10 Luxury Features Now Available In Budget Cars

There was a time when budget cars were boring and clearly designed only as a means of transportation from Point A to Point B. Even features that are considered basic amenities were optional on these bread-and-butter cars. However, things have taken a steep turn with budget cars today, as we are seeing a lot of trickle-down luxuries, comfort, convenience, and technology features in the vicinity. This ranges from keyless entry to large touchscreen infotainment systems to heated seats and even sophisticated assistive and safety features. These features and more are offered on many cars well under $30,000 today.

Keyless Entry

This feature adds an extra layer of safety and convenience. Keyless entry allows drivers to lock, unlock, and even start the car without physically inserting the key. This feature comes in very handy when your hands are full when exiting a supermarket. Furthermore, it enhances security through unique encryption and features such as automatic locking. Some cars also bundle this feature with auto-folding mirrors and hands-free tailgates to further dial up the convenience.

Notable Affordable Cars With This Feature

Push-Button Start

Cars with keyless entry often have a push-button start system. This is a keyless ignition feature that lets you start without inserting or turning the key. Apart from the added convenience, this feature enhances safety and reduces wear on the ignition components when done manually.

Notable Affordable Cars With This Feature

Large Touchscreen Infotainment System

Gone are the days of those tiny LCD infotainment systems on entry-level cars; today, we are treated to gorgeous full-color touchscreen displays with at least 7 inches of screen real estate. The best part is that new cars under $18,000 also enjoy this feature. While the wireless feature would be a stretch, wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are staples even among entry-level vehicles. This helps curate an entertainment ecosystem, even on affordable cars, without shelling out extra bucks. This feature also serves as the ideal supporting infrastructure for safety features such as reverse and 360-degree cameras.

Notable Affordable Cars With This Feature

Power-Adjustable Seats

Manually adjustable seats are a common feature on all entry-level cars. But power-adjustable ones flex on a whole different level. Earlier, this was an exclusive feature for luxury cars. But today, multi-directional electronically adjustable seats are a common sight on affordable cars under $30,000. The premium offerings also include a memory feature.

Notable Affordable Cars With This Feature

Ambient Lighting

This is a purely aesthetic feature that helps dial up the ambience levels and cool appeal of the cabin. Ironically, this is also the hardest-to-get standard feature on affordable cars, with cheaper cars offering only a single color. For multicolor ambient lighting, the prices start from over $28,000. Furthermore, this feature goes beyond its aesthetic value by improving visibility of the cabin controls and even reducing eye strain by decreasing the stark contrast between the bright exterior and dark interior.

Notable Affordable Cars With This Feature

Sunroofs And Panoramic Roofs

A sunroof or moonroof greatly enhances a car’s comfort and luxury appeal. In fact, it also helps make a compact car cabin feel larger and airier. It fills up the cabin with natural light, and there is a heightened level of fresh air and ventilation. Furthermore, the fact that today even sub-$25,000 cars can be equipped with a sunroof that lets you gaze at the sky is impressive.

Notable Affordable Cars With This Feature

Heated Seats (And Heated Steering Wheel)

This is one of those features that seems like overkill until you have experienced it. Heated seats and a steering wheel are blessings in disguise, especially during the winter months. It helps keep the rider cozy and relaxes muscles on chilly days. Automakers also offer various levels of heating for the seats to better cater to harsher cold days. This feature was once exclusive to ultra-luxury cars from the likes of Mercedes-Benz and Bentley. Today, even a sub-$28,000 Mazda3 sedan can be had with this feature as standard.

Notable Affordable Cars With This Feature

Premium Audio System

Entertainment has been an integral part of modern cars, but more premium audio systems with bleeding-edge technology and surround-sound features were often reserved for the luxury set. But thanks to aggressively-priced and impressively-loaded Korean and Japanese cars today, we can enjoy premium audio in a lot of sub-$30,000 cars. Big brands like Harman Kardon and Bose collaborate to dial up the aural experience; in some cases, with over 10 speakers and a thumping subwoofer.

Notable Affordable Cars With This Feature

Dual-zone Climate Control (And Rear AC Vents)

This is a very underrated feature that many don’t give its due recognition. In compact hatchbacks, a standard single-zone climate control would do. But in larger, longer sedans, the ‘standard’ air-con system will struggle to cool the cabin optimally. Well, thanks to dual-zone climate control with rear AC vents, this hiccup has been taken care of. It increases comfort for all the occupants, and thanks to the split-zone layout, one needn’t tolerate a too-cold or too-hot cabin anymore.

Notable Affordable Cars With This Feature

Advanced Safety And Assistive Features

Safety and security can never be overestimated in a car. Thanks to years of technological updates, many top-spec safety and assistive features have trickled down to budget-friendly vehicles, starting from under $20,000. Notable features include a tire pressure monitoring system, collision avoidance assist, lane keep assist, and hill-start assist, among others. Among the affordable bunch, the new Hyundai Venue leads the pack in value-for-money proposition.

Notable Affordable Cars With This Feature

• 2026 Hyundai Venue, all trim levels
• 2025 Chevrolet Trax, all trim levels
• 2025 Kia Soul, all trim levels
• 2025 Nissan Sentra, all trim levels