What Are the Best Used Cars for $10,000?

It’s not an easy time to shop for a used car and even harder if you’re on a tight budget. However, this doesn’t mean you won’t be able to find a safe and reliable used car at a relatively modest price today.

Related: What Are the Best Used Cars for $15,000?

Related: What Are the Best Used Cars for $20,000?

Cars.com scoured its current vehicle listings and found good vehicles across a variety of body styles and sizes with median list prices ranging from $9,000 to $12,000 as of March 2025. That means half the listed prices for that vehicle are above the median and half are below, so you should be able to get one for around $10,000. Unless otherwise specified, our calculations include all body styles and powertrains offered for the vehicle. Tap the link below each vehicle to find complete data on its trim levels and features.

Beyond price, we only included vehicles that Cars.com editors continue to respect in their categories. We avoided any cars older than the 2013 model year, as such examples are likely to have higher mileage, worse crashworthiness and more age-related mechanical problems. Within those boundaries, we chose vehicles that have been found to be safe and reliable: Each vehicle must earn a respectable reliability score in the U.S. Vehicle Dependability study by analytics company J.D. Power. We also only included vehicles with high safety scores for their respective model years from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

You’ll find the key specs for each vehicle below its photo, but note that EPA fuel economy is based on current ratings adjusted in late 2016, so the figures shown may not match the original window-sticker numbers.

Best Used Cars for $10,000

Here are our top picks that meet all the criteria and fall within the $10,000 range:

1. 2013 Honda Fit
2. 2013 Toyota Prius c
3. 2018 Chevrolet Cruze
4. 2015 Chevrolet Volt
5. 2013 Honda Civic
6. 2015 Mazda3
7. 2013-14 Toyota Corolla
8. 2014-16 GMC Terrain
9. 2014-15 Nissan Rogue
10. 2013-15 Buick Regal
11. 2015-16 Ford Fusion and Fusion Hybrid
12. 2014 Mazda6
13. 2016-17 Volkswagen Passat
14. 2013 Honda Pilot
15. 2013-14 Buick LaCrosse
16. 2014-16 Kia Cadenza
17. 2013 Honda Odyssey

Subcompact Cars

2013 Honda Fit

• Type: Four-door, five-seat hatchback
• Median price: About $10,000
• EPA combined fuel economy: 29-31 mpg
• Safety rating: IIHS Top Safety Pick

The Honda Fit may be a subcompact car, but it’s surprisingly roomy inside, a feeling that is no doubt helped by the excellent forward visibility out of its aggressively raked windshield. The Fit could also fit quite a lot of stuff, with more cargo space than some of the small SUVs of its day: a whopping 57.3 cubic feet with its rear seats down, to be exact.

The car itself is spartan but practical, with an efficient 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine and responsive handling that’s legitimately fun to throw around. If you wanted to pick your own gears, you could opt for either a manual transmission or an automatic with paddle shifters. It’s also a car that’s held up well over the years, scoring high marks in J.D. Power’s quality and reliability surveys.

However, we do have to note one downside to this otherwise practical pick: While the Fit received a Top Safety Pick designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, it received poor marks in the then-new small-overlap front collision tests.

Research Honda Fit model years, details and reviews.

2013 Toyota Prius c

• Type: Four-door, five-seat hatchback
• Median price: About $11,000
• EPA combined fuel economy: 50 mpg
• Safety rating: IIHS Top Safety Pick

If there’s such a thing as a Prius fan’s Prius, the downsized Prius c may just be it. The ultra-frugal hatchback is admittedly sluggish, but it offered best-in-class fuel economy and a surprisingly roomy interior for a humble subcompact. Similar to the big-boy Prius, the Prius c features a frugal hybrid drivetrain. The Prius c’s battery pack is a little bit smaller to fit — 120 cells as opposed to the regular Prius’s 168 — but it still has a combination of a 1.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine and an electric motor driving the front wheels for a total of 99 horsepower.

The 2013 Prius c earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick award, but like the Fit, it suffered in small-overlap front collision testing. However, it’s hard to ignore the upsides of this car, which include standard Bluetooth, USB inputs and a slick hybrid trip computer that were all far nicer than most subcompacts of this vintage and present-day price point, not to mention solid reliability ratings and happy owner reviews left on our site. If you’re seeking maximum efficiency and don’t have too many speedy uphill legs on your commute, the Prius c is worth a look.

Research Toyota Prius c model years, details and reviews.

Compact Cars

2018 Chevrolet Cruze

• Type: Four-door, five-seat sedan or hatchback
• Median price: About $12,000
• EPA combined fuel economy: 31-33 mpg (gas engine), 35-37 mpg (diesel engine)
• Safety rating: Not fully crash tested but earned good scores on many tests

Chevrolet’s compact car came as a sedan or hatchback with seats for five and had a couple of different powertrain choices: a standard turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine good for 153 hp and paired with a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission, or a turbo-diesel 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. The Cruze was redesigned for the 2016 model year, though reliability wasn’t solid until the 2018 model; it was discontinued after the 2019 model year. Aside from the Cruze’s good reliability, Cars.com editors recommend it for its thrifty economy, powertrain and body style choices, refined engine and cabin comfort.

Research Chevrolet Cruze model years, details and reviews.

2015 Chevrolet Volt

• Type: Four-door, four-seat plug-in hybrid hatchback
• Median price: About $10,000
• EPA combined fuel economy: 98 mpg-equivalent, with 37 mpg after 38 miles of all-electric range on a full battery charge
• Safety rating: IIHS Top Safety Pick

If you’d like to do much of your daily driving on electric power, the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid could be for you. The Volt’s 149-hp electric motor drives the vehicle virtually all the time, drawing power from a battery pack or a generator driven by a small gasoline engine. Gas mileage with the generator is very good, though premium gas is required. A full battery charge takes around eight to 10 hours on a 120-volt household outlet, or about four hours on a 240-volt outlet.

A relatively heavy car, the Volt feels substantial on the road, with a smooth ride and quiet cabin, though the gas engine-generator drones somewhat when in use. The first-generation Volt seats just four due to how the vehicle’s battery placement divides the rear seats. A new generation debuted for 2016 that had room for five. Cargo space is limited, even for a small car, at about 11 cubic feet (though the rear seats can fold down for more).

The car came well equipped for its day and included Bluetooth phone connectivity and a USB port; a backup camera was optional. The Volt has excellent reliability scores. Depending on your state, the Volt’s battery warranty is eight years or 100,000 miles, or 10 years or 150,000 miles in states that follow California’s emissions mandates, meaning some used Volts might still be covered under the factory warranty.

Research Chevrolet Volt model years, details and reviews.

2013 Honda Civic

• Type: Four-door, five-seat sedan or two-door, five-seat coupe
• Median price: About $11,000
• EPA combined fuel economy: 25-33 mpg (gas-only); 44 mpg (hybrid); 31 mpg (natural gas)
• Safety rating: IIHS Top Safety Pick+ (both coupe and sedan)

The 2013 Civic got an urgent makeover after its 2012 redesign opened to tepid reviews. In addition to a new look and improved interior materials, it also got a standard backup camera, USB port and Bluetooth connectivity. The coupe had to wait until the 2014 model year for the full exterior refresh that the sedan received, but it at least got the massively upgraded interior.

The suspension also was tweaked to offer better ride and handling, besting the rival Toyota Corolla of its time. In addition to the mass-market sedan and coupe, this generation of Civic also offered a sportier Si variant with more power (and only a stick shift), as well as hybrid and natural-gas versions.

Research Honda Civic model years, details and reviews.

Research Honda Civic hybrid model years, details and reviews.

2015 Mazda3

• Type: Four-door, five-seat sedan or hatchback
• Median price: About $12,000
• EPA combined fuel economy: 29-33 mpg
• Safety rating: IIHS Top Safety Pick+

The 2015 Mazda3 is a good choice for driving fun with its crisp handling, firm ride (comfort-minded shoppers should beware) and a choice of engines. The car was redesigned for 2014 and carried over for 2015. Mazda offered the compact car in many flavors — as a sedan or hatchback with two four-cylinder engines: a 155-hp 2.0-liter or a 184-hp 2.5-liter; both could be paired with a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. Interior room is a little tighter than that of some rivals, particularly in the backseat, but materials quality is generally a little higher. Safety options included low-speed automatic emergency braking and a backup camera.

Research Mazda3 model years, details and reviews.

2013-14 Toyota Corolla

• Type: Four-door, five-seat sedan
• Median price: About $10,500-$12,000
• EPA combined fuel economy: 29-34 mpg
• Safety rating: IIHS Top Safety Pick (both years)

Our recommendation spans two generations of the Corolla. The 2013 Corolla remains a solid sedan, but it has a coarse-sounding 1.8-liter four-cylinder, and in most examples, you’ll find an old-school (even for its time) four-speed automatic transmission. A manual was also offered, though it’s harder to find. As for available features, a backup camera was not offered; Bluetooth was optional; and the bland interior has a lot of hard plastics and cheap-feeling cloth upholstery.

That said, the 2013 Corolla has some redeeming qualities, including a well-earned reputation for near-bulletproof reliability and solid safety ratings — if you’re looking for a low-price commuter car, that could be all that matters.

The Corolla got a redesign for 2014 with a new optional continuously variable automatic transmission that improved fuel economy, nicer cabin materials and some additional features — a backup camera was standard on almost all trims, for example. The 2014 model echoes the earlier model’s stellar reliability and safety scores, as well.

Research Toyota Corolla model years, details and reviews.

Compact SUVs

2014-16 GMC Terrain

• Type: Four-door, five-seat compact SUV
• Median price: About $9,500-$12,000
• EPA combined fuel economy: 18-26 mpg
• Safety rating: IIHS Top Safety Pick+ (2014), Top Safety Pick (2015-16)

For model-year 2014-16, GMC’s compact SUV was available with two engines: a standard 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine good for 182 hp and an optional 3.6-liter V-6 engine with 301 hp. Both engines were paired with a six-speed automatic transmission and front- or all-wheel drive. The 2015 model got available 4G LTE service through OnStar with the ability to create a Wi-Fi hot spot for passengers to surf the web. For 2016, the Terrain got lightly refreshed exterior styling.

Our editors found this generation of the Terrain to be nicer than the related Chevrolet Equinox, with a higher-quality cabin. Other attributes include a spacious interior and cargo area, as well as a smooth ride. In addition, the Terrain’s solid reliability, good safety scores and standard backup camera help it check a lot of boxes.

Research GMC Terrain model years, details and reviews.

2014-15 Nissan Rogue

• Type: Four-door, five- or seven-seat compact SUV
• Median price: About $10,500-$12,000
• EPA combined fuel economy: 27-28 mpg
• Safety rating: IIHS Top Safety Pick+ (2014 model with optional front crash prevention), Top Safety Pick (2015)

Redesigned for 2014 and immediately popular, the Rogue offered generous space for passengers and cargo, with quality interior materials and a chassis tuned for a comfortable and quiet ride. Its CVT continued to contribute to drivetrain noise in an otherwise quiet cabin. Newly optional on the Rogue was a small third row that is sized only for kids. This generation of the Rogue got updated electronics, including a standard backup camera. Note that here we are talking about the Rogue and not the Rogue Select, which was an older-generation Rogue sold briefly alongside the newer model. The Rogue carried over with little changes for 2015.

Research Nissan Rogue model years, details and reviews.

Mid-Size Cars

2013-15 Buick Regal

• Type: Four-door, five-seat sedan
• Median price: About $9,500-$11,000
• EPA combined fuel economy: 22-29 mpg
• Safety rating: IIHS Top Safety Pick (2013), 2014-15 models didn’t qualify but earned many good scores

The Regal is a comfortable, classy mid-size sedan with a European feel that’s a step up from its mainstream counterparts. That’s no accident since these Regals hailed from a platform sourced from GM’s former German subsidiary Opel. The ride is Euro taut, though the handling doesn’t quite live up to the same billing.

For 2013, the Regal used a 2.4-liter mild-hybrid four-cylinder that was new for the 2012 model year, along with the conventional turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder. The GS performance variant also returned for 2013 after joining the lineup for 2012. The Regal is on the small side for a mid-size sedan, with a just-adequate backseat, and space for the mild-hybrid battery limits trunk space for models thus equipped. A design refresh for 2014 brought even more upgrades including a standard backup camera, as well as optional AWD and an available collision warning system with automatic emergency braking. For 2015, the Regal carried over unchanged.

Research Buick Regal model years, details and reviews.

2015-16 Ford Fusion and Fusion Hybrid

• Type: Four-door, five-seat sedan
• Median price: About $9,500-$11,000
• EPA combined fuel economy: 25-29 mpg (gas-only); 41 mpg (hybrid)
• Safety rating: IIHS Top Safety Pick (2015)

Ford’s mid-size sedan was offered with a gas engine, in fuel-efficient Fusion Hybrid trim and as a plug-in hybrid dubbed the Fusion Energi; however, we’re not big fans of the Fusion Energi’s higher price point and impractical battery placement that takes up nearly half of the trunk space.

Powertrain options include a base 2.5-liter four-cylinder, a turbocharged 1.5-liter four (the most fuel-efficient of any gas-only Fusion) and a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder. The Fusion Hybrid pairs a 2.0-liter four-cylinder gas engine with an electric motor; however, its battery shrinks trunk space compared to gas versions (12 cubic feet as opposed to 16 cubic feet), though the backseat still folds for more space. AWD is available on select models of both.

Research Ford Fusion model years, details and reviews.

Research Ford Fusion Hybrid model years, details and reviews.

2014 Mazda6

• Type: Four-door, five-seat sedan
• Median price: About $11,000
• EPA combined fuel economy: 29-32 mpg
• Safety rating: IIHS Top Safety Pick+

The Mazda6 is a sporty choice among mid-size sedans, with nimbler handling, sharper steering and more stylish looks than the blander competition of its time. It offers a well-trimmed, roomy interior and above-average trunk volume for its class. The Mazda6 was redesigned for 2014 with new exterior and interior styling, a new powertrain and new tech and safety options. Mainstream variants have competent road manners and a comfortable ride, as well as a 2.5-liter four-cylinder that provides adequate power; it was mated to either a standard six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission.

Some trim levels include Bluetooth connectivity, and a USB port is standard across the lineup. A backup camera was optional, though standard on the base trim with the automatic transmission, as was a blind spot warning system. The 2014 Mazda6 earned the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award, earning an acceptable rating in the challenging small overlap test.

Research Mazda6 model years, details and reviews.

2016-17 Volkswagen Passat

• Type: Four-door, five-seat sedan
• Median price: About $10,000-$11,500
• EPA combined fuel economy: 23-29 mpg
• Safety rating: IIHS Top Safety Pick+ (2016 models with optional automatic emergency braking), IIHS Top Safety Pick (2017)

The Passat was Cars.com’s Best of 2012 model in that generation’s debut year, and it’s a roomy, near-full-size sedan with a quality interior, giant backseat, smooth ride and sporty handling. It got a refresh for 2016 that brought multimedia system updates, added safety features and better gas mileage. Formerly behind in multimedia, the updated model brought a new system with a USB port, Bluetooth, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility on all but the base S trim level. The Passat also got a standard backup camera and low-speed automatic emergency braking system on SE trims and above. The 2017 model saw blind spot monitors and automatic emergency braking being made standard across the lineup, and the SE with Technology trim could be had with the V-6 engine.

Research Volkswagen Passat model years, details and reviews.

Mid-Size SUV

2013 Honda Pilot

• Type: Four-door, eight-seat SUV
• Median price: About $12,000
• EPA combined fuel economy: 20 mpg
• Safety rating: IIHS Top Safety Pick

This generation of Honda’s largest SUV was known for its boxy shape and generous cargo room. The 2013 Pilot seats eight across three rows and has one powertrain: a 250-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 paired with a five-speed automatic transmission. FWD was standard, while AWD was an option. A backup camera became standard for 2013. With strong reliability and stellar safety scores, a used Pilot can move a lot of people safely for not a lot of money.

Research Honda Pilot model years, details and reviews.

Full-Size Cars

2013-14 Buick LaCrosse

• Type: Four-door, five-seat sedan
• Median price: About $10,500-$12,000
• EPA combined fuel economy: 20-29 mpg
• Safety rating: IIHS Top Safety Pick (2013)

From GM’s near-premium Buick brand, the LaCrosse is comfortable, quiet, smooth-riding and well built. Falling somewhere in between the mid- and full-size class, it’s a little tighter in exterior size, backseat and trunk space than larger cars of its time. Buick offered a base four-cylinder mild-hybrid powertrain with electric boost that provided class-leading gas mileage, though it made the LaCrosse somewhat underpowered. The hybrid powertrain’s battery cuts into trunk space, too, so you might want to consider the V-6 version, whose smooth-revving engine kept more with the LaCrosse’s premium billing. AWD was available with the V-6 only. Buick’s more modern IntelliLink touchscreen media system was available for 2012 but became standard for 2013, and changes for 2014 included updated exterior and interior styling, as well as new technology.

Research Buick LaCrosse model years, details and reviews.

2014-16 Kia Cadenza

• Type: Four-door, five-seat sedan
• Median price: About $10,000-$12,000
• EPA combined fuel economy: 22 mpg
• Safety rating: IIHS Top Safety Pick (2014)

The Cadenza made its debut for 2014, and it’s a classy sedan with a premium look and feel, plus a quiet interior, lots of room and a generous load of standard features even in the lower of its two trim levels. A backup camera was standard across the lineup. Under the hood is a standard 293-hp, 3.3-liter V-6 mated to a six-speed automatic transmission; while the sedan isn’t geared toward performance, its engine brings ample power for daily driving. The Cadenza looks and feels more expensive than you’d expect with its price and Kia badge, and it scored exceedingly well (second place in its class) in J.D. Power’s dependability ranks for the year. It won a Top Safety Pick award in its debut year, and though it earned many good scores in IIHS’ crash tests, it did not earn a Top Safety Pick for model-year 2015-16.

Research Kia Cadenza model years, details and reviews.

Minivan

2013 Honda Odyssey

• Type: Four-door, seven- or eight-seat minivan
• Median price: About $10,500
• EPA combined fuel economy: 21-22 mpg
• Safety rating: IIHS Top Safety Pick

This prototypical family hauler was redesigned for the 2011 model year, and this generation has eight seats on all but the base LX trim level. The Odyssey includes an expandable second row that fits three child-safety seats, with a built-in trash bag holder and plenty of cupholders for cans, bottles and juice boxes. It also has comparable cargo space to rivals of its vintage. A five-speed automatic transmission was standard across all trims (a six-speed automatic was available on the Touring and Touring Elite trims) and was paired with the minivan’s 248-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 engine.

Available options like the Touring Elite trim’s in-van theater system with 12-speaker surround sound made this minivan an even more attractive package for keeping kiddos occupied and happy. Excellent build quality and a comfortable ride combined with the Odyssey’s other many perks helped it earn our Family Car of the Year in 2012. A backup camera was made standard for model-year 2013.

Research Honda Odyssey model years, details and reviews.

More From Cars.com:

• Which Used Cars Have the Best Crash-Test Scores?
• Should I Buy a New or Used Car?
• Making Sense of Used Car Warranties
• Benefits of Buying a Used Car
• What Should a Used-Car Inspection Include?

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