Top 10 Best Used Cars

There is no objection among sellers that buying a used car exceeds the monetary value of buying a brand new car right off the lot, making it a better buy. This simple fact is due to depreciation on a vehicle, losing nearly half of its value in the first three years.

The Consumer Reports provides an Annual Auto Survey from their National Research Center, which reflects the latest trends in automobile reliability to educate buyers on the best used cars on the road today.

Cars are rated best and worst in terms of reliability based on the model, the year, and the price of the vehicle. Data is taken from 1.3 million vehicle responses over a nine year period of time.

When buying a used car, it makes sense that a newer used car will be superior to an older used car simply because it has had fewer years to deteriorate, less miles and therefore less normal wear and tear.

Per the Consumer Reports website data taken from this year's automobile survey show there are six 2008 models that exhibit either the same or even fewer problems than 2010 model vehicles on average.

The consensus taken from the data further show that when buying a used car, the best bet is to make sure it is less than five-years-old. Consumer Reports state that cars older than five years are not found to be as trouble-free, adding that only half of the nine to 10-year-old vehicles held up for more than 12 months without a reported problem.

It was further discovered that the most problem-free five-year-old model was the 2006 Toyota Highlander V6. In regards to newer, three-year-old models, the most problem-free 2008 model vehicles include the Toyota FJ Cruiser and the Yaris.

The latest annual report, taken from 2010, reveals the most reliable cars that top the list include models built by Toyota and Honda, further stating that many of the best used vehicles are from Asian manufacturers.

The list below provides the top most reliable cars in all price ranges, based on their category. The report is pulled from reliability scores for model years 2001 to 2010 and have exhibited at least three years of data.

    - Small Cars - Honda Fit
    - Family Cars - Toyota Prius
    - Upscale Cars - Lexus ES
    - Luxury Cars - Acura RL
    - Sports/Sporty Cars - Mazda MX-5 Miata
    - Small SUVs - Honda CR-V
    - Midsized & Large SUVs - Toyota Highlander
    - Minivans - Toyota Sienna (FWD)
    - Pickup Trucks - Honda Ridgeline


For other best choices listed in each category check our list of quality cars for sale page. Also check our reviews on Best used cars under $10000