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With crossovers dominating the new vehicle market, many excellent used sedans get overlooked. But if you opt for an affordable used car, you don’t want to get stranded with a high repair bill–or even in the breakdown lane. So here are the four most reliable decade-old used sedans–according to UsedCars.com’s ranking.

2009-2013 Toyota Corolla

Orange special edition 2013 Toyota Corolla sedan parked next to a road, houses visible in the background.
2013 Toyota Corolla | Toyota

Toyota has sold over 50 million cars wearing the Corolla nameplate–making it the most popular badge in history. The original was the 1966 Corolla: a front-engine, RWD subcompact. But by its 10th generation (2009-2013), the Corolla was front-engine, FWD sedan. Its hatchback counterpart was the Toyota Matrix.

Every 10th-generation Corolla came with side curtain airbags and antilock brakes. The reliable base engine was a 1.8-liter I4 that made 132 horsepower. It was rated for 27 city/35 highway mpg. If you are considering an XRS-trim of the reliable Corolla sedan with the sportier 2.4-liter I4 (158 horsepower and 22 city/30 highway mpg)–especially with the rare manual transmission–it’s worth having a mechanic inspect it before you buy.

2010-2017 Buick LaCrosse

Silver Buick LaCrosse sedan parked in front of a brick wall, leaves visible in the foreground.
2017 Buick LaCrosse | General Motors

Buick is one of General Motors’ multiple luxury brands. Therefore, the 2010-2017 (second generation) Buick Lacrosse is based on the reliable Chevrolet Impala, but comes with many upmarket features standard. For the second generation of its LaCrosse, Buick introduced the 2.4-liter “EcoTec” I4 as the base engine. But the car was still available with the older, 280-horsepower 3.6-liter V6, which is probably a more reliable option in this used sedan. Buick also offered FWD and AWD versions of the LaCrosse, with the FWD requiring less maintenance.

Every second-generation Lacrosse features air conditioning, a seven-speaker satellite radio, power locks, and power windows. But if you can find a Buick LaCrosse CXS you can enjoy leather seats and a premium Harman/Kardon stereo.

2009-2015 Toyota Prius

Bright red Toyota Prius hybrid sedan parked in a lot, bamboo trees visible in the background.
2012 Toyota Prius | Toyota

Every generation of the Toyota Prius has been a fuel-efficient hybrid that demonstrated impressive reliability over the years. Toyota tried to move the Prius upmarket for its second generation. The automaker began including luxurious features such as a power moonroof, air conditioning, remote keyless entry with push-button start, LED lights, 17-inch alloy wheels, a touchscreen with voice-activated navigation and hands-free calling, selectable drive modes, four-wheel disc brakes, and a four-disc CD player. Some trims even came with parking assist, dynamic cruise control, and lane-keep. As a result, the 2009-2015 Prius offers a ton of value on the used car market.

Despite the upgraded features, the main attraction of a used second-generation Prius is still its fuel economy. Every second-generaiton Prius has a 1.8-liter I4 engine that makes just 98 horsepower, but an electric motor/generator increases the total output to easily keep pace with highway traffic. Regenerative braking bumps its fuel efficiency up to 51 mpg city/48 mpg highway. The electric motor/generator actually reduces the wear and tear on the Prius’s I4 engine and standard brakes. The Prius’s high-voltage battery does need replacing eventually, and is worth having inspected if you’re thinking of buying a used hybrid. But these batteries often last well over 100,000 miles with no problem.

Find out the cost of upgrading a Toyota Prius battery.

2006-2013 Chevrolet Impala

Promo photo of a dark gray Chevrolet impala used sedan parked on a city street, buildings visible in the background.
2013 Chevrolet Impala | General Motors

The UsedCar.com’s most reliable used 2011 sedan is the Chevrolet Impala. This is actually the ninth generation of the classic nameplate. Unlike the Buick LaCrosse of the era, GM targeted this generation of the Impala at fleet buyers such as municipalities. To this end, its base engine was a reliable 211-horsepower 3.5-liter V6. The SS trim featured a V8, but many of these have been driven hard and are thus less reliable. Another option is the 3.9-liter, 230-horsepower V6 which gets similar fuel mileage to the 3.5, (low 20s).

Though not a luxury car, even the base Impala LS has air conditioning, keyless entry, and a CD player. According to UsedCars.com, the used sedan’s sweet spot is the LT trim with the “luxury package” for heated leather seats and eight-speaker Bose stereo.

Next, see five more used cars worth buying in the video below:

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Staff Writer

Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari joined MotorBiscuit in 2021 and brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. Henry is also an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts.

Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont. He has since incorporated his love of the written word with his admiration of classic cars. While Henry is interested in vintage cars, he believes the golden age of cars is yet to come. He is confident journalists will play an important role in this revolution by exposing the industry as it is now and envisioning its possible future.