Best Deals on Used, Fuel-Efficient Cars
If you drive 15,000 miles per year, each mile per gallon increase in fuel efficiency will save you around $150 in fuel costs each year.
Consumer Reports recently identified the best used car deals on fuel-efficient small cars for the 2007-2008 model years. These are vehicles that have already depreciated greatly, saving you a considerable amount.
Each model has average or better reliability, scored well in Consumer Reports' tests, and performed well in crash tests. Some of the models have been discounted by up to 40% compared to their original retail price.
Here are the recommended cars:
| Make & model | MSRP (new) | Selling to dealer avg price | Buying from dealer avg price | Drop in private sale vs. MSRP | Drop in retail value vs. MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 Suzuki SX4 | $15,870 | $8,175 | $10,025 | 48% | 37% |
| 2007 Toyota Corolla LE | 16,315 | 8,960 | 11,075 | 45% | 32% |
| 2007 Honda Fit Sport | 15,970 | 9,330 | 11,350 | 42% | 29% |
| 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit | 16,065 | 9,500 | 11,600 | 41% | 28% |
| 2008 Toyota Corolla LE | 16,415 | 9,810 | 12,025 | 40% | 27% |
| 2007 Mazda3 i | 14,795 | 10,010 | 12,100 | 32% | 18% |
| 2008 Honda Fit Sport | 16,070 | 10,875 | 13,075 | 32% | 19% |
| 2007 Honda Civic EX | 19,510 | 11,330 | 13,675 | 42% | 30% |
| 2008 Scion xD | 17,349 | 11,950 | 14,150 | 31% | 18% |
| 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit | 18,650 | 11,960 | 14,300 | 36% | 23% |
| 2008 Scion xB | 16,600 | 12,185 | 14,400 | 27% | 13% |
| 2007 Toyota Prius | 22,175 | 13,220 | 15,475 | 40% | 30% |
| 2008 Mazdaspeed3 | 22,440 | 14,800 | 17,175 | 34% | 23% |
| 2008 Toyota Prius | 22,475 | 15,175 | 17,450 | 32% | 22% |
| 2008 Honda Civic Si | 29,500 | 15,150 | 17,700 | 49% | 40% |
| 2007 Subaru Impreza WRX STi | 33,495 | 22,070 | 25,225 | 34% | 25% |
My Recommendation for Car Shoppers
TrueCar No-Haggle, CarsDirect, and Ryde Shopper are the quickest way to see the lowest car prices in your area. These sites show you no-haggle prices from dealers closest to you - and the deals are usually really good. This should be the first step you take when negotiating your car price. Follow this up with my checklist to make sure you squeeze out every last bit of savings.- Gregg Fidan
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
April 2021
- Top 100 Cheapest Lease Deals Apr 15, 2021
- Biggest Discounts on New Cars Apr 15, 2021
- Real Prices of Compact Cars Apr 15, 2021
- Largest Hidden Dealer Rebates Apr 15, 2021
- Best Bang for Your Buck Lease Deals Apr 08, 2021
- Best Electric, Hybrid Lease Deals Apr 08, 2021
- Best 0% Finance Deals March 2021 Apr 08, 2021
- Real Prices of New Compact SUVs Apr 08, 2021
- Top 100 Cheapest New Cars Apr 01, 2021
- Real Prices of Large SUVs Apr 01, 2021
- New Cars You Should Wait to Buy Apr 01, 2021
- Luxury Lease Deals Under $500/mo Apr 01, 2021
March 2021
- Best Car Deals by Category Mar 25, 2021
- Worst Cars to Lease Right Now Mar 25, 2021
- Which Cars Better to Lease or Buy Mar 25, 2021
- Real Prices of Midsize Cars Mar 25, 2021
- Best Car Deals Around the Country Mar 18, 2021
- Cars With the Largest Rebates Mar 18, 2021
- Price Comparison of Subcompact SUVs Mar 18, 2021
- Real Prices of Midsize SUVs Mar 11, 2021
- Real Prices of Pickup Trucks Mar 04, 2021
- Biggest Discounts on Leftover Models Mar 04, 2021
December 2020
- Best End of Year Car Deals Dec 31, 2020
- Real Prices of Midsize Luxury Cars Dec 24, 2020
- Real Prices of Small Luxury SUVs Dec 17, 2020