Greatest Used Automobiles and Our Prime Picks for March 2025, says Shopper Reviews

New automotive costs are nonetheless prohibitively excessive for many automotive consumers 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 Reviews Reveals Their Prime Decide Automobiles of 2025, Together with Two Ford Pickup Vans

However is paying inflated costs and going into debt obligatory in an effort to personal an appropriate car?

In no way. CR automotive specialists are serving to consumers discover used-car choices that may save tens of 1000’s of {dollars} whereas nonetheless permitting consumers to personal a protected car with trendy security options and a confirmed monitor report of reliability.

Shopper Reviews Presents a New Choice Class

Shopper Reviews is well-known for its informative new automotive opinions, through which it has highlighted distinctive automobiles, SUVs, and vans gleaned by means 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 Automotive Picks” suggestions.

With the traditionally excessive value of latest autos today, increasingly persons are naturally seeking to pre-owned market looking for a greater cut price,” says Alex Knizek, supervisor of automotive testing and insights for Shopper Reviews. “However they should not must sacrifice security, reliability, or gasoline financial system to remain inside their price range. That is why we created these Used Automotive Prime Picks and are increasing our used-car protection and insights.

Of their evaluation, CR automotive specialists take into account the next elements:

1. Nice new automobiles do not at all times make nice used automobiles, particularly when factoring in depreciation and long-term reliability.
2. To establish sensible selections, 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 persistently reveals the fashions that turned 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. Automotive worth is important, as some fashions depreciate greater than others, making them a cut price as a used car in comparison with different used automotive fashions of the identical age.
6. Used automotive consumers should do not forget that every automotive is exclusive, has its historical past, and have to 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 signifies that the highlighted fashions might not have been the highest-scoring fashions when examined new. As an alternative, they’re typically good automobiles that depreciated greater than others, making them extra enticing as used automobiles than they have been when new.

THE BEST CAR TOP PICKS BY CONSUMER REPORTS

Sedan Below $10,000

Mazda 6 2016

Worth Vary: $8,125 – $11,125

Proprietor Reported MPG: 29 mpg

Sedan Below $15,000

Toyota Corolla 2018

Worth Vary: $12,275 – $14,875

Proprietor Reported MPG: 33 mpg

SUV Below $15,000

Honda CR-V 2016

Worth Vary: $12,050 – $16,250

Proprietor Reported MPG: 27 mpg

Hybrid Below $20,000

Toyota Camry Hybrid 2019

Worth Vary: $16,600 – $20,500

Proprietor Reported MPG: 45 mpg

Small SUV Below $20,000

Kia Sportage 2021

Worth Vary: $14,925 – $19,375

Proprietor Reported MPG: 25 mpg

Hybrid SUV Below $20,000

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid 2018

Worth Vary: $15,400 – $19,875

Proprietor Reported MPG: 32 mpg

3-Row SUV Below $20,000

Mazda CX-9 2020

Worth Vary: $16,425 – $22,750

Proprietor Reported MPG: 24 mpg

Luxurious SUV Below $20,000

Lexus NX 2017

Worth Vary: $16,550 – $19,625

Proprietor Reported MPG: 25 mpg

Pickup Truck Below $20,000

Toyota Tacoma 2015

Worth Vary: $13,575 – $19,975

Proprietor Reported MPG: 19 mpg

Sports activities Automotive Below $20,000

Mazda MX-5 Miata 2019

Worth Vary: $13,675 – $19,500

Proprietor Reported MPG: 32 mpg

Associated article: Shopper Reviews’ Dependable Used Sports activities Automotive Suggestions for Below $25,000

Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter based mostly in Cincinnati who at the moment researches and works on restoring older automobiles with engine modifications for improved efficiency. He additionally experiences on trendy automobiles (together with EVs) with a give attention to 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 Automotive Restore” for helpful day by day information and matters associated to new and used automobiles and vans.

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