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Used car shoppers should be forewarned: prices are still a little scary.
During the Covid pandemic, supply chain issues forced manufacturers to slow production, which resulted in fewer new cars being produced from 2020 through 2022. When new car prices went up, many buyers turned to the used market, causing those prices to shoot up too.
Entering 2024, used car prices are still inflated, and we’re also seeing a new shortage of lightly used vehicles. According to research from iSeeCars, the average price of a two-year-old car is now $37,675. In 2019 it was $23,886.
Now that we have the bad news out of the way, here’s some good news: Buying a new (used) car can still be a whole lot of fun — if you know what to look for. Here, we’ve rounded up some of the best used cars to consider in 2024 including reliable daily SUVs, spirited sports cars, and depreciated luxury cruisers.
The Best Used Cars to Buy in 2024
Below, we’ve rounded up the best used cars to buy in 2024 and organized them by budget. Scroll down further to find out how and why we decided on this selection of vehicles.
In This Article
Best Used Cars Under $20k
Best Used Cars Under $30k
Best Used Cars Under $40k
How We Chose the Best Used Cars
Best Used Cars Under $20k
1. Toyota Camry
The XV50 Toyota Camry, produced from 2011 to 2019, is a bulletproof choice for just about anyone. Like almost all Camrys, the midsize sedan is roomy, comfortable, extremely reliable, and fuel efficient. A $20k budget is more than enough to find a solid example: You’ll see plenty of earlier year models (2011 to ~2014) and a handful of newer ones — all with less than 50 or even less than 40,000 miles.
2. Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is another titan of the affordable, reliable car market, and it should be on anyone’s list of possibilities — especially if you’re looking with (what is now) a relatively small budget of $20k. It’s also a midsize sedan (like the Camry) so you get ample space for passengers, luggage, or any kind of gear, and drive quality is very solid. With $20k, you’re looking at the ~2012 to ~2016 model years.
3. Volkswagen Golf
If you’re willing to sacrifice a bit (but not much) reliability for a more fun car, check out the Volkswagen Golf. You’ll see examples around the 2014-2017 model years without too many miles well under the $20k mark. Look for the SE trim; this adds leather seats, better tech, a sunroof, and other nice features.
4. Mazda MX-5 Miata
It’s easy to love the Mazda Miata. They’re all about the pleasure of driving, and there’s an argument to be made that the tiny convertible does it just as well as luxury sports cars. With a Miata, you can bounce on the redline through canyons and suburban streets without getting in too much danger of a speeding ticket or an accident. Best of all, they can easily be found for well under $20k.
5. Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
Here’s a wildcard pick for under $20k: The Mercedes-Benz CLK. Now retired, the CLK was essentially a sportier, two-door version of the E-Class that’s proven to be uniquely reliable compared to other Mercedes (and other German cars) of the time. I’ve personally owned a 2006 CLK500 for eight years. Its beefy V8 sucks down gas but gets amazing smiles-per-gallon, handles great, and costs even less than the cars above. Although it is relatively reliable for its age, still set aside a few thousand dollars and some patience for maintenance.
Best Used Cars Under $30k
1. Toyota Avalon
The Toyota Avalon scores very high in terms of gas mileage and reliability. With a $30k budget, you can pick up an example that’s just a couple of years old with very few miles. If you’re unfamiliar, the Avalon is essentially a slightly larger, nicer version of the Camry. The Limited trim level will get you top-of-the-line features, but the Touring trim (one below the Limited, but above the XLE) is going to be easier to find at this price.
2. Acura MDX
If you need more size, consider the three-row Acura MDX. Its reliability is highly rated across the board, and you’re getting some luxury to boot. You will be able to find a very solid example with $30k, although you may need to wait for the right one to come up on the market (set notifications on sites like Carvana and Vroom).
3. Mercedes-Benz E-Class
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is ubiquitous for good reason. It’s luxurious, extremely safe, and reliable, although maintenance is of generally more pricey than Japanese or American cars. Plus, thanks to depreciation, you can find very good examples from roughly 2012 through 2018 for less than $30k. You’ll also see sedan, coupe, and convertible options for whatever you’re feeling.
4. Lexus IS
Another great sedan for the $30k budget is the Lexus IS. They’re sporty and comfortable, and like all Lexuses also very reliable. In this budget, you’ll mostly see IS 200t and 250s, although you’ll also find a few of the more powerful IS 350s.
5. Ram 1500
Pickup trucks have been hit especially hard by the last few years of auto inflation, making it hard to find anything besides project cars on a budget. However, with $30k, you can score a pretty clean Ram 1500 from roughly the 2014 to 2019 model years. It scores well for reliability; iSeeCars found it to be the #1 most reliable full-size pickup for this price point.
Best Used Cars Under $40k
1. Kia Stinger
The Kia Stinger is one of the most overlooked cars in the world. Since its release in the 2018 model year, the mid-size sedan has garnered praise for its reliability, comfort, tech, and — most of all — it’s shockingly quick performance for the price. And yet, it didn’t sell well (2023 will be the last year), but now they’re easy to pick up on the used market for a decent price.
2. Lexus RX
As far as all-around cars go, the Lexus RX is hard to top. It’s spacious, extremely reliable, and nicely appointed inside. With $40k, you’ll be able to find one that’s just a couple of years old without too many miles.
3. Audi S3
In terms of performance-for-your-money, it’s hard to beat the Audi S3. All modern iterations are compact, lightweight, and also one some of the highest-rated Audis in terms of reliability. But the performance is the kicker. The S3 feels both playful and sharp, especially thanks to its incredible Audi S tronic (dual-clutch) transmission.
4. Audi A8
Depreciation always hits luxury sedans hard, which is bad for first owners but great for anyone shopping used. If you have $40k and want something truly stately, check out Audi A8s from approximately the 2014 to 2017 model years. They’re big, burly cruisers with a mountain of well-integrated tech, and one of the better interiors of the time.
5. Porsche Boxster
If you want something sporty with your $40k, the Porsche Boxster is a great choice. Most 911s at this price are sadly a bit long in the tooth, but $40k can get you a very clean version of its baby brother form about 2012-2016. In fact, a handful of die-hard fans will actually argue that the Boxsters smaller size and more subdued engine make it the better choice for most public roads (we’re not sure if we agree, but you just might).
How We Chose the Best Used Cars
Choosing a car is a big decision, whether you’re shopping new or used, which is why we made sure to research all of our choices as thoroughly as possible.
When considering affordability, age, and mileage, we made sure that each pick was readily available with fewer than 50,000 miles at each price point. We also wanted your budget to get you an option that was no more than 12 years old, at the very most (we were more flexible when it came to “fun” cars like the Boxster and CLK). We also looked at average maintenance costs, previous depreciation (to see if it’s a deal or not), and projected or expected depreciation.
Then we looked at reliability and safety. To get a clear picture of a vehicle’s overall reliability, we scoured through reviews and ratings from sources like JD Power, Kelly Blue Book, and iSeeCars. To make sure it was a safe pick, we looked at IIHS awards and NHTSA ratings. After all this, the final step — once we had a large pool of safe, reliable vehicles that fit the price criteria — was to consider looks and brand reputation.
