A late-model used car can be one of the best values you'll find when buying a car. With relatively low mileage, modern safety and convenience features, and usually a much lower price than similar new vehicles, these used cars are in the sweet spot of auto deals.
We've scoured through the used car options and put together this list of best deals on 2008-2012 vehicles in ten categories. Each of the vehicles featured are models recommended by Consumer Reports. In making these selections, we focused on models that show the greatest depreciation from their original retail price and their current value, then culled the list to just those vehicles that meet our stringent criteria to be Recommended, including good performance in our tests, average or above safety scores, and average or better reliability. For some car types, this may mean limited diversity in the recommendations, though in all cases, we have focused on balancing the quality of the deal and that of the vehicle.
See all current deals on recommended used vehicles. Continue your research by comparing ratings, reliability, reviews, fuel economy, performance, and much more (available to subscribers). For a list of the most reliable used cars covering ten model years, see our best and worst used cars report.
Current price from the dealer $12,225 (original MSRP: $19,510)
The 2008 Honda Civic is refined and economical, with fairly nimble handling and a relatively comfortable ride. Fuel economy is 28 mpg overall for the EX with automatic transmission. Inside the seats are supportive and comfortable with a good driving position. Interior storage is generous but the trunk is modest. The Civic excelled in IIHS crash tests and reliability is excellent.
