3 Used Toyota Models Under $20,000 That Are Worth Buying, According To KBB

Several automakers make great cars for those starting their motoring journey, and one of them is Toyota. Known for offering many models with cheap maintenance costs, the Japanese brand is a great choice for quality without breaking the bank. And, thanks to its reputation for reliability, Toyota's vehicles are also great choices to buy used. Some Toyotas can even last more than 250,000 miles, making them safe purchases for even the most risk-averse motorist.

There is a range of cheap and reliable Toyotas on the used market, but given the automaker's long history, some might find it hard to narrow down their choices and find the right vehicle for them. Getting behind the wheel and trying one out helps a lot, of course, but it's always handy to at least know what Toyotas you want to try out in the first place.

So, to that end, we've gone through Kelley Blue Book's ratings, fair purchase prices, and database of used listings to identify standout Toyota models available for less than $20,000 that are worth considering. There are many other Toyota models worth buying used, of course, but we think these are great starting points for anyone who wants a safe, sensible set of wheels for not that much money.

The modern-day Toyota Corolla is the cheapest Toyota money can buy, so it makes sense that $20,000 can buy you a reasonably new example on the used market. The 2022 Corolla was KBB's third-best compact car for the year, earning praise for its great value, reliability (including an impressive 87 out of 100 reliability rating from JD Power), and strong selection of safety technology. The latter included Toyota's Star Safety and Safety Sense systems, plus a 10-airbag setup, even on the base Corolla L.

Now, it's not a very fun car to drive, so don't go into this expecting anything other than to get from point A to point B. But then, you're probably not expecting thrills from a Toyota, especially not for less than $20,000, so that's fine (and if you are, you'll want to consider sub-$30,000 two-seater sports cars like the Mazda Miata instead). The modern Corolla does at least look pretty spiffy, though, so it'll offer some aesthetic pleasures when you look at it, even if it'll never inspire behind the wheel.

The 2022 Corolla L started at around $21,000 new, and there are thus plenty to choose from on the used market. Going by KBB listings, you should have your pick of LE and SE variants below the $20,000 threshold. Many of these have significantly less than 100,000 miles on the clock, too.

Toyota's Corolla is a very affordable used car, but it's not necessarily the roomiest out there. Those of you who want a bit more space — without going with a crossover or SUV — can turn to the Camry instead. More specifically, the 2021 Camry, which was the third-best mid-sized passenger car of the year by KBB's reckoning.

2021 was the 37th year of the Camry, and it introduced several welcome updates to the eighth-generation Camry that had debuted in 2018. These changes make it a better choice than the preceding models, with the biggest selling point, especially for a family vehicle, being that 2021 marked the debut of Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+. This update improved the technology's pedestrian and cyclist detection and also introduced emergency steering assist to prevent collisions. The 2021 Camry also definitively left the 2018 model's poor reliability and history of recalls behind, which is always welcome on a used car.

As far as prices go, $20,000 should easily get you a 2021 Camry SE or LE (including some hybrid models). However, a quick look at listings on KBB's database indicates that many Camrys in this price bracket will have covered close to (or more than) 100,000 miles. That's probably not a bad thing since Toyotas are generally so reliable, but it is something to bear in mind. You may even find a Camry XSE for under $20,000, although we wouldn't count on that.

It wouldn't be a list of great Toyotas without a RAV4, would it? It is, after all, the world's best-selling car at this point, a triumph built on years upon years of safe, reliable, and ultra-sensible crossovers. While the upcoming 2026 Toyota RAV4 brings several exciting changes to the nameplate, those hoping to get a RAV4 for less than $20,000 will have to settle for an older model.

One of the best years from the (relatively) recent RAV4 back-catalog is the 2017 RAV4. It does show its age, especially in the absence of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but it has strong fundamentals that still have some appeal. The 2017 RAV4 also has quite a lot of room for passengers and cargo alike, and was decently equipped for its day, including Toyota's Star Safety system and first-gen Safety Sense. It's worth noting that this isn't the only RAV4 that's easy to find for under $20,000, but some newer model years are best avoided. Overall, we think the 2017 RAV4 strikes a nice balance: Old enough to be affordable, but new enough not to feel terribly outdated.

Toyota offered five trim levels for the 2017 RAV4, and all are readily available for under $20,000. Even the highest-end RAV4 Platinum, which has synthetic leather materials, a JBL sound system, heated and powered seats, and a remote liftgate, can be had for below $20,000. Sure, mileage will be on the higher side, but you can still find examples with 80,000 miles or so on the odometer. That should be plenty fine for a Toyota.