2014 Mitsubishi Mirage named 'Most Affordable Vehicle' by Cars.com

(July 21, 2014) CHICAGO — Cars.com has named the 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage the most affordable vehicle car shoppers can buy. Cars.com editors considered cars of all types and sizes. Minimum requirements included power windows and door locks as well as Bluetooth capability and USB port(s).

In addition to the cost of each car plus destination fee, editors calculated five-year gas cost for each contender to help shoppers understand the true cost of each vehicle beyond sticker price.

"Shoppers face legitimate sticker shock when shopping for a new car," said Joe Wiesenfelder, Cars.com's Executive Editor. "While advertisements often lead shoppers to believe that cars are quite affordable, the reality is that the price of entry for even a modestly equipped new car is well above what many shoppers expect. That's why we've devised a list of not just the most affordable cars for sale, but which cars are the most affordable to buy and own."

The top 10 most affordable cars to buy and own, according to Cars.com editors are:

"When we considered the most affordable cars, it was important that we looked only at models equipped with basic but important options like an automatic transmission and power windows and locks," said Wiesenfelder.

"More often than not, entry-level cars with the lowest sticker prices are equipped only with a manual transmission and little to no additional features. We wanted to help consumers who want an incredibly affordable car to find one that also includes the niceties that almost every shopper has come to expect."