"We broke down our data to look at 3- and 10-year-old vehicles," Linkov said. "The 3-year-old models are a little more expensive, but they'll have the latest safety and comfort features. On the other hand, while a 10-year-old model is less expensive to buy, you have to figure in the cost of repairing it."
By year three, a mid-sized favorite—the Toyota Camry Hybrid—will cost you between $13,500 to $18,000 and about $55 in maintenance and repairs per year. At year 10, expect to pay around $6,500 to $7,800 but $370 dollars in annual maintenance costs.
No matter the age, though, Consumer Reports tests and satisfied owners found you can't go wrong with the Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV-4.