Best Used Cars for $5,000 | Consumer Reports

Used cars for $5,000 can offer safe and reliable transportation. These models did well in our tests when new and earned our Recommended status. Years later, they’ve held up with few reliability issues—even after eclipsing the 100,000-mile mark.

[kevbil]

Good luck finding any of these for under 5k

[rolandr]

I like this series focused on used vehicles. New cars are extremely overpriced. Just greedy companies making higher profits every year.

[dannyferguson]

Thank you for focusing on lower cost cars.

[ThirdBrainLives]

My ‘07 Accord has 240k miles and runs perfectly.

[papagen]

The old Avalons were some of the quietiet and smoothest sedans ever made, if you closed your eyes you'd think it's a Lexus.

[georgeh]

I like this. I get tired seeing other channels review vehicles like supercars which very few people could ever afford.

[repairdrive]

Trouble is if you live anywhere near the mid west or north east any car from the 2004/2005 era is going to be a pile of rust. 😒

[thestomach]

No surprise that the recommendations are all Toyota and Honda! I've got a 17-year-old hybrid Lexus. I've had it such a long time, but it's still a great car: smooth, powerful, comfortable, and great fuel economy. I have no reason to replace it, but eventually I'll be getting another Lexus.

[toronado]

These are great if you can find one with low miles and well cared for. That's a big if.

[TheNortheastAl]

Great Job, CR. In tough economic times, this is news we can use.

[cryptolockxrp]

Missed the Panther platform vehicles, 🚗

[ditiprel]

My 04 es330 was bought in 2021 w/ 44k for $7000. It runs great. The maintenance is a bit high, but it is a very high quality car that isn't made the same today. The thick shiny paint, real leather and wood treatment, and ultra smooth 6 cylinder engine make it seem way more expensive than it is.

[seabomb]

1997-2001 Camrys can be had for cheap and are awesome affordable cars.

[kenkozawa]

Got an '04 RAV4 with 200k, it is our extra car but no way would I let it go for $5 k, way too functional and reliable not to keep around...

[omt]

Found a 2007 Ford Freestyle for $5k. Only had 51, 000 miles.
No one wanted it because of its CVT. A year later, still running well.
But let’s be honest, these cars listed are not gonna be found for $5k lol

[abreh]

Hhmm…. I would hav thought the Buick lesabre would have made the list. I loved mine.

[Chickennss]

Honda Fit or Toyota Yaris is a good choice for reliability in this price range.

[NewCastleIndiana]

I’ve had an ES. 2001. My son has a 2007 right now and I think he’s probably put $5000 into repairs over the past two months.

[stephendibari]

In spring of 2021 I bought my one owner 2002 ES300 for $4495, just as the inflated prices started after covid. I did have to replace 20-year-old OEM parts in the first year and a half but at now 180, 000 miles I can’t get a better car with this amount of quality and dependability for that price solid like a tank, super quiet. The 4th gen ES 02-06 were the best built ES Lexus’s ever besides the LS 430’s

[indenturedLemon]

if you want to avoid toyota taxes and really high mileage one, look for any GM product with a Buick 3800, be more comfier and tend to be lower mileage than your average camry but will be as reliable as those.