Cost of ownership
Most Reliable Used Cars for the Money
Ranked from the iSeeCars Most Reliable Used Cars for the Money Study (2026). CarOutlay adds the ownership-cost lens — what each result means for the real 5-year cost of owning the car.
The ranking
5-year-old used cars ranked by list price ÷ expected remaining years of life. Industry average: $3,310/year. Lower is better.
- Honda Fit Best value $18,445 price · 10.9 years remaining. $1,693/yr
- Kia Rio 5-Door $12,977 price · 6.6 years remaining. $1,979/yr
- Honda Civic $19,958 price · 9.6 years remaining. $2,070/yr
- Buick Encore $2,084/yr
- Mazda3 Hatchback $2,091/yr
- Mitsubishi Outlander Sport $2,104/yr
- Hyundai Elantra $2,162/yr
- Lexus IS 300 13.0 years remaining — longest on the list. $2,173/yr
- Volkswagen Jetta $2,198/yr
- Toyota Corolla $2,211/yr
- Kia Soul $2,267/yr
- Mitsubishi Outlander $2,314/yr
- Toyota Prius $2,354/yr
- Toyota Camry Hybrid $2,435/yr
- Chevrolet Sonic $2,436/yr
- MINI Hardtop 2 Door $2,442/yr
- Nissan Versa $2,443/yr
- Nissan Rogue $2,446/yr
- MINI Hardtop 4 Door $2,462/yr
- Ford Fusion Hybrid $2,468/yr
- Jeep Compass $2,471/yr
- Honda Civic Coupe $2,480/yr
- Lexus IS 350 $2,486/yr
- Honda CR-V $2,489/yr
Most reliable 10-year-old used cars for the money
The cheapest-per-year 10-year-old used cars in the same study. Industry average (10-year-old): $2,415/year.
- Nissan LEAF Cheapest per year $5,675 price · 5.1 years remaining. $1,108/yr
- Honda Fit $1,341/yr
- Lincoln MKZ $1,542/yr
- Volkswagen Jetta $1,546/yr
- Nissan Versa $1,575/yr
Why this matters for your cost of ownership
This study fuses the two cost levers that matter most to a used-car buyer: how much you pay up front and how many years of service you get for it. A model that costs $1,693 per remaining year is dramatically cheaper to own than the $3,310 average — and because someone else already absorbed the steep first-five-years depreciation, your cost per year stays low. It rewards exactly the cars that also dominate longevity rankings (Honda, Toyota, Lexus). The catch: a 10-year-old bargain still needs maintenance, so budget for it. Run a used purchase price and a long ownership window through our TCO calculator to see how buying used collapses the per-year cost.
Open the 5-Year TCO calculatorHow this ranking is measured
iSeeCars analyzed the prices of over 900,000 five- and ten-year-old used cars sold from July to December 2025, then combined them with odometer readings from nearly 400 million used cars (from its Longest-Lasting Cars research) to estimate each model's expected remaining lifespan in years. Dividing a model's average used list price by its remaining lifespan yields a 'price per year of remaining life' — a value-for-money figure where a lower number means more reliable years of driving per dollar. A car can rank well by being cheap, by lasting a long time, or both. The Honda Fit led 5-year-old cars; among 10-year-old cars the Nissan LEAF was cheapest per year at $1,108.
Source: iSeeCars, Most Reliable Used Cars for the Money Study (2026). Based on prices of over 900,000 5- and 10-year-old used cars sold July–December 2025 and odometer readings of nearly 400 million used cars. 5-year-old average: $3,310 per year of remaining life. View the original study ↗
Frequently asked questions
What is the most reliable used car for the money?
In the iSeeCars 2026 study, the Honda Fit is the most reliable 5-year-old used car for the money, costing $1,693 per year of remaining lifespan — about half the $3,310 industry average — with a 10.9-year remaining lifespan and a $18,445 average price. Among 10-year-old cars, the Nissan LEAF is cheapest per year at $1,108. Honda placed four models in the top 24, more than any other brand.
How is 'reliable used car for the money' calculated?
iSeeCars divides a used model's average list price by its expected remaining lifespan in years, producing a 'price per year of remaining life.' A lower number is better — it means more dependable years of driving per dollar spent. The remaining lifespan comes from odometer data on nearly 400 million vehicles, so the metric rewards cars that are both affordable and long-lasting.
Is it cheaper to buy a reliable used car than a new one?
Usually, yes — on a cost-per-year basis. A used buyer skips the steepest depreciation, which a new buyer absorbs in the first five years. Picking a model that also lasts a long time, like those on this list, spreads the lower purchase price across many remaining years and keeps the cost per year well below average. The trade-off is higher near-term maintenance risk, so factor service costs into your TCO before you buy.
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