The Safest Used Cars, and What They Really Cost

Page published October 27, 2026

Best Choices with a 5-year cost

The table is in cost order, lowest 5-year total first. The monthly figure is the 5-year total divided by 60, rounded to the nearest dollar.

How the list is built

The list starts from the IIHS and Consumer Reports Best Choices list for used cars, updated May 27, 2026. A 5-year true cost sits next to every model that has a verified Driveonomics cost page. Models without one are listed with no cost row, not estimated. The table is in cost order, lowest 5-year total first: the cheapest safe used car to run here is the Chevrolet Trailblazer at $31,693 over 5 years, and the dearest is the Ford Explorer at $44,366. The safety list and the cost list are not the same order, so check both before choosing.

Each total is built the same way. The starting price is the IIHS used price, a Black Book median from April 2026 for the earliest model year of each range. The value loss percentage, gas mileage, insurance, and upkeep come from that model own Driveonomics cost page. The basis is the site used car basis, the same method as the best selling used cars page: 12,000 miles a year, gas at $4.153 a gallon (the EIA national average for the week ending November 2, 2026), 7% sales tax as a site example, $900 in fees, 10% down, 8% APR over 60 months. Each total is value lost plus insurance plus fuel plus upkeep plus tax plus fees plus loan interest, using the rounded lines in the table. The monthly figure is the 5-year total divided by 60, rounded to the nearest dollar.

Best Choice is a safety screen, not a guarantee about any specific car. Best Choice used vehicles weigh more than 2,750 pounds, earn a good rating in the IIHS driver side small overlap front test, carry standard automatic emergency braking with a strong pedestrian rating, and have headlights rated good or acceptable, with average or better Consumer Reports scores for braking, handling, and controls. Condition, tires, maintenance history, and whether safety recalls were completed all matter on the exact car in front of you, so check its recall status before buying, as IIHS itself advises. The IIHS page also carries a second tier, Good Choices, which are older and more affordable models on the same safety criteria; this door cost rows cover the Best Choices tier only. The Crosstrek Plug-in Hybrid is held even though a gas Crosstrek cost page exists, because the listed vehicle is the plug-in hybrid and its inputs differ.

Best Choices held: listed, no cost row

The following Best Choices models have no cost row, because Driveonomics has no verified cost page for them, and no row was built from a partial set: Mazda 3, Subaru Crosstrek Plug-in Hybrid, Subaru Legacy, Kia K5, Hyundai Ioniq 6, Genesis G80, Mazda CX-3, Mazda CX-30, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Subaru Solterra, Audi Q4 e-tron, Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron, Volkswagen Tiguan, Kia EV6, Mazda CX-9, Nissan Murano, Mitsubishi Outlander, and Acura RDX. The Crosstrek Plug-in Hybrid is held even though a gas Crosstrek cost page exists, because the listed vehicle is the plug-in hybrid and its inputs differ. The IIHS page also carries a second tier, Good Choices, which are older and more affordable models on the same safety criteria; this door cost rows cover the Best Choices tier only, and the Good Choices list is on the IIHS page for readers who want the cheaper tier.

What Best Choice means, and what it does not

Best Choice used vehicles weigh more than 2,750 pounds, earn a good rating in the IIHS driver side small overlap front test, carry standard automatic emergency braking with a strong pedestrian rating, and have headlights rated good or acceptable, with average or better Consumer Reports scores for braking, handling, and controls. That is a strong safety screen, not a guarantee about any specific car: condition, tires, maintenance history, and whether safety recalls were completed all matter on the exact car in front of you, so check its recall status before buying, as IIHS itself advises.

For a first car specifically, see how much a first car costs a teen and a teen first year of driving, all in. For the wider used market, see best selling used cars.

Figures: IIHS and Consumer Reports safe vehicles for teens page, updated May 27, 2026, Black Book median prices April 2026. Value loss percentages, gas mileage, insurance, and upkeep from each model own Driveonomics cost page.

Educational estimates only, not financial, tax, legal or insurance advice. Every figure on this page is a typical example worked from the inputs stated on the page, not a quote for a specific car, loan, or driver. Your rate, insurance, fuel use, and resale value will move your total. See Terms.

Calculation transparency

Scope. The IIHS and Consumer Reports Best Choices used cars, updated May 27, 2026, with a 5-year true cost next to the models with a verified Driveonomics cost page; held models are listed with no cost row, not estimated.

Rules and time period. IIHS used prices are Black Book medians from April 2026 for the earliest model year of each range; site used car basis, the same method as the best selling used cars page: 12,000 miles a year, gas at $4.153 a gallon, the EIA national average for the week ending November 2, 2026, 7% sales tax as a site example, $900 in fees, 10% down, 8% APR over 60 months; monthly figure is the 5-year total divided by 60, rounded to the nearest dollar; table in cost order, lowest 5-year total first.

Scope and limitations. Educational estimate only. Best Choice is a safety screen, not a guarantee about any specific car: condition, tires, maintenance history, and recall status matter on the exact car. The Good Choices tier is on the IIHS page for readers who want the cheaper tier; this door cost rows cover the Best Choices tier only. Prices vary by car, shop, and city. Get a written quote for your own car before you decide.

Source links checked November 6, 2026. Figures: IIHS and Consumer Reports safe vehicles for teens page, updated May 27, 2026, Black Book median prices April 2026; value loss percentages, gas mileage, insurance, and upkeep from each model own Driveonomics cost page; gas at $4.153 a gallon, the EIA national average for the week ending November 2, 2026. The Consumer Reports scores and Black Book medians are carried on the linked IIHS page, not linked separately.

Primary sources: IIHS, Safe vehicles for teens; EIA, U.S. weekly retail gasoline prices; Best selling used cars. How the numbers are calculated is written down on the methodology page, and every source is listed on the sources page.

Definitions

Best Choice. The top tier of the IIHS and Consumer Reports used-vehicle list for teens. Best Choice used vehicles weigh more than 2,750 pounds, earn a good rating in the IIHS driver side small overlap front test, carry standard automatic emergency braking with a strong pedestrian rating, and have headlights rated good or acceptable.

Good Choice. The second tier on the IIHS page: older and more affordable models on the same safety criteria. This door cost rows cover the Best Choices tier only.

IIHS used price. The starting price in the table. IIHS Black Book medians from April 2026 for the earliest model year of each range.

5-year total. Value lost plus insurance plus fuel plus upkeep plus tax plus fees plus loan interest, on the site used car basis. On this page, from $31,693 for the Trailblazer to $44,366 for the Explorer.

APR. Annual percentage rate, the yearly interest rate on the loan. This example uses 8%. For context, Experian reported average rates of 6.35% on new cars and 11.19% on used cars in the second quarter of 2026.

Sales tax. A tax on the purchase price, charged by your state. On this page, 7% is a site example, not any state actual rate.

Questions people actually ask

What are the safest used cars, and what do they cost over 5 years?

From the IIHS and Consumer Reports Best Choices list for used cars, updated May 27, 2026, the models with a verified Driveonomics cost page run from the Chevrolet Trailblazer at $31,693 over 5 years to the Ford Explorer at $44,366, on the site used car basis stated on this page. Models on the list without a verified cost page are listed with no cost row, not estimated.

Which safest used cars have no cost row here, and why?

Mazda 3, Subaru Crosstrek Plug-in Hybrid, Subaru Legacy, Kia K5, Hyundai Ioniq 6, Genesis G80, Mazda CX-3, Mazda CX-30, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Subaru Solterra, Audi Q4 e-tron, Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron, Volkswagen Tiguan, Kia EV6, Mazda CX-9, Nissan Murano, Mitsubishi Outlander, and Acura RDX have no cost row because Driveonomics has no verified cost page for them. The Crosstrek Plug-in Hybrid is held even though a gas Crosstrek page exists, because the listed vehicle is the plug-in hybrid.

What does IIHS Best Choice mean?

Best Choice used vehicles weigh more than 2,750 pounds, earn a good rating in the IIHS driver side small overlap front test, carry standard automatic emergency braking with a strong pedestrian rating, and have headlights rated good or acceptable, with average or better Consumer Reports scores for braking, handling, and controls. It is a safety screen, not a guarantee about any specific car, so condition and recall status still need checking.

Are these 5-year totals for the used car or a new car?

They are for the used car at the IIHS used price, recomputed on the site used car basis: the IIHS used price with the value loss percentage, gas mileage, insurance, and upkeep from that model own Driveonomics cost page, at 12,000 miles a year, gas at $4.153 a gallon (the EIA national average for the week ending November 2, 2026), 7% sales tax as a site example, $900 in fees, 10% down, and 8% APR over 60 months.

How are the 5-year totals worked out?

Each total is value lost plus insurance plus fuel plus upkeep plus tax plus fees plus loan interest, using the rounded lines in the table. The starting prices are IIHS Black Book medians from April 2026 for the earliest model year of each range, and the value loss percentage, gas mileage, insurance, and upkeep come from that model own Driveonomics cost page, at 12,000 miles a year, gas at $4.153 a gallon, 7% sales tax as a site example, $900 in fees, 10% down, and 8% APR over 60 months.

Related: Certified cars are often the safest used buys. See whether certified pre-owned is worth it.

Related: Safe and cheap together. See the best used cars under $10,000.

Related: Found a safe one? See how much the car payment will be.