When it comes to a pre-owned vehicle, what makes a good car? No, it's not the price or the number of features. A good used car should serve you well over the long term and should not cost a lot to maintain or repair. This means that as a minimum, a good used car should have a solid powertrain. With this in mind, and based on our inside knowledge, we picked several cars.
Winter driving is very demanding and things like bad tires, worn out wipers or inoperative rear window defogger can compromise your safety. Winter is also harsh on your car and the first freezing morning of the year will expose its hidden problems. Will the battery have enough capacity? It's a good idea to keep in your car a basic winter emergency kit (in the photo).
When we review cars, we not only see how they drive and test features, we look deeper. We check mechanical components, research the engines, common problems and in some cases even speak to mechanics that work on these cars.
Our used car reviews include problems and fixes, pros and cons, engine overview, fuel economy, model years to avoid and tips on what to look for when inspecting a used car
Popularity of SUVs and crossovers is growing, giving used car buyers plenty of choices. Read about problems, years to avoid, fuel economy and info on engines and AWD systems.
You depend on your car to get where you are going and your car depends on you. It starts and runs every day thanks to your efforts to maintain it. It's not too difficult to keep your car in good shape. Read our car maintenance checklist with photos, learn how to troubleshoot why a car won't start. Read what can cause your Check Engine light to come on and what Check Engine trouble codes mean. Read how to wax your car and touch up stone chips.
Having a car means freedom because you can drive anywhere you want. Buying a used car means financial freedom, because it's cheaper and you can pay it off sooner. You can have a nice set of wheels and no monthly car payments to worry about. The key is to find a car that has a great reputation for reliability and check it carefully. You want a car that is in good mechanical condition. How much money do you need to buy a used car?
