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Identifying the First-Gen Ford MustangCars for College Students Under $15,000
Need to save money on a used car for college? We’ve got you covered with the best cars, SUVs, and hybrids for college students for under $15,000.
Lessons in Used Car Buying
It’s a rite of passage for college students: your beater of a car that’s limped along through high school thanks to a combination of duct tape, zip ties, and a spare tire that is itself going flat has finally given up the ghost on a lonely stretch of highway ten minutes from town. You’d promised yourself you’d get that knocking/clunking/screeching sound investigated sooner or later but you kept putting it off and now you’re late to class, bent over the open hood of your car desperately trying to fashion a makeshift alternator belt from a pair of yoga pants.
But all of this critical, collegiate-level maturation could have been avoided had you gone out and found a “good car” in the first place. How do we define a “good car”? Inexpensive (though a relative term), reliable, and roomy enough to lend rides to four of your newest best friends/randos you just met at a party.
Setting a budget of $15,000 or less, we’ve identified some of the best options for used cars for college students, from compact cars and crossovers to hybrids and pickups. Once you’ve narrowed down your list of options, consult our used car checklist and read up on negotiating the best price.
Compact Cars
The Honda Fit is one of our favorite compact cars of all time. It offers a roomy interior (up to 52 cu.-ft. of cargo space with the rear seats folded down), plenty of advanced tech (Bluetooth, Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, etc.), and great fuel economy with up to 40 mpg on the highway. And because the Fit was already budget friendly when new, low mileage used examples are imminently affordable.
Similarly, the Chevy Cruze combines efficiency with spaciousness and modern conveniences. The hatchback body style ensures you can jam pack the Cruze with everything you’ll need for college including clothes, furniture, minifridge, lava lamp, emotional support animal (ferret and/or parakeet?), and various other sundries. Higher trim versions of the Cruze come equipped with advanced safety features like lane departure warnings and automatic high beams. Like the Honda Fit, the Chevy Cruze was an economy car to begin with, making a used one, even a newer, nicer one, affordable on a budget.
The Mazda3 is a different take on the compact car. Yes, it can be had as a hatchback and you can find excellent examples under $15,000, but the real headlines for the Mazda3 is its drivability and next-level interior. Fit and finish in the Mazda3 are a cut well above the rest of the segment and its nimble handling makes it one of the most livable compacts on the used market.
Mid- and Full-Size Cars
Moving on to mid-size cars, we suggest checking out the Ford Fusion. The Fusion offers a pleasant and roomy interior and an easily navigated infotainment system, but its greatest strength is a spirited and responsive driving experience that doesn’t compromise on comfort. The Fusion Sport can be had with all-wheel drive and a twin-turbo V6.
It’s hard to beat the Toyota Camry when shopping for reliable used cars. The long-time champ of mid-size sedans, the Camry’s broad portfolio of comfort, quality, and affordability make it an attractive option. The 2015 Toyota Camry is approximately the vintage for our $15,000 target and comes with sterling safety ratings, available V6, heated front seats, and wireless phone charging among its amenities.
The Hyundai Sonata is another great option for mid-size sedans, and one that comes a bit less expensive than its Honda and Toyota counterparts. That means you can find newer, more modern examples of the Sonata, like the 2018 model year, which is especially important if you’re seeking the most modern tech features like blind spot monitoring and smart phone integration.
Among full-size cars, our go-to recommendation is either the Toyota Avalon or its luxury badge-swapped cousin, the Lexus GS. The Avalon functioned as a sort of flagship model among Toyota cars and as such got the best the brand had to offer in terms of comfort and quality. Interior materials and fit and finish are excellent for a car in this price range and are perfectly complemented by a pillowy ride. The Lexus GS 350 is the Avalon in a tuxedo. The GS’s interior amps things further with the addition of wood trim and plush leather upholstery as well as a lively V6 under the hood.
Fun Cars
College shouldn’t be just about restraint and practicality. It should equally be about joy and abandon. To wit, we have a few suggestions for “fun” cars for your college years starting with the Mazda Miata. This spritely two-seater doesn’t offer much cargo capacity or more than one passenger seat, but the Miata more than compensates for such inconveniences with a superb driving experience perfect for shaking the dust off after a rough day/week/month/semester of academic toil. For something more robust but no less engaging there’s the Ford Mustang. The Mustang GT of the early 2000s features a 4.6L V8, can be had as a convertible, and has rear seats(!).
Two-Row SUVs
For anyone going to school in snowy areas of the country, having all-wheel or four-wheel drive can be huge. The Honda CR-V compact crossover provides generous cargo capacity (up to 70.9 cu.-ft.) and seating for five as well as good fuel economy (33 mpg highway) and available all-wheel drive. Like Toyota, Honda has a deserved reputation for reliability, adding peace of mind to the CR-V’s list of virtues.
The Hyundai Tucson is another quality two-row crossover worth considering. Proven reliability and impeccable safety scores make the Tucson another strong choice for the practically minded. Its roomy cabin and extensive list of standard and available features only sweeten the pot.
If avoiding a breakdown or costly repair bills is your number one goal, there’s no better choice than the Lexus RX 350. This luxury crossover has possibly the best reliability track record of any used car on the market; it also has a pleasant, high-end interior and glass-smooth ride quality that make the RX 350 the most stress-free of college rides.
Speaking of high-quality on a budget, for those seeking a subcompact crossover, we recommend the diminutive yet impressive Buick Encore. Great reliability, a plush cabin, and luxury-level comfort have the Encore punching above its weight (and price).
Three-Row SUVs
In case a mere two rows aren’t big enough, two of our favorite used three-row SUVs are the Buick Enclave and the Chevrolet Traverse. The Enclave’s strengths include a placid ride and a luxury-level interior replete with leather and woodgrain trim. As a three-row, the Enclave offers loads of passenger and cargo room as well. If interior space is truly at a premium among your shopping criteria, the Chevy Traverse is, by far, your best bet as its cavernous cabin measures 70.3 cu.-ft. behind the second row (as much as most crossovers!) and a full 116.3 cu.-ft. with the second and third rows folded down.
Hybrids
If you’re going for a 4.0 in practicality, the Toyota Prius is the logical choice. This long-time champion of the hybrids manages to not feel the least cramped despite its official compact car status. Indeed, there’s plenty of headroom for taller adults in the back seat and up to 65.5 of maximum cargo capacity, virtually unmatched for a car this size. And then there’s the Prius’ laudable efficiency as the hybrid nets 54 city / 50 highway mpg.
The Toyota Prius isn’t the only hybrid we’d recommend. In fact, we’ve already covered some of the best as the Ford Fusion offers a hybrid option as does the Toyota Camry and Avalon as well as the Lexus RX 350.
Trucks
We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention at least one pickup on our list of college student cars (every group of college friends needs at least one person who can help move a sofa). For this segment we’d recommend the mid-sized Honda Ridgeline as a nice balance between pickup utility and everyday livability. The Ridgeline has a compliant ride and high-quality interior but also offers up to 5,000 lbs. of towing capacity and a 5.4-foot bed with in-bed storage.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in August 2023 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
