Are you tired of asking to borrow your parents’ SUV to get to school? Maybe it’s time to get your own wheels. Here are some used SUVs that won’t leave you eating noodles from a Styrofoam cup.
SUVs a College Student Can Afford
Nothing says “independence” like having your own car. And with the uncertainty of having in-person college classes, you never know if or when you’ll be ordered to move out of your campus housing. When you’ve got your own SUV, not only is it easier to get to and from classes, but you can pretty much pack your dorm room in one of them, should the need arise.
Here are some SUVs we found that go easy on college budgets. You can get most of these for under $15k, and if you’re willing to go back a few model years, you’ll find bargains for less than $10k.
Kia Sportage
The darling of value SUVs, the Sportage offers many features for not a lot of money. Its roomy passenger cabin provides plenty of legroom and headroom, even in the back seat. And with 26 cubic feet of cargo space, there’s plenty of room for your friends and all of your textbooks.
Need more hauling space? Both rear seats fold, giving you nearly 55 cubic feet to fill.
If you’re trying to stay under $15k, look for a 2014 or earlier model. You’ll still get some good tech features, including a touchscreen infotainment system and plenty of safety technology.
Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
Like the Sportage, the Used Mitsubishi Outlander Sport comes standard with a lot of in-demand features like smartphone integration, driver assistance technology, and a premium audio system. Storage space is roughly the same as competitive models.
It also comes with a spry 2.0L 148-horsepower or a 2.4L, 168-horsepower engine. Both are paired with Mitsubishi’s CVT transmission and standard front-wheel drive. But the Outlander Sport delivers better fuel economy than many of its competitors, even if you opt for an all-wheel drive. This SUV nets an impressive 28 combined MPG (27 on the AWD model).
Best of all, you won’t have to go back too many model years to get a great deal. A 2015 Outlander Sport should be well within your budget.
Toyota RAV4
The RAV4 leads the pack in cargo space (over 73 cubes with the rear seats folded down). And the low liftover height makes loading it a breeze. And while it’s got a robust 2.5L engine, its gas mileage lags behind the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport and the Kia Sportage. And suppose you’re trying to keep the cost under $15k. In that case, you’re going to have to get one that’s 2014 or older, in which case you sacrifice a lot of popular features such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. You won’t even find these particular apps in higher trims since Toyota pushed drivers toward their Etune smartphone system. If you’re willing to give up these features for Toyota’s reliability and the extra cargo space, you’ll get a great deal.
Three SUVs that Might Cost Less than Your Textbooks
These are three well-made SUVs that you can get for dirt cheap wherever you are in the United States. We think the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport delivers the best balance of affordability, features, and fuel efficiency for the money. If you’re ready to assert your independence, put all three on your test-drive list.
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