36 Great Used Cars You Can Buy for Less Than $10,000

If you’re in the market for a new set of wheels but you can’t afford a car that’s actually new, don’t worry. The used car market is brimming with deals right now that would be hard for anyone on a budget to turn down. In fact, some used models can be yours for less than $10,000 — and we’re not talking about junkers. 

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Using data from U.S. News and World Report, GOBankingRates compiled a list of three dozen amazing cars that can be found on the used market for much less than you might think. Some of them, in fact, come with sub-$5,000 price tags. Some people paid more than $10,000 for a few of them, but only at the high end of the average price scale. These cars span all of the most popular categories — including large cars, small cars, compact and subcompact cars, hatchbacks, sports cars, convertibles, wagons and even hybrids — so there’s truly something for everyone. Check out your buying options if you’re looking.

Compact Cars (Under $10,000)

2009 Hyundai Elantra

• Lower average price paid: $6,234
• Higher average price paid: $8,101
• MPG (city/highway): 24/33

2010 Kia Forte

• Lower average price paid: $6,264
• Higher average price paid: $8,148
• MPG (city/highway): 25/34

2009 Volkswagen Rabbit

• Lower average price paid: $4,009
• Higher average price paid: $6,948
• MPG (city/highway): 20/29 

2010 Nissan Cube

• Lower average price paid: $6,281
• Higher average price paid: $8,483
• MPG (city/highway): 24/29 

Compact Cars (Under $10,000)

2009 Ford Focus

• Lower average price paid: $5,684
• Higher average price paid: $6,803
• MPG (city/highway): 24/35

2010 Nissan Sentra

• Lower average price paid: $7,272
• Higher average price paid: $8,501
• MPG (city/highway): 26/34

2009 Mazda MAZDA3

• Lower average price paid: $6,442
• Higher average price paid: $9,049
• MPG (city/highway): 24/32

2010 Chevrolet Cobalt

• Lower average price paid: $6,402
• Higher average price paid: $10,384
• MPG (city/highway): 25/37 

Compact Cars ($6,000-$10,000)

2009 Scion tC

• Lower average price paid: $4,092
• Higher average price paid: $8,036
• MPG (city/highway): 20/27 

2012 Buick Verano

• Lower average price paid: $9,190
• Higher average price paid: $9,990
• MPG (city/highway): 21/31

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Compact Hybrid Cars (Under $15,000)

2009 Toyota Prius

• Lower average price paid: $8,889
• Higher average price paid: $9,367
• MPG (city/highway): 48/45

Convertibles (Under $10,000)

2013 FIAT 500

• Lower average price paid: $7,088
• Higher average price paid: $12,045
• MPG (city/highway): 31/40 

2013 Volkswagen Beetle

• Lower average price paid: $8,463
• Higher average price paid: $17,633
• MPG (city/highway): 22/31

2009 Mitsubishi Eclipse

• Lower average price paid: $5,113
• Higher average price paid: $9,485
• MPG (city/highway): 20/28 

2009 Volkswagen Eos

• Lower average price paid: $7,593
• Higher average price paid: $8,996
• MPG (city/highway): 21/31

Hatchbacks (Under $10,000)

2009 Audi A3

• Lower average price paid: $4,991
• Higher average price paid: $11,133
• MPG (city/highway): 21/30

Large Cars (Under $15,000)

2009 Pontiac G8

• Lower average price paid: $9,508
• Higher average price paid: $13,887
• MPG (city/highway): 17/25 

2011 Buick LaCrosse

• Lower average price paid: $8,745
• Higher average price paid: $11,271
• MPG (city/highway): 19/30 

2009 Mercury Sable

• Lower average price paid: $8,320
• Higher average price paid: $14,515
• MPG (city/highway): 18/28 

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Midsize Cars (Under $15,000)

2010 Ford Fusion

• Lower average price paid: $7,655
• Higher average price paid: $9,792
• MPG (city/highway): 22/31

2009 Saturn Aura

• Lower average price paid: $6,320
• Higher average price paid: $7,280
• MPG (city/highway): 22/33

2010 Hyundai Sonata

• Lower average price paid: $8,406
• Higher average price paid: $11,175
• MPG (city/highway): 21/32

Midsize/Hybrid Cars (Under $15,000)

2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid

• Lower average price paid: $8,447
• Higher average price paid: $8,447
• MPG (city/highway): 41/36

2010 Mercury Milan Hybrid

• Lower average price paid: $9,899
• Higher average price paid: $9,899
• MPG (city/highway): 41/36

Small Cars (Under $10,000)/Compact Cars (Under $6,000-$10,000)

2012 Honda Civic

• Lower average price paid: $6,935
• Higher average price paid: $13,941
• MPG (city/highway): 28/36

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Small Cars (Under $10,000)/Compact Cars ($6,000-$10,000)/Hatchbacks (Under $10,000)

2009 Scion xB

• Lower average price paid: $5,699
• Higher average price paid: $7,383
• MPG (city/highway): 22/28 

Small Cars (Under $10,000)/Subcompact Cars ($5,000-$10,000)/Hatchbacks (Under $10,000)

2011 Honda Fit

• Lower average price paid: $7,658
• Higher average price paid: $9,305
• MPG (city/highway): 27/33

2013 Kia Rio

• Lower average price paid: $8,493
• Higher average price paid: $9,974
• MPG (city/highway): 28/36 

Sports Cars (Under $20,000)

2009 Mazda MX-5 Miata

• Lower average price paid: $9,892
• Higher average price paid: $12,955
• MPG (city/highway): 22/28

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Sports Cars (Under $20,000)/Convertibles (Under $10,000)

2010 Ford Mustang

• Lower average price paid: $9,618
• Higher average price paid: $15,319
• MPG (city/highway): 18/26 

Subcompact Cars (Under $5,000)

2012 Smart Fortwo

• Lower average price paid: $4,637
• Higher average price paid: $6,239
• MPG (city/highway): 34/38

2009 Hyundai Accent

• Lower average price paid: $3,858
• Higher average price paid: $6,413
• MPG (city/highway): 27/33

Subcompact Cars ($5,000-$10,000)

2014 Chevrolet Sonic

• Lower average price paid: $8,161
• Higher average price paid: $10,690
• MPG (city/highway): 26/35

2012 Scion xD

• Lower average price paid: $8,439
• Higher average price paid: $8,851
• MPG (city/highway): 27/33

Subcompact Cars ($5,000-$10,000)/Convertibles (Under $10,000)

2011 Mini Cooper

• Lower average price paid: $8,054
• Higher average price paid: $15,841
• MPG (city/highway): 29/37

Wagons (Under $20,000)

2012 Volkswagen Jetta Sportswagen

• Lower average price paid: $8,408
• Higher average price paid: $12,194
• MPG (city/highway): 23/33 

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Photos are for representational purposes only and therefore may not be of the exact year or model of the cars mentioned.

Methodology: To find 36 great cars you can buy for less than $10,000, GOBankingRates looked at U.S. News & World Report’s Best Used Car ratings for 2020. GOBankingRates compiled a list of all vehicles that (1) had a price range starting at less than $10,000 and (2) were in the top ten best cars in their category.  Then, GOBankingRates ranked all cars that met these criteria against each other according to their overall score from U.S. News & World Report. To avoid redundancy in the final list, GOBankingRates included only the highest-ranking year of each model. All data is from U.S. News & World Report. All information was gathered on and up to date as of Nov. 30, 2020.

About the Author

Andrew Lisa

Andrew Lisa has been writing professionally since 2001. An award-winning writer, Andrew was formerly one of the youngest nationally distributed columnists for the largest newspaper syndicate in the country, the Gannett News Service. He worked as the business section editor for amNewYork, the most widely distributed newspaper in Manhattan, and worked as a copy editor for TheStreet.com, a financial publication in the heart of Wall Street’s investment community in New York City.

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