Buying a car? The marketplace is awash with hundreds of options ranging from small, city-friendly sedans to massively powerful pickup trucks. And with many shoppers feeling the pinch of higher interest rates and expensive new-car prices, more and more are looking to the used-car market to find a great deal. At CarGurus, we're here to help.
Using an expansive wealth of pricing and availability data, consumer trends, and experience test driving over a thousand cars, a panel of CarGurus expert reviewers has identified the best used cars of 2024. These awards aim to provide shoppers with excellent choices regardless of their lifestyle or needs. Among the winners is one believed to be the market’s best overall used car, recognized with the 2024 Used Car of the Year Award.
The 2024 Best Used Car Awards Winners
Small Crossover/SUV
Winner: Toyota RAV4 Hybrid (fifth generation)
The Toyota RAV4 should be a very familiar name; it is the best-selling vehicle from the world’s top-selling automaker. The RAV4’s popularity is well-deserved, too. With plenty of cargo space, an attractive design, and a sterling reputation for reliability, it’s an easy choice for many shoppers. Building on that compelling basis, the RAV4 Hybrid adds a more powerful and fuel-efficient powertrain, offering up to 40 miles per gallon in combined driving. Introduced in the 2019 model year and still going strong, the fifth-generation Toyota RAV4 has impressed CarGurus reviewers as a well-rounded and cost-effective option in an incredibly competitive market segment.
Runner-up: Honda CR-V (fifth generation)
Third Place: Mazda CX-5 (second generation)
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Midsize Crossover/SUV
Winner: Hyundai Santa Fe (fourth generation)
Sold between 2019 and 2023, the fourth-generation Hyundai Santa Fe delivers an outstanding combination of tech, safety features, and value. It helps that the Santa Fe is a good-looking vehicle, too; although it hasn’t adopted many of the current auto marketplace’s design trends, it doesn’t look boring or outdated. The Santa Fe routinely performs well in crash testing by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Insitute for Highway Safety (IIHS), and even lower trim levels benefit from an impressive suite of tech features, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Shoppers in the market for a practical, safe, and tech-forward vehicle need not look further than a Hyundai Santa Fe.
Runner-up: Subaru Outback (sixth generation)
Third Place: Jeep Grand Cherokee (fourth-generation)
Family Car
Winner: Kia Telluride (first generation)
Since arriving for the 2020 model year, the Kia Telluride has become a popular choice among shoppers and reviewers, alike. The super-sized midsize crossover SUV was one of the first of its kind; comfortable enough for daily driving duties while also large enough and capable enough to seat up to eight fully grown adults. Like other modern Kia (and Hyundai) vehicles, the Telluride offers impressive tech and safety features, plus a potent powertrain and a handsome design. All in all, the Telluride’s well-rounded nature makes it an excellent choice for families, and a terrific value as well.
Runner-up: Hyundai Palisade (first generation)
Third Place: Chrysler Pacifica Minivan (first generation)
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City Car
Winner: Honda Accord (tenth generation)
Massively popular, the Honda Accord receives more search volume than almost any other vehicle listed on CarGurus. It’s a well-known nameplate from a well-regarded brand, and over its first ten generations, the Accord has earned a reputation as a reliable, efficient, and fun-to-drive option, particularly for drivers commuting in (or into) cities. Sold from 2018 to 2022, the tenth-generation Honda Accord could be equipped with two engine options, a fuel-frugal 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder or a riotous 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, the latter delivering up to 252 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. The Accord is fun to drive, but more than that, it’s impressively comfortable, loaded with technology, and delivers great fuel economy. Although not as maneuverable as some of its compact competitors, the Accord is nonetheless our 2024 Best Used Car pick for city driving.
Runner-up: Hyundai Elantra (sixth generation)
Third Place: Kia Forte (third generation)
Large SUV
Winner: Ford Expedition (fourth generation)
Next to smaller and more fuel-efficient vehicles, full-size SUVs can look almost prehistoric. The fourth-generation Ford Expedition, however, is certainly not outdated. In production since 2018, this generation of the Expedition retains its ultra-capable body-on-frame underpinnings but hides them under modern and stylish sheet metal. These large SUVs are purpose-built for hauling people, cargo, and trailers, and the Expedition excels in each regard. With seating for up to eight passengers, the Expedition can handle people-hauling duties (and it adds enough cargo space for all eight plus their luggage in MAX trims). With a twin-turbo V6 engine good for up to 440 horsepower, it can handle towing duty, too: maximum capacity measures 9,300 pounds.
Runner-up: Lincoln Navigator (fourth generation)
Third Place: GMC Yukon (fifth generation)
Luxury Crossover/SUV
Winner: Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class (third generation)
Introduced for the 2020 model year, the third-generation Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class is very nearly the pinnacle of luxury. When new, these full-size luxury crossovers can easily run into the six-figure price range, but on the used market, they can now be had for half that price. The GLS-Class delivers an opulent and elegant cabin, incredible levels of comfort, and with the MBUX infotainment system, a truly breathtaking approach to entertainment and technology. In terms of performance, the GLS is truly a wolf in sheep’s clothing (very expensive-looking clothing, that is). Powertrains ranging from a mild-hybrid V6 to a twin-turbocharged V8 provide all the motivating force a three-row luxury SUV should ever need.
Runner-up: Acura RDX (third generation)
Third Place: Volvo XC90 (second generation)
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Luxury Sedan
Winner: Audi A4 (fifth generation)
Although it’s received only a minor facelift since arriving for the 2016 model year, the fifth-generation Audi A4 is nonetheless one of the best-looking sedans on the market. This luxury sedan has aged incredibly well, offering as impressive a driving experience as it did eight years ago. Earlier examples can be equipped with front-wheel drive (FWD), but later A4 models include Audi’s famous Quattro all-wheel-drive (AWD) system as standard equipment. Additionally, 2020-and-newer A4s benefit from Audi’s Multi-Media Interface infotainment system, bringing tech features like wireless Apple CarPlay to the mix. The fifth-generation Audi A4 is a popular choice among luxury-sedan shoppers, and it is a darling among CarGurus reviewers.
Runner-up: Volvo S60 (third generation)
Third Place: Mercedes-Benz E-Class (fifth generation)
Small Pickup Truck
Winner: Honda Ridgeline (second generation)
Until the arrival of the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Fe–two tiny pickups still too new to qualify for these awards–the Honda Ridgeline was unlike any truck on the market. Built on unibody construction, the Ridgeline provides unmatched ride comfort and handling prowess. Although it’s not a towing and hauling workhorse like some of its body-on-frame brethren, the Ridgeline can still manage to pull 5,000 pounds from its hitch, and it can handle more than 1,500 pounds of payload in its truck bed. The Ridgeline also enjoys a solid reputation as a reliable truck, and while its tech offering doesn’t look cutting edge, it nonetheless supports most owners’ critical needs and, like a classic Apple product, it just works.
Runner-up: GMC Canyon (second generation)
Third Place: Toyota Tacoma (third generation)
Large Pickup Truck
Winner: Ford F-150 (fourteenth generation)
Fourteenth generation. That may be all the introduction the Ford F-150 needs. Introduced for the 2021 model year, this latest F-150 builds on more than seven decades of truck-building experience. Shoppers can find a Ford F-150 for any need, thanks to multiple body styles, multiple powertrain options, and enough trim levels to make a head spin. CarGurus reviewers have been impressed by how the F-150 combines its impressive capability with smart design, great technology, and an impressive suite of safety features. Although truck prices seem to be constantly climbing, the F-150 still offers great value.
Runner-up: Nissan Titan (second generation)
Third Place: Ram 1500 (fifth generation)
Sports Car
Winner: Porsche 911 (992; eighth generation)
At the risk of sounding cliche, the Porsche 911 is an icon. It is the quintessential sports car in every way: its looks are instantly recognizable, it offers limited practicality, and it drives as if it were engineered solely for performance. The 992-Series Porsche 911 has been on sale since the 2019 model year and is offered in a wide range of trim levels, from rear-wheel-drive convertibles to all-wheel-drive coupes, and with powertrains that evolve from “fast” to “how is this legal?” In testing, CarGurus reviewers have found the Porsche 911 to be one of the best-handling sports cars on the market. Add in its popularity and relative abundance on the used market, and it’s an easy choice for the Sports Car category.
Runner-up: Chevrolet Corvette (eighth generation)
Third Place: Kia Stinger (first generation)
2024 Used Car of the Year
Winner: Honda Accord (tenth generation)
More than being an excellent city car, the tenth-generation Honda Accord is a fantastic all-around vehicle. Few vehicles combine the Accord’s impressive performance and efficiency, with its level of practicality, build quality, and safety. The Honda Accord has been a staple on U.S. roadways for decades, and for good reason. With many, many examples on sale throughout the country, it’s easy to find a Honda Accord in good condition and listed at a great price. Finally, the Accord is more than simply a sensible, reliable choice, it’s a genuinely fun car to drive on a daily basis and a vehicle that CarGurus’ team of expert reviewers holds in the highest regard.
Runner-up: Hyundai Santa Fe (fourth generation)
Third Place: Porsche 911 (992; eighth generation)
Methodology:
CarGurus Used Car Award nominees were selected from car models at least three years old and originally for sale in the US. Nominees were shortlisted on criteria including availability and search interest on CarGurus. CarGurus’ expert team of vehicle reviewers evaluated each vehicle, after which the accumulated data was analyzed (and argued over) to determine this year’s winners.
Related Topics
The Best 7-Passenger SUVs
The Best Used SUVs Under $20,000
The Best Sports Cars Under $30,000
