Best Used Toyota Cars, SUVs, and Trucks Under $20,000 for Friends and Family

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Consumer Reports analysts have recently released their latest list of used car, SUV, and truck picks ranging from $15,000 to $20,000 that they would recommend for their friends and family members.

Used Cars Recommended for Friends and Family

A recent Consumer Reports analysis of older used cars that dates as far back as 10 years ago was recently released by CR analysts who say that their current picks are “…the ones we’d recommend to our friends and family members,” ―all under $20,000!

Related article: Consumer Reports Best Used Cars, SUVs and Trucks for Less Than $5,000

Those models were chosen with a focus on their performance when they were new and their reliability as they aged based on data from their Annual Auto Surveys of CR members. The benefit to mining data from past annual surveys is that it provides used car shoppers with information on which models are proven dependable and could be a good buy provided their maintenance and care were well-managed.

Related article: Mechanic Talks Candidly About the Best Used Car You Should Not Buy

Be forewarned, however, as older vehicles require some personal concessions when it comes to road noise and comfort. Especially for trips that are longer than a few hours, let alone a road trip that can become more arduous than fun in these old cars.

That said, the summary includes the added benefit of discovering how reliable these choices have proven themselves to be overall in three areas critical to used car shopping: overall performance, engine reliability, and fuel economy. Please note the summary provided is limited to Toyota models.

These vehicles performed well in our tests when new and consistently demonstrated multiple years of much-better-than-average reliability in our Annual Auto Surveys for the 2014 to 2023 model years,” stated CR analysts in their recent newsletter.

For a more detailed breakdown of each vehicle as well as other non-Toyota recommendations, please visit the CR website. Note that while access to some information requires a CR membership, the potential savings make it negligible in comparison when looking for the latest information to aid your car buying research.

Used Car Toyota Model Pick Finds Under $20,000

1. Toyota Corolla 2018 to 2020

Recommended model: 2018 Toyota Corolla

Price Range:  $13,200 - $15,875

Owner Reported MPG:  32 mpg

Reliability Rating: 82/100

Owner Satisfaction: 3/5

 

2. Toyota Corolla Hybrid 2020 to 2021

Recommended model: Toyota Corolla Hybrid 2021

Price Range:  $16,800 - $22,325

Owner Reported MPG:  53 mpg

Reliability Rating: 68/100

Owner Satisfaction: 3/5

 

3. Toyota Prius 2016 to 2018

Recommended model: Toyota Prius 2018

Price Range:  $15,575 - $19,175

Owner Reported MPG:  52 mpg

Reliability Rating: 83/100

Owner Satisfaction: 5/5

 

4. Toyota Prius Prime 2017

Price Range:  $15,925 - $18,975

Owner Reported MPG:  80 mpg

Reliability Rating: 75/100

Owner Satisfaction: 4/5

 

5. Toyota Prius V 2016 to 2017

Recommended model: Toyota Prius V 2016

Price Range:  $14,100

Owner Reported MPG:  42 mpg

Reliability Rating: 95/100

Owner Satisfaction: 4/5

 

6. Toyota Avalon, 2016 to 2017

Recommended model: Toyota Avalon 2017

Price Range:  $16,000 - $19,025

Owner Reported MPG:  24 mpg

Reliability Rating: 80/100

Owner Satisfaction: 4/5

 

7. Toyota Avalon Hybrid 2014 to 2016

Recommended model: Toyota Avalon 2016

Price Range:  $13,850 - $17,250

Owner Reported MPG:  25 mpg

Reliability Rating: 84/100

Owner Satisfaction: 4/5

 

8. Toyota Camry 2017 to 2018

Recommended model: Toyota Camry 2017

Price Range:  $14,100 - $17,900

Owner Reported MPG:  28 mpg

Reliability Rating: 78/100

Owner Satisfaction: 4/5

 

9. Toyota Camry Hybrid, 2016 to 2017

Recommended model: Toyota Camry 2017

Price Range:  $14,100 - $17,900

Owner Reported MPG:  28 mpg

Reliability Rating: 78/100

Owner Satisfaction: 4/5

 

10. Toyota Sienna 2016

Price Range:  $13,625 - $20,650

Owner Reported MPG:  21 mpg

Reliability Rating: 68/100

Owner Satisfaction: 4/5

 

11. Toyota RAV4, 2016 to 2018

Recommended model: Toyota RAV4 2016

Price Range:  $13,450 - $17,000

Owner Reported MPG:  25 mpg

Reliability Rating: 76/100

Owner Satisfaction: 3/5

 

12. Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, 2016 to 2017

Recommended model: Toyota RAV4 2016

Price Range:  $13,450 - $17,000

Owner Reported MPG:  25 mpg

Reliability Rating: 76/100

Owner Satisfaction: 3/5

 

13. Toyota Highlander, 2014 to 2016

Recommended model: Toyota Highlander 2014

Price Range:  $13,875 - $18,125

Owner Reported MPG:  21 mpg

Reliability Rating: 76/100

Owner Satisfaction: 4/5

 

14. Toyota Tacoma, 2014 to 2016

Recommended model: Toyota Tacoma 2015

Price Range:  $15,575 - $22,575

Owner Reported MPG:  20 mpg

Reliability Rating: 70/100

Owner Satisfaction: 4/5

 

15. Toyota Tundra 2014

Price Range:  $14,025 - $24,250

Owner Reported MPG:  15 mpg

Reliability Rating: 78/100

Owner Satisfaction: 4/5

For additional articles related to used cars, here are three for your consideration:

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  “Zen and the Art of DIY Car Repair” website, the Zen Mechanic blog and on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites  and Facebook for daily news and topics related to new and used cars and trucks.

COMING UP NEXT: 

10 Cheap Cars That CR Recommends Update

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