Greatest Used Vehicles and Our Prime Picks for March 2025, says Shopper Stories

New automobile costs are nonetheless prohibitively excessive for many automobile 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 count on to pay anyplace from $70,000 to $100,000.

Associated article: Shopper Stories Reveals Their Prime Choose Vehicles of 2025, Together with Two Ford Pickup Vehicles

However is paying inflated costs and going into debt mandatory as a way to personal an appropriate car?

Under no circumstances. CR automotive specialists are serving to consumers discover used-car choices that may save tens of hundreds of {dollars} whereas nonetheless permitting consumers to personal a secure car with trendy security options and a confirmed observe file of reliability.

Shopper Stories Affords a New Choice Class

Shopper Stories is well-known for its informative new automobile critiques, through which it has highlighted distinctive automobiles, SUVs, and vehicles gleaned by 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 worth of recent autos as of late, an increasing number of individuals are naturally seeking to pre-owned market looking for a greater discount,” says Alex Knizek, supervisor of automotive testing and insights for Shopper Stories. “However they should not should sacrifice security, reliability, or gasoline economic system to remain inside their finances. 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 contemplate the next components:

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 good decisions, used automobiles had been chosen from a technology perspective somewhat than a model-year perspective.
3. The advantage of 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 typically 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 discount as a used car in comparison with different used automobile fashions of the identical age.
6. Used automobile consumers should do not forget that every automobile 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 worth vary, and it signifies that the highlighted fashions might not have been the highest-scoring fashions when examined new. As an alternative, they’re usually good automobiles that depreciated greater than others, making them extra enticing as used automobiles than they had been when new.

THE BEST CAR TOP PICKS BY CONSUMER REPORTS

Sedan Beneath $10,000

Mazda 6 2016

Value Vary: $8,125 – $11,125

Proprietor Reported MPG: 29 mpg

Sedan Beneath $15,000

Toyota Corolla 2018

Value Vary: $12,275 – $14,875

Proprietor Reported MPG: 33 mpg

SUV Beneath $15,000

Honda CR-V 2016

Value Vary: $12,050 – $16,250

Proprietor Reported MPG: 27 mpg

Hybrid Beneath $20,000

Toyota Camry Hybrid 2019

Value Vary: $16,600 – $20,500

Proprietor Reported MPG: 45 mpg

Small SUV Beneath $20,000

Kia Sportage 2021

Value Vary: $14,925 – $19,375

Proprietor Reported MPG: 25 mpg

Hybrid SUV Beneath $20,000

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid 2018

Value Vary: $15,400 – $19,875

Proprietor Reported MPG: 32 mpg

3-Row SUV Beneath $20,000

Mazda CX-9 2020

Value Vary: $16,425 – $22,750

Proprietor Reported MPG: 24 mpg

Luxurious SUV Beneath $20,000

Lexus NX 2017

Value Vary: $16,550 – $19,625

Proprietor Reported MPG: 25 mpg

Pickup Truck Beneath $20,000

Toyota Tacoma 2015

Value Vary: $13,575 – $19,975

Proprietor Reported MPG: 19 mpg

Sports activities Automotive Beneath $20,000

Mazda MX-5 Miata 2019

Value Vary: $13,675 – $19,500

Proprietor Reported MPG: 32 mpg

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

Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter primarily based in Cincinnati who at present researches and works on restoring older automobiles with engine modifications for improved efficiency. He additionally stories 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 each day information and matters associated to new and used automobiles and vehicles.

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