Minivans, crossovers, compact SUVs, and even pickup trucks have taken hold of the family automotive segment. However, plenty of used vehicle shoppers still prefer a good old car. They’re low to the ground, easy to drive, and have many of the same features as a crossover or SUV.
If you’re one of these car shoppers and are wondering what the best used car to buy in Canada is, this list of the best used cars to buy in Canada will help jumpstart your search.
Best Family Sedans
Crossovers and SUVs currently dominate the family car space, but not everyone wants a large SUV. That’s where the family sedan comes in. Here are the best cars in the family sedan segment.
2018-2022 Honda Accord
Industry experts often give the Honda Accord top family sedan rankings annually, so it should come as no surprise to see it listed here. The Accord was redesigned in 2023, but the previous generation Honda Accord, which runs from 2018 through 2022, is one of the best used cars to buy in Canada.
The Honda Accord has ample interior room, with 1,026 mm of rear legroom and 1,398 mm of rear headroom. The trunk can handle 473 litres of cargo, making road trips a breeze. The Accord's 192-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine and an optional 252-horsepower 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder deliver plenty of pop and fuel efficiency.
Inside, the Accord has all the tech a family needs, including a 180-watt audio system, Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a touchscreen infotainment system. The Accord’s list of safety features is vast too, including standard automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, automatic high-beam headlights, traffic sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring, and full-speed adaptive cruise control.
On top of all these features, a fully equipped Honda Accord is so well decked out it can rival lower-end luxury cars from Lexus, BMW, and Audi.
2018-2022 Toyota Camry
Whenever you speak of the best pre-owned cars, you are doing a disservice if you don’t mention the Toyota Camry. The Toyota Camry’s latest generation runs from 2018 through 2023 and is by far the most sporty Camry generation, especially the TRD variant.
Like the Accord, the Camry is quite roomy inside, with its rear seats boasting 1,070 mm of legroom and 965 mm of headroom. The Toyota Camry also has a 428-litre trunk to handle all the groceries and hockey equipment you can throw at it. All this is powered by a standard 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with 203 horsepower or an available 301-horsepower 3.5-litre V6 engine. Most Camry variants have front-wheel drive (FWD), but all-wheel drive (AWD) is an option with the four-cylinder engine.
The Camry is no slouch in features either, as it comes standard with a 7-inch infotainment touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a six-speaker audio system, and much more. This midsize sedan also has many standard safety features, including automatic emergency braking with bicyclist recognition, lane-keeping assist, automatic high-beam headlights, and full-speed adaptive cruise control.
Best Compact Sedans
Sometimes you need four doors but don’t need all the room of a larger family sedan. This is where a good compact sedan can help. Here are some of the best used compact sedans in Canada.
2020-2023 Toyota Corolla
The Toyota Corolla is a staple in the compact sedan segment, offering buyers ample roominess packaged into a small footprint, and with a fuel-efficient powertrain to match. The latest-generation Corolla — 2020 through 2023 — was one of the best examples of this.
Inside, the Corolla’s rear seats offer 884 mm of legroom and 942 mm of headroom. This may be tighter than some competitors, but it’s still ample for young children or the occasional adult-sized friend. For such a small car, the Corolla has a relatively large trunk at 371 litres.
Toting around this compact sedan is a standard 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine with 137 horsepower and 126 pound-feet of torque paired with a six-speed manual transmission. The SE trim comes with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine that produces 169 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque.
If you’re a commuter looking for top-notch fuel economy, you can opt for the Corolla Hybrid. This model has fuel-consumption rates of 4.4 L/100 km city, 5.1 L/100 km highway, and 4.7 L/100 km combined.
While it’s not as well-equipped as its larger Camry sibling, the Toyota Corolla has plenty to offer, including a standard 7-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a six-speaker audio system, and more. In the safety department, the Corolla comes standard with automatic emergency braking with bicyclist detection, automatic high-beam headlights, lane-departure warning, and full-speed adaptive cruise control.
2022 Honda Civic
The Honda Civic underwent a redesign in the 2022 model year, and we’re starting to see them creep into the used marketplace now. The Civic’s new looks draw much inspiration from the Accord, giving this compact car a far more upscale look and feel.
The Civic is small on the outside but fairly roomy inside, boasting 950 mm of rear legroom, 942 mm of rear headroom, and a 408- to 419-litre trunk. Under its hood, the 2022 Civic comes standard with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine that pumps out 158 horsepower. Optionally, buyers can get a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder that produces 180 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque. Both engines pair with a continuously variable automatic transmission and FWD.
The 2022 Civic is very well-equipped for its class. Its standard features include a 7-inch touchscreen, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Wi-Fi, an eight-speaker audio system, and more. As for safety gear, the 2022 Civic has a lot to offer standard, including adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, road sign assist, and more.
2020-2022 Nissan Sentra
The Nissan Sentra went through a big redesign in 2020 that gave it a sleeker, more premium look, finally allowing it to rival the top models in its class.
This compact sedan offers 933 mm of rear headroom and 882 mm of rear legroom, making it tighter than some competitors. However, the Sentra’s sports-car-inspired interior with its circular air vents, bolstered seats, and flat-bottom steering wheel makes up for its smaller space.
Powering the Sentra is a standard 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with 149 horsepower. This puts it way behind the Civic and Corolla’s optional engines — there is no optional engine in the Sentra — but it’s on par with their base powerplants. A six-speed manual transmission is standard, but a continuously variable transmission (CVT) is available.
The Sentra’s standard safety features include automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitors, rear cross-traffic alert, rear parking distance monitors, and more. While this list is long, it’s notably lacking adaptive cruise, which is optional.
Best Subcompact Cars
Whether you’re constantly zipping through traffic or just prefer its style, the smaller footprint of a subcompact car may be best for you. These cars are tiny on the outside but often surprisingly spacious inside. Here are the best pre-owned vehicles in the subcompact class.
2018-2020 Hyundai Accent
The Hyundai Accent’s latest generation launched in 2018 and lasted through 2020. This tiny sedan offers the convenience of a small footprint while still boasting a useful interior that included 841 mm of rear legroom and 947 mm of rear headroom, making it a useful space for adults in a pinch and young children. Its trunk rivals many compact sedans at 388 litres.
Powering the Accent is a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine that delivers 120 horsepower and 113 pound-feet of torque. While this is a minuscule amount of power, the Accent is easy on fuel, consuming 6.7 to 7 L/100 km combined.
As an older entry-level sedan, the Accent is relatively stripped down. However, it still has some desirable standard features, including a 5-inch touchscreen, a four-speaker audio system, Bluetooth, and cruise control.
It has no advanced safety features other than optional automatic emergency braking,
2018-2022 Kia Rio
The Kia Rio is one of the longest-running subcompact cars available today, and its current generation began in 2018 and runs through 2023. While the Rio is closely related to the Hyundai Accent, you’d never know from the outside, as this tiny Kia hatchback has a more youthful look and feel to it.
Under its skin is where the Rio’s Hyundai relationship shows, as it features the same 120-horsepower 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine as the Accent. Like the Accent, the Rio is no performer, but it does OK on fuel at 6.7 to 7 L/100 km combined.
Because it’s hung around longer, the Rio has some extra niceties the Accent never received. These include an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, a six-speaker audio system, and more. However, like the accent, there are no standard advanced safety features on the Rio, but blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, lane-follow assist, and forward collision warning are available.
2015-2020 Honda Fit
The latest-generation Honda Fit ran from 2015 through 2020 and was an icon of practicality because of its tiny footprint and unexpectedly roomy cabin. The latter boasted 998 mm of rear legroom, 952 mm of rear headroom, and up to 1,492 litres of cargo room.
The driving force behind the Fit is a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine with 128 to 130 horsepower and 113 to 114 pound-feet of torque. The higher output came with a six-speed manual transmission, while the lower power is with the CVT.
The base Fit has a 5-inch non-touch infotainment screen, but it lacked smartphone integration. It does, however, have Bluetooth connectivity, a USB port, a four-speaker audio system, and more. If you move into the Sport trim, you get a 7-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto.
The Fit has no notable standard safety gear, but you can get one with forward collision warning, lane-departure warning, automatic emergency braking, and road-departure mitigation standard, as well as lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise, and more in the EX and EX-L trims.
Find The Best Used Cars at Clutch
Your search for the best used car to buy in Canada can stop at Clutch, Canada’s premier online used car retailer. We have a huge inventory of high-quality used cars that have all been through a rigorous 210-point inspection and reconditioning process, ensuring they are safe to drive and squeaky clean.
Additionally, we include our 90-Day Protection Plan and nationwide roadside assistance on every vehicle we sell. And if you want even more peace of mind, you can opt for one of our Extended Warranties.
Does buying a car online make you uneasy? That’s where our 10-Day Money-Back Guarantee comes in. If you don’t love your new car during this period, you can exchange it for a different one or return it for a no-questions-asked refund.
Search our expansive inventory of quality used vehicles today and select one that suits you. You can purchase the vehicle, set up financing, get it delivered to your door, and even get your trade-in vehicle appraised 100% online. It doesn’t get any easier than that.
