When you are in the market for a new used car it is helpful to consult the used car ratings systems to compare models and brands. This will give you some ideas as to what the best options are when you are ready to shop. There are several ratings systems to check out, depending on what is important to you in a vehicle.
Best Resale Value
Looking for a new car with the best resale value will help you to choose which used car is the best option. This is because the best new cars are also the best used cars. There are reviews of resale values for a reason.
According to Kelley Blue Book’s (www.KBB.com) 2009 top-10 list of cars with the best resale value, the vehicles rated the highest are:
www.KBB.com has many other reviews and ratings lists to consider as well. For instance, if you are looking at the best in family size vehicles or the best in performance vehicles, those reviews are there.
Car Safety Ratings
One place to check for vehicle safety ratings is www.safercar.gov. This site reviews every vehicle and gives the star ratings of crash testing and vehicle safety. This website is connected to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (www.nhtsa.gov).
These are excellent websites to check for car seat safety, vehicle recall and defects information, tires and seat belt information and much more.
Car Reliability Ratings
The biggest concern when purchasing a used car is whether the car is going to be reliable. Reliability is a must when transporting your family or relying on a car to get you to and from work. When you research and compare car models you are taking steps to ensure you purchase a more reliable vehicle.
One way to find the best option in reliability is to check out the ratings on J.D. Power and Associates (www.JDPower.com). According to www.JDPower.com, Toyota and Buick rate fairly high in the dependability ratings system. You can also find reviews and ratings on the Automotive Performance Execution and Layout (or APEAL), which rates design, comfort, performance and features.
Best Fuel Efficiency
In the economy of 2009, fuel efficiency is one thing you will be closely looking at. To find reviews and ratings in this category, look to Consumer Reports. There, you will find fuel efficient automobiles listed in two categories; those $10,000 and under and those over $10,000.
The top 5 cars under $10,000 are:
The top 5 cars over $10,000 are:
Once you take all of the information from all of the ratings sources and compare them, you are sure to come up with some commonalities to choose from. Utilizing the lists to compare will increase your chances of purchasing a used car that will run reliably for your family’s safety.
