If you're conservative and buying something as critical as a daily use car it makes a lot of sense to get second or later model year of the second or later generation since a major redesign. Preferably a model that has been sold in high volumes and used heavily as a taxi or something. Then at least you will know the most likely problems before you buy.
Last time I flew into O'hare it was incredible how it seemed like half the Ubers were Rav4s or Highlanders.