-impact door beam, 40-60 split bench front seat, AM/FM stereo.
Safety Data: "Acceptable" in front impacts, was not tested in side impacts, and "poor" in rear impacts.

10. Suzuki Forenza

Price: $15,135
Style: 4-door sedan or wagon
Mileage: 23 city/ 30 highway
Engine: 4 cylinder/2-liter/127 hp
Warranty: 3-year/36,000 basic -- 7-year, 100,000 drive train
Standard Equipment: Dual-stage driver and passenger front airbags, front seat-mounted, side-impact airbags; three-point safety belts for five; rear child-safety locks; a tire pressure monitoring system; adjustable steering column, keyless entry and power windows, door locks and mirrors; AM/FM/CD stereo with MP3 capabilities; and a fold-down rear seat (wagon) or fold-down partial rear seat (sedan).
Safety Data: "Acceptable" in front impacts, "poor" in side impacts (with front seat-mounted head/torso airbags), and "poor" in rear impacts.

Mileage estimates provided by the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Safety data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)
The prices might be higher than you think after "the customer ends up with the vehicle equipped the way they like and finishes negotiating with the dealer," says Tom Libby, a senior director of industry analysis for J.D. Power. "These are the prices the customer actually pays."

Even with upgrades these models cost $13,000 to $15,000. But even among the most affordable cars and trucks "standard equipment" varies widely. It pays to read the fine print to discover whether the base model includes your favorite convenience features, extra niceties or even air conditioning. And while many of these models can be equipped with safety features like anti-lock brakes and several types of airbags, you may have to pay extra. This also goes for features like automatic transmission.