Supply chain problems have continued to plague the new car market and keep prices higher than they should be. The price pain is more acute for luxury vehicles, which is why buying a used Buick or a used BMW makes a lot more sense than buying a new one right now. Let’s take a look at five affordable used luxury cars.
2019-2020 BMW 5 Series
The 5 Series is a midsize sedan that delivers plenty of the luxury you’ve come to expect from BMW. This includes comfortable seats, intelligent driver assist features, a quiet ride, and a quality build. Braking is sharp and responsive, and the optional turbo inline-six engine ensures that you have plenty of speed from a stop.
The average price of the BMW 5 Series from this model year range starts at around $23,000. It offers up to 34 MPG on the highway if you stick with the base engine. The main downside to this car is that it’s slightly outdated compared to new models. Android Auto didn’t become available until the 2021 model year.
2019 Buick LaCrosse
Another midsize sedan to consider, the used Buick LaCrosse from this model year improves on the previous generation with agile handling and a comfortable ride. The base engine is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with a mild hybrid system. This setup returns excellent fuel economy at up to 35 MPG on the highway.
You’ll find this used Buick sedan starting at around $24,000 on the used market. It has a five-star safety rating from the NHTSA. Although the rear seat in the LaCrosse is very spacious, the interior build quality suffers from a lack of refinement compared to rivals.
2019-2020 Lincoln MKZ
The Lincoln MKZ features comfortable seats with an available massage function for the front. It also offers a huge moonroof and an intuitive infotainment system. The cabin is quiet and stable on the freeway, but the most efficient model is the hybrid. If you want the fastest version of the MKZ, look for the model with the V6.
You can generally find this midsize sedan on the used market for around $20,000. Compared to the used Buick LaCrosse, the MKZ is less efficient, and its rear seats are less spacious. The other downside to the MKZ is that its handling is a bit sloppy, especially around turns.
2019-2020 Acura TLX
The Acura TLX is the only compact sedan on this list. As is typical with Acura, the TLX offers a lot of features for the money. It comes with standard equipment that includes adaptive cruise control, LED headlights, and ambient interior lighting. Two powertrains are available, including a 206-horsepower four-cylinder and a 290-horsepower V6. Models with the larger engine may come with optional AWD.
You can generally find the Acura TLX on the used market starting at around $22,000. It’s one of the most efficient cars on this list, with up to 33 MPG on the highway. The main cons for the TLX are a soft brake pedal and a somewhat dated interior layout, despite the premium materials
used.
2019-2021 Lexus ES
Like the Acura sedan, the Lexus ES delivers a lot of upscale features for the money. It offers an incredibly roomy cabin with many premium materials. There is also a hybrid model available with impressive fuel economy. Most ES models get up to 33 MPG on the highway. Compared to the rest of the cars on this list, the ES is quite a bit more expensive, with used models starting at around $29,000.
The main downside for the Lexus ES, aside from the price, is that its cabin is a bit noisy, especially in the F Sport trim. The infotainment system is also rather complex and difficult to use for many drivers.
Top-Shelf Luxury Doesn’t Have to Break the Bank
Whether you decide to go for a used Buick or a used Acura, there are plenty of options for affordable luxury cars on the used market.
