13 Of The Most Reliable Cars From The 2000s That Are Still Worth Buying

While new cars offer all the latest features, price tags today for models that have just rolled off the assembly line can be quite high to say the least. There's still a selection of cars that sit around the $20,000 range, whether you want a compact sedan or crossover SUV. Even with the inevitable depreciation of a car, model years that have been on the used market for a few years aren't dropping back to levels seen before the pandemic.

However, some brands luckily build cars that last. Particularly, if you're looking to save as much money as possible, looking at used cars from the 2000s from automakers such as Toyota, Ford, and Nissan is not only massively affordable, but, perhaps, more importantly, they're reliable. Having confidence that you won't spend more time at the repair shop than on the road is paramount when buying a used car of any age, which makes the following models incredibly attractive options.

Chevrolet's sedan offerings began to shrink years ago, but it had one mainstay in the Malibu. However, Chevrolet decided to pull the plug on the Malibu towards the end of 2024. The Malibu nameplate may sound familiar from its time as a variant of the Chevelle back in the 1960s. It disappeared for a while, but it was re-introduced in its modern guise in 1997. 

It remained a top low-budget choice for a sedan moving into the 2000s, with the 2007 model year proving one of the most dependable. According to KBB's data collected from owners of the '07 Malibu, reliability comes in at 4.5 out of five, with J.D. Power reporting a score of 81/100. You won't get as much power compared to some other cars in this list, with an output of 144 hp and 155 pound-feet of torque being produced by its 2.2L inline-four. It's more efficient than some, however, with a combined rating of 25 mpg for the base model.

Nissan's lineup of sedans has been reduced in recent years in favor of SUVs, as well as a growing commitment to electric-powered cars. One of the most recent discontinuities was for the Maxima, a mid-size sedan, which was a core model in the lineup for decades. Going back to the fourth generation can save you a decent amount of money without having to worry about reliability.

The 2008 model was the last of this generation, and with so much time on the road, there's no shortage of data about its dependability. According to consumer reviews collected by Cars.com, the 2008 Nissan Maxima's reliability is one of the strongest points of the car, with a rating of 4.6 out of five, bolstered by a strong score of 80/100 from J.D. Power. You won't have to spend much on one of these either, with KBB reporting an average used price of $4,030.

As for performance, the last of the fourth-gen Maxima isn't exactly a slouch, with its 3.6L V6 engine producing a solid 255 hp and 252 pound-feet of torque. It's not quite as efficient as its newer counterparts, however, achieving 21 mpg combined.

It isn't much of a surprise to see one of Toyota's name among the most reliable cars of the 2000s, especially with the Corolla. What has essentially become the blueprint for affordable practicality, the compact Corolla won't be the most exciting drive, but you can certainly depend on it. In 2025, it remains one of the cheapest new cars on the market with the same philosophy that was introduced in 1966 (1968 for the U.S. market), but if you'd rather save even more money, the 2008 model year offers Toyota's staple reliability.

According to owner reviews on Cars.com, the 2008 Corolla averages a score of 4.7 out of 5 for reliability, with multiple owners giving endless praise for the car's dependability. As with any car, regular checkups are still important, but with an annual maintenance cost of just $296, the price can be kept to a minimum across the board. Under the hood, a small 1.8L inline four-cylinder produces 126 horsepower and 122 pound-feet of torque. Not much power, but you'll be able to achieve 31 MPG combined according to the EPA. On the used market, you can pick up a 2008 Toyota Corolla for just around $5,000.

The Hyundai Sonata has been a solid choice for an unfaltering mid-size sedan for decades. Not every year for the nameplate has held up as well as others, particularly those that were built throughout the 2010s. The newest-gen models have improved, but going back before the early 2010s can also keep you out of the repair shop too often.

The fourth-generation Sonata was introduced back in 2006, and it isn't too bad of a car itself when it comes to reliability. However, going for the following year's release, the 2007 Sonata received an owner's score of 4.7 out of five stars as per KBB. J.D. Power's data also gives the car a solid reliability score of 83/100. Some reviewers even go as far as to say that it's the most reliable car they've ever had.

You'll get more power with the 2007 Sonata compared to the likes of the Corolla, with a 2.4L four-cylinder producing 162 hp and 164 lb-feet of torque. However, if you want more power, the 3.3L V6 engine offers 234 hp and 226 pound-feet of torque. Efficiency ratings come in at 25 mpg and 21 mpg, respectively.

Crossover SUVs didn't dominate the market as much as they do today in the 2000s, but these were still a great choice as practical sedan alternatives. One of the key models that still sits towards the top of the list in 2025 is the Honda CR-V — one of the SUVs that launched the push for crossover popularity in America. 

The CR-V was in its third generation when the SUV moved into the 2010s, with the 2009 model sitting in the middle of the five-year production run for this version of the nameplate. Luckily, this model year happens to be one of the most lauded by owners of a third-gen CR-V, with its reliability being one of the key areas that stand out. KBB's gathering of reviews averages out of 4.5 out of five for the 2009 CR-V, with J.D. Power doubling down with an 83/100 score in the same category.

All trims of the 2009 model came with the same engine: a 2.4L inline-four-cylinder producing 166 hp and 161 lb-feet of torque. Four-wheel drive was also offered, dropping the efficiency rating ever-so-slightly to 22 mpg from 23 mpg in the base front-wheel drive trim.

The key rival to the Corolla has long since been the Honda Civic, entering the U.S. market five years after in 1973. Both have remained closely matched ever since. Today, the Civic comes in at a higher price point than the Corolla, with more power and more standard equipment. If you're in the market for a used, reliable car below the $5,000 mark, however, going back to the 2000s brings the Civic into the same realm as the Corolla.

Honda rolled out the eighth generation of the Civic in 2006, which changed just about everything there was the change including the nameplate. It stayed a compact car, but a new design style, engine, and cabin made it even more attractive within the segment. Available in both coupe and sedan styles, the standard models came with a 1.8L four-cylinder producing 140 hp and 128 lb-feet of torque. The performance-oriented Si coupe's 2.0L engine improved the Civic's output to 197 hp.

If reliability is the most important factor, however, the 2006 Civic also ticks all the boxes. Consumer reviews for the model year average out at 4.7 out of five as per KBB. Maintenance costs shouldn't be a concern, either, with a 10-year ownership average of $5,639 according to CarEdge.

Alongside the Sonata, the Elantra is a key nameplate in Hyundai's current lineup and has been for decades. The current compact sedan has a lot going for it, rivaling the likes of the Corolla and Civic, particularly with its hybrid powertrain offering one of the highest efficiency ratings at a solid price point. It's cheap, but still fetches an MSRP over the $20,000 mark. Luckily, the Elantra has been available since 1990, giving us plenty of choice for a thoroughly tested, dependable used car if this compact sedan is more to your liking than the two mentioned rivals.

When it comes to reliability, the second release of the fourth-gen Elantra has subsequently become one of the best used cars of the 2000s. Cars.com reports an average reliability score of 4.7 out of five from a collection of owner reviews, on par with quite a few other used sedans out of Asia for its time. J.D. Power's stellar score of 87/100 only backs what owners have said about the car elsewhere. As for power, the 2008 Elantra gets 138 horsepower and 136 pound-feet of torque from a 2.0L four-cylinder engine; thereabouts with direct rivals from the late 2000s.

The CR-V was certainly one of the crucial models that pushed the crossover into the mainstream, but the Toyota RAV4 deserves just as much credit. Released just one year before its Honda rival in 1996, the RAV4 has always competed with the CR-V, despite it being geared towards all-around usability rather than offering the same levels of comfort the latter crossover championed. Moving into the 2000s, the competition didn't dwindle at all, making the RAV4 another choice you have to consider if you're looking for a cheap, dependable SUV on the used market.

Reliability wasn't a big concern for the majority of model years in the 2000s, but the 2005 model year (the last of the second generation) has stood the test of time better than most. Owners of the now 20-year-old SUV report reliability as one of its major selling points, provided that proper maintenance is carried out regularly, of course. Cars.com gives the 2005 RAV4 a reliability score of 4.7 out of five on average. It must be noted that the 2005 model was one of the cars to be caught in the Takata airbag recall, so ensuring that the model you're interested in is safe to drive is crucial.

Ford is another big name in the industry that has seemingly moved on from the traditional car in favor of pickups and SUVs. The Mustang remains in production, but that's the only nameplate that doesn't belong to the two former segments in 2025. It wasn't that long ago that Ford had sedans in its lineup, with the Taurus being one of the leading models up until its discontinuation in 2019. If you'd like a newer used car compared to others on this list without spending the current market prices, the last year of the Taurus shouldn't be ruled out, but the older models have had more time to prove just how dependable they are.

The last of the 2000s run of the Ford Taurus, the 2009 model, ended the decade on a high note. Getting the Taurus name back from the Five Hundred model in 2007, keeping essentially everything that the Five Hundred introduced just two years prior. Taking into account an abundance of owner reviews and scores, the 2009 Taurus gets a score of 4.8 out of five, becoming one of the most reliable used cars of the 2000s. Some owners report taking it beyond 200,000 miles with relative ease, with its $511 annual maintenance costs keeping it cost-effective to run after its $4,754 average price on the used market.

While Toyota's cars may be some of the sturdiest, well-built vehicles on the road, they aren't exactly known for their luxurious experience behind the wheel. They get the job done when it comes to practicality, reliability, and affordability, usually coming with top-tier build quality throughout. Still, it's rare you'll get into a Toyota, particularly a used model, that's kitted out with the best materials around.

Instead of using the main brand to compete in the luxury segment, the subsidiary, Lexus, has remained one of the top choices for refinement and opulence, without sacrificing the reputation for reliability that Toyota has developed. The IS model has been one of the entry-level nameplates for the brand ever since its introduction in 2000. The 2009 model is one that still feels somewhat modern relative to other used sedans of the late 2000s, with a 2.5L V6 engine producing 204 horsepower and 185 pound-feet of torque, complementing the more responsive handling.

A larger 3.5L engine came with the higher trims, but it's the base IS 250 model that offers stellar reliability, according to owners of the car. The 2009 IS 250 comes with a score of 4.8 out of five as per Cars.com.

If you're willing to sacrifice a handful of the more modern luxuries that other used cars released later on in the 2000s can offer in favor of reliability, one of history's best Camry models should more than suffice. Many of Toyota's cars have contributed to the overarching dependability you get with these cars, but the Camry sedan is without a doubt one of the most important. 2002 saw the introduction of the fifth generation of the model, which became the best-selling car that year.

Now 23 years later, the 2002 Toyota Camry is still one of the most celebrated model years, with its reliability saving some owners large sums of money over the years. Once again, collecting data provided by user reviews, the 2002 Camry has a reliability score of 4.8 out of five according to Cars.com, with KBB reporting the same score by also using consumer reviews. You get a power output of 157 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque from its 2.4L inline-four, which also gets to 24 MPG combined, as per the EPA.

Another Toyota sedan worthy of consideration on the used market that isn't in production anymore is the Avalon. Competing in the ever-shrinking full-size sedan segment, Toyota only recently dropped the Avalon in 2022 to make way for the unique Crown sedan, another full-size model that sits higher up than a traditional car but not enough to be considered an SUV.

Like the Crown, the Avalon was marketed as one of the premium cars from Toyota; not quite Lexus level, but still coming with higher-quality upholstery and convenience features that were left out of the cheaper nameplates. This has been the case for decades, making the 2008 model year a top choice if you're looking for a premium used sedan from the 2000s that also crucially offers top-of-the-range reliability. Cars.com reports an average owner score of 4.8 out of five, with numerous reviews citing how the 2008 Avalon can be kept on the road with hardly any issues.

Alongside the spacious cabin that still has a premium look and feel despite the older tech, the 2008 Avalon is powered by a healthy 3.5L V6 producing 268 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque, all for an average used price of $5,862 as per KBB.

It takes a lot for a car, which is almost 20 years old, to receive a near-perfect score when it comes to reliability. That's exactly what the 2006 Honda Accord manages to do. The Accord is a major competitor in the mid-size sedan segment, more so nowadays, with quite a few other longstanding nameplates being discontinued. Similar to the CR-V over the RAV4, the Accord offers a more premium feel throughout the car compared to some of its neighboring rivals, something that was also true back in the 2000s.

Towards the tail-end of the seventh generation of the Accord, Honda had nailed the reliability issues that affected the earlier models for this specific model. The 2006 Accord was the penultimate seventh-gen entry, which now has a 4.9 out of five score for reliability on average, with an overall score of 4.7 across all areas with 141 reviews of the vehicle. Owners have reported driving their '08 Accord into triple-figure mileage numbers, costing an average of $5,836 over the course of ten years on maintenance, according to CarEdge.

To select the used cars on this list, we looked at outlets such as Cars.com and KBB, which collect owner reviews of models and give an average score in each key area based on these reviews. Every model on this list has a reliability score of at least 4.5 out of five from at least one outlet, also using sites such as J.D. Power to reaffirm the dependability of the chosen cars.