Not fashionable is often smart
€5,000. For a used car, that’s comfortably below average, but at the same time it’s still a lot of money. Anyone wanting to score a decent used car for up to this amount would do well to think outside the box.
Golfs, Fiestas, 3-series and Niros. All very familiar names in the Dutch car landscape, and in all cases there are good reasons for that. However, precisely because of that familiarity and popularity, you can be sure of one thing: you won’t find a bargain with these types of models. Especially for those searching with a limited budget, it’s therefore advisable to think outside the box. And that’s exactly what we’re going to do today, with five used cars for up to €5,000 each.
Lots of space, low costs: Hyundai iX20
Is this an MPV or an SUV? The Hyundai iX20 is actually a kind of cross between those two body styles. So still a kind of crossover, and thus an even better alternative to the standard Kia Niro or Hyundai Kona. You can find iX20s in all colors, types and sizes up to €5,000 (16 available!), they generally score excellently in AutoWeek user reviews, are known as reliable and are nicely spacious for their size and weight (road tax!). Is such an iX20 exciting? Certainly not, but that ‘elderly image’ also means the previous owner probably handled it carefully. Can’t find the right iX20? Then also look at sister model Kia Venga or a similar Japanese alternative, such as a Nissan Note, Toyota Verso-S or Subaru Trezia.
What applies to an iX20 also applies to a Kia Venga.
Go the rebadge route: Citroën C-Crosser (from 2007)
Prefer an SUV? That means we have to look for older cars with higher mileage, but nothing is impossible. A Japanese car quickly comes to mind because those brands were early in the SUV field and typically deliver reliable stuff, but ‘the market’ knows that too. So what about a Citroën C-Crosser? The almost forgotten twin brother of the second Mitsubishi Outlander is secretly even more Japanese than that Outlander itself, because that one was built in Born and the ‘Citroën’ in Okazaki. It’s certainly like looking for a needle in a haystack, but rest assured you’ll have negotiating room with such a rarity. Also available as Peugeot 4007, has a third row of seats and thus seven seats and will undoubtedly last for years to come. Want such a disguised Japanese car, but prefer something smaller? Then also consider the C4 Aircross (Mitsubishi ASX), Fiat Sedici (Suzuki SX4) and Opel Agila (Suzuki Splash).
Representative and luxurious: Ford Mondeo (from 2007)
Does something like an obvious secret tip exist? Then this must be it: look for a large, traditional mid-size car. Cars like the Volkswagen Passat, Opel Vectra/Insignia and Ford Mondeo have been largely forgotten by the public by now, but still have a lot to offer. Besides space, with such a car you also buy a sturdy, representative vehicle, lots of luxury and often good driving characteristics. The latter certainly applies to the Ford Mondeo, so we’ll highlight that one. For this amount we’re talking about the third generation before or after the facelift, although these cars often have more than 200,000 km on the clock. That doesn’t have to be a problem, but definitely subject turbo engines (1.6 Ecoboost) to closer inspection. For those who don’t need the space, here’s another tip: go for a hatchback or sedan. Those are even less in demand, but certainly don’t drive any worse.
Many so-called D-segment cars were available as station wagons, sedans and/or liftbacks. The latter are even less in demand.
Super practical family car: Mazda 5
A Mazda CX-5 too expensive? Then trade in that ‘CX’ and go for the Mazda 5! Mazda’s midi-MPV was in many ways a special thing, even when this body style was still popular. It was one of the few cars in its segment with sliding doors, had seven seats in the vast majority of cases, and then according to a stubborn ‘6+1’ configuration, where the middle seat of row two could be folded away. All very practical and well thought out. Moreover, such a 5 drives nicely, is very reliable and won’t cost you an arm and a leg in road tax, because a seven-seat MPV doesn’t get much lighter than this. However, 5s were prone to rest, but that seems to have improved a lot with the arrival of the heavily revised 5 in 2010. So if possible, go for such a much more modern version with those special ‘waves’ in the side, like this one.
There are plenty of alternatives to the Mazda 5 by the way. Then also think outside the ‘box’, and try a Kia Carens, Grand C-Max (without 1.0 Ecoboost!) or – really weird – Chevrolet Orlando. The latter is completely forgotten and not as reliable as the Mazda, but given its unfamiliarity and the now disappeared brand, it could be a good deal. With free SUV looks!
Economical and reliable: Toyota Prius
Is a Toyota Prius an unusual choice? Actually not really, although many more people search for an Auris or Corolla than for a Prius. The Prius 2 is moreover the most obvious route to Toyota’s hybrid technology, which is known as both super-reliable and super-economical. Especially for frequent drivers, such a Prius is therefore simply a smart choice, even if you quickly pay a lot for a somewhat older car. By the way, pay close attention to the mileage, because the odometer on early second-generation Priuses didn’t go beyond 299,999. So in such a case it could just as well be a hundred thousand more, so we’d leave a car with this reading alone.
Toyota Prius: relatively very expensive, but there’s a reason for that.
The first-generation Auris Hybrid is a nice alternative by the way. They’re scarce, but also virtually forgotten and thus a relatively good deal. For example, take a look at this one.