Top 10 most affordable 2016 cars with air conditioning

Published on June 6, 2016 in Top 10 by Michel Deslauriers

Summer has arrived in force, and the forecast calls for a hot and sunny season. It’s time to change the car and our budget is restricted, but air conditioning would make our commute much more enjoyable. And let’s not forget that in winter, A/C helps defog the windshield more quickly, so it’s useful all year round. Here are the lowest-priced 2016 cars that include air conditioning.

#1 – 2016 Nissan Micra: Its base price of $9,988, freight and delivery charges excluded, is attractive, but once we add air conditioning, the price climbs rapidly. The base Micra S must be equipped with the optional four-speed automatic transmission to get A/C, and its price reaches $13,448. If we prefer the five-speed manual transmission, we must choose the better-equipped Micra SV that costs $13,848.

#2 – 2016 Chevrolet Spark: The little Spark was completely redesigned this year, and its base price has been set at $9,995 before freight and delivery charges. Like the Micra, the base Spark LS can’t be equipped with air conditioning without the optional continuously variable automatic transmission, so its price climbs to $13,895. To get A/C and a five-speed manual, we must go for the Spark 1LT that costs $14,195.

#3 – 2017 Mitsubishi Mirage: The Mirage hatchback went straight from the 2015 edition to the 2017, adding improvements in the cockpit, a reworked suspension and slightly more power under the hood. Its price starts at $12,698 before freight and delivery charges. To obtain air conditioning in this fuel-efficient city car, we must choose the Mirage ES Plus that’s listed at $13,995. Adding the optional continuously variable automatic raises the price to $15,198. The new Mirage G4 sedan includes A/C as standard equipment in its base ES trim, which costs $14,498 with the manual gearbox and $15,698 with the CVT automatic.

#4 – 2016 Nissan Versa Note: The Versa Note is one of the few small cars that include air conditioning as standard equipment. That means we can choose a base Versa Note S at $14,498 before freight and delivery charges. With the optional continuously variable automatic transmission, the price rises to $15,798.

#5 – 2016 Chevrolet Sonic: The Sonic subcompact is offered in sedan format starting at $14,395 before freight and delivery charges, or in five-door hatchback guise at $14,895. Air conditioning can be added to the base LS trim level, and the price rises to $15,545 for the sedan and $16,045 for the hatchback. However, the optional six-speed automatic transmission is expensive, adding $2,000 to the price in both cases.

#6 – 2016 Ford Fiesta: The little Fiesta is priced a little high for a subcompact, but at least it includes air conditioning as standard equipment. The Fiesta S, sedan or five-door hatchback, sells for $16,049 before freight and delivery charges. To add the six-speed automatic transmission, we must move up to the SE trim level, better equipped, which ends up costing $18,299.

#7 – 2016 Kia Rio: The Rio is offered is sedan format for $14,495, freight and delivery charges excluded, while the five-door hatchback version is listed at $14,895. To get air conditioning, we must choose the LX+ trim. The price of the sedan climbs to $16,095 while the hatchback’s MSRP rises to $16,495. A six-speed automatic is offered for an extra $1,300.

#8 – 2016 Toyota Yaris: Three types of body styles are offered here. The three-door Yaris can’t be had with air conditioning at its base price of $14,775, freight and delivery charges excluded. However, the five-door version includes it in its LE trim, which costs $16,195. By adding the optional four-speed automatic transmission, the price climbs to $17,195. As for the Yaris Sedan, A/C is standard with its $16,995 base price, though adding the six-speed automatic in this case raises the price to $18,200.

#9 – 2016 Hyundai Accent: The popular Accent subcompact is sold at base price of $13,899 before freight and delivery charges, whether we prefer the sedan or the five-door hatchback. However, the LE trim includes air conditioning and a six-speed automatic transmission for a price of $16,299. If we prefer the six-speed manual gearbox, we’ll have to settle for the hatchback version, in GL trim at $16,599.

#10 – 2016 Ford Focus: Like the Fiesta, the MSRP of the Focus is high, but air conditioning is standard. The Focus S sedan with the five-speed manual transmission retails for $17,199 before freight and delivery charges, and its six-speed automatic costs $1,250 extra. As for the Focus five-door hatchback, its cheapest trim level is the SE, which costs $19,599 with the manual transmission or $20,849 with the automatic.