There are quite a few sedans around right now that are temptingly cheap. The 2026 Honda Civic Sedan is one of them. You can pick up a base model LX version for an MSRP of $25,200. That makes it one of the cheapest new cars for sale right now in America. But, the appeal of something older always trumps a brand-new base model car. There are plenty of '90s European sedans out there that can give you so much more than the current-generation Honda Civic. Not only are they often faster and more luxurious, but they're also much more characterful. In some cases, they might even be more reliable, too! Mercedes-Benz C280 Sport (W202) Average Used Value: $13,400-$15,000 There are plenty of people out there who think that the W202 version of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class is actually the best version Mercedes ever made. That's definitely understandable. It came pretty much at the end of the era of Mercedes being an automaker that prioritized quality and reliability over everything else. The C280 Sport is one of the best-regarded variants of the W202 generation. It's the final inline-6 Mercedes sedan ever produced, being powered by a 193 horsepower 2.8-liter unit before switching to a V6 of the same size and similar power in 1997. Both versions are similarly great, although proper Mercedes purists will definitely want one of the earlier inline-6 engined cars.The average used value for a W202 C280 is around $5,832. If you specifically want a C280 Sport, you can expect to pay anywhere between $13,400to $15,000 for a good one. That does make it the most expensive car on this list. But, it's still as much as over $10,000 cheaper than that much more boring brand-new Honda Civic! Saab 9000 Aero Average Used Value: $12,950-$30,000 Bring a TrailerThe Saab 9000 Aero is a Swedish sports sedan you barely hear anyone talk about now. It certainly wasn't as impressive on paper as its European rivals were. It's front-wheel drive, and it only ever had as much as 222 horsepower. Italian customers also got shafted on power due to Italy's unique tax regulations regarding engine size, having to make do with a smaller 2-liter turbo engine that only produces 182 horsepower. But what it lacks in power, the 9000 Aero makes up for in character and quirky appeal. It's comfortable, practical, great to drive, and has the legendary bulletproof build quality and reliability you can expect from a Saab.Bring a TrailerMost variants of the Saab 9000 are dirt cheap — the model as a whole is worth an average of around $7,092 on the used market. With the 9000 Aero, that's not so much the case. A good one can cost you a minimum of $12,950. An absolutely immaculate one will take you up to $30,000, well over the base price of a brand-new Honda Civic. Mercedes-Benz W124 300E Average Used Value: $11,445 Mercedes-BenzThere aren't many Mercedes-Benz cars that have perhaps as good of a reputation as the W124 has. This car is known to be one of the single most reliable cars ever made, with mileages of over 300,000 miles, over 500,000 miles and even over a million miles being documented over the years. The best of the W124 variants overall has to be the 300E. It's decently powerful for its era, producing up to 187 horsepower and 192 lb-ft of torque. The experience of being in one for a driver or passenger is fantastic, too, with the silky smooth yet reassuringly solid feel that you'll get from any good Mercedes from the era when the engineers, and not the bean counters, decided the development budgets.A W124 Mercedes-Benz 300E will cost you around $11,445 now. That's much cheaper than a brand-new Honda Civic, and it's a car that'll absolutely be more comfortable and last a lot longer. Because of this, you'll enjoy owning one of these tank-like German workhorses much more than you would owning that Civic. Audi A6 C4 Average Used Value: $13,119 The first generation of the Audi A6, the C4 is often regarded to be one of the best cars that Audi has ever made. It came with a huge variety of engine options, going up to as crazy as a 4.2-liter V8! Quattro all-wheel drive was also available on plenty of its variants. While its looks were fairly conservative at the time, that's had the side effect of it aging very well.The average used value for a C4 Audi A6 these days is around $13,119. That makes it just under $10,000 cheaper than a brand-new Honda Civic sedan. Considering how powerful some of the variants are that are included in that average used value, it definitely makes the C4 Audi A6 more appealing than a regular Honda Civic from this year! BMW 325i (E36) Average Used Value: $10,708 The E36 BMW 3 series is widely considered to be one of the best 3 series generations ever made. While some have found the E36 M3 a bit disappointing compared to both the earlier E30 generation and the E46 generation that came after it, the more regular E36 3 series variants have now gained a reputation for being brilliant value-for-money used buys. That's absolutely the case with the 325i variant. It's got the 2.5-liter version of the classic BMW inline-6, and it produces just over 190 horsepower. It's also got the same brilliant driving dynamics you'll get on any other E36 3 series, including the M3.To get one of these bargain-basement slices of Bavarian brilliance, you'll only have to pay around $10,708 on the used market. That's a lot less than the similarly-sized brand-new Civic sedan, and it'll definitely give you a lot more of that old-school fun and character. BMW 528i (E39) Average Used Value: $9,025 Via: Bring a TrailerWhenever anyone talks about the E39 BMW 5 series, they'll typically talk about that generation's M5. That's totally understandable, as it's one of the best versions of the M5 that's ever been made. But, the regular E39 models still deserve some love. That includes the 528i, which is now one of the best value-for-money mid-sized sedans on the used market. It has the 2.8-liter version of BMW's celebrated inline-6, producing close to 200 horsepower. It's also set up as a BMW traditionally should be, with rear-wheel drive and excellent handling.An E39 528i will cost you around $9,025 these days. That's over $10,000 less than a brand-new Civic, and you're getting a beloved BMW for that money! Of course, it won't be as awesome as an M5 or a 540i. But, it's more than good enough if you want a great-looking mid-sized sedan that's more characterful than anything you can buy brand new. Audi A4 1.8T Quattro (B5) Average Used Value: $8,600-$10,750 Another brilliant Audi, the B5 A4's 1.8T Quattro variant is highly regarded among enthusiasts. A lot of that is due to the fantastic engine that powers it. The 1.8-liter 20v turbo is considered a holy grail among European engines, and enthusiasts on that side of the atlantic sometimes venerate it as much as Americans venerate the Chevy small-block V8. It's plenty powerful from stock, but it has a huge amount of potential to be tuned.If you want this variant of the B5 Audi A4, you can expect to pay between $8,600and $10,750. That does make it one of the more expensive options on this list. But, it's still significantly cheaper than a brand-new Civic, and significantly more fun on top of that. You definitely won't be able to tune up a new Civic sedan anywhere near as much as you can tune the fantastic engine in one of these Audis! Alfa Romeo 164 Average Used Value: $7,035 The Alfa Romeo 164 is a European executive sedan barely anyone ever talks about. That might seem a bit crazy, as the higher-powered variants of this car could genuinely challenge the big German players in terms of performance! It's also an incredibly characterful car, no matter what variant you go for. Its looks have aged surprisingly well, too.Thanks to being such a forgotten car, the Alfa Romeo 164 is unbelievably cheap. The average used value for the 164 across all its variants is $7,035. Even the high-performance versions can be had for significantly less than a brand-new Honda Civic! They'll definitely be a lot more fun than that brand-new Civic, too. Just be aware of all the usual gremlins that affect older Italian cars... Jaguar XJ6 (X300) Average Used Value: $5,700-$7,000 Via: Bring a TrailerMost of the options here are great compact or mid-sized sedans. But, none of them are seriously classy. That's where the X300 Jaguar XJ6 set itself apart. This is a gorgeous, full-sized luxury model, powered by Jaguar's fantastic AJ6 inline-6 engine. Initially 3.2 liters in size, the XJ6 later also got the bigger 4-liter verion later. Both versions of the AJ6 are plenty powerful enough for a luxurious cruiser from the 1990s.Via: Bring a TrailerThe X300 Jaguar XJ6 really is one of the most bargain-basement luxury sedans you can find anywhere. You can expect to pay as little as $5,700or $7,000 for a good one. That's a trend shared by the X300 Jaguar XJ has a whole - the average used value across all its variants is $8,063. That's including the monster sleeper that is the XJR! If you want a classy, luxury sedan that's cheaper than a brand-new Honda Civic, this really is one of the best options on the market. Volvo 960 Average Used Value: $4,400-$4,600 There's nothing more emblematic of the '90s than a big, boxy Volvo. The 960 is perhaps one of the best of those Volvo boxes. Available with a wide variety of petrol and diesel engines, the 960 has been a safe and reliable transport for middle-class families across Europe and North America for decades. It's surprisingly powerful, too, if you go for the bigger engine options!The Volvo 960 is easily the cheapest car here. You can pick a good sedan up for as little as $4,400or $4,600. That's around $20,000 less than a brand-new Honda Civic, and you get something that's infinitely more characterful in return.Sources: Audi, Alfa Romeo, BMW, Bring A Trailer, Cars & Bids, Classic.com, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Saab, Volvo