Used Car Buying Guide

IF YOU'RE READING THIS, you've already made two smart decisions: You've decided to buy a used car, and you've asked CR's experts to help you choose the right one. Yes, used-car prices are still high. But with our help, you can still find one with moderate mileage and in good condition at an attractive price. Buying used also means that you may be able to drive a car with more advanced safety features than you would find in a similarly priced new car. But in today's tight market, it can be tough to find the one that will meet all your needs. That's where we come in. Only CR has bought and tested more than 600 vehicles over the past decade, putting each one through more than 50 evaluations. And only CR…

WE ARE CONSUMER REPORTS, the country's preeminent independent, nonprofit consumer-product testing organization. Results of our tests and surveys appear at CR.org, in Consumer Reports magazine, across social media, and in books like this one, Used Cars. Inside you'll find a wealth of information about 2013 to 2022 used cars, SUVs, and trucks. We'll let you know which models are available and how they compare in performance, fuel economy, and safety. We also give you expert advice on determining how much you can afford, the best ways to shop, and how to get the most for your money-even if you hate haggling. Each year, CR conducts its exclusive member surveys for auto reliability and owner satisfaction - we received data on more than 300,000 vehicles in 2022-so you can trust us to tell you…

THE KEY TO MAKING the right choice is finding the vehicle that best fits your priorities, such as price, fuel economy, safety, comfort, and reliability. While finding the right car might seem fun at first, it can get overwhelming-real fast. That's where we can help. Our recommendations are based on hands-on testing, the largest pool of reliability data available anywhere, and our car experts’ accumulated knowledge. This chapter will guide you to the best models and steer you away from those that don't measure up. The Used-Car Sweet Spot Even though used-car prices have skyrocketed since late 2020, the best values among used cars is likely with 3- and 4-year-old models. That's because 1- and 2-year-old used cars have seen a significant price spike, often priced close to new cars. With an…

Most vehicles are supposedly designed for a wide range of body types, but many don't accommodate short or tall drivers very well. The shortest tester on our staff is 5 feet, 1 inch tall; the tallest is 6 feet, 2 inches, so we take their experiences into account. To find out which ones are better or worse, we took a look at the scores of recently tested models that are relevant to late-model used cars and equivalent designs. We focused on ratings for seat comfort, driving position, access, and all-around visibility. A few cars were rated very highly by both tall and short testers. Families with different-sized drivers might consider the BMW X5 or Volvo XC90. Several models, including the Jeep Wrangler, Mazda MX-5 Miata, Mitsubishi Mirage, Nissan Z, and…

Buying a car for a new driver can be a balancing act between getting a model you can afford and finding one that's safe and reliable. The best bet is to buy the newest, most reliable model with the most safety equipment you can afford. Do not even consider a car without antilock brakes (ABS), side and head-protection curtain airbags, and electronic stability control (ESC). If you can reach a little deeper and get a car equipped with automatic emergency braking, so much the better. The lifesaving assistance these systems can provide is worth every penny in an emergency situation, and they can be especially beneficial to an inexperienced driver. All cars from the 2012 model year onward have standard ESC. The list here includes models that are safe; performed well overall in…

BEST OF THE BEST Need new wheels but have a tight budget? Buying used is a way to get the biggest bang for your buck. It's simple math: After one year a new car has depreciated 27 percent of its sticker price, on average; after three years it's worth just about half its original sticker price. But picking out a good used car from a sea of bad ones has never been easy. You want one that's reliable, reasonably priced, and equipped with modern safety features. Add in the desire to avoid a car that has been damaged in a crash and the process can feel overwhelming. It doesn't have to be. We've created this handy guide to help you find the hatchbacks, sedans, pickups, and SUVs that are most likely to fulfill…