Follow us today...
New car, SUV, and truck prices have reached prohibitively high levels that place many car buyers into debt that is not necessary and too often the result of dealerships taking advantage of car shoppers every way they can.
That is why new car shoppers need to arm themselves with the latest data to help guide them toward the correct car, SUV, and truck models that other shoppers know are the ones to look for and research before hitting the dealership lots.
Fortunately, help is here.
What Used Models Are the Most Popular with Shoppers?
According to a recent Consumer Reports update on what's hot and what's not based on current new car shopping trends, now is a good time to find out what other car shoppers know that you might not.
"With more than 37 million used cars forecasted by Cox Automotive to be sold in 2024, you have plenty of choices for your next used car, SUV, or truck. So how do you even begin to create a manageable list of candidates? One way is to take a look at what people are searching for here, on the Consumer Reports website. The 10 vehicles below represent the top used-car model pages, meaning they're the vehicles that are most searched for by people coming to our site," stated CR analysts in their latest newsletter.
Why Shopping Used Makes Good Economic Sense
New car prices have crept up into the $50,000 (on average) range. And if you want a new truck, you can expect to pay anywhere from $70,000 to $100,000, which is why smart shoppers are looking carefully at models that are not just 3-year-olds with significant depreciation and still some warranty life to them but also older models that have track records of proven reliability and many of the safety features car shoppers want.
Related article: Car Warranty Voided by Owner's Bad Behavior
"Many of the models below are CR Recommended used cars, which means they scored well in our road tests, have good reliability, have standard electronic stability control (ESC), and performed well in crash tests if tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Models from recent years may also come with key active safety features as standard or optional equipment…while our used-car data covers vehicles up to 20 years old, we've focused our write-ups on 3-year-old models. Three-year-old models are attractive because most leases end after three years. That means many of these cars have low miles, and because the lessor had to keep the car in good condition, the vehicles are likely to have been maintained properly and have interiors that were treated well," adds the CR recommended models reveal.
Consumer Reports Ranks The Most Popular Used Car Models
That said, here is a summarized breakdown of the models they found consumers were researching on their website, beginning with the topmost of the ten-most researched models (including their safety features) and ending with a brief listing of those models that came in as the 11th through 20th most popular models' consumers looked at.
THE TOP 10 RESEARCHED BY CONSUMER REPORTS' SHOPPERS
1. Honda CR-V 2021
Price Range: $21,000 - $28,475
OWNER REPORTED MPG: 29 mpg
CR Safety Feature Notes: "FCW, AEB, and BSW were standard on all but the base LX model."
Price Range: $22,050 - $32,700
OWNER REPORTED MPG: 28 mpg
CR Safety Feature Notes: "FCW and AEB with pedestrian detection were standard, and BSW was standard on all trims except on the base LE trim."
3. Ford Escape 2021
Price Range: $16,375 - $22,150
OWNER REPORTED MPG: 28 mpg
CR Safety Feature Notes:" All Escapes came standard with FCW, AEB, and BSW."
4. Chevrolet Equinox 2021
Price Range: $16,425 - $22,000
OWNER REPORTED MPG: 28 mpg
CR Safety Feature Notes: "FCW and low-speed AEB with pedestrian detection were standard."
5. Subaru Forester 2021
Price Range: $20,000 - $24,750
OWNER REPORTED MPG: 28 mpg
CR Safety Feature Notes: "The EyeSight suite of FCW and AEB was standard, but it didn't include BSW or RCTW. Try to find a model built with those two features."
6. Ford F-150 2021
Price Range: $22,975 - $65,500
OWNER REPORTED MPG: 19 mpg
CR Safety Feature Notes: "FCW and AEB with pedestrian detection were standard."
7. Toyota Highlander 2021
Price Range: $26,050 - $39,625
OWNER REPORTED MPG: 23 mpg
CR Safety Feature Notes: "FCW and AEB with pedestrian detection were standard, but BSW and RCTW were optional. Note that the Hybrid came standard with BSW and RCTW."
8. Nissan Rogue 2021
Price Range: $18,400 - $24,050
OWNER REPORTED MPG: 28 mpg
CR Safety Feature Notes: "AEB with pedestrian detection, BSW, and RCTW all came standard."
9. Ford Explorer 2021
Price Range: $20,275 - $36,450
OWNER REPORTED MPG: 22 mpg
CR Safety Feature Notes: "FCW, AEB, and BSW were standard."
10. Mazda CX-5 2021
Price Range: $17,650 - $23,025
OWNER REPORTED MPG: 25 mpg
CR Safety Feature Notes: "FCW, city-speed AEB, BSW, and RCTW were standard."
THE TOP 11-20 RESEARCHED BY CONSUMER REPORTS' SHOPPERS
- Jeep Grand Cherokee
- Subaru Outback
- Hyundai Tucson
- Toyota Camry
- Chevrolet Silverado 1500
- Honda Pilot
- Ford Edge
- Honda Accord
- Honda Civic
- Toyota Corolla
For additional articles related to used car shopping, here are a few useful ones for your consideration.
- Consumer Reports Best Used Cars for Under $10,000 Update
- Used Compact Cars with the Best Fuel Economy Says Consumer Reports
- Most Important Tool for Used Car Shoppers and DIY Mechanics
Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites for daily news and topics related to new and used cars and trucks.
COMING UP NEXT: Secret Warranties That Can Get Your Car Fixed for Free
Image source: Deposit Photos
Follow us today...
