Opting for a used car can save you a lot of money, and it’s exactly how many folks shop when they’re on the market for a new car. Many people are on a budget as well, and there are some great used car options that are under $30,000. That being said, many of those good options in the used hybrid SUVs segment are either a Toyota or a Lexus, and here’s a look at why they dominate. 

The Toyota Highlander Hybrid and Lexus RX Hybrid dominate

U.S. News recently created a list of the best used hybrid SUVs that cost under $30,000, and two particular models dominated that list. They were the Toyota Highlander Hybrid and the Lexus RX Hybrid. Those two SUVs swept the top five entirely, and in the top 10, there were only two models that weren’t the Highlander Hybrid or the RX Hybrid.

Interestingly, those two used hybrid SUVs were the 2010 Chevy Tahoe Hybrid and the 2010 GMC Yukon Hybrid. Since Chevy and GMC are both owned by General Motors, the Tahoe and the Yukon are practically identical.

Overall though, there were 57 entries on the list, Toyota and Lexus cars dominated even outside of the top 10. Other models from those two Japanese automakers made the list as well, such as the Lexus NX.

A brief overview of those great used hybrid SUVs

The 2013 RX Hybrid came in at 10th place, but in terms of its score, it’s actually tied with two other RX Hybrid model years. It has an overall score of 8.8 out of 10, and people paid about $18,000 for one.

Then there’s the 2014 RX Hybrid, and shoppers paid about $23,000 for a used one. The 2015 RX Hybrid is in eighth place, and since it’s from such a recent model year, shoppers paid about $25,000 for a used one.

The Yukon and Tahoe were in seventh and sixth place respectively. Then there was a four-way tie between the Highlander Hybrid and three other RX Hybrid model years. The 2010 Highlander Hybrid has an overall score of 9 out of 10, and shoppers paid about $11,000 for theirs. The 2010 RX Hybrid was in fourth place, and it costs about $12,600. 

The 2011 RX Hybrid came in at third place, and it costs about $13,300. The 2012 RX Hybrid finished in second place, and it costs about $15,600. Finally, the 2009 Highlander Hybrid finished at first place with an overall score of 9.1 out of 10. It’s also an affordable used hybrid SUV option, as it costs about $9,600. 

Here’s why Toyota and Lexus have such a good reputation for reliable SUVs

One of the main concerns that potential owners have when they’re looking at used cars is reliability. This is one of the main reasons why Toyota and Lexus models dominate lists of the best used cars. Lexus is the luxury arm of Toyota, so the two companies share a lot of technology and knowledge with one another. As a result, both Toyota and Lexus are well-known for making reliable cars.

Their cars can last for years, and many drivers will put huge numbers on their odometers before finally retiring their Toyota or Lexus. As a result, Toyota and Lexus vehicles also tend to have a good resale value.

That’s not a great thing for used car shoppers, as it means that they’ll probably pay more for a used Toyota than a used Ford. However, it does mean that used car shoppers can be confident that their purchase was a good one.