While many of us would love to be able to purchase a new car every few years, more of us choose a used vehicle as our next purchase. Many times we know this makes the most sense, especially with all the reports such as CarFax that we can review to make sure the car of our choosing is not going to be a lemon. With the purchase of a used vehicle you avoid the depreciation which gives you the opportunity to buy a vehicle for much less than it was new. Here are some of the best used vehicles you can purchase in each class.
Under $10,000
Compact Cars – The three top choices in this segment are the Mazda 3, Pontiac Vibe and Volkswagen Rabbit. The Mazda 3 is perfect for the fuel mileage, good interior style and active powertrain. The Rabbit offers a European look and useful design while the Vibe is known for its reliability of the vehicle. This gives you three great choices to look for on the market to pay a low price and have the right car for you.
Sedans – As one of the largest segments in the market there are several great options to choose from here. The Acura TL, Acura TSX, Toyota Avalon, Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima all present you with some excellent choices for used vehicles. The Avalon is a large sedan with a fantastic reliability record but little style on the outside. The Hyundai and Kia are both efficient and reliable cars but come smaller than the Avalon. The Acura choices are perfect to give you some added luxury features that you won’t find in the rest of this group and also give you the reliability you would expect from the Honda luxury name.
SUVs – Three names come to mind for these, the Honda CR-V, Mitsubishi Outlander and Honda Pilot. The two Hondas give you a size difference to choose from and the CR-V has been the most popular name in the SUV market for many years. The Outlander is great for more seating than the CR-V and the Pilot gives you more power than either of the other two. No matter which one of these SUVs you choose you will have a ride that fits your needs perfectly.
$10,000-$15,000
Compact Cars – While a little newer there are two names that are typically sold in this price range for used compact cars, the Subaru Impreza and Kia Soul. The Impreza offers two body styles and the standard AWD which makes it a favorite choice. The Soul has the look and feel of a great urban car that offers you some fun and a menu of great features if you find the right one. Both of these cars have good reliability records so this isn’t a factor you have to worry about when looking for your used vehicle.
Sedans – Its really no surprise that the two favorites in this category are luxury models from Japanese automakers. The Infiniti G35 and Acura RL are the ones that make their way to the top of this list and offer a sporty style and plenty of luxury features for you to love. The G35 is the sportier of the two, giving you a great ride with an interior that looks amazing. The RL will give you the softer ride if that is what you crave and with the SHAWD at your beck and call you can have the control you need and the car you want to drive.
SUVs – This price range allows you to buy some excellent SUVs and the Acura MDX and Toyota Highlander top the list for these vehicles at this price. Used vehicles that have experienced their depreciation make it easier for you to have the luxury of the MDX or the popular solidity of the Highlander to have the right drive for you. Both of these choices gives you three rows of seating and a pair of the best V6 engines on the market.
$15,000 – $20,000
Compact Cars – In this price range you can find newer cars to drive that are closer to the original price with lots of great features. The three top choices for used cars in this category at this price are the Toyota Prius, Hyundai Elantra and Honda Civic to give you three cars that have great reliability and plenty of excellent features for you to enjoy. The Civic is the favorite when it comes to reliability in this group while the Elantra offers a style that is unmatched. Of course if your desire is to have the best fuel efficiency as well you need to choose the Prius in this group.
Sedans – Going with a little more size puts you in the category of being able to drive some of the most popular cars on the market today. The three top choices are the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and Lexus ES which all show up with the reliability you want from these automakers. The Accord gives you space and fuel mileage advantages while the Camry offers the best reliability on the market and the ES is a wonderful luxury vehicle at this price point giving you luxury at the price of a mainstream car.
SUVs – Similar to the others you can find higher class SUVs in this price range than the lower ones easily. The two favorites for the used market are the Lexus RX and the Toyota RAV4 to give us two great choices from the same company. The RX is the reliability champion in this class and can be had with a hybrid powertrain as well. The RAV4 does have similar reliability and offers a spacious cabin and a six-cylinder engine to be one of the best vehicles you can drive in this class.
$20,000 – $25,000
Sedans – This segment starts with sedans because you can easily have a new compact car for less than this price range. For the sedans the two that reach the head of the class are the Toyota Camry Hybrid and the Infiniti M. With the reliability you want and a responsiveness you will love the Camry is an excellent choice. For the Infiniti M you can find some models with either a V6 or V8 engine to give you good power that makes this a car you want to drive.
SUVs – The three that make their mark in this class and price are the Lexus GX, Nissan Murano and Toyota Highlander Hybrid. These give you larger SUVs to enjoy so you can have a great vehicle to drive. The GX is the off road champ of the class while the Highlander offers the best three row driving for fuel mileage. The Murano has a nice V6 engine and an enjoyable interior to have a great ride.
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