What Are The Best Used Cars For Enthusiasts 25K and Under?

For many people, a car is just a means of transportation—an A-to-B machine. Then there are those of us who truly savor the act of driving — the enthusiasts. We’re the guys and girls who judiciously check our tire pressure and wash the car every Sunday. The ones who curse the birds who leave a Jackson Pollock painting on the hood, 15 minutes after we wring out the chamois cloth. 

If a smile spreads across your face every time you enter the banked turn of a highway on-ramp or brake and downshift on your way into a corner — this article is for you.

Just because you don’t have six figures in the bank, it doesn’t mean you can’t attain the state of automotive bliss you seek. Far from it, young padawan. You just need to know how to spend wisely. 

Here are some of Major World’s picks for the best used cars under $25K for the driving enthusiast:

BMW 3-Series and BMW X3

The BMW 3-series’ reputation as a rewarding driver’s car precedes itself… but the X3? Did we really just include an SUV on our list of best used cars under $25K for enthusiasts? Yes, we did. Why? Because it’s literally the BMW 3-series of SUVs, man! If you want a sports car, but you need an SUV — this is where you should be looking. 

The BMW X3 gives up very little of the taut, responsive handling and smooth, linear torque delivery that makes the BMW 3-series a treat to drive. But you get room for a trip to Costco or Home Depot or easy access to get child seats in and out of the back. Win-win. You can even have it with RWD or AWD, your choice. Engine options are similar to the 3-series too with everything from willing turbo 4’s to potent inline 6’s on tap. 

Check Major World’s current inventory of low-mileage used BMW models here. 

Audi A4 and Audi A5

The pride of Ingolstadt – Audi is a storied brand with an enviable history in motorsports from Group B rally racing to Le Mans. Audi has 13 Le Mans victories under its belt and 3 of those were with a diesel engine. Suffice it to say, Audi knows what they’re doing. 

The A4 is Audi’s perennial favorite compact luxury sports sedan. Legendary Quattro All-Wheel Drive with a wide range of engine options from a 2.0-liter turbo 4 with 211 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of twist up to the mighty supercharged 3.0-liter V6 with 333 horsepower. The B8 (2009-2016) models can be had with a manual transmission if you’re one of the 5% of Americans who choose to partake in that rare pleasure. 

The Audi A5 is simply the executive luxury coupe version of the A4 sedan. If you love the A4, but you’re looking for something a little different that you won’t see nearly as often – the A5 is a superb choice. It’s even available as a convertible. 

Check Major World’s current inventory of low-mileage used Audi models here. 

Lincoln MKZ

The Lincoln MKZ is an American sports sedan with a wide range of powertrain choices, from not-so-mild to downright wild. Opt for the turbo direct-injected 2.0 liter I-4 base model for a thrifty 31 mpg in a comfortable midsized luxury sedan with nimble handling for weekend corner carving. 

Step up to the twin-turbo 3.0 liter EcoBoost V6 with up to 400 horsepower and you have yourself a first-class sleeper. Go for the MKZ Hybrid and you get solid performance with 45 mpg (that’s 5 more mpg than the Lexus ES300h, by the way). 

There’s something for everyone in the Lincoln MKZ. Oh, we forgot to mention — you can even get it with AWD added to any of those powertrains. We recommend going for the second-gen MKZ with the 2017 facelift – that gets you the most handsome front end and the 400 hp twin-turbo V6 option and still keeps you on budget. 

Check Major World’s current inventory of low-mileage used Lincoln models here. 

Acura TLX 

The Acura TLX delivers luxury and scalpel-like precision in equal measure. Legendary Acura reliability and a suspension designed by the same engineers behind Honda’s Formula One racecars and VTEC variable valve timing technology make a formidable combination. 

The first-gen 2015-2021 model is a solid buy with a standard 2.4-liter VTEC I4 delivering 206 hp and 35 mpg at the pump. If raw performance is the priority, go for the optional 3.5-liter VTEC V6. 

Also available with the V6 is Acura’s outstanding SH-AWD (Super Handling All-Wheel Drive) which uses torque vectoring to not only improve poor weather traction but sharpen handling under all conditions. 

Check Major World’s current inventory of low-mileage used Acura models here. 

Honda Civic 

The Honda Civic has been popular among enthusiasts for decades with good reason. It’s practically impossible to find a more practical daily driver that delivers as much driving enjoyment and reliability per dollar. 

While it lacks some of the prestige of the luxury models on our list, it will never let you down and the lower price means you can get a newer, low-mileage used Honda Civic for less. Even the base models are fun to drive (especially paired with one of Honda’s velvety manual transmissions, if you’re so inclined). 

The spicier Si and Type R variants deliver serious bang for the buck and utilize a cutting-edge half-shaft design that miraculously metes out torque evenly. This gives you all the practical benefits of FWD for bad weather without the downside of torque steer. Finding a Civic Type R under 25 would be a miracle, but it’s possible to purchase a used or even lightly used Civic SI for that much easily. For this reason, it’s one of the best cars under $25k for enthusiasts–the main reason? The Civic SI only comes in manual transmission, the enthusiasts choice.

Check Major World’s current inventory of low-mileage used Honda models here. 

Major World For Major Driving Enjoyment

If you love to drive as much as we do, we hope you enjoyed our list of some of our favorite used cars under $25K for the enthusiast. We’ve got a great selection of low-mileage used sports sedans and coupes just waiting for you to test drive. Consider this your invitation. 

Check out our competitive inventory through our online search portal. Get pre-qualified for financing right here. Don’t settle for less than the very best used car dealership near the NYC Metro Area. You deserve the Major World standard of customer care. Give us a call now at (866) 614-2884.