Consumer Reports ranks used vehicles for the primary time

The company, which has traditionally only offered top picks for new cars, said the decision to offer the new listing was in recognition of the historically high price of new cars and the fact that more and more people were focusing on pre-owned options these days.

“They shouldn’t have to sacrifice safety, reliability, or fuel economy to stay within their budget,” said Alex Knizek, manager of automotive testing and insights for Consumer Reports. “That’s why we created these Used Car Top Picks and are expanding our used-car coverage and insights.”

The magazine kept the picks under $20,000—and noted that a great new car isn’t necessarily a great used one, given factors like depreciation and long-term reliability. It also warned people to have the car inspected before purchasing, even if they went with a Consumer Reports pick.

Lexus and Toyota topped the list, which looked at 26 different brands. Mazda came in third. Tesla, Dodge, and Chrysler were ranked at the bottom.

“Brands like Lexus and Toyota have a history of conservative redesigns, incrementally improving their entire product line, rather than introducing many all-new systems,” says Steven Elek, Consumer Reports’ program leader for auto data analytics. “Our data consistently shows over time that new cars from those brands are reliable when new and they continue to be reliable as they age.”

Here’s how the picks shook out.

Consumer Reports best used car picks

Best hybrid small sedan under $20K – 2021 Toyota Corolla hybrid

Best small SUV under $20K – 2021 KIA sportage

Best hybrid SUV under $20K – 2018 Toyota RAV4 hybrid

Best three-row SUV under $20K – 2020 Mazda CX-9

Best luxury SUV under $20K – 2020 Buick Envision

Best pickup truck under $20K – 2015 Toyota Tacoma

Best sports car under $20K – 2019 Mazda Miata

Best small sedan under $15K – 2019 Hyundai Elantra

Bests small SUV under $15K – 2018 Honda HR-V

Best small sedan under $10K – 2017 Chevrolet Cruze