New Cars Are Too Expensive, So Buy One Of These Unique Used Luxury Cars Instead (2024)

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The Acura RLX flew under the radar from its introduction in 2014, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad car. It’s a big luxurious car Honda’s legendary reliability, but it was hindered by an outdated infotainment system and a lack of pizzazz. If you can find a good deal on one, snatch it up and you’re likely to be quite happy.

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The Lexus GS was the brand’s rear-wheel-drive mid-size sedan, and it was sold with a wide range of powertrains from a fuel-efficient hybrid to a high-performance V8. It’s a luxurious car that has space for the whole family, despite being somewhat less exciting and cutting-edge than its German competition.

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The Audi A6 is another mid-size luxury sedan that has fallen out of vogue, but that can be leveraged to your benefit. A6s can range in price, but they’re generally not much more expensive than their smaller A4 sibling on the used market. You get a big, refined, technologically advanced and handsome car for half the price of a new one.

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The Hyundai Equus was the Korean brand’s flagship model before it spun off the Genesis name into its own brand. It competed with the likes of the Lexus LS and Audi A8, but at a lower price. Equus are very reasonable on the used market, and you get a full-size luxury car for the price of a new subcompact stripper model.

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The Volvo S90 has been around for a while now, but it still looks incredible. There were some questionable reliability issues with the car in early model years, but you still get a lot of car for the money. CarMax has some clean S90s for sale around the $20k mark, which leaves room for you to pay for an extended warranty before getting anywhere near the price of a new large luxury car.

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Be warned: if you buy a used Jaguar XJ, get an extended warranty to go with it. They sell for affordable prices for a reason, and that reason is Jaguar’s lackluster quality reputation. Beyond that, the XJ is an achingly gorgeous S-Class competitor that can be bought for a fraction of what they cost new. With an extended warranty you’ll save yourself heaps of money in repairs, and you can usually get loaner cars while it’s in the shop. Once the extended warranty runs out, though, you should run away, too.

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The Kia K900 was a weird car for Kia in the U.S., since it was effectively derived from Hyundai’s Equus and Genesis platforms. It was Kia’s first rear-wheel-drive sedan sold in the U.S., and it was a true large luxury car. Solid examples are for sale online for around the $20k mark, so again, you’re getting a ton of car for the price of a new tinny subcompact.

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The Mercedes-Benz A-Class was very short-lived in the U.S., only being sold from 2019 to 2022. It doesn’t offer the same levels of luxury and refinement as many of the larger cars on this list, but it’s one of the newer ones so you get desirable tech and a tiny bit of street cred for owning a newer Mercedes, even though it’s a lowly A-Class. You can find clean examples for sale around the low-to-mid $20k range.

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The Q70 is a forgotten Infiniti. It was the brand’s flagship sedan from 2014 to 2019, and offered three powertrains and even an extended wheelbase option. From hybrid to gutsy V6 to beastly V8, this rear-wheel-drive sedan never sold very well in the U.S., but was lauded for its performance and handling prowess. Finding a clean one for sale might be tough, and it doesn’t have very modern tech, but it’s a luxurious car with a sporty platform that can be had for pretty cheap.

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The tenth-generation Lincoln Continental came as a bit of a surprise, debuting at a time when the industry already figured out that crossovers and SUVs were the true ticket to big sales numbers. It offered lots of luxury and came with an available 400-hp twin-turbo V6, which made it quite quick despite not being a sports sedan. Continentals look cool and are relatively affordable, with most reasonable examples for sale in the mid-$20k range.

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The Genesis G80 is a great luxury sedan that is stylish, tech-filled, uncommon and powerful. Unfortunately for buyers, prices haven’t dropped much on the used market for the gorgeous current body style, but the handsome last generation falls solidly into the affordable category. Clean G80s can be found online from the low-$20k mark to the low-$30k mark. Either way, you’re getting a lot more car than you would for a new car at those prices.

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The Audi A7 stole the show when it was first introduced, but it never had much staying power. Used prices are higher than many on this list, but you’ll still pay about half of what you’d pay for a new one. Previous-gen A7s still look great and sell around the mid-to-high $20k mark, while used A7s of the current body style stay in the high-$30k to low-$40K range. Either way, you get a great car for half the price of a new A7.

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The Toyota Avalon isn’t as prestigious as most of the cars on this list, but it’s always been a luxurious, comfortable, reliable, and spacious car. Newer Avalons with low miles retain their resale values very well, so don’t expect to find any screaming deals on lightly-used Avalons. Deals start popping up as the miles rack up, but it’s a naturally-aspirated Toyota after all so that’s not too much cause for concern. You will find plenty of used Avalons with reasonable miles priced lower than a new Camry, so you get a lot for your money. Plus they hold their resale value well, so you don’t have to worry about shouldering too much depreciation.

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I had to include a luxurious coupe on this list for those looking for an affordable two-door car. The Lexus RC might not be the most exciting rear-wheel-drive luxury coupe on the market, but it’s a reliable one that flies under the radar. They’ve fallen into the affordable territory, and the design hasn’t changed much over its lifespan so older models still look like brand new ones. You get Lexus reliability with a sporty design and pretty modern tech for a reasonable price in the mid-$20K to low-$30K price range. At that price, you get a lot of car for your money when compared to what you’re able to afford new.

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Cadillac’s sedans have struggled to make a big impression in the 21st century, but the STS was built on a capable platform, and also came as the high-performance STS-V. It’s one of the cheaper options on this list, but finding one in good condition may be tricky.