Minivans, crossovers, compact SUVs, and even pickup trucks have all picked up a lot of steam in the family car segment. However, many used vehicle shoppers still prefer a good old car to a crossover or minivan. These sedans and hatchbacks are 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 kickoff 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.
2023-2024 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 underwent a full redesign in 2023, adding a mature new look to this super-reliable sedan. This helps make it one of the best used cars to buy in Canada.
The Honda Accord has loads of space inside, with 1,037 mm of rear legroom and 944 mm of rear headroom. The trunk can handle 473 litres of cargo, so stuffing all that luggage in there for your next road trip is a breeze. This is all on top of a very comfortable ride.
The Accord's standard 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine in plenty powerful, with 192 horsepower and 192 pound-feet of torque. This small four-pot does well in terms of fuel efficiency, with a combined consumption rate of 7.3 L/100 km.
For those looking to go greener, the Accord Hybrid has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine and electric motor that combine for 204 horsepower and 247 pound-feet of torque. The hybrid Accord stands tall in the fuel-consumption area at 5.3 L/100 km combined.
Inside, the Accord is very well-equipped. Its tech features include a 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster, a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, an eight-speaker audio system, Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and more. The Accord’s list of safety features and driver-assist features is nothing to scoff at either. It includes 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.
2018-2024 Toyota Camry
A redesigned Camry is finally due in 2025, but the 2018-2024 Toyota Camry remains a winner on the used-car market. Sure, the sporty body it gained in 2018 shows its age, but it still looks sharp, especially in its TRD variant. But what the Toyota Camry is really known for is its reputation for reliability.
The Camry is a very roomy family car, 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.
If you’re looking for a green model, check out the Camry Hybrid, which pairs a 2.5-litre engine with an electric motor for 208 combined horsepower. The big selling point of the Camry Hybrid is its impressive fuel economy, which rings in at 4.9 to 5.1 L/100 km.
The Camry excels in technology too, 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 boasts a wide range of standard driver-assist and advanced safety technology, including automatic emergency braking with bicyclist recognition, lane-keeping assist, automatic high-beam headlights, and full-speed adaptive cruise control.
Best Compact Sedans
Maybe you need four doors but not quite all the room of a larger family sedan. This is where a compact sedan is a popular choice on Canadian roads. Here are some of the best used compact sedans in Canada.
2020-2024 Toyota Corolla
The Toyota Corolla is a staple in the compact sedan segment. It offers ample interior space in a small footprint and with a fuel-efficient powertrain to match. The latest-generation Corolla — 2020 through 2024 — 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 is a little tight compared to its competitors, but you still have plenty of room for young children or the occasional adult-sized friend. The Corolla has a relatively large trunk at 371 litres.
Toting around this compact sedan is a standard 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine that produces 169 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque. This model’s fuel consumption rings in at a respectable 6.7 to 6.8 L/100 km.
If you’re a commuter looking for top-notch fuel economy, you can opt for the Corolla Hybrid which features a 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine and electric motor that combine for 138 horsepower. Plus, the hybrid has optional all-wheel drive (AWD). This model has impressive fuel efficiency with a combined fuel-consumption rating of 4.7 L/100 km combined with front-wheel drive (FWD) and 4.9 to 5.3 L/100 km with AWD.
The Toyota Corolla also has lots to offer in terms of standard features, 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.
2022-2024 Honda Civic
The Honda Civic underwent a redesign in the 2022 model year, and they’re becoming more common on the used-car market. The Civic’s new looks draw much inspiration from the Accord, giving this compact car a far more upscale look and feel.
The Civic may be compact in size, but its interior is surprisingly roomy, boasting 950 mm of rear legroom, 942 mm of rear headroom, and a 408- to 419-litre trunk.
Under its hood, the 2022-2024 Civic features a standard 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 2022-2024 Civic has tons of features for its class. Some of the highlights on the standard features list include a 7-inch touchscreen, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Wi-Fi, an eight-speaker audio system, and more.
In the safety and driver-assist realm, the 2022-2024 Civic has tons of standard gear, including adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, road sign assist, and more.
2020-2024 Nissan Sentra
The Nissan Sentra underwent a big redesign in 2020 that gave it a sleeker, more premium look, finally allowing it to rival the top models in its class. With this look, loads of features, and decent interior space, the 2022-2024 Sentra remains one of the best used cars to buy in Canada.
This compact sedan has 933 mm of rear headroom and 882 mm of rear legroom, making it tighter than some competitors. Making up for this tighter cabin is the Sentra’s sports-car-inspired interior that boasts circular air vents, bolstered seats, and a flat-bottom steering.
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.
Fuel economy is about average, with the CVT models getting 6.6 to 6.8 L/100 km and manual models getting a combined rating of 8 to 8.2 L/100 km.
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.
2019-2024 Kia Forte
The Kia Forte is a little long in the tooth, debuting in 2019. Despite that, it still has a modern and fresh look, good interior room, and many features. Plus, they are super common on the used-car market.
Powering the 2019-2024 Forte is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with 147 horsepower. That’s not a ton of power, but it’s on par with all the other base engines in its class. Its fuel economy is a little limited, too, at 7.2 L/100 km combined.
Buyers can also opt for a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine that delivers a relatively potent 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. This engine pairs with a six-speed dual-clutch transmission and is a little thirstier at 7.8 L/100 km.
Where the Forte really shines is its standard equipment, which includes an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a six-speaker audio system, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a wireless phone charger, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and more.
As for safety and driver-assist features, the Forte shines again with standard lane-keeping assist, automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot collision avoidance, and more.
Best Subcompact Cars
Subcompact cars have fallen out of favour with buyers and automakers alike, so finding a new subcompact is challenging. Fortunately, plenty of used subcompacts are still available, and these are some of the best in Canada.
2018-2021 Hyundai Accent
The Hyundai Accent’s latest generation launched in 2018 and lasted through 2021. It wasn’t the prettiest car on the road, but it offered a small footprint and decent interior space, with 841 mm of rear legroom and 947 mm of rear headroom. 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 the close cousin of the Accent, so it’s logical this Korean subcompact makes our list. Its last generation began in 2018 and ran through 2023. Despite its relationship to the Accent, its exterior styling would never give it away.
Under its skin is where you’ll see the relationship between the Rio and Accent. 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 it was legendary for its practicality, thanks to its tiny footprint, unexpectedly spacious cabin, and ample cargo space. The latter boasts 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 is a little simple, as it includes just a 5-inch non-touch infotainment screen and has no smartphone integration. However, it has Bluetooth connectivity, a USB port, a four-speaker audio system, and more. Moving into the Sport trim adds some of the niceties you see in today's vehicles, such as 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.
Does buying a car online make you uneasy? That’s where our optional 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.
