The Best Used Cars to Buy Right Now
Criteria for voting: reliability, safety and availability.
Only used cars originally sold from 2004 to 2009 are eligible for these awards. Older vehicles usually have logged too many miles, and newer ones haven't yet felt the large depreciation that makes a low mileage 2- or 3-year-old car the best value.
Editors looked first at consumer ratings, as well as personal experience and judgment.
Second, they considered how these vehicles performed in National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash tests.
Third, they looked at availability; the bigger the model year spread the better.
The following vehicles won for 2011:
| Vehicle Class | Winner |
| Compact Sedan | 2004-2009 Hyundai Elantra |
| Midsize Sedan | 2004-2009 Nissan Altima |
| Large Sedan | 2006-2009 Hyundai Azera |
| Coupe | 2004-2009 BMW 3 Series |
| Convertible | 2004-2009 Mazda Miata |
| Wagon | 2004-2009 Pontiac Vibe |
| Compact SUV/Crossover | 2004-2009 Honda CR-V |
| Midsize SUV/Crossover | 2004-2009 Ford Explorer |
| Large SUV/Crossover | 2004-2009 Chevrolet Tahoe |
| Minivan/Van | 2004-2009 Honda Odyssey |
| Compact Truck | 2004-2009 Toyota Tacoma |
| Large Truck | 2004-2009 Ford F-150 |
| Luxury | 2004-2009 Infiniti G35/G37 |
| Hybrid | 2004-2009 Toyota Prius |
| Sport Compact | 2004-2009 Subaru Impreza WRX |
Each week, I'll keep you up-to-date on the latest car deals and news that might affect your purchase. This includes...
- Best Rebates, Incentives, and Lease Deals
- Latest Car Buying Scams and Tricks
- The Best & Worst Time to Buy a Car
- Which Cars You Should Avoid
About The Author
Gregg Fidan is the founder of RealCarTips. After being ripped off on his first car purchase, he devoted several years to figuring out the best ways to avoid scams and negotiate
the best car deals. He has written hundreds of articles on the subject of car buying and taught thousands of car shoppers how to get the best deals.
Latest Weekly Car Buying Tips
October 2025
- Biggest Discounts on New Cars October 2025 Oct 02, 2025
- Best Car Deals by Category Oct 02, 2025
- Real Prices of Compact Cars Oct 02, 2025
- Largest Hidden Dealer Rebates Oct 02, 2025
September 2025
- All SUV Lease Deals Compared September 2025 Sep 25, 2025
- New Cars with the Most Available Inventory Sep 25, 2025
- Top 100 Cheapest New Cars Right Now Sep 25, 2025
- Real Prices of New Compact SUVs Sep 25, 2025
- Top 100 Cheapest Lease Deals Sep 18, 2025
- Cars With the Largest Rebates Sep 18, 2025
- Real Prices of Midsize SUVs Sep 18, 2025
- Best 0% Finance Deals September 2025 Sep 11, 2025
- Best Bang for Your Buck Lease Deals Sep 11, 2025
- Best Electric, Hybrid Lease Deals Sep 11, 2025
- Real Prices of Midsize Cars Sep 11, 2025
- Worst Cars to Lease Right Now Sep 04, 2025
- Best Car Deals Around the Country Sep 04, 2025
- Real Prices of Large SUVs Sep 04, 2025
