4 Safe, Low-Maintenance Vehicles for Retirees on a Budget

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Retirees looking for budget-friendly vehicles with good mileage should not only consider the purchase price but also the warranty package, the vehicle’s annual maintenance costs and which driver assistance safety features are included. 

The Nissan Versa S, Nissan Sentra S, Hyundai Elantra SE and Kia Soul LX are some of the most safe, low-maintenance front-wheel drive vehicles on the market for frugal retirees.

Available Features for Safety and Control While Driving

Here’s are some of the features available on these safe, low-maintenance vehicles that provide control and safety while driving, according to Consumer Reports.

• ABS and Driveline Traction Control improve tire grip and braking performance.
• Collision Mitigation-Front or Forward-Collision Warning and Rear-Collision Mitigation system or Rear AEB add an extra layer of safety through automatic braking and early hazard detection, therefore, reducing the risk of accidents. 
• Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC) Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) help adjust power and braking to prevent skidding, which aids in maintaining stability on slippery surfaces.

2024 Nissan Versa S Manual 

• Starting price of $17,820
• 122 maximum horsepower at 6000 RPM
• 27 mpg city/35 mpg highway
• Standard front and rear automated emergency braking

The Versa’s limited warranty is three years or 36,000 miles, and the powertrain warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles, according to Car and Driver. Edmunds estimates maintenance costs for the first year at $351.

Besides the standard driver assistance safety features on the Nissan Versa S, there’s also available adaptive cruise control, Collision Mitigation-Frontlane, Collision Mitigation-Rear, Vehicle Dynamic Control, Electronic Stability Control, Driveline Traction Control, lane departure warning, rearview monitor backup camera, available blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) crash test for the 2024 Versa was rated “Good,” which is the highest rating.

2024 Nissan Sentra S CVT 

• Starting price of $22,320
• 149 maximum horsepower at 6400 RPM
• 30 mpg city/40 mpg highway
• Standard forward-collision warning and automated emergency braking
• Standard blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert
• Standard rear automated emergency braking

The Sentra’s limited warranty is three years or 36,000 miles, and the powertrain warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles. Edmunds estimates first-year maintenance costs at $437. 

Other driver assistance safety features for the Nissan Sentra S are intelligent forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, forward collision mitigation system, rear collision mitigation system, lane departure warning, driver monitoring alert, rearview monitor backup camera, rear parking sensors and a blind spot warning. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gives a five-star rating to the 2024 Sentra.

2024 Hyundai Elantra SE IVT 

• Starting price of $22,775
• 147 maximum horsepower at 6200 RPM
• 32 mpg city/41 mpg highway
• Standard automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection
• Standard lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist

Elantra has a limited warranty of five years or 60,000 miles, and the powertrain warranty covers 10 years or 100,000 miles, according to Car and Driver. Also included is complimentary maintenance for three years or 36,000 miles. Edmunds estimates maintenance costs for the first year at $48. 

Hyundai Elantra’s driver assistance safety features also include available adaptive cruise control with lane-centering feature, lane following assist, lane centering feature, blind spot collision warning, forward collision mitigation system, rear collision mitigation system, driver monitoring alert and a backup camera. 

IIHS gave the Elantra the 2024 Top Safety Pick. 

2024 Kia Soul LX IVT

• Starting price of $21,565
• 147 maximum horsepower at 6200 RPM
• 27 mpg city/35 mpg highway
• Standard forward-collision warning with automated emergency braking
• Standard lane-departure warning with lane keep assist

Kia Soul offers a limited warranty of five years or 60,000 miles, and the powertrain warranty covers 10 years or 100,000 miles, according to Car and Driver. Edmunds estimates first-year maintenance costs at $536. 

Soul’s driver assistance safety features also include available blind-spot monitoring and automatic high-beam headlamps, lane following assist, forward collision avoidance assist, lane departure warning, ABS and driveline traction control, vehicle stability management, electronic stability control, backup camera, driver monitoring alert and a forward collision mitigation system. 

NHTSA rated the 2024 Soul four out of five stars for safety.

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