Might have something to do with cars all costing 20K - 30K any more....
I bought a very nice ford focus last sept for 8k, with 73k miles. I am very surprised how much I like the car, I just wanted better gas mileage but it has turned out to be a car that is fun to drive.
Today’s econ cars, with power windows, locks, etc, are equivalant to the lux cars of the 70’s. Yes, if you want new then 18k is about the minimum for a decent car.