The Safest Used Cars Under $10,000

Many consumers are looking at used cars right now as new inventories continue to fluctuate. However, if safety and affordability are your top concerns, you might be wondering how you can get both with a used car. The truth is, you can definitely get both. Let’s take a look at some safe and very affordable used cars that you can pick up for less than $10,000 in most cases.

2014 Dodge Dart

The 2014 Dodge Dart is a compact and sporty sedan with sharp handling and a modern design. According to the U.S. News safety score ratings, the 2014 Dart scored a 9.5 out of 10. The 2014 Dodge Dart was also named a top safety pick by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) and it got five out of five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The safety ratings are indeed impressive, but so is its $9,338 average price as a used car.

2014 Honda Insight

If you’re looking for an affordable and safe hybrid vehicle, the 2014 Honda Insight is a great choice. This compact car scores 9.8 out of 10 in the U.S. News safety scores. It also achieved the IIHS’s top score of Good and four out of five in the NHTSA’s crash tests. The average price paid for this four-cylinder city car is $9,664.

2014 Kia Soul

The 2014 model year seems to be a sweet spot for safety and affordability, and that model year’s Kia Soul is another entry with an average price paid under $10,000 and a 9.8 out of 10 in the U.S. News safety scores. The 2014 Soul also achieved perfect scores from both the IIHS and the NHTSA. The Soul stands out with its boxy shape, but it has plenty to offer inside like Bluetooth capability, USB ports, and an optional panoramic sunroof.

2015 Chevy Sonic

Moving up to the 2015 model year, we have the 2015 Chevy Sonic. This compact car scores 9.8 out of 10 with U.S. News, and it was given the highest scores from both IIHS and NHTSA. Additionally, the IIHS awarded the Sonic with the 2015 Top Safety Pick. The 2015 Sonic is a
pretty small car, but it has a lot of room inside for its segment. The average price paid for this used car is closer to $9,000 than the previous entries on this list.

2014 Nissan Cube

The 2014 Nissan Cube is another boxy vehicle like the Soul. It comes in at a nice price point below $9,000 on average. The U.S. News safety score for the 2014 Cube is 9.8 out of 10, and it’s also rated Good by the IIHS and gets four out of five stars from the NHTSA. The Cube is a great little city car with plenty of horsepower for its size at 122.

When it comes to picking out safe used cars, it’s a good idea to look at the scores from the NHTSA and the IIHS. An additional publication like the U.S. News is another way to make sure your used car pick is considered safe.