Find the Best Car Deals Near You ⤵
Best Used Cars You Should Buy
July 26, 2012
Edmunds.com has released their annual Used Car Best Bet Awards for 2012. These are vehicles with a combination of best-in-class reliability, safety, and availability.
The editors looked at cars that were between two and seven years old (this is when most of the depreciation has taken place, yet the car should still be reliable). They made sure the vehicles had good crash test-ratings and had a large supply to choose from, which means more competitive prices and better value. Here are the winners:
| Segment | Recommended Vehicle | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Compact Sedan | Hyundai Elantra | 2005 - 2010 |
| Midsize Sedan | Nissan Altima | 2005 - 2010 |
| Large Sedan | Hyundai Azera | 2006 - 2010 |
| Coupe | BMW 3-Series | 2005 - 2010 |
| Convertible | Mazda Miata | 2005 - 2010 |
| Wagon | Pontiac Vibe | 2005 - 2010 |
| Compact SUV | Honda CR-V | 2005 - 2010 |
| Midsize SUV | Ford Explorer | 2005 - 2010 |
| Large SUV | Chevrolet Tahoe | 2005 - 2010 |
| Minivan | Honda Odyssey | 2005 - 2010 |
| Compact Truck | Toyota Tacoma | 2005 - 2010 |
| Large Truck | Ford F-150 | 2005 - 2010 |
| Luxury | Infiniti G35/G37 | 2005 - 2010 |
| Hybrid | Toyota Prius | 2005 - 2010 |
| Sport Compact | Subaru WRX | 2005 - 2010 |
Signup for The Weekly Newsletter
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
July 2026
- Best 0% Finance Deals July 2026 Jul 09, 2026
- Best Bang for Your Buck Lease Deals Jul 09, 2026
- Best Electric, Hybrid Lease Deals Jul 09, 2026
- Real Prices of Large SUVs Jul 09, 2026
June 2026
- All SUV Lease Deals Compared July 2026 Jun 25, 2026
- New Cars with the Most Available Inventory Jun 25, 2026
- Real Prices of Compact Cars Jun 25, 2026
- Cheapest Luxury Lease Deals Jun 25, 2026
- Top 100 Cheapest Lease Deals Jun 18, 2026
- Biggest Discounts on New Cars June 2026 Jun 18, 2026
- Top 100 Cheapest New Cars Right Now Jun 18, 2026
- Price Comparison of Subcompact SUVs Jun 18, 2026
- Real Prices of Midsize SUVs Jun 04, 2026
I welcome your car buying questions. Email Me and I'll be glad to answer them!
