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(iSeeCars) – Reliability is one of the most important considerations for used car shoppers seeking value for their dollar. The Honda Fit is the most reliable 5-year-old used car for the money, followed by the Volkswagen Passat, and Buick Encore. The average cost for a 5-year-old used car is $26,206, but these three models all cost less than $20,000 while offering between 8.8 and 11.6 years of remaining lifespan. This equates to a per-year price below $2,000 versus a $3,426 price-per-year for the average 5-year-old model. Other high-ranking models include the Toyota Prius as the most reliable hybrid for the money, and the Tesla Model S as the only electric car to rank among the most reliable 10-year-old cars for the money.
iSeeCars analyzed the prices of over 700,000 used cars and the odometer readings of over 368 million used cars from its Longest Lasting Cars Study. The average list price of each model was compared to its expected lifespan (in years) to calculate the list price per year.
“Used car prices have dropped from their COVID-induced record highs, but they remain well above pre-COVID pricing levels,” said iSeeCars Executive Analyst Karl Brauer, “And with tariff looming it’s possible new and used prices could rise again. To help shoppers maximize their used-car budget we’ve identified the models offering the lowest purchase price and the longest remaining lifespan.”
Most reliable 5-year-old cars for the money
Honda has three models in the top 12 most reliable 5-year-old used cars for the money, followed by Mitsubishi and Toyota with two models and Buick, Infiniti, Kia, and Mazda with one car each. All of these cars offer 6.9 or more years of remaining lifespan while having a price per remaining year below $2,400, a substantial savings over the $3,426 average price per remaining year for 5-year-old used cars.
| 12 Best 5-Year-Old Used Cars for the Money – iSeeCars Study | |||||
| Rank | Model | Average List Price | Expected Remaining Lifespan (Years) | Price per Remaining Year | Compared to Average |
| 1 | Honda Fit | $18,336 | 11.6 | $1,583 | 0.46x |
| 2 | Volkswagen Passat | $17,636 | 9.6 | $1,845 | 0.54x |
| 3 | Buick Encore | $16,633 | 8.8 | $1,897 | 0.55x |
| 4 | Kia Rio 5-Door | $14,037 | 6.9 | $2,023 | 0.59x |
| 5 | Honda Civic | $20,157 | 9.8 | $2,053 | 0.60x |
| 6 | Mazda Mazda3 (hatchback) | $20,262 | 9.8 | $2,073 | 0.61x |
| 7 | Mitsubishi Outlander Sport | $15,821 | 7.5 | $2,102 | 0.61x |
| 8 | Toyota Yaris | $16,427 | 7.6 | $2,148 | 0.63x |
| 9 | Toyota Corolla | $17,728 | 8.1 | $2,201 | 0.64x |
| 10 | INFINITI Q50 | $24,000 | 10.6 | $2,261 | 0.66x |
| 11 | Honda CR-V | $24,524 | 10.8 | $2,276 | 0.66x |
| 12 | Mitsubishi Outlander | $17,011 | 7.2 | $2,363 | 0.69x |
| Overall 5-Year-Old Used Car Average | $26,206 | 7.6 | $3,426 | — | |
“The most reliable used cars for the money tend to be small, low-cost economy cars,” said Brauer, “but the Infiniti Q50 luxury sedan makes the list by having a relatively low used car price and over 10 years of remaining life.”
Most reliable 10-year-old cars for the money
The Honda Fit, Volkswagen Passat, and Kia Rio 5 hatchback remain at the top of the list for 10-year-old most reliable used cars for the money. The average price per year for a 10-year-old car is $15,655, or more than $10,000 lower than a 5-year-old used car. Yet predicted remaining lifespan only drops from 7.6 to 6 years. This illustrates the potential value to be found in buying older used models, though the need for a pre-purchase inspection is also more important when buying an older vehicle.rs.
| 17 Best 10-Year-Old Used Cars for the Money – iSeeCars Study | |||||
| Rank | Model | Average List Price | Expected Remaining Lifespan (Years) | Price per Remaining Year | Compared to Average |
| 1 | Honda Fit | $12,169 | 9.0 | $1,358 | 0.52x |
| 2 | Volkswagen Passat | $9,912 | 7.0 | $1,424 | 0.55x |
| 3 | Lincoln MKZ | $12,298 | 7.6 | $1,625 | 0.62x |
| 4 | Kia Rio 5-Door | $9,059 | 5.6 | $1,626 | 0.62x |
| 5 | Mercedes-Benz CLA | $13,885 | 8.5 | $1,643 | 0.63x |
| 6 | Kia Rio | $8,051 | 4.8 | $1,666 | 0.64x |
| 7 | Honda Civic | $13,097 | 7.9 | $1,668 | 0.64x |
| 8 | Buick Encore | $11,018 | 6.5 | $1,703 | 0.65x |
| 9 | Jeep Compass | $9,832 | 5.7 | $1,713 | 0.66x |
| 10 | Nissan Versa | $7,638 | 4.5 | $1,716 | 0.66x |
| 11 | Toyota Avalon | $15,876 | 9.0 | $1,760 | 0.67x |
| 12 | Mazda CX-9 | $11,474 | 6.5 | $1,771 | 0.68x |
| 13 | Hyundai Elantra | $9,603 | 5.3 | $1,798 | 0.69x |
| 14 | Tesla Model S | $18,960 | 10.5 | $1,800 | 0.69x |
| 15 | Ford Fusion Energi | $10,118 | 5.6 | $1,804 | 0.69x |
| 16 | INFINITI QX60 | $12,518 | 6.9 | $1,805 | 0.69x |
| 17 | Mitsubishi Outlander Sport | $9,954 | 5.5 | $1,811 | 0.69x |
| Overall 10-Year-Old Used Car Average | $15,655 | 6.0 | $2,609 | — | |
“It’s impressive to see the Tesla Model S among the most reliable 10-year-old used cars for the money,” said Brauer. “This is the first time we’ve seen an electric car ranked among the top models, and with a predicted 10.5-year remaining lifespan the Model S still has plenty of miles left to give.”
Many buyers continue to wrestle with the cost of new and used vehicles. With these most reliable used cars for the money rankings, consumers have a range of used vehicle options that feature a low purchase price and a useful remaining lifespan.
Methodology
iSeeCars analyzed the prices of over 700,000 5- and 10-year-old used cars sold from September 2024 – February 2025 and the odometer readings of over 368 million used cars from its Longest Lasting Cars Study. The average list price of each model was compared to its expected remaining lifespan (in years) to calculate the list price per year. Low-volume vehicles and sports cars were excluded from further analysis.
About iSeeCars.com
iSeeCars.com is a data-driven car search and research company that helps shoppers find the best car deals by providing key insights and valuable resources, including the iSeeCars VIN Check report and Best Cars Rankings. iSeeCars has saved users over $432 million so far by applying big data analytics powered by over 25 billion (and growing) data points and using proprietary algorithms to objectively analyze, score and rank millions of new cars and used cars.
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This article, Best Used Cars for the Money, originally appeared on iSeeCars.com.
