Its pretty common for new-car shoppers to look at what they can afford and go from there. Typically, that means focusing on vehicles from mainstream brands, even though owning a luxury vehicle is something many people aspire to. But theres a right-now alternative that could be intriguing: For about the same price of a new mainstream car, you could get a used luxury car instead.
Imagine you have about $35,000 to spend on a 2026 Honda CR-V . Thats a perfectly sensible choice. But for about the same price, you could get a 3-year-old BMW X3 . The X3 is certainly more prestigious and desirable. But is buying a used luxury vehicle a smart choice? The car experts at Edmunds have broken down the key attributes for you to consider.
Condition and warranty
Buying new guarantees a pristine vehicle, first ownership and the full new-car smell experience. It also provides the security of a full manufacturers warranty, which typically covers the first three years for a bumper-to-bumper warranty, plus an additional two years for the powertrain.
The new car aura will have long faded from a used luxury car, which will likely have minor cosmetic wear and tens of thousands of miles on its odometer. Luxury brands do commonly offer a four-year bumper-to-bumper warranty, and its common for luxury dealerships to sell used vehicles as certified pre-owned, which includes an inspection and an extended warranty. Still, buying new guarantees that youre getting the freshest vehicle possible.
Winner: new car
Style and performance
Luxury cars are meant to be aspirational, and as such, they typically have nicer interior materials, more elegant designs, and sportier handling than non-luxury models. Unique wheels and enhanced appearance set luxury cars apart on the road, and more powerful engines deliver livelier performance. Theres no question that a 2023 BMW X3 that offers up to 382 horsepower is a lot more fun and engaging to drive than a CR-V.
Performance can come at the cost of fuel efficiency. The best a 2023 X3 can get is an EPA-estimated 25 mpg combined, while the CR-V with its available hybrid powertrain gets up to 40 mpg combined. Many luxury engines also require expensive premium fuel, further increasing ownership costs. But style and performance are what many people desire, and a luxury vehicle wont disappoint in this regard.
Winner: used luxury
Features
Newer cars offer the latest tech, such as large touchscreens and advanced driver aids that help make driving easier. But these types of features typically debut earlier on luxury models before trickling down to mainstream lineups. A used BMW X3 and a new Honda CR-V, for example, both offer wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless phone charging and adaptive cruise control.
There can be some upside to buying a used luxury car if you want the fancy stuff. On a used X3, for example, you can get front seats with additional power adjustments, ventilated front seats, a premium 16-speaker audio system and a head-up windshield display. Honda doesnt offer any of these on the CR-V. Choosing a relatively recent used luxury car means you wont miss out on advanced tech and comfort, and youll often gain some nice amenities unavailable in newer cars.
Winner: used luxury
Deprecation and maintenance
Buying a new car means buying convenience. Most new cars are inexpensive to maintain for the first several years, often needing little more than oil changes and tire rotations. Any needed repairs will be free if they are covered under warranty.
In contrast, used luxury cars often require costly maintenance for components such as brakes and fluids. Parts and labor rates are also more expensive for luxury cars. Edmunds estimates that a BMW X3, for example, will cost approximately twice as much to maintain on average as a Honda CR-V.
Buying a used luxury car does help you avoid the worst timeframe for depreciation. When you sell a new vehicle after three years of ownership, its common for it to be worth only 60% to 80% of its original value. The depreciation rate typically slows after the initial three years. Still, its likely that a used luxury car will cost you more every year to own and operate.
Winner: new car
Edmunds says
Buying a new vehicle is the sensible choice. You get to enjoy the full length of the manufacturers warranty and know that nobody drove it before you did. But car buying is driven by emotion as much as logic. If the thrill of fine leather and a powerful engine is what you dream about, buying a used luxury vehicle is a perfectly viable option.
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This story was provided to The Associated Press by the automotive website Edmunds .
Dan Frio is a contributor at Edmunds.
对于购车者而言，根据自身预算选择车型是再常见不过的事。通常，这意味着将目光聚焦于主流品牌车型，尽管拥有一辆豪车是许多人的梦想。但现在有一个颇为诱人的替代方案：以一辆全新主流车型的价格，你完全可以选择一辆二手豪车。
假设你有约3.5万美元预算，打算购买一辆2026款本田CR-V——这无疑是明智之选。但同等价位下，你也能入手一辆车龄3年的宝马X3。后者显然更具品牌溢价和吸引力。然而选购二手豪车真的是聪明决策吗？埃德蒙兹的汽车专家已为你梳理出关键考量因素。
条件与保证
购买新车能确保获得一辆未经使用的崭新车辆，享有首任车主权益，并体验完整的新车气息。此外，新车还提供全面的制造商质保服务：通常包含为期三年的全车质保（bumper-to-bumper warranty），以及针对动力系统额外两年的保修保障。
二手豪华车早已失去新车的光环，车身难免会有轻微磨损，里程表也往往显示数万英里的行驶记录。豪华品牌通常提供四年全车质保，经销商也普遍将二手车作为认证二手车出售，这类车辆经过检测并享有延长保修。尽管如此，购买新车才能确保你获得最新款的车型。
获胜者：新车
风格与性能
豪华车的意义在于激发人们的向往，因此它们通常比非豪华车型拥有更优质的内饰材料、更优雅的设计以及更运动的操控性能。独特的轮毂和升级的外观使豪华车在道路上脱颖而出，而更强劲的发动机则带来更充沛的动力表现。毫无疑问，一款最大功率达382马力的2023款宝马X3，其驾驶乐趣和操控体验远胜于本田CR-V。
强劲性能往往以燃油经济性为代价。2023款X3的EPA综合油耗最佳预估仅为25英里/加仑，而搭载混合动力系统的CR-V综合油耗可达40英里/加仑。许多豪华车型发动机还需使用高价优质燃油，进一步增加了用车成本。但风格与性能正是多数消费者所追求的，而豪华汽车在这方面从不会令人失望。
赢家：二手奢侈品
功能特点
新款汽车配备了最新技术，例如大尺寸触摸屏和先进的驾驶辅助系统，使驾驶更加轻松。但这类功能通常率先出现在豪华车型上，随后才逐渐普及至主流车型。以二手宝马X3和全新本田CR-V为例，两者均支持苹果CarPlay和安卓Auto无线连接、无线手机充电以及自适应巡航控制功能。
若想体验豪华配置，购买二手豪车或许是个不错的选择。以二手宝马X3为例，您能获得带附加电动调节功能的前排座椅、通风座椅、16扬声器高端音响系统以及抬头显示功能——这些配置在本田CR-V上均未提供。选择一辆较新的二手豪车，既能享受前沿科技与舒适体验，还能获得一些新款车型所不具备的贴心配置。
赢家：二手奢侈品
弃用与维护
购买新车意味着购买便利。大多数新车在前几年的维护成本较低，通常只需更换机油和轮胎换位等基础保养。若在保修范围内，任何必要的维修都将免费提供。
相比之下，二手豪华车通常需要对刹车和油液等部件进行昂贵的维护。豪华车的零件和人工费用也更为高昂。据埃德蒙兹（Edmunds）估算，以宝马X3为例，其平均维护成本约为本田CR-V的两倍。
购买二手豪华车确实能帮你避开贬值最严重的阶段。一辆新车在使用三年后转售时，其价值通常仅为原价的60%至80%。头三年过后，贬值速度通常会放缓。尽管如此，二手豪车每年的持有和运营成本仍可能更高。
获奖者：新车
埃德蒙兹表示
购买新车是明智之选。你能享受完整的厂商保修服务，且确信这是辆零里程的全新座驾。但购车决策往往既关乎理性，也牵动情感。若顶级真皮内饰与强劲引擎带来的悸动正是你所向往的，那么选购二手豪华车也不失为理想方案。
本文由汽车网站Edmunds提供给美联社。
丹·弗里奥（Dan Frio）是埃德蒙兹（Edmunds）的特约撰稿人。
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