Fifty years ago, Australia’s most affordable car, the Mini Moke, could be yours for just $2384. Sure, it didn’t have doors, and the part-time roof was a thin bit of canvas, but for under three-thousand bucks, you could find yourself with a brand new car in your driveway.
It seems almost unthinkable that as recently as 2001, new car buyers could nab a brand new car – the Daihatsu Handi – for under $10,000. That would have been it for sub-$10k cars, when in 2013, fledgling Chinese brand Chery asked just $9990 for its Chery J1 hatchback.
Since then, just two models – Mitsubishi’s Mirage and Kia’s Picanto – have held the honour of Australia’s most affordable new car, a title currently held by the Picanto which remains, in 2025, the only new car in Australia priced at less than $20,000. And unlike its Moke forebear of 50 years ago, it has doors.
Here are the most affordable cars of the past 50 years ...
Tom started out in the automotive industry by exploiting his photographic skills but quickly learned journalists got the better end of the deal. With tenures at CarAdvice, Wheels Media, and now Drive, Tom's breadth of experience and industry knowledge informs a strong opinion on all things automotive. At Drive, Tom covers automotive news, car reviews, advice, and holds a special interest in long-form feature stories.
