10 Most Reliable Used Cars Under $20K
Written by
Chris Adam
Edited by
T. Woods
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If you’ve been in the market for an affordable used car, there are some specific ones you may want to consider.
Consumer Reports has put out its first-ever brand ranking on used vehicles as its top 10 picks of the best individual used cars that’re priced under $20,000.
“With the historically high price of new autos these days, more and more people are naturally looking to pre-owned market in search of a better bargain,” Alex Knizek, manager of automotive testing and insights for Consumer Reports, said in a statement. “But they shouldn’t have to sacrifice safety, reliability, or fuel economy to stay within their budget. That’s why we created these Used Car Top Picks and are expanding our used-car coverage and insights.”
Here’s a look at the top 10 used car picks from Consumer Reports:
- Hybrid Small Sedan Under $20K: 2021 Toyota Corolla Hybrid
- Small SUV Under $20K: 2021 KIA Sportage
- Hybrid SUV Under $20K: 2018 Toyota RAV4 hybrid
- Three-Row SUV Under $20K: 2020 Mazda CX-9
- Luxury SUV Under $20K: 2020 Buick Envision
- Pickup Under $20K: 2015 Toyota Tacoma
- Sports Car Under $20K : 2019 Mazda Miata
- Small Sedan Under $15K: 2019 Hyundai Elantra
- Small SUV Under $15K: 2018 Honda HR-V
- Small sedan Under $10K: 2017 Chevrolet Cruze
Selecting the Best
Among other things, you may notice that Toyota and Mazda models accounted for quite a bit of this list of reliable used cars.
How did Consumer Reports select the most reliable used cars? “All of the top used cars selected are valued under $20,000 and had earned Consumer Report’s recommendation when tested as new,” Consumer Reports noted. “They are rated above-average for reliability and come standard with electronic stability control.
“By looking at how cars performed in our tests when new and reviewing detailed reliability data, CR can point car shoppers to models that promise the best overall ownership experience. But it’s important to note that great new cars don’t always make great used cars, especially when factoring depreciation and long-term reliability.”
Looking at Generations
Here’s something to keep in mind when looking at this list: Keep in mind that exact model year may not matter all that much.
“If you can’t find that exact used vehicle model year, don’t fret,” reported the Detroit Free Press. “Consumer Reports said it studied from a ‘generation perspective,’ meaning the years that a single design was offered, to identify the best options. It then narrowed the field by targeting specific price categories. Consumer Reports said within the price range, its top choices are based on the newest model year because they tend to have fewer miles on them.”
Looking at Value
If you were to research the models included on the list for most reliable used cars, you may find they didn’t always have the best scores when tested new. Consumer Reports noted that the strategy used this time emphasized value and not necessarily the highest-scoring models when they were new.
“Instead, they’re often good cars that depreciated more than others, making them more attractive as used cars than they were when new,” Consumer Reports noted. “This is exemplified by the Buick Envision, Chevrolet Cruze and Mazda CX-9. All three were solid choices when new, but now they’re relative bargains as used cars.”
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