The best cars for minimalists can be found on two ends of the spectrum. Some cars have complex electronics, while others came along before many modern features.
If your idea of a minimalist is to make things simple and take an uncluttered and uncomplicated approach to driving, you’ll want to look back and find some used vehicles that had some of the simplest cabins and features of their time. On the other hand, if you want minimalist styling and lots of tech, you might find what you want in the electric vehicle market.
Here are some of the best cars for minimalists to choose from.
2016 Kia Rio LX
The Kia Rio LX is a small and straightforward car with very little tech to make your driving distracting. This is one of the last cars with standard crank windows, making it a good option when you want minimal electronics to worry about. You still get a few passive safety features to keep you out of trouble, but they are minimal. This Kia Rio also comes standard with a 6-speed manual transmission.
Tesla Model 3
The Tesla Model 3 is probably the first car to come to most people’s mind when looking for one of the best cars for minimalists that has modern technology. Like most Tesla models, the cabin features a large 15.4-inch touchscreen, but otherwise, the dashboard is uninterrupted, providing a smooth and uncluttered look. The cabin style is stark and monochromatic, which also contributes to this car being a minimalist vehicle. The steering wheel does have multifunctional settings to provide some vehicle controls, but that’s about the extent of the buttons in this electric vehicle.
2016 Chevrolet Sonic LS
The base model of the Sonic has an interesting mix of simplicity and technology that was right for the time. Like the Kia Rio, this car has manual windows and a simple 5-speed manual transmission to make it an easy choice among drivers looking for a simple and easy car to drive and enjoy. This Sonic does have 4G LTE connectivity and OnStar to give you the connection and safety alert system to reach first responders easily.
Hyundai Ioniq 5
The Ioniq 5 has a simple approach that might seem cluttered, but it uses a form-over-function design that has digital displays and physical controls. While this redundancy doesn’t seem like a minimalist approach to driving, it helps drives and passengers remain safe inside the vehicle, ensuring you don’t have to sort through menus to find the functions you want to use. The overall look of the cabin makes the Hyundai Ioniq 5 one of the best cars for minimalists and a vehicle that offers better safety features than most other models.
2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata Sport
Simplicity and minimalist design don’t get much better than what you’ll find in the Miata. Just because you want a stark design and less clutter doesn’t mean you can’t have a vehicle that’s actually a little fun to drive while on the road. This lightweight sports car has the stuff you want and need, with a manually-operated cloth top and a good package of standard equipment to make your driving experience better. Once you feel the fun of this car, you’ll be glad it was on your list.
Polestar 2
The Swedish influence found in the Polestar 2’s design makes it one of the best cars for minimalists. This impressive electric vehicle has a conventional but conservative design that avoids being obtuse and cluttered. You’ll be pleased to enjoy the clean look across the dashboard and throughout the cabin. The Polestar 2 features electric seats with heating, ambient light, and dual-zone climate controls, which make it a comfortable car to enjoy with very few items interrupting your view.
2016 Hyundai Accent SE Sedan
Hyundai has a habit of packing in the features, but this small sedan has an air of simplicity about it that makes it one of the best choices when you’re looking for a car with a minimalist bend. The Accent has a smooth and quiet ride for a subcompact car, making it easy to enjoy when you get behind the wheel and see what it has to offer. This little car also uses a 6-speed manual transmission, which makes it a little more engaging to drive than you might expect.
These are only a few of the best cars for minimalists to drive and enjoy every day. Will you look back to 2016 for simplicity, or go for the stark and futuristic design of the EVs?
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