Used Compact Cars with the Best Fuel Economy Says Consumer Reports

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Recommended used cars from Consumer Reports that are proven to be reliable and have depreciated enough to qualify as a smart compact car buy. Plus, a CARFAX warning about buying any used car regardless of the deal.

CR analysts recently reported a new updated ranking of their choice of compact car models that are 5 years old and proven to be among their other reliable and fuel-efficient model recommendations to let consumers know what models make for the best deals in terms of gas mileage and qualify as a smart consumer buy.

Savings with Fuel Economy and Car Costs in Mind

According to a recent Consumer Report newsletter, buying a used 5-year-old compact car can save you a significant amount of money due to its depreciation factor has passed over the years, but is still young enough to have many of the modern convenience and entertainment features found in brand-new models…but at a lower price.

Related article: 10 Cheap Cars That CR Recommends Update

“To help steer you to the best choices, we’ve assembled a list of the most fuel-efficient compact cars from the 2019 model year. All got 32 mpg overall or better when we tested them, performed well enough in our tests to be recommended when new, and have average or better reliability according to CR’s Annual Auto Surveys, where we ask CR members to tell us about what went wrong with their own cars,” stated CR automotive experts in their newsletter.

The other perk with these selected models is that in a searchable database from Consumer Reports you can find out not only the pricing when new and the mileage CR analysts measured with each model, but more importantly, all of the issues (if any) consumers experienced during the first few years of ownership.

CARFAX Caveats to Any Used Car

Buying a recommended compact used car based on information from a reliable and trusted source like Consumer Reports can take a lot of the research work off your hands. However, regardless of where your recommendation comes from, you still must have a used car pre-purchasing inspection to avoid the risk of fraud.

But what if you combine CR recommendations with a CARFAX Vehicle History Report?

That is a good second source step towards deciding on a used car that is up for sale. But then again, even a CARFAX report is not enough.

While useful, a CARFAX Vehicle History Report can provide some especially vital information that can impact your decision on whether or not to buy a used vehicle from a dealership, a used car lot, an ad in the paper, or even a relative. Information listed in a CARFAX report comes from thousands of sources and can include:

• Vehicle registration
• Title information, including salvaged or junked titles
• Odometer readings
• Lemon history
• Total loss information
• Stolen and recovery information
• Structural damage
• Accident indicators, such as airbag deployment
• Service and repair information
• Vehicle usage (taxi, rental, lease, etc.)
• Recall information

CARFAX is well-known for providing used car shoppers with important and updated information and warnings about vehicles involved in flood damage, reports of odometer fraud, and how shoppers can avoid overpaying for a vehicle.

However, a CARFAX Report is not the end-all toward making a good used car buying decision. In fact, the CARFAX website tells users of their services that, “Not all information is reported to CARFAX.” And that, “The CARFAX Vehicle History Report should be used along with a pre-purchase vehicle inspection and thorough test drive.”

And even then, when someone offers to hand you a CARFAX report they gathered for your convenience as proof of the reliability and condition of the car they are selling, you must be skeptical of what they are really showing you.

In other words, an investment toward hiring a trained and trusted mechanic to evaluate your potential used car purchase is a wise third step to take following the recommendations from Consumer Reports backed by a CARFAX vehicle history report.

That said, here is the latest listing of recommended used compact cars from CR analyst’s:

USED COMPACT CARS WITH THE BEST FUEL ECONOMY

Subcompact Cars

1. Toyota Yaris 2019

Price Range: $11,925 - $14,175

Owner Reported MPG: 36 mpg