The best used SUVs for under $25k
Americans love SUVs. So much so, that more than 60% of cars purchased in the last 5 years were SUVs. Whether it be a compact SUV that makes commuting a breeze or a big, family hauler, there is an SUV that meets every buyer’s needs.
As the average new price of a vehicle creeps up over $30k, you may not want to spend your hard-earned cash on something brand new that will depreciate quickly. The best answer is to buy a ‘nearly-new’ used SUV that’s 2-3 years old, and let someone else pay the new-car depreciation. We’ve restricted this list to SUVs five years old or newer.
We’ll dive into the best in the class and show you much SUV $25,000 can buy you in today’s market.
2018 Hyundai Tucson
J.D. Power Reliability Ranking: 5⁄5
Average Price Paid: $18k to $25k
Passenger Capacity: 5
Class: Compact SUV
Cargo Space (Seats Folded): 61.9 Cubic Feet
If there’s one thing that’s not going for the Tucson, it’s new car depreciation. For seemingly no reason at all, the Tucson shows high average depreciation rates in its first few years of ownership.
But for the smart buyer, another person’s depreciation is your savings. This means you can snag a Tucson for a fantastic discount vs original MSRPs, since it has undergone its steepest depreciation on someone else’s watch.
With lots of features, a comfortable ride, high safety scores, great fuel economy and quality interiors, the Hyundai Tucson has been one of the best luxury SUVs on the market for years now.
The best part? You can get a fully loaded Tucson for well less than the $25k new price here. There are a lot of low-mileage, off-lease Tucsons just waiting to be snatched up for half of what they cost new - to search for them in your area, check out CoPilot Compare, the nearly-new and off-lease car search engine.
You’ll get a constant stream of people saying “Ooh, this is NICE!” when they get in your Tucson - and your wallet will thank you for getting so much SUV for so little money.
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We looked into price, reliability, features, and more to create this list of the best SUVs under $10k on the market today. Take a look - some of the best used SUVs under 10k have gone mostly overlooked or forgotten.
2017 Mazda CX-5
J.D. Power Reliability Ranking: 3.5/5
Average Price Paid: $18 to $25k
Passenger Capacity: 5
Class: Compact SUV
Cargo Capacity (Seats Folded): 59.6 Cubic Feet
The CX-5 is the enthusiast’s choice in the compact SUV class. From the company that made “zoom-zoom” its tagline for many years comes a vehicle that is both fuel-efficient and fun to drive.
While it may offer less room than its rivals, the CX-5 still offers plenty of interior room and a luxury-grade interior to boot. Reliability also ranks better than average.
Best of all, the CX-5 can easily nabbed for less than $25k with low miles. If you are willing to spend a bit more, you can enjoy a fully loaded model with features like cooled seats and a heads-up display.
This is an awesome, great looking and economical choice with few compromises.
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2019 Kia Sorento
J.D. Power Reliability Ranking: 4.5/5
Average Price Paid: $18k - $28k
Passenger Capacity: 7
Class: Full-size SUV
Cargo Space (Seats Folded): 73 Cubic Feet
The Sorento is an awesome choice in a crowded and often unremarkable class of vehicles. The Kia impresses with its capacity to hold 7 people, quality interior, a comfortable ride, and numerous engine choices.
Much like the Tucson, the Sorento also suffers from a large initial depreciation that can make it a screaming bargain for the savvy used car shopper who buys it after it depreciates. You can pick up a 2-3 year old model with 30,000 miles for around $15k - a full $10k less than you’d have paid when new.
You can easily nab a high trim level Sorento for way less than $25k. Standard features include Apple Car Play, Android Auto and Driver Assistance tech like lane keep assist and blind-spot monitoring. For a family SUV, you don’t get much better of a deal than this.
2016 Honda Pilot
J.D. Power Reliability Ranking: 3⁄5
Average Price Paid: $20k to $30k
Passenger Capacity: 8
Cargo Capacity (Seats Folded): 83.9 Cubic Feet
The Honda Pilot is a fantastic choice from a brand that is synonymous with quality and reliability. Among the cars here, it has the highest available seating capacity.
Throw in a powerful, fuel-efficient V-6, comfortable ride, and top safety scores for a truly awesome package.
Reliability, typically a strong suit for Honda, is semi-lacking on the Pilot and it’s this single factor that knocks it down lower than vehicles like the Sorento.
You’ll also notice that for the same money you can pick up a much newer Kia Sorento that will most likely have less mileage on it as well. Long term depreciation shows the Kia and Honda relatively even but it is this initial drop that can make the Honda less appealing to used shoppers.
Regardless, it’s a class leader for a reason and worth the look, especially if you need to carry 8 people in relative comfort.
The best way to find nearly-new SUVs in your area
Still looking? Check out CoPilot Compare, where you can easily compare listings for used SUVs in your area. CoPilot Compare is the search engine for nearly-new cars, and only shows you low-mileage cars 5 years or younger, many with CPO options.
