5 Popular Used Cars That Used To Be Affordable but Aren’t Anymore

Buying used has long been the go-to strategy for saving money on a car, but even used vehicles are becoming increasingly unaffordable. According to a new iSeeCars report, the average price of 3-year-old used cars has increased 41% since the pandemic, from $23,159 in 2019 to $32,635 in 2025.

Even more striking, 3-year-old used cars priced under $20,000 make up only 12% of the market today, compared to 49% in 2019. That means many of the most popular used cars — once staples of affordability — are now out of reach for budget-conscious buyers.

Here are five models that were under $20,000 in 2019 but have since surged past that mark.

Also see 10 used cars that will last longer than the average vehicle.

• Average price (2019): $16,472
• Average price (2025): $23,813
• % change: 44.6%

• Average price (2019): $17,792
• Average price (2025): $23,971
• % change: 34.7%

• Average price (2019): $17,440
• Average price (2025): $22,228
• % change: 27.5%

• Average price (2019): $16,348
• Average price (2025): $20,584
• % change: 25.9%

• Average price (2019): $18,165
• Average price (2025): $22,023
• % change: 21.2%

Editor’s note: Data was sourced from iSeeCars and is accurate as of June 24, 2025.