What seems cheap at the dealer could cost you unnecessary thousands down the line, and that’s especially important if your new car budget tops out at $30,000. The cost of ownership extends far beyond the number you’ll see at the bottom of the window sticker. Other factors include how much value it will lose, how much it will cost to maintain and repair, insurance costs, and fueling. Lucky for us, the whiz kids from IntelliChoice (a part of the MotorTrend Group) calculate those costs over five years for nearly every vehicle on the market, each year awarding Best Overall Value award winners in each segment.

So if a low cost of ownership is important to you, choose wisely and consider these value-packed picks under $30,000.

Toyota’s Tacoma pickup earns recognition as the best value in the midsize truck segment. A lot of that value comes from its depreciation, or relative lack thereof. The average vehicle in IntelliChoice’s research retains just over 46 percent of its value after five years (or 57 percent in the midsize truck class), but the Tacoma? Five years after purchase, a Tacoma double cab will be worth 70.9 percent of what you paid for it—the highest retained value of 2020 save the seemingly depreciation-proof Jeep Wrangler. The Tacoma TRD Off-Road trim is shown here.

The Civic Coupe takes home the title for best overall value among sporty two-doors like the Mini Hardtop, Dodge Challenger, and Subaru BRZ. Its fuel-sipping turbo-four and modest maintenance and repair costs account for most of the savings, along with reasonable financing. Plus, even five years after its debut, the Civic still makes for the best compact platform in the industry.

Open up the discussion to all compacts and it’s the Corolla Hybrid taking home the hardware. Toyota managed to wedge a Prius drivetrain into its little Corolla and the resulting 53/52 mpg city/highway account for one of the lowest fuel costs in the segment. Support from solid depreciation numbers and inexpensive maintenance escalate the electrified ‘Rolla straight to the top of the value ladder.

Among cargo vans, the pint-sized Nissan NV200 offers the best value in 2020. Its comparatively low fuel costs give it an advantage over the big-dog vans and the no-cost maintenance provide an additional leg up. It’s a little frumpy-looking, but our year-long loan with the little cargo van proved it to be a worthy workhorse.

The Mini Convertible holds its value much better than a Fiat 124 Spider or drop-top versions of the Mustang and Camaro. None of its other numbers are particularly exceptional and repair costs are the highest in the segment, but when a car doesn’t depreciate nearly as much as its competition, those things don’t matter so much. 

The Prius excels in the midsize passenger car segment with the same strengths the Corolla Hybrid exhibited among compacts. Fuel costs are the lowest in the entire segment, it’s the least expensive car to maintain in the segment, and its depreciation, financing, and insurance costs are all middle of the pack. Turns out saving fuel can save big cash.

Two-door Jeeps sneak just under our $30,000 price cap at $29,790 for a stripper Wrangler Sport that doesn’t even have air conditioning. But despite expensive financing, high state fees, and steep fuel costs, it’s the Wrangler’s lack of depreciation that makes it an excellent value. 

Remember when we said the Tacoma’s 70.9-percent retained value was impressive? The Wrangler clocks in at 82.2 percent (and at 84.2 percent as a four-door model)—the best in IntelliChoice’s study. Not only is the Wrangler the best overall value among SUVs, it’s the best value in the entire non-luxury segment.