Updated December 7, 2012

2013 Top 15 Best New Cars Under $20,000, Over 30 MPG

If you’re like a lot of Americans in need of a new car or a new-to-you used car, the quest for something affordable, fuel efficient, and larger than a Matchbox can be daunting. Times are tough, so controlling expenses as much as possible is a definite priority—which is why we’ve happily determined the top 10 best new cars for 2012 under $20,000, with over 30 mpg.

But what about a used car, you ask? It’s true that buying a used car means not having to take the new-car depreciation hit, but it’s hard to find a good low-mileage used car deal these days. Because of the current used-car market shortage, many late model used cars with low mileage actually cost nearly as much as a brand new car. Anything too old usually means unknown breakdowns and unexpected repair bills.

Add unpredictable gas prices into the equation and an affordable, fuel-efficient new car with a warranty and a set monthly payment seems the logical way to go. But what 2012 new cars offer the most amenities and miles per gallon at an affordable price?

The list is long, so we reviewed them all and selected the 10 that offer the most proverbial bang for your buck—those new cars with the best safety and convenience features, modern but not polarizing styling, a cool interior, that all-important fun-to-drive factor, an EPA-rated 30 mpg (city/highway combined), and a starting price under $20,000.More...

It doesn’t matter if you prefer trucks over cars, or compacts over classics; if you’re an enthusiast, you love them all. The shinier, lower, higher, louder, smoother, faster—the hotter. But there’s hot—and then there’s hottest—and those vehicles are what industry insiders agree represent what SEMA itself is all about—automotive aftermarket accessorizing and modifications.

Can you imagine the absolutely awful job of being a SEMA judge? Talk about stress. It’s probably easier to pick the least hot cars than the hottest. So, you gotta hand it to these “experts” who, for the second year now, somehow managed to narrow down the more than 1,000 modified cars, trucks, and SUVs into a super hot list of only four—the Hottest Car, the Hottest Sport-Compact, the Hottest 4x4 SUV, and the Hottest Truck. The 2012 Chevrolet Camaro, 2012 FIAT 500, 2012 Jeep Wrangler, and 2012 Ford F-Series were named the the hottest vehicle winners of SEMA 2011.

Four on the Floor

Hottest Car: Chevrolet Camaro The only car to receive this award and to receive it twice, the current-generation Camaro is considered the most “accessory-friendly” vehicle. Not that Chevy did a bad job with the stock, production version of this car, but the aftermarket has taken it to extremes, with a huge number of parts and accessories for Camaro personalization and performance upgrades. In fact, GM has done several modifications to a few of its own Camaros. Check out Corvette and Camaro Concept Cars at SEMA.

Hottest Sport-Compact: FIAT 500 The little FIAT 500 hatchback packs some big accolades. Besides being awarded Hottest Sport-Compact at SEMA, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) also awarded the 500 “Top Safety Pick” honors for 2012—impressive for a vehicle of its tiny stature. Besides the Pink Ribbon Edition, proceeds from which benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, and FIAT 500 by Gucci Limited-Edition models, Mopar (Chrysler’s parts and performance division) offers over 150 accessories for the diminutive Italian-designed 500.

Hottest 4x4 SUV: Jeep Wrangler Jeeps have always been fan favorites for modifying, but sales are expected to boom for the 2012 Jeep Wrangler, thanks to it getting Chrysler’s new Pentastar V6 engine—and a 40-percent stock horsepower increase as a result. This is all the more reason for off-road lovers to gravitate toward the new Wrangler, what Mike Manley, President and CEO - Jeep Brand, Chrysler Group LLC calls “the most customized SUV in the marketplace.”  

Hottest Truck: Ford F-Series Four Ford F-Series tricked-out trucks made this an obvious pick for Hottest Truck platform, perfect for accessorizing. Superlift Suspensions and Matchbox hooked up to build out a bright orange “brush truck” with a 10-inch lift system on 41-inch Interco IROK tires. This is getting to be a pattern for Ford pickups: Check out last SEMA’s Ford Super Duty Pit Boss.

If you’re new to the world of SEMA, it’s an annual trade-only auto show highlighting aftermarket parts and innovations, which takes place every fall in Las Vegas. “As the visionaries and innovators of the industry, our SEMA Show exhibitors determine the winners of the SEMA Award based on the vehicles they showcase in their booths,” said Chris Kersting, president and CEO of SEMA. “With each booth vehicle representing one vote, the most prominent models in each category are the winners. The SEMA Award celebrates these outstanding vehicles that emerge each year at the show.”

Last year, a very motivated and reinvigorated Chrysler Corp. took a long, hard look at all its brands’ models and set forth to make sweeping improvements company-wide for the 2011 model year. autoMedia recently tested and reviewed five Dodge vehicles—Durango, Avenger, Charger, Grand Caravan, and Journey—for a full 60 days each.

Thanks to an all-new 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine available in each model (as well as other Chrysler and Jeep vehicles), it’s obvious the folks at Chrysler nailed their goal.

Not to be overshadowed by the impressively overhauled new Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango SUVs, the 2011 Dodge Journey midsize crossover received significant exterior, interior, and under-the-hood improvements as well.

Check out the video below of the long-term results of our extended two-month test drive and let us know what you think of the 2011 Dodge Journey in the Comments section below.

If you’re in the market for a midsize sedan and you’re all about buying American, it doesn’t get any better than the 2011 Dodge Avenger.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the new Dodge Avenger leads the list of passenger cars made with the most North American (U.S. and Canadian) content—83 percent. Available five ways—Express, Mainstreet, Heat, Lux, and R/T—autoMedia recently tested the 2011 Dodge Avenger with the Heat package.

Every Avenger was updated for 2011 with an all-new interior, which includes much-improved craftsmanship and technology features. The Avenger Heat gets a standard Media Center with CD/DVD/MP3/HDD radio and a 6.5-inch touchscreen, a 30-gig hard drive to hold up to 6,700 songs, and six speakers. Standard power comes from an all-new 3.6-liter, 283-hp V-6 engine rated at 29 mpg highway. Finishing touches include 18-inch wheels, dual chrome exhaust tips, fog lamps, and decklid spoilder.

Pricing for the front-wheel-drive Avenger Heat starts at $23,840. Check out the video below of the long-term results of our two-month test drive and let us know what you think of the new Avenger in the Comments section below.

autoMedia tested the 2011 Dodge Charger with the Rallye Plus V6 package over the course of two months and a lot of curvy roads. While the name Dodge Charger might be an oxymoron in itself, there’s no mistaking how far the new Charger has advanced. As you can see, it’s big on style and space, but it also delivers aggressive power—combined with impressive efficiency—for a nice mix of performance and economy. You might get better gas mileage from a run-of-the-mill midsize, but you won't get the fun-to-drive factor and the iconic Charger muscle from just any full-size four-door.

The big news for the 2011 Charger is its all-new 3.6-liter V6 engine, with 292 horsepower—up 63 percent over the previous-model's 2.7L V6. Torque is also up to 260 lb.-ft., a 36-percent increase. However, fuel economy is the same from last year's smaller V6 to this year's new Pentastar V6—21 mpg city/highway combined. More smart engineering is apparent in the Dodge Charger's ride and handling.

Chrysler claims the 2011 Charger's chassis was designed, engineered and tuned to rival the road manners of the best E-segment sedans from BMW, Lexus, and Mercedes-Benz—and we can't argue with that. The Charger's handling proved both comfortable and enjoyable, especially for a car of this size. You can build your own 2011 Dodge Charger eight ways. R/T and Mopar 11 models are powered by a 5.7-liter, 390-horsepower HEMI V8. Check out the video below for our final take on the 2011 Dodge Charger Rallye Plus sedan and let us know what you think.

After two months of thoroughly test-driving the new 2011 Dodge Durango SUV, the results are in. Don’t let the familiar name fool you—this new Durango is miles ahead of the previous-generation Durango.

Sharing the same platform as the new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, while adding more length and a third row of seats, the new Durango was easy to fall in love with and hard to let go.

In our preview video test drive, we introduced the new Durango’s updates, from its vastly improved styling, redesigned interior, and new fuel-efficient, standard Pentastar V6 engine. But how well does it all come together, and what was it like to drive and live with the new Durango for two months?

To find out, check out the wrap-up video then let us know what you think of the 2011 Dodge Durango Crew in the comments section below.