Cars You Can Actually Afford That Still Have Tech & Safety Features
Most of our readers, a knowledgeable bunch if there ever was one, are wise to the fact that new cars on the affordable end of the scale are often equipped with tech and safety gear which was once the domain of megabucks vehicles like the Mercedes S-Class and BMW 7-series.
Actually, speaking of the dreadnought Merc, it was often said that if a person wanted to know the features which might be on a workaday hatchback 20 years hence, all they need do is examine a new S-Class. That saw was accurate in the ‘90s and 2000s while still having a skiff of truth today.
[Images: Hyundai, Kia]
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Hyundai Venue
Economies of scale, the best friend of bed-wetting accountants across this nation, are partly responsible for this phenomenon. It often makes more financial sense for a company to design and manufacture a single style of door panel instead of plowing money into building one with provisions for manual crank windows and another for power-operated options. This is why roll-em-yerself windows have largely vanished from the vehicular landscape around here, along with fitting formerly optional features such as air conditioning and the like as standard equipment - even in affordable base models.
Hyundai Venue
The same applies to certain safety features. Stuff that used to be space grade (stability control, traction control, lane keeping) now show up in all manner of cars. The diminutive Hyundai Venue, which has an MSRP of just $20,200 in SE trim for the 2025 model year, has vehicle stability management, forward-collision avoidance assist, lane keeping assist, pedestrian detection, and a yaffle more safety features as standard equipment. Some of these things are federally mandated, a decision which arguably killed off cars like the Crown Vic and conspire to shuffle some subcompacts to an early grave, but the amount of content is towering compared to base econoboxes of yore.
Hyundai Venue
Same goes for usable technology. In its cabin, that Hyundai mentioned above features the likes of a decently large infotainment touchscreen, swarms of USB ports, six-speaker sound, plus air conditioning and a steering wheel which adjust for both reach and rake. Cruise control, power accessories, and remote keyless entry are all expected and present.
Kia K4
It’s a similar story at corporate cousin Kia, which has made the call to keep building affordable compact sedans when other brands are running away from the things as if their lives and balance sheets depended on it. An entry-level K4 in LX trim starts at $21,990 yet has heated side view mirrors, LED interior lights, and an auto-up driver’s window.
Kia K4
A 12.3-inch jumbotron of an infotainment screen is standard as are a quartet of USB-C ports (remember, economies of scale. On the safety and driver aid front, look for automatic emergency braking, smart cruise control with stop and go, plus lane keeping and following. Remarkable stuff.
