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best-used-4x4s-2024-–-and-one-to-avoid

best-used-4x4s-2024-and-one-to-avoid

Buyers of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/large-suvs/n17006">SUVs</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/off-road-4x4-mega-test/n20385">off-roaders</a>&nbsp;expect a lot from their cars: comfort, practicality, a commanding driving position and, in many cases, the added security and off-road potential that comes with four-wheel drive.

All of the models we present here&nbsp;deliver these things but to varying degrees. Some have seven seats, while others provide incredible ability when conditions get tough. But whatever you're after from your 4x4, you'll find something in this top 10 to meet your needs.

Visit our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars">Used Cars For Sale</a>&nbsp;pages to find lots of cars listed at great prices.

Slideshow story: please click the right-hand arrow above to continue, or simply scroll down if you’re reading on your mobile

Best used 4x4s 2024 – and one to avoid

Suzuki is well known as a motorcycle manufacturer, but the car brand has been enjoying decent success in recent years, thanks to a line-up of neat, well-equipped and keenly priced models.

Its expertise focuses on smaller cars, although its high-riding SUV range is also hugely credible, especially the Ignis and Vitara, which are both rated highly by What Car?’s testers and which have enjoyed success at the What Car? Awards as a result.

Well priced, decent to drive and full of useful tech, Suzuki’s cars also generally stand out for delivering good fuel economy. The Ignis, Celerio and Baleno have all stood head and shoulders above the competition during our True MPG testing.

SUZUKI

JIMNY

There's good news and bad news about the diminutive&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/suzuki/jimny/van/review/n23250">Suzuki Jimny</a>. The good news is that it's an absolute hoot and this second-generation version, launched in 2019,&nbsp;has become an instant classic. Living up to its AllGrip moniker, it's got unstoppable off-road abilities. The bad news is that the car is no longer on sale new, and demand for used models is so high that prices are rather steep. Oh, and it's a weeny bit crude to drive on-road.&nbsp;

We found:&nbsp;2019&nbsp;Suzuki Jimny 1.5 SZ4 AllGrip,&nbsp;18,000&nbsp;miles,&nbsp;£20,500

Find a used one for sale&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/suzuki/jimny?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=KT12%205BF">here</a>

10: Suzuki Jimny

<h3>Strengths</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Great off-road</li>
	<li>Reasonably well equipped</li>
	<li>Good visibility</li>
</ul>

<h3>Weaknesses</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Unrefined</li>
	<li>Bouncy ride</li>
	<li>Expensive used</li>
</ul>

If you want a new car but would rather not spend much, Dacia is a great place to start your search.

This budget brand builds Britain’s cheapest new cars, the Sandero hatchback. And don’t think cheap automatically means corners have been cut, because the Sandero has been commended at the annual What Car? Car of the Year awards on numerous occasions.

Other Dacia models include the&nbsp;higher-riding Sandero Stepway, seven-seat Jogger, and rugged Duster SUV. And while these cost slightly more than the Sandero, they’re still priced aggressively enough that they’re really only competing directly with used cars.

Dacia manages this by borrowing mechanicals and technology from its owner, Renault, to minimise development costs.

DACIA

DUSTER

A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/dacia/duster/estate/review/n67">Dacia Duster</a>&nbsp;is&nbsp;a surprisingly capable on and off-road tool. The four-wheel-drive models are really competent if you decide to leave paved roads behind.&nbsp;Four-wheel-drive cars also have a more sophisticated rear suspension, which is&nbsp;more supple, meaning there's a decent ride, too. There's plenty of space inside and a cavernous boot. For some light off-road motoring on a budget, it's hard to beat.

We found:&nbsp;2019&nbsp;Duster 1.5&nbsp;dCi 110&nbsp;Laureate 4x4, 44,900&nbsp;miles, £10,999&nbsp;

Find a used one for sale&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/dacia/duster?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp&amp;sort=asc&amp;sortBy=distance">here</a>

9: Dacia Duster

<h3>Strengths</h3>

<ul>
	<li>A lot of car for the money</li>
	<li>Big boot</li>
	<li>4x4 version very capable</li>
</ul>

<h3>Weaknesses</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Sparse equipment on lower trims</li>
	<li>Interior feels very cheap</li>
	<li>Disappointing Euro NCAP safety rating</li>
</ul>

Estate

Today, the resurgent Seat brand is selling better cars than at any time in its history.

In large part, that’s because it is one of the brands owned by the VW Group. Underneath, all of the cars it sells are strongly related to similar models sold by Volkswagen itself, or the likes of Skoda and even Audi. If you are buying a Leon, for example, the hardware will be similar to that of the Golf, Octavia and A3.

But while Seat makes the most of this tie-up to offer everything from city, small and family cars, including estates, through to a full range of SUVs, it also adds in its own slice of character, both with its distinctive styling approach and because its engineers generally tune the cars to deliver sportier handling.

While all of its cars are decent, it is the SUVs that stand out. The Arona and Ateca are among the class leaders and have enjoyed triumphs at the What Car? Awards.

SEAT

ATECA

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/ateca/estate/review/n111">Seat Ateca</a>&nbsp;is a great&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/family-suvs/n17116">family SUV</a>&nbsp;and one of the best-handling SUVs on the market. It's spacious and practical, and, while not built of the plushest materials, the interior is suitably well made and fairly classy. Four-wheel-drive models are mostly found paired with a torquey 2.0-litre diesel engine that is both economical and refined at a motorway cruise.

We found:&nbsp;2019 Seat Ateca 2.0 TDI 150 Xcellence 4Drive, 45,000 miles, £16,000

Find a used one for sale<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/seat/ateca?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp&amp;sort=asc&amp;sortBy=distance">&nbsp;here</a>

8: Seat Ateca

<h3>Strengths</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Spacious interior</li>
	<li>Class-leading handling</li>
	<li>Boot space pips rivals</li>
	<li>Good value used</li>
</ul>

<h3>Weaknesses</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Some rivals offer more flexible seating</li>
	<li>Interior isn’t that plush</li>
	<li>One or two are more economical</li>
</ul>

Toyota is a company undergoing a quiet revolution, as it works hard to replace its sensible but somewhat bland reputation with one for being a bit more daring, in areas such as the styling of its cars and its enthusiastic leadership of cutting-edge technology, such as hybrid systems.

That process seems to be working for buyers, with the hugely popular and striking-looking C-HR SUV in particular attracting a great deal of interest. The latest version of the hybrid Prius is also rated highly by What Car?; it’s the first Prius to go on sale that our testers have felt can truly compete all round with existing petrol or diesel rivals.

However, it’s worth noting that this period of transition is also a work in progress, and that many of the firm’s cars are still rated as being no more than average among class rivals by our testers.

TOYOTA

LAND CRUISER

Big, butch, roomy and rugged, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/land-cruiser/4x4/used-review/n19396">Toyota Land Cruiser&nbsp;</a>comes with three or five doors and five or seven seats.&nbsp;Toyota&nbsp;has a great reputation for reliability, too, and&nbsp;you will count plenty of Land Cruisers in the&nbsp;hostile desert regions of the world, so it should&nbsp;prove to be a tough, go-anywhere off-roader. Indeed, if what you need is a genuine off-road vehicle, few do it better. Not the most refined thing on-road, though.&nbsp;

We found:&nbsp;2019&nbsp;Toyota Land Cruiser 2.8d 177 AWD Utility, 50,000 miles, £31,900

Find a used one for sale&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/volvo/xc90?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp&amp;sort=asc&amp;sortBy=distance">here</a>

7: Toyota Land Cruiser

<h3>Strengths</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Great off road</li>
	<li>Reliable</li>
	<li>Well equipped</li>
</ul>

<h3>Weaknesses</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Rudimentary on road handling</li>
	<li>Interior not that plush</li>
	<li>Rear hinged door terrible in tight car parks</li>
</ul>

Audi is a brand that sets the standard for interior quality, and this, combined with its vast and ever-growing model line-up, has helped it become one of the ‘big three’ German prestige car makers, along with BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

The A3 hatchback, A4 executive saloon and Q7 SUV have all won their classes at the What Car? Car of the Year Awards in recent years, while the TT coupé is the most decorated car in the history of the ceremony.

At least some of Audi's success over the past 30 years can be attributed to the growth in sales of vehicles with four-wheel drive; the company arguably led the way in bringing 4x4 technology into the mainstream, with its Quattro coupé in the early 1980s.

Today, most Audis are available with at least the option of four-wheel drive, while the list of SUVs from the brand includes the Q2, Q3, Q5 and Q7.

AUDI

This second-generation&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/q5/4x4/review/n41">Audi Q5</a>&nbsp;is an immensely popular car and one of the best SUVs you can buy, new or used. It's smooth, refined and incredibly classy inside and out. It drives superbly, is well equipped and spacious and practical, too. With quattro four-wheel drive, there's plenty of traction, and the Q5 is stable and smooth riding. It's so popular that the only stumbling block is its relatively high used prices.&nbsp;

We found:&nbsp;2019&nbsp;Audi Q5 2.0 TDI quattro Sport, 38,000&nbsp;miles, £26,000

Find a used one for sale&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/audi/q5?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp&amp;sort=asc&amp;sortBy=distance">here</a>

6: Audi Q5

<h3>Strengths</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Smooth and punchy engines</li>
	<li>High-quality interior</li>
	<li>Relatively modest running costs</li>
</ul>

<h3>Weaknesses</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Steering could be more involving</li>
	<li>No seven-seat option</li>
	<li>You need air suspension or non-sport suspension for the best ride</li>
</ul>

Munich-based BMW is most famous for its sports saloons, in particular the 3 Series and 5 Series. However, it actually builds almost every type of car imaginable: everything from two-seat convertibles to seven-seat MPVs.

The cheapest model in the BMW range is the 1 Series hatchback, which is a rival to the Audi A3, Mercedes-Benz A-Class and Volkswagen Golf. Meanwhile, at the other extreme is the i8 plug-in hybrid sports car, which costs more than £100,000.

BMW was also quick to capitalise on the rise of the SUV and now has six in its range: the X1, X2, X3, X4, X5 and X6.

All of this makes it one of the big three German prestige brands, along with Audi and Mercedes-Benz.

Car buyers do like a premium brand, and they don’t come much more blue-chip than&nbsp;BMW. This&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/x1/estate/review/n25006">2015-2022 BMW X1</a>&nbsp;is a fine family SUV that's great to drive in xDrive four-wheel drive form and comes with bags of room inside, and a quality interior that features the excellent iDrive infotainment system. It's well equipped, too, and according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2021-what-car-reliability-survey-family-suvs/n23403">our most recent What Car? Reliability Survey</a>&nbsp;it's one of the most reliable family SUVs. Good value used, too.&nbsp;

We found:&nbsp;2019 BMW X1 xDrive 20d Sport, 50,000&nbsp;miles, £20,500

Find a used one for sale&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/skoda/karoq?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp&amp;sort=asc&amp;sortBy=distance">here</a>

5: BMW X1

<h3>Strengths</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Good to drive</li>
	<li>High-quality interior</li>
	<li>Spacious and practical</li>
</ul>

<h3>Weaknesses</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Lots of road noise</li>
	<li>Fairly pricey</li>
</ul>

One of the greatest success stories in the car world of recent decades is Skoda’s rise to become a hugely credible mainstream maker of good-value, good-sense cars.

Central to that success has been its place within the VW Group, alongside the Volkswagen brand itself, plus the likes of Seat and Audi. That has given it access to exactly the same underpinnings for its cars as the other brands, and it has complemented this by adding its own developments, from the way the cars drive and ride through to the features they have and the pricing.

The result is a range that extends from a city car to a large executive saloon, with family and large seven-seat SUVs too. There’s a wide variety of petrol and diesel engines, all of which are competitive for the class.

As a result, Skoda has a range of cars that is almost entirely class-leading or among the class leaders, and it has enjoyed long-time success at the What Car? Awards as a result.

SKODA

KAROQ

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/karoq/estate/review/n118">Skoda Karoq</a>&nbsp;is a fantastic family SUV, with compact dimensions that make it easy to handle around town, as well as a practical and versatile interior that gives it the capability to carry everything you need. Plus, the Karoq's raised ride height and large window area help to give the driver great all-around visibility. You'll need one of the bigger 2.0-litre diesel or 2.0-litre petrol engines if you want the very useful four-wheel drive, though.

We found:&nbsp;2019 Skoda Karoq 2.0 TDI 150 Sport Line 4x4, 30,000 miles, £19,500

Find a used one for sale<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/skoda/karoq?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp&amp;sort=asc&amp;sortBy=distance">&nbsp;here</a>

4: Skoda Karoq

<h3>Strengths</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Spacious and practical interior</li>
	<li>Comfortable ride</li>
	<li>Punchy engines</li>
</ul>

<h3>Weaknesses</h3>

<ul>
	<li>A little bland to drive</li>
	<li>Not as efficient as some</li>
	<li>VarioFlex seats optional on some models</li>
</ul>

Volvo is now a true rival to the likes of Audi, BMW, Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz, offering an alternative take on premium executive cars to a rapidly growing fanbase.

After a string of strong launches – notably with the Mk2 XC90 and XC60 SUVs – it struck gold in early 2018 when it launched its smallest SUV, the XC40. When our testers compared the car with its rivals, they concluded that it was the best launch of the previous 12 months, earning it our coveted overall Car of the Year Award.

The good news is that, like many car makers, Volvo now uses the same structure underneath most of its cars – so if they get it right on one model, it usually bodes well for the rest. That’s the case here, with Volvo’s subsequent saloon and estate launches complementing the SUVs and making for a generally extremely appealing line-up.

VOLVO

XC90

If you need a big seven-seater, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volvo/xc90/4x4/review/n99">Volvo XC90</a>&nbsp;is a car you can buy with your head as well as your heart. Not only can it seat seven in reasonable comfort, but there’s still enough room behind the third-row seats for a decent amount of luggage. The four-wheel-drive XC90 is good to drive, too, and nicely finished and wonderfully stylish inside and out. It'll impress the neighbours and it's a bit of a used car bargain.

We found:&nbsp;2018&nbsp;Volvo XC90 2.0 D5 Powerpulse Momentum, 47,000 miles, £27,950

Find a used one for sale&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/volvo/xc90?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp&amp;sort=asc&amp;sortBy=distance">here</a>

3: Volvo XC90

<h3>Strengths</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Classy interior</li>
	<li>Seven-seat versatility</li>
	<li>Well equipped</li>
</ul>

<h3>Weaknesses</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Ride slightly unsettled</li>
	<li>Road and suspension noise</li>
	<li>Reliability average</li>
</ul>

After the excellent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/x3/4x4/used-review/n829">second-generation 2012-2018 BMW X3</a>, its successor had a lot to live up to. Fortunately, the third-generation car made sure to up&nbsp;its game even further in terms of&nbsp;technology, improved refinement and greater&nbsp;interior space. In addition, it's&nbsp;good to drive, especially with the xDrive four-wheel drive, which gives it real ability on snow and muddy surfaces, and it's well equipped and classy. Overall, its tidy handling and&nbsp;highly practical, high-quality interior make the X3 one of the best large SUVs you can buy.&nbsp;

We found:&nbsp;2019&nbsp;BMW X3 xDrive20d Se, 50,000&nbsp;miles, £25,999

Find a used one for sale&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/bmw/x3?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp&amp;sort=asc&amp;sortBy=distance">here</a>

2: BMW X3

<h3>Strengths</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Sharp handling</li>
	<li>Class-leading infotainment</li>
	<li>Strong engines</li>
	<li>Good value used</li>
</ul>

<h3>Weaknesses</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Firm ride in M Sport trim</li>
	<li>Popular 20d engine sounds gruff</li>
</ul>

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/q7/4x4/review/n87">Audi Q7</a>&nbsp;is one of our favourite&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/luxury-suvs/n17036">luxury SUVs</a>, and the good news is that it’s perhaps even better as a used buy;&nbsp;a 2019 facelift left&nbsp;it with a more hesitant automatic gearbox and a less user-friendly infotainment system. However, the update also brought some positive tweaks, including mild hybrid assistance which helps to reduce fuel consumption. All versions are great&nbsp;to drive,&nbsp;comfortable and spacious, and come with a wonderfully classy&nbsp;interior.

We found:&nbsp;2018&nbsp;Audi Q7 3.0 TDI 218 S line&nbsp;quattro, 61,000&nbsp;miles, £26,950

Find a used one for sale&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/audi/q7?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp&amp;sort=asc&amp;sortBy=distance">here</a>

1: Audi Q7

<h3>Strengths</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Smooth and powerful engines</li>
	<li>Great ride on air suspension</li>
	<li>Wonderful build quality</li>
</ul>

<h3>Weaknesses</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Not as sharp to drive as some rivals</li>
	<li>Plug-in hybrid loses seven-seat option</li>
	<li>Expensive to run</li>
</ul>

Hatchback

While Mitsubishi sells both the Mirage hatchback and the L200 pick-up truck in the UK, the core of its range is in SUVs – handy, since this is one of the largest markets worldwide.

There’s an SUV to suit everyone, too. If you’re a company car driver, the Outlander PHEV mixes low fuel bills with a spacious interior. The ASX, meanwhile, is attractively priced against key rivals such as the Nissan Qashqai and Seat Ateca. Or, if you prefer mud to asphalt, the Shogun offers genuine off-road ability.

More SUVs are on the way, too, including one that’s rumoured to bring back the ‘Evo’ name made famous in rallying.

MITSUBISHI

ECLIPSE CROSS

Spacious and well equipped, but let down by a bad ride and a small boot. There are better driving SUVs out there and ones that get better infotainment systems too, so we wouldn't blame you for giving this one a miss.

<hr />
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