What are good used suvs to buy

Nissan Qashqai

The very apogee of the family SUV, the Qashqai has pointed the way for all others since it started the trend way back in 2008. This second-generation version really upped the game when it was introduced in 2014. It's immensely practical and spacious inside, and comfortable. Only a poor showing in our most recent What Car? Reliability Survey blots the Qashqai's copybook. 

We found 2017 Nissan Qashqai 1.2 DIG-T Acenta, 55,000 miles, £9700

Shop for a used Nissan Qashqai here

Pros

• Quiet and comfortable
• Sips fuel
• Lots of equipment

Cons

• Poor reliability
• Ride suffers on 19in wheels
• Limited rear visibility

Renault Kadjar

Handsome, spacious and cheap to run, the Renault Kadjar is a fine family SUV that built on the success of its smaller sibling, the Captur. It shares a lot of its underpinnings with our number 10 car here, the highly successful second-generation Nissan Qashqai. Its interior quality is a little mixed and its reliability record is not as good as some, alas. 

We found 2017 Renault Kadjar 1.5 dCi Dynamique Nav, 52,000 miles, £9990

Shop for a used Renault Kadjar here

Pros

• Spacious interior
• Bigger boot than sibling Nissan Qashqai
• Quiet petrol engines

Cons

• So-so quality
• Grabby brakes
• Choppy ride on big alloys

Renault Captur

The Renault Captur was consistently Europe’s best-selling small SUV – and as the first-generation model had a good, long life, surviving up until the launch of the latest version in 2019, there are plenty of used examples around. There's a good choice in the engine range from nippy petrols to frugal diesels. Our money buys one of the last 2019 models. 

We found 2019 Renault Captur 0.9 TCe 90 Dynamique Nav, 30,000 miles, £9995

Shop for a used Renault Captur here

Pros

• Practical interior
• Impressive refinement
• Well equipped

Cons

• Pre-facelift Captur has poor interior quality
• Some engines have weak performance
• Rear leg room can be tight

Suzuki Ignis

It's one of the smallest SUV offerings on the market, but it is also one of the best value. £10,000 buys you an example with a low mileage and maybe even some of the three-year warranty left over. What's more, its diminutive dimensions make it ideal in the city, yet inside, there's space for four adults and a very reasonable-sized boot. If you want a funky little SUV that works in town, the Ignis should be high on your list.

We found 2019 Suzuki Ignis 1.2 Dualjet SZ-T, 4000 miles, £9990

Shop for a used Suzuki Ignis here

Pros

• Spacious for a city car
• Most models well equipped
• Agile in corners

Cons

• Jiggly ride quality
• Vague steering
• Fiddly touchscreen system

Skoda Yeti

Chunky, Tonka-toy looks, blistered wheel arches, oversized roof rails and lower-body cladding give the Yeti real presence. Fortunately, there is nothing abominable about this practical and economical SUV behind those looks. You can choose from a good range of engines and, whichever you choose, all Yetis have excellent driving manners and plenty of interior space. Our budget buys you one of the last Yetis.

We found 2016 Skoda Yeti 2.0 TDI S, 53,000 miles, £9995

Shop for a used Skoda Yeti here

Pros

• Fun to drive for an SUV
• Spacious interior
• Some efficient versions

Cons

• Too much wind and road noise
• Ride is jittery on poor surfaces
• Removable rear seats are fiddly

Mazda CX-5

The first-gen CX-5 was a corker when it arrived, being far nicer to drive than the Nissan Qashqai of the time, and a lot roomier, too, with a boot that can easily hold enough luggage for a family holiday. The rear seats of this large SUV are just about wide enough for three people to sit abreast, which not a lot of family SUVs will let you do. Oh, and it's reliable and well-equipped, too. It would finish even higher if you could buy a newer one for this money. 

We found 2016 Mazda CX-5 2.2d SE-L, 61,000 miles, £9995

Shop for a used Mazda CX-5 here

Pros

• Spacious interior
• Sharp handling
• Good economy from petrol engine

Cons

• Lots of road noise
• Ride firm on Sport models
• Drab interior

Dacia Duster

Our money buys the latest Duster, and that's not a bad thing: it's good to drive, comfortable and cheap to run. Space is very good, too; four adults should have few complaints about longer journeys and you can even take five – at a pinch. Boot capacity is excellent, too. It might not be of the highest quality inside, but it'll stand up to abuse from even the most ardent DIYer, or the most abusive toddler.

We found 2019 Dacia Duster 1.5 DCi Laureate, 36,000 miles, £9999

Shop for a used Dacia Duster here

Pros

• A lot of car for the money
• Big boot
• 4x4 version very capable

Cons

• Sparse equipment on lower trims
• Interior feels very cheap
• Disappointing Euro NCAP safety rating

Hyundai Tucson

Rugged, rocky and arid, that's what the name Tucson suggests, and it lives up to it, too, to a certain degree. In fact, space and practicality are the Tucson's real forte, and it's the perfect size and shape for families. It's nice to drive, too, if not outstandingly sharp or quick, and it looks great. Our budget should get you a good, average mileage version of the previous-generation car from 2017, and it'll come with a top-notch reliability record, too. 

We found 2017 Hyundai Tucson 2.0 CRDi 136 SE Nav, 30,000 miles, £9490

Shop for a used Hyundai Tucson here

Pros

• Five-year warranty
• Lots of equipment
• Cheap to buy

Cons

• Plasticky interior
• Firm ride
• Some thirsty engines

Kia Sportage

The previous-generation Sportage has a spacious and practical interior, perfect for families, and is now great value bought used. True, the Sportage is not quite as engaging to drive as some of its rivals, but it betters many of them in so many other areas that it's a worthy runner-up here. It's a seriously good SUV and its looks will impress the neighbours, too. You can pick up a clean 2017 example now for our budget and that should give you many years of practical and reliable motoring.

We found 2017 Kia Sportage 1.7 CRDi 1, 52,000 miles, £9990

Shop for a used Kia Sportage here

Pros

• Spacious and practical interior
• Good value for money used
• Neat steering

Cons

• Diesel engine can be noisy
• So-so ride and handling
• No automatic emergency braking on some models

Suzuki Vitara

The Vitara is good to drive, has a comfortable ride, loads of interior space, and a good touchscreen infotainment system in SZ-T trim or higher. On top of that, its reliability record is very strong and it's also surprisingly economical. It's been on sale since 2015 so there's plenty of choice on the used forecourts, but our £10k budget buys you a good 2018 car with a low mileage.

We found 2018 Suzuki Vitara 1.6 SZ4, 18,000 miles, £9500

Shop for a used Suzuki Vitara here

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here

Pros

• Good driving manners
• Spacious and practical interior
• Well equipped

Cons

• High emissions on some petrol models
• Diesel engines can be noisy
• Some of the trim feels flimsy