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The best used vehicles for under $20,000

Last updated: April 2013

Subaru Impreza

These are  lists of reliable cars from the 2012 Annual Auto Survey. They are the specific models with above average reliability spanning the model years 2003 through 2012. These vehicles performed well in CR road tests when tested new.  Also, see our complete list of reliable used vehicles and those used cars to avoid (available to subscribers)

Our best advice is to buy the newest car that fits your budget, in order to benefit from the most up-to-date safety advances. To help, we show the first year each model offered electronic stability control (ESC), a crucial lifesaving feature, as optional or standard.

Price ranges are what you'd pay for a typically equipped car with average mileage.

Models are listed alphabetically within car type.

        ESC ('03-12)
Make & model Under $10,000 $10,000-$15,000 $15,000-$20,000 Opt. from Std. from
SMALL CARS          
Ford Focus (hatchback/wagon) 05-07     '03, '09 '10
Ford Focus (sedan) 05, '07-08 09-11   '03, '09 '10
Honda Civic (sedan) 03-07 08-11   '09 '12
Honda Fit 07-08 09-11 '12 '09 '11
Hyundai Elantra (sedan) 07-08 09-10 11-12 '08 '11
Kia Forte   10, '12   - all
Kia Soul   '10   - all
Mazda 2   '11   - all
Mazda 3 '06 08-11 '12 '07 '11
Nissan Leaf     '11 - all 
Nissan Sentra '06 09-10   '10 '11
Pontiac Vibe 03-09 '10   '05 '09
Scion xB 04-06 08-11 '12 - all
Scion xD   08, '10   '08 '10
Subaru Impreza (sedan, nonturbo)   '09 10-12 '08 '09
Subaru Impreza (wagon, nonturbo) 05-06 07-08 10-11 '08 '09
Suzuki SX4 '08     '07 '12
Toyota Corolla 03-08 09-11 '12 '05 '10
Toyota Matrix 03-07 08-10   '05 '10
Toyota Prius 03-06 07-08 09-11 '04 '10
Volkswagen Golf     10-12 '03 '10
Volkswagen Rabbit '07 '09   '07 '09
MIDSIZED & LARGE SEDANS          
Acura RL '04 '05 06-07 - all 
Acura TL   05-06 07-08 '03 '04
Acura TSX '04 05-07 '08 - all 
Audi A6 (V6)   05-06 '07 - all 
Chevrolet Malibu (4-cyl.)   '11 '12 '08 '09
Ford Fusion (4-cyl.) '08 '09 '12 '09 '10
Ford Fusion (V6, FWD) 06-07 08-09   '09 '10
Ford Fusion Hybrid     10-11 - all
Honda Accord (4-cyl.) 03-05 06-07 10-12 - '08
Honda Accord (V6) 03-04 05-07 '11 - '06
Honda Accord Hybrid   05-07   - '06
Hyundai Azera   '07   - all
Hyundai Sonata (4-cyl.) 06, '08 '09   - '06
Hyundai Sonata (V6) '05 08, '10   - '06
Infiniti G (sedan)   04-06 07-08 - '03
Infiniti M     06-07 - all
Kia Optima (4-cyl.)     '11 '06 '10
Lexus ES   03-06 '07 '03 '07
Lexus GS   03-04 '06 - all
Lexus IS (sedan, RWD) '03 04-05 06-07 '03 '06
Lexus LS     03-05 - all
Lincoln MKZ (FWD)   07-08 09-10 - '09
Mazda 6   '08, 10-11   '05 '09
Mercedes-Benz C-Class (V6)   05, '07   - all
Mercedes-Benz E-Class (sedan, V6)   '03 '07 - all
Mercury Milan (4-cyl.) '08 '09   '09 '10
Mercury Milan (V6, FWD) 06-08 '09   '09 '10
Mercury Milan Hybrid     10-11 - all 
Nissan Altima (4-cyl.) 05-06 07, '10 11-12 - '10
Nissan Altima (V6)   06-07 08, '10 '07 '10
Nissan Altima Hybrid   07-10   - all 
Nissan Maxima   '08 '09 '04 '09
Subaru Legacy (4-cyl.)   '09 10-11 '07 '09
Toyota Avalon 03-04 05-07 08-09 '03 '09
Toyota Camry (4-cyl.) 03-06 07-09 10-12 '05 '10
Toyota Camry (V6) 03-05 06-08 09-11 '03 '10
Toyota Camry Hybrid   07-08 09-11 - all
Volvo S60 '03 05-07   '03 '07
SPORTS AND SPORTY CARS/CONVERTIBLES          
BMW Z4   03-04 '06 - all 
Chevrolet Corvette     '03 - all 
Ford Mustang (V6) 03-04   '10 - '10
Ford Mustang (V8) '04 05-06 07-08 - '10
Honda Civic Si     09-10 - '07
Honda S2000   03-04 05-07 - '06
Lexus SC     03-04 - all
Mazda MX-5 Miata 03-04 06-07 08-09 '06 '12
Nissan 350Z   04, '06 '07 '03 '10
Porsche Boxster     '03 - all
Scion tC '05 07-08   - '11
WAGONS AND MINIVANS          
Subaru Outback (4-cyl.)     08-10 '07 '09
Toyota Sienna (FWD) '03 04-06 07-09 '03 '08
Volvo XC70 '04   '08 '03 '07
SMALL SUVS          
Acura RDX     07-08 - all 
Ford Escape Hybrid 05-06   '09 - '09
Honda CR-V 03-04 05-07 08-09 - '05
Hyundai Tucson   '08 '09 - all
Kia Sportage '06 '07 '11 - '05
Mercury Mariner Hybrid '06   09-10 - '09
Mitsubishi Outlander   07-09 '11 - '07
Mitsubishi Outlander Sport   '11   - all 
Nissan Rogue   '09 10-12 - all 
Subaru Forester (nonturbo)     08-10 '07 '09
Toyota RAV4 (4-cyl.) 03-04 05-08 09-11 - '04
Toyota RAV4 (V6)   '08 09-11 - all
MIDSIZED AND LARGE SUVS          
Acura MDX   04-05 '06 - '03
Honda Pilot '03 04-06 07-08 '05 '06
Infiniti FX   03-04 05-06 - all
Lexus GX     03-04 - all
Lexus RX   '03 04-07 - all
Lexus RX Hybrid     '06 - all
Mazda CX-9     '09 - all
Subaru B9 Tribeca   '06 '07 - '08
Toyota 4Runner (V6)   03-05 06-07 - all
Toyota Highlander (V6) '03 04-07   '03 '04
Toyota Highlander Hybrid   '06 '07 - all
Toyota Sequoia   03-05 '06 - all
PICKUP TRUCKS          
Honda Ridgeline     06-08 - all
Nissan Frontier '03 '04 '09 '03 '12
Toyota Tacoma (V6, 4WD)   '03 04-06 '04 '09
Toyota Tundra (V8, 4WD)   03-04 05-06 '04 '07
   

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