Safety on a Budget: 10 Safest Used Cars Under $20,000

Published on February 28, 2018
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Buying a vehicle may be one of the most important purchases that you make in your life. Whether you need to buy something gleaming and new, like the various hybrid cars coming out every year, or you desire to a quality used automobile your goal should be the same. When you start doing your research to buy used car options you need to look at a ton of different qualities but two stand out above all: safety and price. We did a little bit of research in order to help out people who are looking to buy a used car on a budget. Listed below are 10 of the safest used cars in the world for under $20,000!

2015 Ford F 150

If you want to make sure that your low cost car insurance stays that way then you should definitely consider spending the extra penny in order to buy something newer, sleeker, and safer. The Ford F 150 has long been a strong choice for people look for a safe vehicle and now you can end up getting one for right around $20,000 — provided you shop around and get a used car. The Ford F 150 employs a slightly controversial aluminum body in order to keep the cost down but research has shown that the body has held up to safety standards. In crash tests the cab of the truck has held up well to enduring getting beaten down. If you want to avoid the aluminum body and don’t mind spending up then consider the Ford F 150 model that was released for 2014 as that will employ a steel body.

2015 Ford F 150

2015 Ford F 150

2015 Mazda3

When shopping for safety at various car companies you should never feel compelled to give up your sense of style. The 2015 Mazda3 comes in as a sleek and attractive car that has ranked well in pretty much every safety test that could be thrown at it. The ’15 model Mazda3 netted a five star safety rating as it completely hit a home run in both front and side crash tests. The only ding on the Mazda3 was that it rated a 4 out of 5 on rollover testing. Still, you could do so much worse for so much more money than this model. If you want to see the safety tests in action then head to YouTube and give yourself some time to take it all in. The car is a beauty and deserving of any safety oriented family.

2015 Mazda3

2015 Mazda3

2016 Chevrolet Sonic

You won’t have to dip into any serious new car finance plans to afford the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic and that makes it a wonderful choice for the family on a budget looking to get a safe car into their life. This compact vehicle has aced every safety test that has been thrown at it, summing up a five star net rating with ease. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety named the 2016 Chevrolet Sonic as its top pick of the year in terms of safety and you can’t beat that. Priced around $16,000 brand new and much lower used, you should be able to get this vehicle with little to no financing depending on your credit. You are also getting a sleek machine with an attractive body kit to show off while you are on the road.

2016 Chevrolet Sonic

2016 Chevrolet Sonic

2015 Honda Civic Sedan

Honda has been known for putting together safe vehicles for a long time and the 2015 Honda Civic Sedan seems to be the cream of the crop in regards to their latest models. The four door sedan won itself a five star safety rating as it scored at least four out of five stars in every single test. The Sedan scored four stars in front crashes, five stars in side crashes, and four stars in rollovers. The appearance of the Honda Civic shouldn’t surprise anyone as the car had previously won a Top Safety Pick Award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Not a bad trend to start with your family oriented vehicles. Just make sure to stick to the four door model as the two door model struggled more with these safety tests.

2015 Honda Civic Sedan

2015 Honda Civic Sedan

2015 Chrysler 200

The 2015 Chrysler 200 is a neat little vehicle that makes our list thanks to its great price point and superb safety ratings. Ranked as the top safety pick of 2015 by the IIHS, the Chrysler 200 has plenty of ground to stand on when touted as being one of the safest models available. The front crash rating on this vehicle is off the charts in comparison to similarly sized vehicles and the 200 also aced both its side and front crash safety mechanisms. These safety ratings are not synced up with the all wheel models. New this car will run you aroudn $22,000 but if you shop around you should be able to find a used car well under that price point. The safety value of this car will have your car insurance companies scrambling to lower your rate just to keep you around.

2015 Chrysler 200

2015 Chrysler 200

2015 Hyundai Veloster

Your online car insurance is going to plummet in terms of rate when you take a chance and buy the 2015 Hyundai Veloster. Cracking the cash register at $18,000 brand new or considerably less when purchased used, you are ending up with a beautiful car that has a host of benefits to go along with its advanced safety testing. The Hyundai Veloster has a third door hidden and tucked away inside of its body, turbo options if you want to pay up for them, and an incredible 35 MPG on the highway. With gas prices going down it makes sense to start looking for those far traveling cars that can handle a whole load of wear and tear. The Veloster of course also has a five star safety rating overall as it aced the side crash testing before exceedingly accomplishing both the front crash and rollover tests. If you want that extra speed then pay up a few thousand dollars and get yourself the turbo options. No matter what version you end up with, you’re getting a rad car and a safe one as well.

2015 Hyundai Veloster

2015 Hyundai Veloster

Mazda CX-5

When a manufacturer finds their flow in terms of car safety development you can bet that they’ll make sure all of their models get involved. That’s why Mazda has another model on our list in the CX-5. Brand new this car will run you just a bit over $20,000 so you should more than be able to find a used car in your price range. Keep on a look out for the CX-5 if you want to find a way to lower your online auto insurance. The CX-5 comes with antilock disc brakes as well as traction control and enhanced stability. You have both front and side airbags as well as head restraints at the front. With advanced technology the CX-5 even has a laser guided smart brake system. When you are driving under 20 MPH and the laser senses an object without you responding then the car will automatically begin to brake. Seriously, we’re living in the future with this model.

Mazda CX-5

Mazda CX-5

2015 Volkswagen Jetta

Volkswagen has made a name for itself in the luxury world and it makes sense that they would also do well in the safe car creation world as well. The 2015 Volkswagen Jetta can be purchased brand spanking new for around $17,000 so this model should fit right inside of your sub-$20K budget. The Voklswagen Jetta has notched a five star safety rating, much like its kin models in the Volkswagen line, and that shouldn’t surprise anyone. The Jetta has a four star roll over rating, a four star front crash, and a five star side crash. You can’t beat the perfect blend of luxury and safety.

2015 Volkswagen Jetta

2015 Volkswagen Jetta

2015 Kia Forte

We don’t need NBA star Blake Griffin doing dunks over the front end of the vehicle to know that the 2015 Kia Forte is worth a purchase. The Kia Forte is one of the few models of vehicle that can be had brand new for under $16,000 while still boasting close to perfect safety ratings. The Kia Forte model released in 2015 is THE perfect model for mixture of price point and safety. The Forte has at least four stars in every crash test including a perfect marking in the side crash tests.

2015 Kia Forte

2015 Kia Forte

2015 Dodge Dart

Here we are at the top of our list with one of the best safe car purchases available. The 2015 Dodge Dart is a gorgeous and sleek car that blends efficiency with safety in order to rack up IIIHS Top Safety Pick honors — the highest available. The Dart scored five stars on the front and side crash tests while grabbing a four star in the rollover portion. Oh, yeah you can also drive up to 41 MPG on the highway.

2015 Dodge Dart

2015 Dodge Dart