12 Types of Used Vehicles for Less Than $15,000
As money gets tight, consider pre-owned cars that are affordable, reliable, safe
by James R. Healey, AARP, March 26, 2020
You want the trifecta when shopping for a used car: low price, reliability and reassuring safety scores.
Now that the coronavirus pandemic has torpedoed the concept of normal and made finances seem shakier than a straw hut on the San Andreas fault, you naturally think of a good used car as an asset. You might want to sell your new-ish car that's still nicking your budget for payments that now seem too big and head for the used-car lot.
Or you might be between cars and think it's smarter to buy used.
Even in normal times, a used car can be the smart play. It's already done much of its depreciating.
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Used cars are a better fit in many budgets. And you should be able to get a nicely appointed used machine for the same as, or even less than, you would pay for a low-end new vehicle.
The database experts at iSeeCars sorted and searched for AARP and came up with cars, minivans, pickup trucks and SUVs, ranging from electric and hybrids to luxury sedans and get-'er-done workhorses. All are priced at $15,000 or less, enjoy good reliability scores and did well in safety tests.
Keep in mind that to fit the budget, some vehicles are perhaps older than you would prefer. One reason: They held their value well and took longer to drop into our price range. According to iSeeCars, its multi-million-car database shows these vehicles were considered reliable when new and continue to give dependable service.
We're looking at the categories in alphabetical order, but be aware that in the new-vehicle market, SUVs have nearly replaced ordinary sedans. The easy-in-and-out seat height is one lure; another is the improved view ahead and around because you sit higher.
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PHOTO BY: David Dewhurst Photography
Compact car
2017 Toyota Corolla
Our take: This Corolla is the newest of any vehicle in this list, which means it's more likely to seem modern, or new-ish, than some of the others. But drawing from more than 25 years of test driving, it's a bit tepid. A sportier-feeling alternative is the 2015 Honda Civic for $13,973. Its scores are similar to the Corolla's, except for J.D. Power's consumer satisfaction score of 73.
Price, based on iSeeCars most recent data: $14,601
Miles per gallon (MPG), combined city/highway, from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) testing: 30 to 34, depending on trim level; the manual transmission, often thought of as a fuel saver, isn't
Yearly fuel cost, from the EPA: $950 to $1,050
Crash rating, overall, from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: 5 stars, the top rating
Consumer Reports’ reliability rating: 5, the top score; also one of the magazine's recommended models
J.D. Power overall consumer satisfaction rating: 84 out of 100
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PHOTO BY: Raymond Boyd/Getty Images
Electric car
2014 Chevrolet Volt
Our take: Yes, you can get an electric car for less than $15,000. The Volt has a gasoline engine, but it's designed to kick on at about 38 miles or so and run a generator that keeps the batteries charged and adds another 300 miles or so of electric range.
Price: $12,610
MPG equivalent: 98 for those first 38 miles, 37 using premium gas for the rest
Yearly fuel cost: $850
Crash rating: 5 stars, the top rating
Consumer Reports’ rating: 5, the top score
J.D. Power rating: 70 out of 100
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PHOTO BY: Toyota
Hybrid car
2014 Toyota Camry hybrid
Our take: The hybrid version of the Camry's 2012 redo was a gem. By the time of the 2015 update, it had turned pretty sour and unpleasant to drive. Make up your own mind with a personal test drive.
Price: $14,063
MPG: 39 to 40, depending on trim level
Yearly fuel cost: $800
Crash rating: 5 stars, the top rating
Consumer Reports’ rating: Not available. The magazine didn't rate the hybrid individually but gave all Camrys a 5, the top score, and also considered the lineup one of the magazine's recommended models. Its test drive of the Camry hybrid was a thumbs-up.
J.D. Power rating: 82 out of 100
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PHOTO BY: Toyota
Hybrid car
2014 Toyota Prius
Our take: Introduced in the U.S. in 2000 and now so ubiquitous it's almost a synonym for “hybrid,” the Prius has been pleasant if not stunning in our test drives. Another one you should try before you buy.
Price: $13,460
MPG: 48
Yearly fuel cost: $650
Crash rating: 4 of 5 stars
Consumer Reports’ rating: 5, the top score; also one of the magazine's recommended models
J.D. Power rating: 74 out of 100; also a Dependability Award winner with the fewest problems at three years old
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PHOTO BY: Dewhurst Photography
Luxury car
2012 Lexus ES 350
Our take: While appealing for its smooth and peppy V-6 engine, the ES 350 always has seemed to us more like a black-tie version of the Toyota Camry, on which it's based, than a pure luxury car. You won't find much wrong, but our drives never sparked any serious enthusiasm either.
Price: $14,879
MPG: 22
Yearly fuel cost: $1,450
Crash rating: 3 of 5 stars
Consumer Reports’ rating: 5, the top score; also one of the magazine's recommended models
J.D. Power rating: Not rated
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PHOTO BY: Drive Images / Alamy Stock Photo
Luxury car
2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Our take: The E-class cars always have been our favorite Mercedes-Benz: accommodating, comfortable, pleasant to drive and just sporty enough.
Price: $14,079
MPG: 19 to 21, depending on trim level; uses premium gasoline
Yearly fuel cost: $2,000 to $2,250
Crash rating: 4.7 of 5 stars
Consumer Reports’ rating: 4 out of 5
J.D. Power rating: 79 out of 100
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PHOTO BY: Toyota
Minivan
2012 Toyota Sienna
Our take: Though new-car buyers largely have forsaken minivans in general in favor of sportier SUVs, only a few test drives are necessary to see they remain the most accommodating vehicle on the market.
Price: $14,798
MPG: 19 to 21, depending on trim level
Yearly fuel cost: $1,500 to $1,650
Crash rating: 4 of 5 stars
Consumer Reports’ rating: 5, top score; also one of the magazine's recommended models
J.D. Power rating: 78 out of 100; also a Dependability Award winner with the fewest problems at three years old
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PHOTO BY: Car Collection / Alamy Stock Photo
Minivan
2011 Honda Odyssey
Our take: The Odyssey handles a bit sportier than the Sienna, our test drives have shown, and has commendable ratings in almost all categories. The caveat: Consumer Reports gives it a middle grade on dependability.
Price: $12,642
MPG: 21 to 22, depending on trim level
Yearly fuel cost: $1,450 to $1,500
Crash rating: 5 stars, the top rating
Consumer Reports’ rating: 3 out of 5
J.D. Power rating: 72 out of 100
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PHOTO BY: Toyota
Pickup
2008 Toyota Tacoma
Our take: Long the best-selling small and now “midsize” pickup, the Tacoma is a rough-riding, hard-working, old-fashioned truckers’ truck. It also lasts a good, long time, which is why you'll find a 12-year-old vehicle on this list.
Price: $14,173
MPG: 16 to 22, depending on trim level
Yearly fuel cost: $1,450 to $2,000
Crash rating: 4.7 of 5 stars
Consumer Reports’ rating: 4 out of 5
J.D. Power rating: 74 out of 100; also a Dependability Award winner with fewest problems at three years old
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PHOTO BY: Drive Images / Alamy Stock Photo
Pickup
2010 Honda Ridgeline
Our take: Based on a car-style unibody chassis, the Ridgeline is more refined than the Tacoma. It rides and handles more like a car, but truck people have trouble taking it seriously despite Ridgeline's ability to tote 1,546 pounds in the cargo bed, matching many bigger, so-called half-ton, trucks.
Price: $14,608
MPG: 17
Yearly fuel cost: $1,850
Crash rating: 4.7 of 5 stars
Consumer Reports’ rating: 4 out of 5; also one of the magazine's recommended models
J.D. Power rating: 75 out of 100
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PHOTO BY: Car Collection / Alamy Stock Photo
SUV
2010 Toyota Highlander
Our take: Our test drives show it's a fairly easy-riding vehicle suitable for most tastes. If rougher use and a stiffer ride are your thing, consider Toyota's 2009 4Runner at $14,762, which scores only slightly lower than the Highlander.
Price: About $13,124
MPG: 19 to 26, depending on trim level
Yearly fuel cost: $1,200 to $1,650
Crash rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Consumer Reports’ rating: 5, the top score; also one of the magazine's recommended models
J.D. Power rating: 74 out of 100
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PHOTO BY: Car Collection / Alamy Stock Photo
SUV
2011 Acura MDX
Our take: The MDX works well for those who prefer a premium brand to a mainstream nameplate.
Price: $14,331
MPG: 18, premium gas recommended
Yearly fuel cost: $2,350
Crash rating: 5 stars, the top rating
Consumer Reports’ rating: 3 out of 5
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