www.hotcars.com 10 Awesome Used Car Options No One Ever Considers

Generally speaking, car enthusiasts and general consumers are divided in two camps. One camp only buys brand-new cars and doesn't even want to hear about the existence of the used market. The other camp only ever looks at CPO or the used market in general, and always offers up a variety of reasons why it's not a good idea to buy a new car. We'll leave that up for debate, but it's true that both of them have their strengths and weaknesses. One benefit of used, for example, is that used cars are generally victims of depreciation.

If you have made up your mind that you want to buy something used, the choice is pretty vast. Okay, there is the slight problem of insane inflation, markups and value hikes, but the choice still remains vast. However, there's a pretty big variety of used cars, covering just about every segment, that no one even thinks about considering… but they should.

10Toyota Matrix XRS

Instead of offering a regular old Corolla hatchback like they do nowadays, and like they did in Europe at the time, Toyota decided to go a different route with their five-door hatchback model in the 2000s. The Matrix was based on the same architecture as the Pontiac Vibe, and for the most part, it was a typical Toyota hatchback.

RELATED: 10 Underrated Toyota Models That Are Just Begging To Be Driven

But not the XRS. The XRS was the hot hatch version of the Matrix, and it was simply hilarious. Under the hood was essentially the same four-cylinder engine as the Lotus Elise, paired exclusively to a manual transmission. With the high revving antics and the smiles per mile driving experience, combined with bulletproof reliability, it's a shame that the Matrix is so underrated.

9Ford S-Max 2.5 Turbo

Live in Europe? Need a minivan? This is one of your best options. While North America is used to the idea of minivans with big engines and outputs of over 200 hp, this was completely unheard of in Europe. But, that doesn't mean that some automakers didn't experiment with the idea. The Ford S-Max 2.5 Turbo is one of those experiments.

Ford Europe's idea behind the S-Max is that this is a minivan (MPV) that's actually fun to drive. The S-Max succeeded at that, while also being just as practical as its competitors, and better looking as well. To add credence to its prowess, from 2007 to 2010, Ford offered the S-Max with a 2.5-liter turbo five-cylinder from Volvo, makers of the masterstroke P1800. Not recommended if your children get carsick often.

8BMW 335i Sedan

Everyone loves to harp on about BMW's 335i Coupe, particularly how its engine was the European 2JZ of its day. But, if you need the rear doors and the extra practicality, it's important to remember that BMW also offered the E90 sedan with the exact same powertrain.

RELATED: Here's How The BMW 335i E90's Acceleration Compares With Its Rivals

Unfortunately, North America didn't get the Touring model, but the sedan is not bad either. The 335i's turbocharged I6 can be tuned for lots of power, and if it's properly taken care of, it's very reliable too. It helps that the E90 is a pretty practical sedan, and easily one of the best looking 3 Series generations. If you find one with a manual transmission, that's even better.

7Chevrolet SS

The SS was the final nail in the coffin for GM's attempts to bring Australian market cars to North America. Under the skin, the SS was based on the Holden Commodore, and it followed the exact same formula. A traditional, RWD full-size sedan with a V8 engine and an available manual transmission, and a huge catalog of awesome mods available.

On paper, the SS sounds like the stuff of dreams. But, Chevy did this one dirty. They released it and sold it right around the time when the sedan market was declining, and their lack of marketing didn't help it either. Ultimately, only a handful of SS models ended up in the hands of (mostly) enthusiasts before it was canned. They can still be found for good prices on the used market, though.

6Lexus LS600h L

For over three decades now, Lexus has always tried their best to beat the Germans at their own game. The original LS showed the world that luxury sedans can be reliable and predictable, and the IS F and very expensive LFA showed that Lexus does know how to put together a proper performance car.

During the 2000s, big, extended wheelbase luxury sedans with massive engines were all the rage in Europe. Lexus' response to this craze was the LS600h L, a long wheelbase version of their venerable LS, powered by a hybrid V8 with 444 hp. This didn't win over those who were loyal to 760Lis and S600Ls, which has resulted in the LS600h L depreciating quite heavily.

5Saturn Vue Red Line

Let's say you want an SUV from the used market. This one is about as left-field as it gets, but it's definitely worth a look. Through a partnership with Honda, the Saturn Vue Red Line used a modified version of Honda's 3.5-liter J-series V6.

The Vue Red Line was a genuine performance SUV before doing that was really a thing. It had AWD, decent equipment levels, and it was surprisingly fast. Plus, this is a GM car from the 2000s that is actually reliable, due to the Honda drivetrain components. Certainly more than when GM brought over the lackluster Opel Antara for the second generation Vue.

4Volvo C30 T5 R-Design

More underrated hot hatch goodness.The Volvo C30 was Volvo's response to the booming hatchback market in the 2000s, sharing a platform with the European Ford Focus of the time. Even though it was only a three-door, it remains one of the best looking compact cars of its day, and even today.

Volvo also offered a hot version of the C30, the T5 R-Design. With a turbocharged I5 under the hood, a six-speed manual transmission and a solid chassis, this C30 was a more left-field hot hatch with a more grown-up drive, but it was still great fun. The news gets better; this is the only powertrain you could have in a C30 in North America.

3Renault Vel Satis

Let's say that you're based in Europe, and you absolutely do not want to be a slave to convention when it comes to your next used luxury car. If you really want your luxury car to stand out, it's tough to beat the Renault Vel Satis.

The Vel Satis is not classically beautiful, but in practice, it's the best of both worlds; sedan legroom and hatchback/minivan headroom. You will have to budget some money for maintenance, but the Vel Satis is an interesting, solid, used luxury car choice. Especially if you can find one of the V6 models. Yes, that is the same V6 found in the Nissan 350Z.

2Mazda 6 V6

The first generation Mazda 6 is a pretty underrated sedan. While it wasn't the best-looking car, we'll admit, the original 6 was well-equipped, good to drive, and reliable. What's more, the original car was available with a V6 engine.

RELATED: Here's Why Mazda Are Giving Up On The 6

Due to Mazda being owned by Ford, the 6 was available with a tweaked version of the 3.0-liter Duratec V6 in North America. The 6 was a pretty fun car to drive already, and the V6 gave it that additional boost of power, and a fantastic exhaust note too.

1Acura TSX / Honda Accord

For the most part, Acura's lineup in the 2000s was entirely forgettable. But, among all the mediocrities, there was one bright, shining star; the TSX. Honda decided to bring over the European/JDM Accord (CL7), and sell it as an Acura in the states.

This gamble paid off for the Japanese automaker, as the TSX is widely regarded as being the best car from Acura in the 2000s. It looks great, it drives amazingly well, and it's even highly tunable if you're into that. The second generation was fantastic, too, and that one even came as a station wagon.

Marko has been part of the HotCars team since July 2020. He started out writing for various sites on a variety of topics. He prefers weird, unusual cars to luxobarges and sports cars.