Thanks to electrification, we live in an amazing time of cheap horsepower and quick performance. Decades ago, heck, even 10 to 15 years ago, cars were routinely underpowered merely because automakers were attempting to save a few dollars during the build process. 0-60 mph sprints could be measured in minutes, not seconds, and everyone was more used to taking their good old time getting from A to B.
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If these days bring a tear of nostalgia to your eye, then we have some great news for you. There are still plenty of painfully slow vehicles on sale today that are sure to get your blood boiling. Most of these cars are cheap, economical sedans or hatchbacks like the Mitsubishi Mirage. As is usually the case, they all share an affordable MSRP and great gas mileage. While there are plenty of faster options on sale today, sometimes, slow and steady really does win the race. And while it’s fun to see what the slowest cars actually are, it’s worth remembering that customers shopping in this segment couldn’t care less about acceleration times.
10 Kia Sportage
0-60 mph: 9.1 seconds
The Kia Sportage was redesigned for 2023 and is now one of the most attractive and tech-focused vehicles in its class. Two hybrid options are available, a 227 horsepower regular hybrid and a 261 hp plug-in hybrid (PHEV), but neither of those engines is why the Sportage makes this list. For the base trims, you receive a 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder with 187 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque. It does little to motivate the crossover from a stop, but at least the fuel economy is decent, with the FWD version getting 25/33/28 mpg city/highway/combined and the AWD version getting 23/26/25 mpg.
9 Nissan Sentra
0-60 mph: 9.2 seconds
The Sentra barely makes it onto the list, and we look at that as a win as it hasn’t been about sporty driving for nearly 20 years. The model packs a ton of value into its $20,890 starting price, offering a compelling option against competitors like the Honda Civic or Mazda 3, but what isn’t compelling is the vehicles’ lackluster motivation. Powered by a measly 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 149 hp and 146 lb-ft, it’s only ever really adequate, but that won’t raise any eyebrows in an FWD compact sedan such as this.
8 Hyundai Kona
0-60 mph: 9.2 seconds
Whether you like the redesign or not, no one can deny the Hyundai Kona isn’t a looker now, especially in the highlighter-esque Mirage Green exterior paint. While higher trims like the N-Line exude an angular sportiness and pack a turbocharged engine to back it up, the base trims make do with a paltry 2.0-liter four-cylinder that delivers a mere 147 hp and 132 lb-ft of torque through a CVT to either only the front wheels or to all of them. This would have been okay in the smaller, previous-generation Kona, but the added weight and size of this model really shows off how little you’re working with.
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7 Toyota Corolla Cross
0-60 mph: 9.2 seconds
We’re big fans of the Corolla Cross thanks to its low price point, great packaging, and available hybrid powertrains. Unfortunately, the hybrid options only start at $27,000, and if so, if you want to get the model for its absolute cheapest, you’ll have to settle for a 2.0-liter four-cylinder unit that makes 169 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque. This is paired with a CVT and either FWD or AWD and is adequate in most situations that don’t involve merging onto a highway. It’s also very fuel efficient, getting 31/33/32 MPG with FWD and 29/32/30 MPG with AWD.
6 Buick Envista
0-60 mph: 9.3 seconds
Buick exists in a very odd, in-between place in the automotive industry currently, with many of its models overlapping with Chevy’s own. While this is a difficult situation for an automaker, it’s great for the consumer, as it means you get more cheap options like the Envista available to you. The mechanical cousin to the Chevy Trax, this FWD-only vehicle offers upscale styling and a $22,900 starting price but only makes do with a 1.2-liter inline three-cylinder that makes 137 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque.
5 Honda HR-V
0-60 mph: 9.4 seconds
As you’re starting to see, this is a list dominated by subcompact crossovers. The HR-V joins the fray, having featured a significant update for 2023 that completely overhauled the vehicle inside and out. The larger platform and improved looks and technology immediately made the model a much better buy, but while we were all hoping performance would take a leap, it only crawled forward with the introduction of the 2.0-liter inline-4 that now makes 158 hp and 138 lb-ft of torque.
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4 Subaru Crosstrek
0-60 mph: 9.5 seconds
There isn’t a subcompact crossover on sale that has the support and adoration the Subaru Crosstrek receives. They excel at allowing you to effortlessly transition from a dirt road to city streets, all the while offering competitive space and standard AWD. While the most fun is to be had in the upper trims like the rugged Wilderness model, the lower trims are there to save you a few dollars and thus come with a minuscule 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that generates 152 hp and 145 lb-ft of torque.
3 Nissan Versa
0-60 mph: 9.5 seconds
With the Mitsubishi Mirage going the way of the dinosaurs, the Versa will take over the helm as the cheapest new vehicle you can buy new in America, and it honestly deserves some praise for that title. While many would look at a budget model like this and turn the other way, it’s genuinely impressive the number of features and comfort Nissan can cram into this car at the $16,000 starting price. Yes, the 1.6-liter four-cylinder only makes 122 hp and 114 lb-ft of torque, but given its FWD and this cheap, we doubt anyone will care.
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2 Nissan Kicks
0-60 mph: 9.7 seconds
This Nissan Kicks is somewhat unfairly included on this list because it’s getting a major redesign for the 2025 model year, but the 2024 model is still making do with the old design and powertrain, so here we are. While the update is a welcome one, the last-generation Kicks is still a very competent car for its $21,050 starting price, offering style and a good amount of technology but obviously lacking in power. it has to make do with the same 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 122 hp and 114 lb-ft of torque as the Versa, which isn’t helped at all by the increase in weight.
1 Mitsubishi Mirage
0-60 mph: 12.8 seconds
And finally, the number one slowest vehicle in America is the soon-to-be-dead Mitsubishi Mirage. It takes you an impressive 12.8 seconds to get from zero to 60 miles per hour in this sad excuse for a passenger vehicle, and it’s all thanks to the minuscule 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine that only produces 78 hp and 74 lb-ft of torque. It isn’t fast, it isn’t comfortable, it isn’t nice, and it’s pretty old. The Mirage won’t be missed.
