Honda CR-V, Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, or Toyota RAV-4?

I will be purchasing a used car in the upcoming weeks. I have been saving up money from my summer job and currently have about $4000 to spend. Which vehicle do you think I should get?

Before you choose, get insurance quotes on all of them. That could be your deciding factor.

The first thing you need to decide is what size vehicle do you need. The CR-V and the RAV-4 are much smaller than the Pilot or Highlander. So eliminate two options immediately by deciding how big do you want the car to be.

Then buy a car based on the overall driving experience, the options and features offered on the car and most importantly, buy the one you can get for the lowest price.

For what its worth I have a 2016 Honda CR-V and it's an amazing car. I test drove many SUVs in the car buying process and it was the best BY FAR. It's so spacious while also being compact, it has a backup camera, heated seats and isn't too bad on gas. I use it daily to drive 2 giant dogs to the dog park and it has served me well. But, mine is a 2016 and your obviously not going to get a newer model with $4000, so I'm not sure if the older models are the same quality.
I would suggest looking at the insurance rates for each before you decide on one.

All of these vehicles are potentially good vehicles. However, I would buy the one that is in the best condition as determined by a professional mechanic. No two used cars are in the exactly same condition. Depending on age, mileage, how it's been driven, and how it's been maintained, each will be different.

Having a mechanic inspect your car is even more important when buying for only $4000. For such a small amount of money, the risk of problems and reliability issues is much higher than for a newer more expensive car.