Finest Used Vehicles and Our Prime Picks for March 2025, says Client Experiences

New automobile costs are nonetheless prohibitively excessive for many automobile customers as costs proceed to hover across the $48,000 to $50,000 (on common) mark. And if you need a brand new truck, you possibly can anticipate to pay wherever from $70,000 to $100,000.

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

However is paying inflated costs and going into debt crucial with a purpose to personal an acceptable car?

By no means. CR automotive specialists are serving to customers discover used-car choices that may save tens of 1000’s of {dollars} whereas nonetheless permitting customers to personal a secure car with fashionable security options and a confirmed observe file of reliability.

Client Experiences Provides a New Choice Class

Client Experiences is well-known for its informative new automobile opinions, by which it has highlighted distinctive automobiles, SUVs, and vehicles gleaned by way of intensive testing and buyer survey knowledge.

Nevertheless, their automotive analysts are making use of related 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 more individuals are naturally seeking to pre-owned market searching for a greater cut price,” says Alex Knizek, supervisor of automotive testing and insights for Client Experiences. “However they should not need to sacrifice security, reliability, or gasoline financial 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 take into account the next elements:

1. Nice new automobiles do not all the time make nice used automobiles, particularly when factoring in depreciation and long-term reliability.
2. To establish good decisions, used automobiles have been chosen from a era perspective relatively than a model-year perspective.
3. The good thing about a era perspective is that it constantly reveals the fashions that turned extra trouble-free over a era’s multiyear span; the final two years of a era are usually the perfect.
4. Security options in new fashions present in used fashions are one other qualifying consideration.
5. Automotive worth is crucial, as some fashions depreciate greater than others, making them a cut price as a used car in comparison with different used automobile fashions of the identical age.
6. Used automobile customers should do not forget that every automobile is exclusive, has its historical past, and have to be inspected by an expert mechanic earlier than shopping for.

The technique we make use of for choosing used automobiles emphasizes worth inside a value vary, and it implies that the highlighted fashions might not have been the highest-scoring fashions when examined new. As a substitute, they’re usually good automobiles that depreciated greater than others, making them extra engaging as used automobiles than they have been when new.

THE BEST CAR TOP PICKS BY CONSUMER REPORTS

Sedan Underneath $10,000

Mazda 6 2016

Worth Vary: $8,125 – $11,125

Proprietor Reported MPG: 29 mpg

Sedan Underneath $15,000

Toyota Corolla 2018

Worth Vary: $12,275 – $14,875

Proprietor Reported MPG: 33 mpg

SUV Underneath $15,000

Honda CR-V 2016

Worth Vary: $12,050 – $16,250

Proprietor Reported MPG: 27 mpg

Hybrid Underneath $20,000

Toyota Camry Hybrid 2019

Worth Vary: $16,600 – $20,500

Proprietor Reported MPG: 45 mpg

Small SUV Underneath $20,000

Kia Sportage 2021

Worth Vary: $14,925 – $19,375

Proprietor Reported MPG: 25 mpg

Hybrid SUV Underneath $20,000

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid 2018

Worth Vary: $15,400 – $19,875

Proprietor Reported MPG: 32 mpg

3-Row SUV Underneath $20,000

Mazda CX-9 2020

Worth Vary: $16,425 – $22,750

Proprietor Reported MPG: 24 mpg

Luxurious SUV Underneath $20,000

Lexus NX 2017

Worth Vary: $16,550 – $19,625

Proprietor Reported MPG: 25 mpg

Pickup Truck Underneath $20,000

Toyota Tacoma 2015

Worth Vary: $13,575 – $19,975

Proprietor Reported MPG: 19 mpg

Sports activities Automotive Underneath $20,000

Mazda MX-5 Miata 2019

Worth Vary: $13,675 – $19,500

Proprietor Reported MPG: 32 mpg

Associated article: Client Experiences’ Dependable Used Sports activities Automotive Suggestions for Underneath $25,000

Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter based mostly in Cincinnati who presently researches and works on restoring older autos with engine modifications for improved efficiency. He additionally reviews on fashionable automobiles (together with EVs) with a give attention to DIY mechanics, shopping for and utilizing instruments, and different associated topical automotive restore information. Observe 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 vehicles.

Picture Supply: Deposit Pictures