Top 10: Used SUVs for under £10,000 in 2020
You don’t necessarily need a big budget to get your hands on an SUV that will deliver all the capabilities of an off-roader with on-road practicality and comfort. These are the best used SUVs for £10k in 2020.
Kia Sportage
The difference between this Kia Sportage and the car it replaced in 2010 is night and day. The more modern Sportage is a competent and high-quality feeling SUV, while the creaky old model screamed ‘bargain bin’ from every surface. There's plenty of choice but for this budget we'd look at a 2011-2015 1.7-litre CRDi diesel model with upwards of 50,000 miles on the clock.
Honda CR-V
The fourth-generation Honda CR-V was on sale between 2012 and 2018 and - for £10,000 - you’ve your pick from a range of variants – including the top-of-the-line EX model with Honda’s refined and efficient i-DTEC diesel engine. Most in this specification, which was available with either an automatic or manual gearbox, will date from around 2012 and have between 50,000-80,000 miles on the clock.
>>Find a used Honda CR-V for sale
Nissan Qashqai
The Nissan Qashqai was a true game changer in the family car market and gave rise to the ever-expanding crossover segment – while simultaneously making driving an SUV-type car acceptable again. This kind of budget gets you into a second-generation model, which arrived in the UK in 2014. If you cover high miles, we'd recommend the 1.5 dCi diesel engine. £10,000 gets a choice of models with low miles.
Skoda Yeti
The Skoda Yeti was a divisive beast, thanks to its unique styling, but it offered an excellent range of frugal engines in a practical, comfortable package. You’ve plenty of choice in the £10,000 range, too. If you stick to the frugal and reliable manual diesel variants (avoid the DSG) and go for an all-wheel-drive model, you’ll be able to pick up a 2016 example with fewer than 50,000 miles on the clock.
Dacia Duster
The new Duster has just arrived but, if you’re in the market for an affordable low-mileage SUV, the outgoing model can be a good buy. It’s a cost-effective, no-nonsense crossover that's offered with either a choice of 1.2- or 1.6-litre petrols engines or a 1.5-litre turbocharged diesel. Our budget will get you a high-spec Laureate model from 2017 with low miles. If you want a petrol, hunt out a desirable 1.2 TCe over the unrefined 1.6.
Toyota RAV4
The RAV4, which first arrived in 1994, has become a popular 4x4. It's now in its fifth generation, having been continually improved in an effort to keep it competitive, but £10,000 will get you into an earlier third-generation model. From a running costs perspective we’d opt for the 2.2-litre diesel engine if you're doing big mile. For this budget, you’ll have your pick from a range of facelifted models dating from 2010 onwards.
Volvo XC90
When the XC90 first went on sale in 2002, demand far exceeded supply and the waiting lists extended for months. It was a hugely popular SUV, thanks in part to its subtle and upmarket looks – and £10,000 will now get you straight into a 2010 model, or newer, with the smooth yet flexible 2.4-litre D5 diesel.
Mitsubishi Shogun
Got to tow a lot or need some serious off-road capability? We’d recommend considering a fourth-generation Mitsubishi Shogun, which arrived in the UK in 2007. They’re hard-working SUVs that can deal with all manner of rough terrain and they’re also reliable and tough. Around £9000 should get you into a 2007 and on example, with around 80,000 miles on the clock.
Subaru Forester
While it may not be as powerful, economical or good looking as its rivals, the third-gen Forester boasts all-wheel drive and durable Subaru engineering. There’s a range of third-gen Foresters, which arrived in 2008 and ran until 2012, for under £10,000. Every version comes with plenty of kit but the XS and XC are the ones to keep an eye out for.
Lexus RX400h
The Lexus RX has been on sale since 2001 but in 2005 the RX400h was launched. It was the world’s first high-performance hybrid SUV, featuring a petrol engine and two electric motors. It's still a comfortable, effortless and quiet choice. This kind of budget will net you a 2009 example with around 80,000 miles on the clock.
