10 Used Cars to Check Out Before Buying New

7. Honda Accord
Trim: LX sedan, EX coupe
Original MSRP: $22,740
KBB private party value: $5,115 for the sedan, $5,775 for the coupe
Retained value: 22.5% for the sedan, 25.4 for the coupe
The Accord accounts for two of the four Hondas in KBB's 2002 Top 20 for the same reason it was a huge-selling car in its initial year: It's insanely reliable and almost annoyingly inoffensive. About the only knocks on the car are that A) There's nothing really special about it and B) Way too many other people own them.

Yet that's exactly what you want out of a car you're looking to ride into the ground. The LX is a bit more efficient at 21 miles per gallon in the city and 29 on the highway thanks to its 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine. The coupe, however, makes up for its combined 22 miles per gallon with a 3.0-liter V6 and 200 horsepower.

Each is stocked with a whole lot of family-friendly storage features such as the center console, multiple pockets and cup holders, but also includes standard anti-lock brakes and side airbags. The loaded EX gives a buyer a leather interior, alloy wheels, power moonroof, automatic climate control, CD player, premium sound and steering-wheel radio controls, but at the end of the day he or she is still driving the same used utilitarianmobile.

The roar of the engine is nice, but nice, sensible speed, handling and passenger space lasts forever.

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