Toyota has a well-earned reputation. It has a long history of building cars and SUVs that are extremely practical with comfortable interiors, good fuel economy, and stellar safety and reliability ratings. Toyota has also been known to make some pretty cool trucks with rugged capabilities.
Buying a used Toyota is one of the smartest ways to buy a car. Buying a certified used Toyota can be even smarter.
Every Toyota Certified Used Vehicle comes with a 12-month/12,000-mile limited comprehensive warranty, a 7-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty, 7-year/100,000-mile roadside assistance, a thorough 160-point inspection, and in many cases attractive financing rates similar to a new car. Toyota also throws in a Carfax history report at no extra cost, and a buyback guarantee. That’s a lot of added peace of mind.
Here are three popular Toyota Certified Used Vehicles to consider.
The Toyota RAV4 is one of the original compact crossover SUVs, and it’s still one of the best. It delivers on what everyone wants in a compact crossover; the versatility of an SUV with the easy driveability of a compact car with little compromise.
The RAV4 is one of the SUVs that inspired the proliferation of the compact SUV class to the point where almost every automotive brand has at least one to offer. Some of the closest rivals of the RAV4 include the Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, and Chevrolet Equinox.
The Toyota RAV4 entered its current generation in 2019, but it got some nice updates already in 2020. The TRD trim was introduced, which is ideal for anyone looking for a practical daily driver that’s also a competent off-roader. Also, more standard infotainment features were introduced, namely Android Auto, SiriusXM, and a Wi-Fi hotspot.
There’s quite a bit of variety in the Toyota RAV4 model range. There’s something for everyone in the market for a compact SUV. The base LE trim is affordable yet well-equipped with standard features like Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 safety tech suite.
Upgrading to the XLE trim brings creature comforts like automatic climate control and more USB ports. XLE Premium comes standard with some features that are optional on XLE, like a sunroof and a power liftgate, plus SofTex faux leather seating.
The upscale RAV4 Limited builds on the XLE Premium trim, adding heated front seats, navigation, JBL premium audio, and more safety tech features.
There are two off-road-oriented trims of the RAV4. The Adventure trim is little more than an appearance package, but it does come with standard all-wheel drive (AWD) and hill descent control. The TRD Off-Road trim is the more rugged off-roader with unique TRD-tuned suspension and all-terrain tires.
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The Toyota Camry is a stalwart in midsize sedans for good reasons. It’s safe, reliable, and spacious, and it can even get pretty luxurious in the upper trims. It comes standard with an efficient 4-cylinder engine, but a more muscular V6 is optional, which is becoming rare in this class. The Camry does just about everything well.
The Camry primarily competes with the other big names in the midsize sedan segment. Some of its closest rivals are the Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, and Ford Fusion, all of which are worth cross-shopping with the Camry.
2020 was a big year for the Toyota Camry, and it’s a great model year to shop for. Android Auto became a standard feature, and Toyota introduced all-wheel drive as an option. 2020 also debuted the first-ever Camry TRD, which comes standard with the stout V6 engine, a TRD-tuned suspension, and a sporty appearance package. When new, it was the most affordable V6-powered Camry in 2020.
There’s some nice variety in the Camry lineup with something to satisfy anyone in the market for a midsize sedan. The base L trim comes pretty well-equipped with standard features, including Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and the Toyota Safety Sense bundle of driver aids.
The LE trim adds a power driver’s seat, split-folding back seats, more USB ports, and stylish alloy wheels. The SE trim pushes the Camry further upmarket with SofTex synthetic leather seats, automatic climate control, bigger wheels, a sport-tuned suspension, and restyled front and rear ends.
The XLE and XSE trims are similarly equipped with different personalities. XLE is more premium while XSE is more sporty. For example, the XSE has metal interior trim and the SE’s sport-tuned suspension, while the XLE uses wood trim.
Both models have leather seats, heated front seats, and a 7-inch driver information display. The V6 engine is optional, and V6-equipped models add a panoramic sunroof, JBL premium audio, and a head-up display.
Finally, the TRD trim is the sport sedan of the Camry lineup. It’s the only trim that comes standard with the V6 engine. It also has a unique TRD-tuned sport suspension, an aggressive appearance package, sport front seats, and aluminum pedals. Unlike XSE and XLE, the TRD model has faux leather seats.
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The Toyota Tacoma is a fan favorite in midsize pickup trucks. It has some tough competition from the Chevrolet Colorado and Ford Ranger. Still, the Tacoma upholds its reputation for rock-solid reliability and impressive off-road chops when equipped with 4-wheel drive.
The Tacoma comes standard with an adequate 4-cylinder engine, but we recommend the available V6 if you can find one that fits your budget. The V6 produces much more power and torque with a negligible difference in fuel economy, plus it’s available with a manual transmission.
The Tacoma is one of the slowest depreciating vehicles in the whole automotive world. That means it will be challenging to find a cheap certified pre-owned model. However, even if you get a recent pre-owned example, you’ll still benefit from the Tacoma’s outstanding resale value.
The Tacoma became a more high-tech truck in 2020. For starters, its standard infotainment system is loaded with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and Amazon Alexa. A couple of new available options starting in 2020 include a power-adjustable driver’s seat, a surround-view monitor, and a multi-terrain monitor.
The base SR trim comes pretty well-equipped with standard infotainment and safety features like Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Amazon Alexa, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and more. The popular SR5 trim adds a power driver’s seat, an 8-inch touchscreen, and remote keyless entry. The Limited trim is the premium choice with leather seats, a sunroof, JBL premium audio, dual-zone automatic climate control, and more safety features.
There are three TRD trims of the Tacoma. The TRD Sport upgrades are mainly aesthetic and technological with features like navigation, push-button start, wireless charging, and HD Radio. TRD Off-Road is the sweet spot for off-road enthusiasts, adding an off-road suspension with Bilstein shocks and a locking differential. If you get a 4WD model with an automatic transmission, it comes with multi-terrain select and crawl control.
Finally, the TRD Pro is the ultimate off-road Tacoma. It has a TRD-tuned suspension with Fox shocks, TRD exhaust, a surround-view camera with a multi-terrain monitor, and an aggressive appearance package with a front skid plate. We especially like the heritage-inspired “TOYOTA” lettering in the front grille.
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