Advertisement

iSeeCars’ Best Used Cars for the Money for 2024

Highlights:

  • The Chevrolet Trax is the best 5-year-old used car for the money, with an average price of $17,274 and 120,000 miles of remaining lifespan

  • The Toyota Avalon is the best 10-year-old used car for the money, with an average price of $16,986 and 124,000 miles of remaining lifespan

  • The Honda Ridgeline is the best 5-year-old used truck for the money, with an average price of $30,026 and a remaining lifespan of 182,000 miles

  • The Honda CR-V is the best 10-year-old SUV for the money, with an average price of $15,726 and a remaining lifespan of 111,000 miles

  • The best used cars for the money are ranked by their price per 10,000 miles of remaining lifespan, with the lowest priced models representing the highest used car value

 

ADVERTISEMENT

The need to find value in the used car market has never been greater, with high vehicle prices and reduced spending power straining consumer budgets. iSeeCars has identified the best used cars for the money and ranked them based on the lowest price for every 10,000 miles of remaining lifespan. Both 5- and 10-year-old used cars were evaluated, and only models with either 100,000-plus miles of remaining lifespan (for 5-year-old models) or 80,000-plus miles of remaining lifespan (for 10-year-old models) were considered. Under these conditions, the Chevrolet Trax is the best 5-year-old used car for the money, and the Toyota Avalon is the best 10-year-old used car for the money.

“With the spike in used vehicle pricing over the past five years, buyers are seeking the best value for their used-car dollars,” said iSeeCars Executive Analyst Karl Brauer. “We’ve identified the models with the lowest purchase price and the longest remaining lifespan, providing shoppers with a list of used cars they can purchase and rely on for many years.”

iSeeCars analyzed the prices of over 1.1 million 5- and 10-year-old cars sold from September to December 2023 and compared them to the remaining lifespan of those cars, based on a proprietary model that estimated the probability each vehicle would survive to various mileage thresholds using odometer readings from over 312 million vehicles, in order to determine the best used cars for the money.

 

The 20 best 5-year-old cars for the money

Chevrolet takes the top-ranked Best Used Cars for the Money spot with its Trax small SUV at an average 5-year-old price of $17,274 with 119,833 remaining miles, or 64.9 percent remaining lifespan. But Honda is the most dominant brand on the list, with seven of the 20 best 5-year-old used cars for the money. The Honda Fit and Insight are in positions 2 and 3, respectively. 

Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, and Toyota all have two models in the top 20, while Buick, Ford, Hyundai, and Jeep each have one entry. Twelve of the top 20 best used cars for the money are SUVs.

For consumers on a budget, there are six options under $20,000 on the "best 5-year-old used cars for the money" list. These range from the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport at an average price of $17,199 with 114,789 remaining miles, to the Hyundai Tucson priced at $19,869 with 109,019 remaining miles.   

The 20 Best 5-Year-Old Used Cars for the Money

Rank

Model

Price per 10k Miles

Average Price

Remaining Lifespan (Miles)

Remaining Lifespan (%)

1

Chevrolet Trax

$1,442

$17,274

119,833

64.9%

2

Honda Fit

$1,473

$19,049

129,319

67.7%

3

Honda Insight

$1,485

$22,109

148,885

68.8%

4

Buick Encore

$1,492

$18,632

124,852

67.6%

5

Mitsubishi Outlander Sport

$1,498

$17,199

114,789

62.9%

6

Honda Accord

$1,542

$24,074

156,146

69.1%

7

Honda CR-V

$1,588

$25,434

160,207

70.8%

8

Honda Ridgeline

$1,647

$30,026

182,288

71.2%

9

Toyota Avalon

$1,694

$29,118

171,839

73.0%

10

Jeep Renegade

$1,716

$20,026

116,728

65.6%

11

Mitsubishi Outlander

$1,763

$18,727

106,227

59.6%

12

Ford Edge

$1,803

$22,636

125,552

63.4%

13

Mazda CX-5

$1,815

$23,298

128,338

66.4%

14

Toyota Camry

$1,817

$22,686

124,851

63.5%

15

Nissan Pathfinder

$1,820

$22,480

123,510

62.2%

16

Nissan Rogue

$1,822

$20,408

112,036

62.1%

17

Hyundai Tucson

$1,823

$19,869

109,019

62.0%

18

Honda Civic

$1,835

$22,268

121,359

64.5%

19

Mazda CX-9

$1,886

$26,152

138,671

66.2%

20

Honda Pilot

$1,888

$28,978

153,519

66.1%

Overall Average

$2,249

$28,965

128,808

64.1%

“All of these models retain at least 60 percent of their lifespan, yet they all cost substantially less for each 10,000 miles of remaining lifespan than the average used car,” said Brauer. “The price of used vehicles remains historically high, but these 20 models represent excellent value.”

 

The 20 best 10-year-old used cars for the money

Toyota is the top brand when it comes to the best 10-year-old used cars for the money, with the Avalon in the top spot and the Prius, Sequoia, Tacoma, 4Runner, RAV4, and Tundra also making the list. Add in three models from its premium sister brand, Lexus, and Toyota occupies half of the top 20 list.

Honda is also well represented with four models, including the CR-V, Accord, Ridgeline, and Pilot. Mazda has two vehicles on the list, followed by Acura, Buick, Infiniti, and Lincoln with one each.

The 20 Best 10-Year-Old Used Cars for the Money

Rank

Model

Price per 10k Miles

Average Price

Remaining Lifespan (Miles)

Remaining Lifespan (%)

1

Toyota Avalon

$1,369

$16,986

124,119

52.7%

2

Honda CR-V

$1,417

$15,726

110,976

49.0%

3

Honda Accord

$1,427

$15,069

105,602

46.8%

4

Mazda CX-9

$1,453

$12,796

88,035

42.1%

5

Lincoln MKX

$1,481

$14,999

101,295

46.5%

6

Lexus GS 350

$1,513

$20,474

135,277

56.3%

7

Toyota Prius c

$1,539

$13,065

84,882

43.7%

8

Buick Encore

$1,550

$12,784

82,471

44.7%

9

Honda Ridgeline

$1,595

$20,257

127,038

49.6%

10

Lexus CT 200h

$1,623

$16,390

100,997

48.5%

11

Honda Pilot

$1,654

$16,062

97,103

41.8%

12

Toyota Sequoia

$1,703

$24,329

142,895

50.2%

13

Mazda CX-5

$1,719

$14,200

82,623

42.7%

14

Lexus ES 350

$1,762

$18,722

106,231

51.1%

15

Toyota Tacoma

$1,836

$22,664

123,422

50.4%

16

Acura MDX

$1,876

$17,367

92,591

42.5%

17

Toyota 4Runner

$1,908

$24,625

129,088

49.5%

18

Toyota RAV4

$1,927

$16,693

86,624

43.1%

19

INFINITI QX50

$1,931

$16,506

85,491

47.6%

20

Toyota Tundra

$1,983

$26,281

132,565

50.4%

Overall Average

$1,924

$19,178

99,685

45.2%

“Used car buyers on a tight budget can still find plenty of life left in these 10-year-old cars,” said Brauer. “For less than $13,000 a vehicle like the Buick Encore or Mazda CX-9 still has more than 40 percent of its lifespan remaining, which equates to more than 80,000 miles of use.”

 

Best 5-year-old used trucks for the money

The Toyota Tacoma has a reputation for durability and long life, but the Honda Ridgeline edges ahead of it into the first-ranked spot when it comes to best value for the money. The Ridgeline’s average 5-year-old price of $30,026 is lower than the Tacoma’s price of $33,116, while its remaining lifespan is 7,457 miles higher. The lowest priced best 5-year-old used truck for the money is the third-ranked Nissan Frontier, at just $24,834 with 119,844 remaining miles. 

Best 5-Year-Old Used Trucks for the Money

Rank

Model

Price per 10k Miles

Average Price

Remaining Lifespan (Miles)

Remaining Lifespan (%)

1

Honda Ridgeline

$1,647

$30,026

182,288

71.2%

2

Toyota Tacoma

$1,894

$33,116

174,831

71.4%

3

Nissan Frontier

$2,072

$24,834

119,844

63.2%

4

Toyota Tundra

$2,079

$39,153

188,340

71.7%

5

GMC Canyon

$2,354

$31,113

132,175

66.7%

6

Nissan Titan

$2,362

$31,967

135,338

65.2%

7

Chevrolet Colorado

$2,392

$27,882

116,542

62.6%

8

Ford Ranger

$2,399

$30,669

127,836

66.9%

Truck Average

$2,594

$34,709

133,811

64.0%

9

Chevrolet Silverado 1500

$2,686

$36,524

135,969

63.9%

10

Ram 1500

$2,891

$35,824

123,920

62.5%

11

Ford F-150

$3,059

$35,309

115,425

59.8%

12

GMC Sierra 1500

$3,307

$42,080

127,262

62.4%

“Midsize trucks don’t have the capability of full-size models when it comes to towing and hauling,” said Brauer, “but they clearly have an advantage when it comes to cost and lifespan. If you don’t need a full-size truck, a used midsize model offers far better value.”

 

Best 10-year-old used trucks for the money

With 80,000 miles as the minimum remaining lifespan required, only five trucks make the list. Three of them are midsize trucks, with Honda’s Ridgeline again beating Toyota’s stalwart Tacoma for the top spot. Two full-size models, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and Nissan Titan, also make the cut, but fall below the segment averages.

Best 10-Year-Old Used Trucks for the Money

Rank

Model

Price per 10k Miles

Average Price

Remaining Lifespan (Miles)

Remaining Lifespan (%)

1

Honda Ridgeline

$1,595

$20,257

127,038

49.6%

2

Toyota Tacoma

$1,836

$22,664

123,422

50.4%

3

Toyota Tundra

$1,983

$26,281

132,565

50.4%

Truck Average

$2,208

$22,195

100,529

44.0%

4

Nissan Titan

$2,255

$19,103

84,704

40.8%

5

Chevrolet Silverado 1500

$2,573

$21,349

82,979

39.0%

“Trucks have some of the longest lifespans in the automotive world, but their use cases can be pretty demanding,” said Brauer. “To have 40-plus percent of a truck’s life remaining after 10 years shows how durable these vehicles can be.”

 

Best 5-year-old used SUVs for the money

Smaller SUVs, including the Chevrolet Trax, Buick Encore, and Honda CR-V, dominate this list, but three-row models like the Buick Encore, Honda Pilot, and Mazda CX-9 give buyers with a large family several high-value options to consider.

Best 5-Year-Old Used SUVs for the Money

Rank

Model

Price per 10k Miles

Average Price

Remaining Lifespan (Miles)

Remaining Lifespan (%)

1

Chevrolet Trax

$1,442

$17,274

119,833

64.9%

2

Buick Encore

$1,492

$18,632

124,852

67.6%

3

Mitsubishi Outlander Sport

$1,498

$17,199

114,789

62.9%

4

Honda CR-V

$1,588

$25,434

160,207

70.8%

5

Jeep Renegade

$1,716

$20,026

116,728

65.6%

6

Mitsubishi Outlander

$1,763

$18,727

106,227

59.6%

7

Ford Edge

$1,803

$22,636

125,552

63.4%

8

Mazda CX-5

$1,815

$23,298

128,338

66.4%

9

Nissan Pathfinder

$1,820

$22,480

123,510

62.2%

10

Nissan Rogue

$1,822

$20,408

112,036

62.1%

11

Hyundai Tucson

$1,823

$19,869

109,019

62.0%

12

Mazda CX-9

$1,886

$26,152

138,671

66.2%

13

Honda Pilot

$1,888

$28,978

153,519

66.1%

14

Kia Sportage

$1,930

$19,414

100,583

58.9%

15

Subaru Crosstrek

$1,933

$23,590

122,025

64.3%

16

Jeep Cherokee

$1,947

$21,774

111,854

61.4%

17

Ford Flex

$1,952

$24,197

123,961

60.7%

18

Toyota 4Runner

$1,976

$36,702

185,702

71.2%

19

Toyota RAV4

$2,003

$26,863

134,119

66.7%

20

Kia Sorento

$2,043

$20,668

101,170

56.9%

SUV Average

$2,207

$27,353

123,949

63.4%

“All of these SUVs have more than 50 percent of their lifespan remaining, with most of them costing less than $25,000,” said Brauer. “Knowing you have more than 100,000 miles of useful life left, at that price point, can give used car shoppers some much-needed peace of mind.”

 

Best 10-year-old used SUVs for the money

Nine models offer better-than-average numbers for shoppers seeking a high-value 10-year-old SUV. The Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-9, and Lincoln MKX earn the top three spots, but with most of these vehicles priced under $20,000 there’s plenty to choose from for buyers looking to cut their upfront costs while retaining a healthy lifespan.

Best 10-Year-Old Used SUVs for the Money

Rank

Model

Price per 10k Miles

Average Price

Remaining Lifespan (Miles)

Remaining Lifespan (%)

1

Honda CR-V

$1,417

$15,726

110,976

49.0%

2

Mazda CX-9

$1,453

$12,796

88,035

42.1%

3

Lincoln MKX

$1,481

$14,999

101,295

46.5%

4

Buick Encore

$1,550

$12,784

82,471

44.7%

5

Honda Pilot

$1,654

$16,062

97,103

41.8%

6

Toyota Sequoia

$1,703

$24,329

142,895

50.2%

7

Mazda CX-5

$1,719

$14,200

82,623

42.7%

8

Acura MDX

$1,876

$17,367

92,591

42.5%

9

Toyota 4Runner

$1,908

$24,625

129,088

49.5%

SUV Average

$1,924

$18,547

96,398

44.5%

10

Toyota RAV4

$1,927

$16,693

86,624

43.1%

11

INFINITI QX50

$1,931

$16,506

85,491

47.6%

12

Lexus LX 570

$2,228

$35,971

161,455

57.4%

13

Toyota Highlander

$2,260

$19,944

88,260

41.5%

14

Chevrolet Tahoe

$2,274

$18,582

81,697

36.6%

15

Lexus GX 460

$2,300

$26,527

115,355

48.7%

16

Toyota FJ Cruiser

$2,378

$32,213

135,452

52.8%

17

Lexus RX 350

$2,406

$19,719

81,972

42.9%

18

Jeep Wrangler Unlimited

$2,719

$23,381

86,002

43.8%

19

Mercedes-Benz G-Class

$5,954

$68,850

115,629

58.2%

“With an 80,000-mile minimum lifespan to make this list, and eight models offering more than 100,000 miles, these SUVs all offer several years of practical and flexible use,” said Brauer.

 

Best 5-year-old used passenger cars for the money

While 17 5-year-old passenger cars have at least 100,000 miles of remaining lifespan, only 4 offer better-than-average pricing in this segment. Honda is clearly the value leader in the used passenger car category, with the Fit, Insight, and Accord taking the top three positions. Luxury buyers can choose from six Lexus models or the Lincoln MKZ. 

Best 5-Year-Old Used Passenger Cars for the Money

Rank

Model

Price per 10k Miles

Average Price

Remaining Lifespan (Miles)

Remaining Lifespan (%)

1

Honda Fit

$1,473

$19,049

129,319

67.7%

2

Honda Insight

$1,485

$22,109

148,885

68.8%

3

Honda Accord

$1,542

$24,074

156,146

69.1%

4

Toyota Avalon

$1,694

$29,118

171,839

73.0%

Passenger Car Average

$1,774

$24,161

136,200

66.7%

5

Toyota Camry

$1,817

$22,686

124,851

63.5%

6

Honda Civic

$1,835

$22,268

121,359

64.5%

7

Toyota Prius

$1,951

$24,037

123,173

62.7%

8

Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen

$2,000

$20,369

101,841

63.5%

9

Lexus GS 350

$2,013

$36,478

181,177

75.4%

10

Toyota Camry Hybrid

$2,046

$24,650

120,450

62.7%

11

Lexus ES 350

$2,208

$33,005

149,447

71.9%

12

Toyota Avalon Hybrid

$2,297

$29,826

129,837

65.9%

13

Lexus IS 350

$2,347

$34,652

147,641

71.5%

14

Lincoln MKZ

$2,377

$25,899

108,944

64.2%

15

Lexus IS 300

$2,417

$29,543

122,207

64.1%

16

Lexus ES 300h

$2,884

$34,728

120,419

66.0%

17

Lexus LS 500

$3,387

$50,045

147,743

71.4%

“The average 5-year-old passenger car still has more than 136,000 miles of remaining lifespan,” said Brauer. “And at an average price of just over $24,000, used car shoppers can save money on both purchase price and operating costs like fuel and insurance compared to the more popular SUV category.”

 

Best 10-year-old used passenger cars for the money

Shopping for a 10-year-old used car doesn’t mean buying a low-quality, worn-out vehicle. Eight of these 10 cars have over 100,000 miles of usable life left, and most of them cost less than $20,000.

The Toyota Avalon, Honda Accord, and Lexus GS 350 all offer an appealing combination of comfort, space, and confident driving dynamics. The Toyota Prius c delivers those same qualities while adding exceptional fuel efficiency.

Best 10-Year-Old Used Passenger Cars for the Money

Rank

Model

Price per 10k Miles

Average Price

Remaining Lifespan (Miles)

Remaining Lifespan (%)

1

Toyota Avalon

$1,369

$16,986

124,119

52.7%

2

Honda Accord

$1,427

$15,069

105,602

46.8%

3

Lexus GS 350

$1,513

$20,474

135,277

56.3%

4

Toyota Prius c

$1,539

$13,065

84,882

43.7%

Passenger Car Average

$1,561

$16,713

107,096

48.4%

5

Lexus CT 200h

$1,623

$16,390

100,997

48.5%

6

Lexus ES 350

$1,762

$18,722

106,231

51.1%

7

Lexus IS 250

$2,063

$19,408

94,058

46.7%

8

Toyota Avalon Hybrid

$2,098

$17,451

83,176

42.2%

9

Lexus IS 350

$2,132

$22,066

103,508

50.1%

10

Lexus LS 460

$2,578

$26,847

104,153

50.3%

“When shopping 10-year-old passenger cars there’s really only one automaker to consider – Toyota,” said Brauer. “Between its mainstream brand and its Lexus luxury brand, this Japanese automaker dominates the best 10-year-old used cars for the money.”

The vehicles highlighted in this study offer both realistic pricing and long-term functionality. They represent the best value for used car shoppers.

More from iSeeCars:

Methodology

iSeeCars analyzed the prices of over 1.1 million 5- and 10-year-old cars sold in September to December 2023 and the odometer readings of over 312 million cars. The odometer readings for each vehicle were fed into a proprietary model that estimated the probability that each vehicle would survive to various mileage thresholds. This model of survival was used to calculate the average life of each vehicle, as well as the average mileage after five and ten years of driving. The average prices for each 5- and 10-year-old vehicle were then calculated and compared to the remaining lifespan, and expressed as a purchase price per 10,000 miles. Heavy-duty and low-volume vehicles were excluded from further analysis. To guarantee that the recommended models have a meaningful remaining driving lifespan, a requirement that 5-year-old and 10-year-old models have at least 100,000 and 80,000 miles of remaining lifespan, respectively, was further imposed on the data.

 

About iSeeCars.com

 

 

This article, Best Used Cars for the Money, originally appeared on iSeeCars.com