Best used small SUVs for less than £15,000

The Ford Puma is one of our favourite small SUVs, not just at this price point but at any price point. It’s impressively economical and great fun to drive, with pin-sharp steering and eager handling. All the engine options are gutsy, but we’d seek out the 155 version of the 1.0-litre Ecoboost for its easy oomph. It's supremely practical and so far proving reliable, too. And here’s the best news of all: the Puma is now excellent value against its main rivals. 

"Before I drove this car for the first time I had doubts if a small SUV could really be an entertaining drive, but take it from me the Puma is great fun.' - Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2022 Ford Puma 1.0 Ecoboost 155 ST-Line, 26,000 miles, £13,995

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Stick to the cheaper engines and trims, and although the VW T-Roc isn't the cheapest small SUV it is still a great buy. It's even competitive then on value with the Skoda Kamiq and the VW T-Cross. The T-Roc’s cosseting ride, superb refinement and practical boot will appeal to families, and it has one of the best driving positions of any car in the class. Later models have a much-improved interior, with soft materials and bright plastic finishes where you’d want them. 

"It's a little more expensive to buy than some but I think this T-Roc combines all that's best of modern VW in a small and entertaining package. Top marks." - George Hill, used cars writer

We found: 2021 Volkswagen T-Roc 1.0 TSI 115 SE, 25,000 miles, £14,900

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Another great buy in this class is the suave Audi Q2. This is the car that proves that small doesn’t necessarily mean cheap, but it certainly takes all the good qualities of larger Audis and wraps them up in a compact and very attractive package. It has bold styling on the outside, a well-finished and sporty interior and tidy handling; on top of all that, it's good value too.

"Oh, all that Audi high-quality feel in a small and easy-to-park SUV. I'm hooked." - George Hill, used cars writer

We found: 2021 Audi Q2 1.0 TFSI Sport, 30,000 miles, £15,000

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In contrast to some small SUVs, the Skoda Kamiq puts you quite low to the ground; in fact, its driving position is barely any more elevated than that of the Skoda Scala family hatchback. However, in every other respect, it's a brilliant used choice, with a supple, well-controlled ride and a remarkably spacious interior. That interior feels classier than that of the T-Cross, too. If you’ll mainly be driving in town, then the entry-level 94bhp 1.0-litre petrol engine is peppy enough and the cheapest on the used car forecourt.

"You'll be surprised by this small Skoda. Its interior is really nice, and it drives smoothly too. One of the best." - Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2022 Skoda Kamiq 1.0 TSI 95 SE, 22,000 miles, £14,999

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The Volkswagen T-Cross is comfortable and easy to drive, and surprisingly roomy, too. A couple of six-footers will have plenty of space in the back, and, if you slide the rear bench forwards, there’s almost as much boot space as in some larger family SUVs. Despite that, the T-Cross’s compact dimensions make it easy to handle in town. The T-Cross also comes loaded with safety kit and would have finished even higher if you could have got a newer one for our budget. 

"I like its chunky styling and the T-Cross has a functional but solid interior. I really like that sliding rear seat, which adds useful practicality." - George Hill, used cars writer

We found: 2021 Volkswagen T-Cross 1.0 95 SE, 29,250 miles, £14,995

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Let's face it, there are loads of used small SUVs out there, but very few have that extra panache to make them stand out from the masses. Apart from the Mini Countryman, which is stuffed with so many retro styling cues that you couldn't mistake it for anything else. It's fun and fashionable, but its ride is a bit firm and it's not the most spacious car on our list. However, its reliability is top-notch.

"There's something very familiar about the Mini in all of its many variants, and the Countryman is an incredibly popular car. You pay a little more for it, though." - George Hill, used cars writer

We found: 2020 Mini Countryman 1.5 Cooper Classic, 29,600 miles, £14,490

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With a premium interior and a punchy engine range, the stylish Peugeot 2008 has some real substance to back up its stylish looks. It's an impressively practical and spacious interior too, complete with Peugeot's iCockpit setup, where you view the instrument dials over the top of a small steering wheel rather than through it. It's good to drive, this 2008, economical to run and decently affordable to buy used. 

"Tres chic, the 2008. It's a likeable car, not spectacularly good at anything in particular but one you'd grow fond of if you bought it. Just check the driving position and instrument placement works for you." - Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2022 Peugeot 2008 1.2 130 Allure, 28,000 miles, £14,200

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The Renault Captur fails to blow any class leaders out of the water in any area, but it's a comprehensively good package and a reasonably priced one at that. It delivers what many buyers want from their small SUVs, too. You sit noticeably higher up than you would in a regular hatchback, for instance. You also have a handy, sliding rear bench and a good-sized boot. It's nothing special to drive, unfortunately, plus a fair few rivals have punchier, more varied engine ranges, but it's still a very likeable car. 

"I'll be honest, I thought the first Captur deadly dull, but this latest version is so much better it can't even be related to the first." - Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2022 Renault Captur 1.0 TCe Iconic, 41,586 miles, £12,000 

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Thanks to its squared-off corners, raised ride height and the option of four-wheel drive, the Suzuki Vitara has some of the off-road abilities people associate with larger SUVs. On the road, the balance between ride and handling is well judged, it's spacious inside and it's even quite fun to drive; it's well equipped, too, and our budget buys you a 2022 or even a 2023 car with a low mileage.

"It's feeling a little old-school now, maybe, but the Vitara is a really good used buy. According to our surveys, it's bound to be reliable." - Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2023 Suzuki Vitara 1.4 SZ4 MHEV, 20,000 miles, £13,995

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The Seat Arona is another one of our favourites here. It's got a roomy interior, comfortable ride and peppy petrol engines. Add to that its value when bought used. Indeed, if what you want above all is that your small SUV drives well, this is the one to choose; it has plenty of punch and can tackle corners with enthusiasm. Unfortunately, a very poor showing in our most recent reliability survey demotes it way down our list this year. 

"The Arona was one of our very favourite small SUVs but its reliability, mostly related to electrical issues, lets it down here. If you're prepared to take the risk it's still a great car." - Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2022 Seat Arona 1.0 TSI SE Technology, 22,500 miles, £13,499

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