Best Used Cars Under $25,000 For 2016
One of the main reasons people dislike shopping for a used car is the chances of ending up with a bad unreliable vehicle.
There is no way to guarantee you don’t end up buying a bad used car. However, there are a few things you can do to decrease your chances of making a costly mistake.
Checking a used car’s history report and having it inspected by an independent certified mechanic are two inexpensive things you can do to keep you from buying someone else’s problems.
You can also turn to well-known publications such as Consumer Reports to review the latest test results and ratings of the vehicle you’re looking to buy. Consumer Reports recently analyzed hundreds of thousands of responses from vehicle owners and cross-referenced them with a lifesaving safety feature, electronic stability control to bring you the best used cars you can buy for $25,000 or less.
The vehicles listed below are the ones they recommend. They all have above-average reliability for the years shown, are equipped with ESC, and performed well in their road tests. Keep in mind, no matter what automaker’s name is on a vehicle, each vehicle stands on its own. There may be some bad apples in the bunch, so before you buy always review the vehicle’s history report and have a certified mechanic do a thorough inspection of the vehicle by putting it up on a lift.
Always Research Used Cars Online First
NOTE: Before buying any used car you’ll want to check the used car’s title history using a service such as AutoCheck. This will protect you by making sure the vehicle has not been in a severe accident or has a branded title. If the title shows to be clean, the second thing you’ll want to do is have the vehicle inspected by an independent certified mechanic before signing on the dotted line. There may be an additional cost; However, it will be well worth reducing the chances of you buying someone else’s problems and costing you a lot more money later down the road.
When negotiating a used car’s price, it’s important to have a good estimate of what the dealer’s cost is for the vehicle and what other people are paying for the same used car in your local area. Otherwise, you won’t know what’s a good price to pay for the vehicle. I highly recommend using an online referral service such as Ryde Shopper or Motor Trend to do your used car research and request a free used car quote.
The information you receive from these sites, will tell you what the vehicle you’re considering is going for and will also tell you which dealerships in your local area are currently the most flexible with their used car pricing.
Best Used Cars Available For $25,000 or Less
| Year | Make and Model |
|---|---|
| Used Cars Less Than $10,000 | |
| Ford Focus | 2009 – 2010 |
| Pontiac Vibe | 2006 – 2009 |
| Scion xB | 2008 – 2009 |
| Acura TL | 2006 |
| Acura TSX | 2006 |
| Hyundai Sonata | 2007 – 2009 |
| Mazda6 | 2009 |
| Honda CR-V | 2006 |
| Honda Pilot | 2006 |
| Toyota Sienna | 2006 |
| Used Cars From $10,000 to $15,000 | |
| Honda Fit | 2011 – 2013 |
| Kia Soul | 2011 – 2012 |
| Mazda3 | 2011 – 2012 |
| Infiniti G | 2006 – 2008 |
| Lincoln MKZ | 2009 – 2010 |
| Acura MDX | 2006 |
| Toyota Highlander | 2006 – 2007 |
| Used Cars From $15,000 to $20,000 | |
| Toyota Prius | 2012 – 2013 |
| Hyundai Elantra | 2014 – 2015 |
| Honda Civic | 2013 – 2014 |
| Honda Accord | 2011 – 2012 |
| Toyota Camry | 2012 – 2013 |
| Lexus ES | 2009 – 2010 |
| Mazda CX-5 | 2013 |
| Toyota RAV4 | 2010 – 2011 |
| Used Cars From $20,000 to $25,000 | |
| Ford Fusion | 2014 – 2015 |
| Subaru Legacy | 2014 – 2015 |
| Toyota Avalon | 2012 |
| Nissan Murano | 2012 – 2013 |
| Subaru Forester | 2012 – 2013 |
| Toyota Sequoia | 2008 |
| Mercedes-Benz E-Class | 2009 |
| Acura RDX | 2011 |
| Lexus RX | 2010 |
Source: Consumer Reports
