Here are 20 cars you can drive off the lot new for less than $20,000

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• Drivers shell out roughly $39,000 on average when buying a new car, but there are plenty of new cars out there that retail for less than half that price.
• Plenty of small sedans and hatchbacks start at less than $20,000, like the Honda Fit, Hyundai Veloster, Toyota Corolla, and Subaru Impreza.
• As far as crossovers and pickups go, the Ford EcoSport and Nissan Frontier are both sub-$20,000 picks.
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The average price of a new car sold in the US hit roughly $39,000 late last year, according to Kelley Blue Book, but you don't have to pay nearly that much for a brand-new ride.

If you have less than $20,000 to spend on a car, you'll likely get the best bang for your buck by picking up a low-mileage used car from a few years back. But, if you'll settle for nothing less than brand spanking new, there are still some options out there.

For that price, you can have your pick of lots of small hatchbacks and sedans from a variety of brands. But price often goes up with size, meaning the pickings are slimmer when it comes to SUVs and pickups.

Check out 20 cars that retail for less than $20,000 below: