The 5 Safest Used Cars You Can Buy for Under $20,000
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Subaru Legacy, Honda Accord, Ford Fusion, Chevy Volt and Volvo XC60 are the five safest used cars you can buy for under $20,000.
“I want to buy a new used car; I want something safe even though I have a budget of $20,000 to $20,000. What would you suggest?" This is a common question among car buyers. Here I list what I think are the five safest used cars that typically sell for under $XNUMX.
Over the past decade, significant advances have been made in driver assistance and collision avoidance technologies that have helped reduce the cost and complexity of these systems. Once exclusive to luxury cars, these potentially life-saving safety features can now be added as relatively inexpensive options to everyday economy cars. Features such as reversing cameras, automatic braking, lane-keep assist technology and intelligent cruise control, among many others, actively make driving safer. In fact, just recently, the IIHS reported that the top 20 global automakers, which make up 99% of the US auto market, have committed to making virtually all of their new vehicles standard with automatic emergency braking by the 2022 model year.
Of course, even if prices drop, buying a new car equipped with these options will likely cost you more than $20. This brings us to the used car market. There are plenty of amazing, safe and reliable cars aged 2 to 5 that have some of these features and cost less than $20k according to the Kelley Blue Book (KBB). With such a large car market, it was difficult to choose just 5 of them. I looked at several different criteria: crash test data and safety ratings, consumer reports, owner reviews, and also went back to my own experience with these cars.
Note: Safety ratings were obtained from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the US Department of Transportation, which gives the highest rating of 5 stars, and from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), which gives the highest Top Safety Pick + rating, which is only awarded with sign (+) if the vehicle is equipped with a forward collision avoidance system. To give you a wide choice, I chose 3 standard sedans, 1 "green" car and one luxury SUV.
Subaru Legacy 2013-2014 with optional sunroof
Midsize 4-Door Sedan
2013 and 2014 IIHS Top Safety Pick+ for superior optional forward collision warning
5-star overall safety rating from NHTSA
Subaru is well known for its symmetrical all-wheel drive system, which has been standard on almost all of their models for the past 25 or so years. They are also working to stay ahead of the competition with EyeSight driver assistance and collision avoidance systems. This was available as an option when the sunroof-equipped Legacy arrived in the US in 2013. As of 2015, the Subaru Legacy was one of only 9 IIHS-listed models with no fatalities reported. Fuji Heavy Industries, Subaru's parent company, said Subaru models sold in Japan with EyeSight are 60% less likely to crash than models without it. Subaru's one-piece body structure has been designed to provide a smooth, stable ride while absorbing most of the impact of a collision and transmitting the shock to the driver and passengers to a lesser extent. Standard all-wheel drive makes it a great choice for those who live in an area where snowy or slippery roads are common.
2013-2014 Honda Accord
Midsize 4-Door Sedan
2013 & 2014 IIHS Safety Pick of the Year +
5-star overall safety rating from NHTSA
Car and Driver 10 Best Cars Award 2013 and 2014
Well known for its long life and legendary reliability, the Honda Accord is now renowned for one more thing: safety. Beginning in 2013, the Accord came with a rearview camera as standard, along with a host of other options. It was one of the first standard sedans to feature collision avoidance and lane departure warning. Your best bet is to find one with both of these options as they have been proven by an analysis from the Road Accident Data Institute to reduce insurance claims.
Ford Fusion 2014
Ford Fusion 2014
4-door midsize sedan
2014 IIHS Top Security Choice +
5-star overall safety rating from NHTSA
Kelley Blue Book named the 2014 Ford Fusion one of the top 10 sedans under $25,000 in 2014.
The 2014 Ford Fusion may be the cheapest sedan in the top five, but don't let that fool you into thinking you're getting a smaller car. The Ford Fusion is a great car to drive and is more technologically advanced than most other cars in this price range. It is available as an EcoBoost or as a hybrid model, which also makes it an economical choice in the long run. While none of the advanced features come standard, a few options are available: Lane Departure Assist, Cross Traffic Alert, Blind Spot Detection, Active Parking Assist, and a reversing camera. It also had the option of inflatable rear seat belts that inflate in a crash to minimize damage caused by the seat belt.
2014 Chevrolet Volt
4-door compact plug-in hybrid vehicle
2014+ 2014 IIHS Security Best Choice
5-star overall safety rating from NHTSA
While the Toyota Prius has become a ubiquitous hybrid vehicle, the Chevy Volt made a splash when it was first introduced. With a range of just 38 miles and fuel consumption of 37 mpg with a small gasoline engine, the Chevy Volt combines the best of both worlds. Add to that an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ rating and a higher 5-star rollover rating than the Toyota Prius, and you've got a car that's safer for both the environment and your passengers. Options available include a rearview camera, parking assist, lane departure warning, and forward collision warning systems.
2012/2013 Volvo XC60
Compact luxury crossover
2012 IIHS Security Top Pick and 2013 Security Top Pick +
5-star overall safety rating from NHTSA
Volvo has always been synonymous with safety. In recent years, they have been producing cars that are not only among the safest, but also look fantastic. Volvo was one of the first manufacturers to offer automatic emergency braking, even before the IIHS introduced a (+) rating for vehicles with a collision avoidance system. Every XC60 model is equipped with City Safety, which automatically brakes the car when the driver is unable to do so, including if the car detects a pedestrian in the roadway, thanks to pedestrian detection, also included in every XC60.
It's important to note that not all XC60 models come with all-wheel drive; some are front-wheel drive only. If you live somewhere where it snows regularly, it might be worth shelling out the extra cash to get an all-wheel-drive model. It's also worth noting that the City Safety system ran at 19 mph or less on 2012 models and increased to 32 mph or less on 2013 models.
So here they are, my top 5 favorites in the safe used car market under $20k. While this list does not include all vehicles under $20k equipped with this technology, it should serve as a guide for anyone looking to buy a vehicle in this area. Over the next few years, more cars will fall into this price range as these technologies continue to spread from more expensive cars to less expensive ones.
It is important to remember that the biggest limitation to these driver assistance systems is the driver. Take the time to read and fully understand all the safety features your vehicle is equipped with. If there is something you just don't understand, feel free to contact us and we'll be happy to help you figure it out. Before buying, go through a pre-sale inspection; while owning, make sure your vehicle is in proper condition. Diagnose any problems you notice as soon as possible to make sure all systems are working properly at all times.
Note on prices: Of course, it should be noted that prices and car availability will vary greatly by country and even in some cases from city to city. For the Kelly Blue Book values, I used the LA zip code and looked at private party sales values in good or better condition. KBB values have been tested 8.
