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- 2008 Mazda5 5MT Sport w/ Popular Package
Just because you might not be able to afford more than the very least in a car doesn't mean you have to sing the base-model blues. Automakers are adding more features to their lowliest trim levels to entice shoppers even if some are stuck in the stone ages before the USB port became a necessity.
Here are 10 models that we consider to be solid picks, even in their base-model version.
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2013 Mazda Mazda5 Sport
Base price: $20,735
Standout Standard Features: auto-off headlights, body-color door handles, cruise control, tilt-telescoping steering wheel, six-speaker stereo with USB, satellite radio
Like the Impreza, the Mazda5 lands on the list more for what it is than what it has. It is the most affordable six-seat vehicle on the market. Dodge's Journey comes close but a third row of seats is an option. For a base Journey with seven seats, you'd be paying a base price of $21,240, and spending more in gas. The Mazda5 with either manual or automatic transmission is rated at 24 mpg combined, the Journey, 21 mpg. The Mazda5 isn't without other winning attributes, including a six-speaker stereo, cruise control and automatic headlights.
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[Cars.com KickingTires]
