2020 Pre-Owned Lexus vs 2025 Tesla: What do you think?

Creatix Cars / September 24, 2025

A 2020 Pre-Owned Lexus with ~100k Miles vs a New 2025 Tesla

Here’s a pragmatic, numbers-first look

The “popular Lexus 2020” short list

By U.S. sales in 2020, Lexus’s top three were the RX, NX, and ES—in that order. (best-selling-cars.com)

What they actually sell for at ~100,000 miles (real listings & values)

2020 Lexus RX 350 (midsize SUV)
Typical examples near 100k miles list ~$28k–$30k (e.g., 92,772 mi @ $28,450; 91,183 mi @ $27,999). KBB fair-purchase values for 2020 RX trims cluster around $31k± depending on trim/condition. (Cars.com)
2020 Lexus ES 350 (midsize sedan)
Around 100k miles, ask prices often low–mid $20k (e.g., 93,390 mi @ $22,298; 95,000 mi @ $25,998). KBB shows current resale around $25k for typical condition. (Cars.com)
2020 Lexus NX 300 (compact SUV)
~100k-mile listings commonly ~$19k–$22k (e.g., 100,933 mi @ $19,799). KBB fair-purchase estimates for the 2020 NX 300 line up around $20k–$27k by trim. (Cars.com)

Prices swing with condition, options, accidents, and market. The point: clean, 1-owner, ~100k-mile 2020 RX/ES/NX often land $20k–$30k—well under a new Tesla.

What a new 2025 Tesla costs today (U.S.)

Model 3 Long Range RWD: $42,490 start (design page). (Tesla)
Model Y Long Range RWD: $44,990 start (design page). (Tesla)
Model S: stickers generally low–mid $80k per 2025 guides. (Kbb.com)
Model X: design page currently ~$99,990 for Dual-Motor AWD. (Tesla)
Cybertruck: AWD $79,990; Cyberbeast higher; base RWD was dropped. (Tesla)

Energy cost: $4/gal gas vs. home charging at current U.S. rates

To make this apples-to-apples, we’ll use EPA/Edmunds MPG or kWh/100 mi and the latest national electricity average the government published for July 2025: 17.47¢/kWh (EIA). For gas, we’ll use your $4/gal. (Edmunds)

Efficiencies used

2020 ES 350: 26 mpg combined. (Edmunds)
2020 NX 300: 25 mpg (typical trims 24–25). (Edmunds)
2020 RX 350: 23 mpg combined. (Edmunds)
2025 Model 3 LR RWD: 25 kWh/100 mi. (Cars.com)
2025 Model Y LR RWD: 27 kWh/100 mi. (Cars.com)

Cost per mile (home charging @ 17.47¢/kWh; gas @ $4/gal)

Vehicle	Energy Use	¢/mile
2025 Tesla Model 3 LR RWD	0.25 kWh/mi	4.4¢
2025 Tesla Model Y LR RWD	0.27 kWh/mi	4.7¢
2020 Lexus ES 350 (26 mpg)	Gas	15.4¢
2020 Lexus NX 300 (25 mpg)	Gas	16.0¢
2020 Lexus RX 350 (23 mpg)	Gas	17.4¢

At 12,000 miles/year, that’s roughly $524–$566 to charge a Model 3/Y at home versus $1,846–$2,087 in gasoline for ES/NX/RX at $4/gal. (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

What if you rely on fast charging?
Public DC fast charging (e.g., Tesla Superchargers) typically runs ~$0.25–$0.50/kWh, which would push Tesla running costs to roughly 9–10¢/mile—still usually below the Lexus gas cost, but not by as much as home charging. (US News Cars)

So…which is the better buy?

Why the 2020 Lexus might win for you

Upfront price: A clean 2020 RX/ES/NX with ~100k miles often costs $20k–$30k—roughly half a new Model 3/Y and a fraction of S/X. That’s a big monthly-payment delta. (Cars.com)
Longevity: Lexus’s reputation for long-term reliability and strong resale is well-documented; many owners happily drive well past 150k miles. (See KBB notes on RX/NX value retention.) (Kbb.com)

Why the new Tesla might win for you

Fuel savings: If you home-charge, energy is often ⅓–¼ the cost per mile vs. gas at $4/gal, especially for Model 3/Y. (U.S. Energy Information Administration)
New-car perks: Full new-car warranty, latest safety tech, over-the-air updates, and lower routine maintenance (no oil, brakes last longer, etc.). (Prices above reflect current 2025 configurators/guides.) (Tesla)

Quick model-to-model matchups

RX 350 (~$28–30k) vs. Model Y ($44,990+):
RX wins on purchase price, plush cabin, quiet ride. Model Y wins on energy cost and tech. If you’ll mostly road-trip and rely on paid fast charging, the running-cost edge shrinks. (Cars.com)
ES 350 (~$22–26k) vs. Model 3 ($42,490+):
ES is a low-drama luxury sedan at almost half the out-the-door. Model 3 is far cheaper to “fuel” and has modern driver-assist features. Your break-even hinges on how long you’ll keep it and whether you can home-charge. (Cars.com)
NX 300 (~$19–22k) vs. Model Y ($44,990+):
NX has the lowest buy-in of this bunch. Model Y still crushes per-mile costs if home-charged and offers more cargo/tech, but you pay for it up front. (Cars.com)

Bottom line

If your priority is lowest monthly payment and proven long-term durability, a well-kept 2020 Lexus with ~100k miles is an exceptional value and often far cheaper to buy than any new Tesla. If you can home-charge, drive a lot, and plan to keep the car for years, a new Tesla (especially Model 3/Y) can pay you back through much lower energy costs—though the gap narrows if you rely heavily on paid fast charging. (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

Sources

2020 Lexus U.S. model sales ranking. (best-selling-cars.com)
Used pricing examples: RX (Cars.com; dealer), ES (Cars.com; CarMax), NX (Cars.com; KBB values). (Cars.com)
EPA/Edmunds fuel economy: ES/NX/RX. (Edmunds)
Tesla efficiencies: 2025 Model 3 & Y kWh/100 mi. (Cars.com)
Electricity price (national avg., July 2025): 17.47¢/kWh (EIA). (U.S. Energy Information Administration)
Tesla 2025 pricing: Model 3, Model Y, Model X (Tesla.com); Model S (KBB/Car and Driver). (Tesla)

Additional Information: Tesla 2025 MSRPs and Reliability Ratings

Here are the current U.S. MSRPs for Tesla’s 2025 lineup (as of Sep 24, 2025). These are base prices before destination ($1,390) and Tesla’s $250 order fee. (Tesla)

Model 3

Long Range RWD — $42,490
Long Range AWD — $47,490
Performance — $54,990. (Edmunds)

Model Y

Long Range RWD — $46,630
Long Range AWD — $50,630
Performance — $53,130. (Car and Driver)

Model S

All-Wheel Drive — $84,990
Plaid — $99,990. (Reuters)

Model X

All-Wheel Drive — $89,990
Plaid — $104,990. (Reuters)

Cybertruck

All-Wheel Drive — $79,990
Cyberbeast — $114,990 (after the recent price hike tied to the new Luxe Package). (Edmunds)

Note: Tesla updates online pricing frequently and doesn’t follow traditional “model year” stickers the way other automakers do. If you want, I can pull the exact out-the-door estimates for your ZIP (with destination, order fee, and typical options).

Here’s the quick take:

Reliability (2025):
• Consumer Reports’ latest owner survey finds EVs still have more problems than gas cars overall, though Teslas (esp. Model 3/Y) now land around average predicted reliability. (Reuters)
• J.D. Power’s 2025 Vehicle Dependability Study shows industry problems rising; third-party summaries put Tesla around 209 problems per 100 vehicles (near the industry avg), but note Tesla is not award-eligible in J.D. Power studies because it limits owner-contact access in some states. (J.D. Power)
• Recent context: multiple recalls in 2025 (e.g., ~380k vehicles for power steering assist; ~200k for a computer issue). OTA updates help, but these still count as defects. (Reuters)
U.S. Warranty (new Teslas):
• Basic (bumper-to-bumper): 4 years/50,000 miles. (Edmunds)
• Battery & Drive Unit (with ≥70% capacity retention):
– Model 3/Y RWD: 8 years/100k miles
– Model 3/Y Long Range or Performance: 8 years/120k miles
– Model S/X/Cybertruck: 8 years/150k miles. (MotorTrend)
• Supplemental Restraint System (airbags/seatbelts): 5 years/60,000 miles. (Find My Electric)
• Body Rust (perforation): 12 years, unlimited miles. (US News Cars)
• Roadside Assistance: included during the Basic warranty period; covers tows for breakdowns, flats, lockouts, etc. (Edmunds)

Our vote?

Pre-owned Lexus. But it's a close call if you intend to drive a lot (over 13,000 miles per year) or if you intend to keep the Tesla for a long time (about 10 years, which would be the breakeven point).

Step 1. Compare upfront prices

2020 Lexus RX 350 (100k miles): ~$28,500 (average of recent listings).
2025 Tesla Model Y LR RWD: $44,990 MSRP.

Price gap: ≈ $16,500 more for the Tesla.

Step 2. Energy cost per mile

Tesla Model Y LR RWD: 27 kWh/100 mi × $0.1747/kWh = 4.7¢/mile.
Lexus RX 350: 23 mpg × $4/gal = 17.4¢/mile.

Savings per mile (Tesla vs Lexus): ≈ 12.7¢.

Step 3. Break-even mileage per year

To offset $16,500 higher upfront cost:

\text{Break-even miles} = \frac{\$16,500}{\$0.127 / \text{mile}} \approx 130,000 \text{ miles total}

If you keep the Tesla 10 years, that’s about 13,000 miles/year.
If you only keep it 5 years, you’d need ~26,000 miles/year.

Step 4. Real-world notes

Home charging is key: If you rely on public fast charging (~$0.30–$0.40/kWh), Tesla’s cost per mile rises to ~9–11¢. That pushes break-even further out (closer to 200k+ miles total).
Maintenance: Lexus will likely need more upkeep at 100k+ miles (brakes, suspension, transmission fluid, etc.). Tesla has fewer moving parts, but may face out-of-warranty battery/drive unit repairs after 8 years.
Resale value: A 2025 Tesla should still have higher resale than a 2020 Lexus at 150k+ miles, which shortens the break-even distance somewhat.

Answer in plain English:
If you mostly home-charge and plan to drive 13k–15k miles a year or more for 10 years, the Tesla’s fuel savings can realistically offset its higher price. If you drive less, or rely on public charging, the cheaper 2020 Lexus RX 350 remains the better dollars-and-sense choice.

Now you know it.

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