The chip shortage is hitting automakers and customers hard, but there’s actually an easy way to avoid the crisis entirely. The chip shortage is only affecting cars on the production lines right now, so used cars are free from that burden entirely. Here’s a look at two great used Mazda CX-5 models that will cost under $20,000.

Mazda makes some great used cars 

While there may be a stigma against buying used cars, Mazda is one of the few brands that bucks that trend. As Consumer Reports wrote, while there’s a lot of variety in the used car market, the best used cars tend to have a lot in common. They’re safe, they’re reliable, and of course, they’re packed with almost everything else that a customer may want in a car to begin with.

And, according to Consumer Reports, many of Mazda’s best models, such as the Mazda3 or the Mazda CX-5, made the list as far as being good used cars. Indeed, for the CX-5 in particular, Consumer Reports recommended two model years, and they aren’t even that old. Those two model years were the 2016 and 2017 CX-5s, and they both bring a lot to the table as far as compact SUVs go.

The 2016 Mazda CX-5

First and foremost, the 2016 Mazda CX-5 meets the minimum requirement of Consumer Reports’ list as it is an affordable and reliable used car. It starts at about $15,000, and it can go up to $18,000 these days.

More importantly, however, the 2016 CX-5 provides some great value as a car, as it’s actually a pretty fun car to drive. It has a standard 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine which gets 155 hp, and that engine gives the CX-5 some decent acceleration as well as fuel economy.

The CX-5 gets 25 MPG overall, according to Consumer Reports, and it also has some agile handling which is why it’s so fun to drive. The CX-5’s interior is also roomy, and while the standard 2016 CX-5 doesn’t have many high-tech features, many of its trims do. As a result, buying a used version of one of those trims may mean getting access to features like blind-spot monitoring, forward collision warning, or a touchscreen.

That being said, while the 2016 CX-5 is fun to drive, it may not be fun to sit around in. Consumer Reports said that the interior can get noisy and that the ride itself is “on the firm side.” 

The 2017 Mazda CX-5

Since the 2017 Mazda CX-5 is just a year younger than the 2016 version, they are relatively similar cars but with some big differences. Price-wise, the 2017 CX-5 is more expensive, as a used version may cost between $17,000 and $22,000.

However, one of the more notable changes involves the powertrain. The 2016 CX-5 offered two engine options, but the 2017 CX-5 only has one, and fortunately, it’s a more powerful engine than before.

It’s still a 2.5-liter four-cylinder, but now it gets about 187 hp instead. This performance upgrade, along with the 2017 CX-5’s great handling, still make it a fun car to drive. However, the more powerful engine does hurt the 2017 CX-5’s fuel economy slightly. Overall, the 2017 CX-5 gets about 1 MPG less than before.

That said, Mazda did fix some issues that the 2016 CX-5 had. Consumer Reports wrote that the 2017 CX-5 has a quieter cabin and a more comfortable ride than before. Furthermore, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and a 7.0-inch touchscreen are all standard on the 2017 CX-5.

While that provides some new standard tech to the CX-5, Consumer Reports also remarked that the 2017 CX-5’s infotainment system wasn’t easy to use.

Although the chip shortage has been tough on automakers looking to produce new vehicles, as a consumer, you have more viable options than you might think.