Kelley Blue Book (KBB) is the long-time automobile authority, and it reviews entry level cars to the top-of-the-line machines. In a recent post, KBB selected its  favorite cars with purchase prices less than $18,000.

The list, according to KBB, dismisses the once prevalent belief that a “cheap new car used to mean resigning yourself to time bombs like the Chevrolet Citation or windups like the Geo Metro or Ford Aspire.”

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The KBB list starts with the 2011 Ford Fiesta largely because of28 mpg city, 40 mpg highway EPA rating and mile-long standard feature list.

Here’s the KBB list of cool new cars for less than$18,000:

1. 2011 Ford Fiesta; 2. 2010 Honda Civic; 3. 2010 Honda Fit; 4. 2010 Hyundai Elantra Touring; 5. 2010 Kia Soul; 6. 2010 Mazda3; 7. 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer; 8. 2010 Nissan Cube; 9. 2010 Scion xB; 10. 2010 Suzuki SX4.