Starter value

Shopping for car bargains can be a satisfying experience and gentle on the pocketbook. But don’t be too stingy, especially in the new car hunt.

Setting the bar too low, such as only looking at vehicles priced below $10,000, can vastly reduce the choices.

A 2010 Nissan Versa sedan starts at $9,990, the only new vehicle with a price in four figures, based on the widely cited Edmunds.com auto information Web site.

Further, don’t expect any extras for that price. And it might help to bone up on shifting.

The Versa value version includes a manual transmission and four-cylinder 1.6-liter engine generating 107 horsepower. As a plus, it gets a combined 29 mpg in city and highway driving. But look to pay another $1,000 or two to add automatic transmission or choose a larger power plant.

While the less-than-five-figure new car may be in limited supply, there are attractive deals out there for savvy customers. And the deals are not only for people desiring the best-priced compact sedans, coupes and trucks but also those seeking value among sport utility, convertible and luxury brands as well.

At least nine 2010 models, including a hatchback and two wagons, can be purchased for less than $14,000. Another edition, the 2011 Ford Fiesta, will be available within a year for as little as $13,320.

All of the economical cars, which are from American, Korean and Japanese automakers, can be purchased at Charleston area dealerships. So can the lowest-priced vehicles by category, as computed by Edmunds.com, which include cars manufactured by German and Swedish carmakers along with American, Japanese and Korean companies.

They include a pickup truck, the Toyota Tacoma, starting just north of $15,000; the Kia Sportage sport utility weighing in at less than $17,000 and a diesel Volkswagen Golf priced below $23,000.

There’s even a roadster, the smart fortwo, which can go topless for a bit more than $16,000; a high-performance 200-hp SE-R Spec V Nissan Sentra available for $20,080 and a luxury Volvo C30 costing $900 shy of $25,000.

Here’s a closer look at the most affordable new models, including type and base price:

1. Nissan Versa sedan — $9,990

2. Kia Rio sedan — $11,695

3. Chevrolet Aveo sedan — $11,965

4. Toyota Yaris hatchback — $12,605

5. Kia Soul wagon — $13,300

6. Suzuki SX4 sedan — $13,359

7. Hyundai Accent sedan — $13,645

8. Kia Forte sedan — $13,695

9. Nissan Cube wagon — $13,990

10. Hyundai Elantra — $14,145

Meanwhile, the lowest-priced vehicles by various categories include:

Sedan: Nissan Versa — $9,990

Wagon: Kia Soul — $13,300.

Coupe: Chevrolet Cobalt — $14,990

Truck: Toyota Tacoma — $15,345

Crossover: Suzuki SX4 — $16,849

Convertible: smart fortwo — $16,990

Sport utility: Kia Sportage — $16,995

Minivan/van: Mazda5 — $17,995

Hybrid: Honda Insight — $19,800

Performance: Nissan Sentra — $20,080

Diesel: Volkswagen Golf — $22,155

Luxury: Volvo C30 — $24,100

Source: Edmunds.com

Reach Jim Parker at 937-5542 or jparker@postandcourier.com