Finest Used Automobiles and Our High Picks for March 2025, says Shopper Experiences

New automobile costs are nonetheless prohibitively excessive for many automobile buyers as costs proceed to hover across the $48,000 to $50,000 (on common) mark. And in order for you a brand new truck, you may anticipate to pay wherever from $70,000 to $100,000.

Associated article: Shopper Experiences Reveals Their High Choose Automobiles of 2025, Together with Two Ford Pickup Vehicles

However is paying inflated costs and going into debt essential as a way to personal an acceptable automobile?

By no means. CR automotive specialists are serving to buyers discover used-car choices that may save tens of hundreds of {dollars} whereas nonetheless permitting buyers to personal a protected automobile with trendy security options and a confirmed monitor document of reliability.

Shopper Experiences Affords a New Choice Class

Shopper Experiences is well-known for its informative new automobile critiques, during which it has highlighted distinctive automobiles, SUVs, and vehicles gleaned by way of intensive testing and buyer survey knowledge.

Nonetheless, their automotive analysts are making use of comparable choice rigor to used automobiles, SUVs, and truck fashions and have simply launched their up to date “10 Used Automobile Picks” suggestions.

With the traditionally excessive value of recent autos nowadays, increasingly more individuals are naturally trying to pre-owned market searching for a greater discount,” says Alex Knizek, supervisor of automotive testing and insights for Shopper Experiences. “However they should not should sacrifice security, reliability, or gas economic system to remain inside their finances. That is why we created these Used Automobile High Picks and are increasing our used-car protection and insights.

Of their evaluation, CR automotive specialists think about the next elements:

1. Nice new automobiles do not all the time make nice used automobiles, particularly when factoring in depreciation and long-term reliability.
2. To establish sensible decisions, used automobiles have been chosen from a technology perspective fairly than a model-year perspective.
3. The good thing about a technology perspective is that it constantly reveals the fashions that grew to become extra trouble-free over a technology’s multiyear span; the final two years of a technology are usually the perfect.
4. Security options in new fashions present in used fashions are one other qualifying consideration.
5. Automobile worth is important, as some fashions depreciate greater than others, making them a discount as a used automobile in comparison with different used automobile fashions of the identical age.
6. Used automobile buyers should do not forget that every automobile is exclusive, has its historical past, and should be inspected by knowledgeable mechanic earlier than shopping for.

The technique we make use of for choosing used automobiles emphasizes worth inside a value vary, and it implies that the highlighted fashions might not have been the highest-scoring fashions when examined new. As a substitute, they’re usually good automobiles that depreciated greater than others, making them extra engaging as used automobiles than they have been when new.

THE BEST CAR TOP PICKS BY CONSUMER REPORTS

Sedan Underneath $10,000

Mazda 6 2016

Value Vary: $8,125 – $11,125

Proprietor Reported MPG: 29 mpg

Sedan Underneath $15,000

Toyota Corolla 2018

Value Vary: $12,275 – $14,875

Proprietor Reported MPG: 33 mpg

SUV Underneath $15,000

Honda CR-V 2016

Value Vary: $12,050 – $16,250

Proprietor Reported MPG: 27 mpg

Hybrid Underneath $20,000

Toyota Camry Hybrid 2019

Value Vary: $16,600 – $20,500

Proprietor Reported MPG: 45 mpg

Small SUV Underneath $20,000

Kia Sportage 2021

Value Vary: $14,925 – $19,375

Proprietor Reported MPG: 25 mpg

Hybrid SUV Underneath $20,000

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid 2018

Value Vary: $15,400 – $19,875

Proprietor Reported MPG: 32 mpg

3-Row SUV Underneath $20,000

Mazda CX-9 2020

Value Vary: $16,425 – $22,750

Proprietor Reported MPG: 24 mpg

Luxurious SUV Underneath $20,000

Lexus NX 2017

Value Vary: $16,550 – $19,625

Proprietor Reported MPG: 25 mpg

Pickup Truck Underneath $20,000

Toyota Tacoma 2015

Value Vary: $13,575 – $19,975

Proprietor Reported MPG: 19 mpg

Sports activities Automobile Underneath $20,000

Mazda MX-5 Miata 2019

Value Vary: $13,675 – $19,500

Proprietor Reported MPG: 32 mpg

Associated article: Shopper Experiences’ Dependable Used Sports activities Automobile Suggestions for Underneath $25,000

Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter primarily based in Cincinnati who presently researches and works on restoring older autos with engine modifications for improved efficiency. He additionally studies on trendy automobiles (together with EVs) with a deal with DIY mechanics, shopping for and utilizing instruments, and different associated topical automotive restore information. Comply with Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites in addition to on Fb and his automotive weblog “Zen and the Artwork of DIY Automobile Restore” for helpful day by day information and subjects associated to new and used automobiles and vehicles.

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