Look, I know what you’re going to say: Miata Is Always The Answer. Hey, the first letter of each word spells MIATA, what a crazy coincidence! As far as ten-year-old enthusiast cars go, you could certainly do a lot worse. And, aside from literally and chronologically, a 2016 Miata isn’t even old! The ND arrived in 2015, so in all the important ways, a decade-on Miata is just as good as a new one. Yes, I know, the ND’s had a power boost since it first dropped, but are you buying a Miata for power? I mean, it’s still only making, what, 180 horses? That’s plenty, and a little less will be fine too.
Now, something you might buy for power – I would – is a Mustang. The GT, specifically. No hate for the turbo-four model that debuted in 2015, and I would gladly own one, but if I’m shopping for a 2016 Mustang, it’s going to have the 435-horsepower aluminum-block V8. I had a 2012 GT, and I’d like to have another proper Mustang one day. I’m not sure how much after 2016 the Mustang got fully screenified inside, but I do like that the screen is not the star of the interior in the 2016 model. I am of the opinion that Mustang’s should be kinda dumb, just big muscley goofballs with analog gauges and buttons and knobs.
Of course, for every person shopping for a ten-year-old car as a means of economically adding a fun machine to the driveway, there’s probably a dozen shoppers just looking for as much car for as little as possible. In which case, we know the drill: you get a Toyota or a Honda. “What about …” No. You get a Toyota or a Honda.
Unless you wrench.
In which case ….
You tell us! What ten-year-old car would you buy?
I have owned these 4 roughly 18 year old cars since 2017…
I would never buy a Toyota or a Honda. Especially a 10-year-old one.
(Edit – I’d consider a 40-year-old small regular-cab Toyota pickup)
If I had to buy a 10-year-old car, it would be the 2017 Impala with the 3.6L V6.
https://media.ed.edmunds-media.com/chevrolet/impala/2017/oem/2017_chevrolet_impala_sedan_premier_s_oem_2_1600.jpg
I like the answer of that Impala. Not exciting per say, but I’ve always heard that late model V6 Impalas were genuinely nicer cars than they had any right to be, and rode well and were even competent handlers for a large front driver. Quite frankly I’ve always thought them attractive cars
They were indeed good-looking and drove nicely. At least as a rental doing mostly freeway miles where it got mid-30s fuel economy.
Focus RS, it would go well with the 2015 F-150 and 2025 Mustang GT and be better on gas.
Well this is interesting – My son just took a year off from college to do Army stuff and when he returned had some money he wanted to spend on a more civilized car than his off-road modified FJ. Both the Mustang and the Miata were on the list. He went team Miata for two reasons – first, every young Army dude buys a Mustang or a Camero and he didnt want to be that guy, second, the Miata just drives better and is more fun. He said he couldnt stop thinking that the Mustang – even the higher trims, came from a long line of rental car stock, while the Miata felt special.
He made the right decision. I’ve only rented a couple of Mustangs and while I didn’t hoon them, who knows what people before and after me did. Sadly, I never really fit in the earlier generation Miatas, and now I don’t want a car that low.
Clearly the proper answer is a L405 Range Rover in need of a few things.
Hm. The newest car in the driveway is nine years old. The others are19, 20, 26 and 27. What was the question?
The Renault Twingo which is also a Smart 4-4 (or how the fcuk you spell it..): Not as cool as the OG Twingo (owned one of those), but much better design than the previous boring one.
Can I fudge on the Mustang and make it a 2018? They really nailed the styling that year. How about a 2016 Hyundai Genesis Sedan Ultimate with the 420 hp V8? A friend has a 2015 and it’s a great cruiser.
Give me a 10 year old Avalon all day.
Ooh, this made me think of a couple: a 2016 Buick Lacrosse CXL (a Buick Avalon, basically) or Regal GS. Back when Buick made, you know, CARS.
My wife really liked the Lacrosse when she was buying a car at that time but just couldn’t get past the old man factor.
I just did! (In the form of a Lexus.) It’s been wonderful.
I’m looking for an Avalon or ES but the prices are just insane right now.I just can’t pay that much for a 10 year old car.
I still want a Mazda Bongo Friendee or a Toyota HiAce Cruising Cabin but those have to be 25 years old. I’d be down for a V8 Mustang or ND Miata
If you buy a ten year old Honda I think you still have to wrench
Mine is nine and I haven’t had to. Or pay someone to do more than a timing belt.
Lexus GS-F and RC-F
Corvette Grand Sport 6mt (arrived in showrooms 10 years ago as a 2017)
2016 was the last year for the flat six in the Cayman/Boxster: 1 of each please
Ford GT350
Lotus Evora
BMW M2
Lexus LX570 and GX460
Tundra 5.7L V8
2016 ATS V-series Coupe would be at the top of the list. After that, Jaguar F-type then a good portion of the ATS and CTS lineup followed by an Abarth and rounding things out with a GTI.
Otherwise, whatever salvage-titled cash special that looks good for $5K cash.
A CTS-V, Camaro, BMW 4 Series, or Mustang would all work.
Thanks to David, I’m thinking about buying a 15 year old Jaguar XFR with the supercharged V8. 500hp and cushy luxury ride? I’m sold!
As a current Saab owner, I’m already a glutton for punishment, I need to take my parts bill to the next level!
Yeah, I think it’s time to retire the Swedish Parts Cannon. I’m selling the 900.
As for cars, I’ve got an 18 Wrangler and a 19 Outback in the driveway along with an 06 Mini Cooper S. I’m not buying a 10 year old car, I’m just waiting on most of them.
Perhaps a brave move. I don’t know. My ’88 Saab 9000 Turbo treated me well during my time with it. But that was more than, uh, 10 years ago.
Well my daily is a 10-year old WRX, so I’d say that… but other than that a few come to mind: Subaru WRX STI, Ford Focus/Fiesta ST, Ford Mustang Shelby GT350, Chevy SS, Cadillac CTS-V, V8 Toyota Land Cruiser, I might be a model year off but I think you could still get a Mercedes C63 AMG with the 6.2. I also think there were still “normal” cars with manual transmissions, like the Accord and Forester, one of those would be cool.
I think I already have them? My family fleet is all 10 years old and I’m happy:
2016 ES300h Premium – the current model is ugly
2016 Sienna Limited Premium – I love hybrids (see above) but the V6 Siennas are great. And I didn’t have to be on a yearlong waitlist to pay MSRP.
2016 Mustang EcoBoost Premium 6mt convertible – Was $34k OTD brand new in 2016. Can’t get a manual convertible Mustang now unless you go GT. A comparable GT Premium convertible with no add-ons is $60k. WTF. Oh and it’s uglier. Hard pass.
All 3 of these vehicles are still made today but the latest and greatest versions of them are much much more expensive than their 2016 predecessors AND there has been minimal improvements/additions to justify said costs.
I couldn’t agree with you more on the ES300h. I need to upgrade my mom’s old car. Any chance you want to sell it?
My 60 year old boss just traded in her RC350 for one of the hideous new ES models. I don’t get it. For our ES, we are a “drive them until they have scrap value” family. My last 3 Toyotas each exceeded 330k miles before being replaced. The ES has a long ways to go, haven’t crested 200k yet (with zero issues btw). The crazy part is you can typically find the used ones priced very closely to their Avalon siblings. Not sure if that’s still the case though, I feel like the used Toyota/Lexus hybrid market has gotten scarce since we bought this ES used in late 2019.
Lotus evora 400…
10 years old? What am I, made of money? Seriously, my daily is 16 years old, but it only has 277,000 actual miles.
Well, ok, I’ll see your V8 Mustang and raise you a manual trans.
Username does NOT check out.
I have become accustomed to all the driver assistance features of my 4-year old vehicle, Adaptive Cruise, lane centering, etc. But I’m ready to go to any form of FSD. I’m not sure there are any cars 10 years old that would have the mature features I desire.
And while I would love to have 50+ year old car to play with, I sadly have no place to keep one 🙁 Just a single car carport. 🙁
CTS-V, obviously
CTS-V wagon was my first thought but alas they were discontinued in 2014. I should have bought a lightly used one in 2016 when they were available at a reasonable price!
2016 Honda Civic Si. Not the type R, the Si. Reliable, economical, repairable, resonably performant.
Other good options: Toyoburu twins for a sports car, BMW 2 series for a bit more luxury and a larger gamble.
I bought a new ’16 M235i. Slicktop, 6spd, did Euro Delivery in it for a month with my mother. It was fun in Europe, rather boring back home in the states. The Honda is probably more fun. The GTI that replaced it sure was. There is such a thing as too much power.
Oddly enough, my answer wouldn’t be Miata. Mostly because I know I don’t fit in the ND. Make it 15 years old, and I’d happily buy another NC.
2016 isn’t new enough for an LC 500, and it’s not old enough for an SC 430. Damn!
So my pick will be a 2016 Chevy SS.
Came here for the Chevy SS. That’s probably the one I’d go with.
My step-dad hasn’t regretted his SS purchase, I can tell you that.
I’d want to go 9yrs old, because the 2017 GTI Sport was a one-year car (though I guess you could have bought a ’17 in Sept ’16). I would leave skidmarks getting to the dealership – being house poor be damned. Heck, I’d still be tempted to buy one right now if the right minty fresh unmolested example turned up. But they are all either hooned to death or owned by people who aren’t idiots like me who sold his.
I guess a new, ordered to my taste, last of the S212 Mercedes E350 wagons would float my boat too. I liked the one I had, but I would have gotten some niceties like the comfort seats, cooled seats, and keyless go if I had bought it new. And kept it out of the Florida sun. MAYBE a BMW 330i wagon, I kind of wonder if I would have liked one of those better than the E350. Not as smooth or capacious, but definitely more fun.
I still lament trading my 2017 GTI SE manual PP in 2024. I would go terrible things to get it back.
Same. I fell for the siren call of selling mine for more than I paid for it new in the pandemic used car nonsense. Seemed like a good idea at the time, I had bought my BMW convertible, wasn’t driving the GTI much, and wanted something with more cargo space. Sigh.
Since it’s theoretical and I can pretend I can actually find one, a manual Spark 2LT with a sunroof in a cool color.
Or maybe a manual Fit EXL in a cool color, or possibly even a manual orange HRV EXL (was available until 2019 with the manual)
For better mpg, a green Clarity PHEV. Yeah, good to have an automatic backup car LOL
I’ll be keeping my 12 year old Fit, but a Fiesta ST is on my list. BMW 128 also.
I was looking for one of those elusive manual Spark 2LTs a while back. I actually found one, but it wasn’t in a cool color, was located too far away and they wanted too much money for it.
I hope we don’t show up at the same particular auto-auction at the same time someday.