In partnership with Auto Trader
Best used family SUVs for less than £10,000
You can put a practical and desirable family SUV on your driveway for less than £10,000 if you buy used, but which one should you choose? Here are our top 10 favourites.....
Thanks to the popularity of family SUVs there's now more choice than ever on the second-hand car market, even if your budget is limited to a maximum of just £10,000.
But with so much on offer, which ones should you go for? To help you decide, we've collated a list of our top 10 favourites. We've even linked them to our used cars classified site so if you're tempted by one of our 10 you could actually put it on your driveway.
Strengths
- Spacious and practical interior with excellent driving position
- Comfortable ride, smooth on all roads
- A good choice of punchy engines
Weaknesses
- A little bland to drive
- Not as efficient as some of its rivals
- VarioFlex seats are only optional on some models
The Skoda Karoq just edges out its broadly similar sibling the Seat Ateca to the top spot. It's extremely practical (even more so than the Ateca), plus it's good to drive and excellent value for money. The ride is cosseting too, and it's decently refined in town and on a motorway. The Karoq’s greatest asset, though, is its interior, which is flexible, smart and beautifully built, with loads of space for all your passengers.
"You are spoilt for choice when it comes to engine options in the Skoda Karoq. I particularly like the 1.5-litre petrol engine, which produces 148bhp and provides flexible performance for everyday driving. It's even quite cheap to run." – Mark Pearson, Used Cars Editor
We found: 2018 Skoda Karoq 1.5 TSI SE Technology, 68,000 miles, £9995
Read our full used Skoda Karoq review
Search for a used Skoda Karoq for sale
Our pick: 1.5 TSI EVO SE 5dr
Strengths
- Spacious interior
- Class-leading handling
- Boot space pips rivals
- Good value used
Weaknesses
- Some rivals offer more flexible seating
- Interior isn’t that plush
- One or two are more economical
You'll have to shop around, but early examples of the award-winning Seat Ateca are into the sub-£10k category, giving buyers yet another reason to go for this great family SUV. Even the base 1.0-litre petrol is remarkably capable, and the Ateca drives far better than everything on this list. What's more, it is incredibly practical with a huge boot that's perfect for family life.
"I love the Ateca. It was the first family SUV that was good enough to please keen drivers. It was a deserved winner of our What Car? Used Car of the Year Award in 2019." - Mark Pearson, used cars editor
We found: 2017 Seat Ateca 1.0 TSI SE, 70,000 miles, £9999
Read our full used Seat Ateca review
Search for a used Seat Ateca for sale
Strengths
- Smooth handling and responsive steering
- High-quality interior with solid materials
- Spacious boot with plenty of practical loading options
- Reliability looks good
Weaknesses
- Noticeable wind and road noise at speed
- Higher servicing costs than some of its rivals
- Some electrical issues have been reported by owners
Car buyers do like a premium brand, and they don’t come much more blue-chip than BMW. The BMW X1 is great to drive, plus it has bags of room inside and a high-quality interior with the excellent iDrive infotainment system. It's well equipped, too, and our most recent What Car? Reliability Survey found it to be one of the most reliable family SUVs available.
"If your budget can stretch to it, above our limit here, I think the 2020 facelift models are worth going for. These cars come with much improved in-car technology with Apple CarPlay and a larger 8.8in infotainment screen." – Mark Pearson, Used Cars Editor
We found: 2017 BMW X1 2.0 18d sDrive, 74,000 miles, £9999
Read our full used BMW X1 review
Search for a used BMW X1 for sale
Strengths
- A lot of car for the money
- Big boot
- 4x4 version very capable
Weaknesses
- Sparse equipment on lower trims
- Interior feels very cheap
- Disappointing Euro NCAP safety rating
Some people just want a no-nonsense car to see them through, and the latest Dacia Duster delivers on that promise and more. You can get into an entry-level example of the much improved latest model for our budget, and it'll have below-average mileage too. Plus, it isn't as basic as you might expect – this one even has a stereo and air-con thrown in.
"You gotta love the Duster. I do. It'll do all the practical stuff that all the other cars here do but at a lower cost, age-for-age." - George Hill, used cars writer
We found: 2021 Dacia Duster 1.6 SCe Essential, 21,000 miles, £9500
Read our full used Dacia Duster review
Search for a used Dacia Duster for sale
Strengths
- Upmarket interior
- Standard safety kit
- Practicality
Weaknesses
- Vague controls
- Popular, so can be pricier than other used rivals
- Slow infotainment system
- Reliability a bit mixed
The stylish Peugeot 3008 is great to drive and comfortable to ride in and very nice to look at. The interior is a little different from most, too, with that small steering wheel and a relatively high seating position. It's practical, smart and good value. Only a distinctly average showing in our latest What Car? Reliability Survey relegates it down our list.
"I ran one as a long-termer and enjoyed it. For a car devoid of a premium badge, I found the 3008's interior pretty stylish and plush." – Mark Pearson, used cars editor
We found 2018 Peugeot 3008 1.2 PureTech 130 Active, 70,000 miles, £9995
Read our used Peugeot 3008 review
Search for a used Peugeot 3008 for sale
Our pick: 1.6T Advance 5dr
Strengths
- Plenty of space
- Lots of equipment
- Relatively cheap to buy used
Weaknesses
- Plasticky interior
- Firm ride
- Some thirsty engines
You could apply the Ronseal tagline of 'Does exactly what it says on the tin' to the Hyundai Tucson because it gives you everything you'd expect of a family SUV: lots of space, plenty of equipment and an easy drive. Go for a front-wheel-drive 1.7-litre diesel over a four-wheel-drive 2.0-litre and it'll be inexpensive to buy and to run. Reliability looks good, too.
"Separating the Tucson from the likes of the similar Sportage is like choosing your favourite child but whichever you go for you'll get a highly competent and practical SUV. Tucson reliability looks better at the mo. I like the fact the Tucson looks rather butch, as its name suggests." - Mark Pearson, used cars editor
We found: 2018 Hyundai Tucson 1.7 CRDi SE Nav, 50,000 miles, £9495
Read our full used Hyundai Tucson review
Search for a used Hyundai Tucson for sale
Strengths
- Spacious interior
- Bigger boot than sibling Nissan Qashqai
- Quiet petrol engines
Weaknesses
- So-so quality
- Grabby brakes
- Choppy ride on big alloys
Despite being essentially the same underneath as the Nissan Qashqai, the Renault Kadjar is a fraction more practical than its sibling thanks to its bigger boot. Fuel efficiency is slightly better if you go for the diesel, but we'd suggest you go for the entry-level petrol that's much more refined. A great reliability result for the diesel-engined Kadjars in our most recent reliability survey seals the deal.
"When is a Qashqai not a Qashqai? When it's a Kadjar. This is the unknown twin and a good car for SUV work. Good value too. And look at that great reliability rating." - George Hill, used cars writer
We found: 2019 Renault Kadjar 1.2 TCe Dynamique Nav, 30,000 miles, £8995
Read our full used Renault Kadjar review
Search for a used Renault Kadjar for sale
Our pick: 1.3 DiG-T MH N-Connecta 5dr
Strengths
- Smooth ride over rough road surfaces
- Spacious interior with plenty of storage options
- Strong fuel economy, especially on diesel options
Weaknesses
- Some reliability issues reported by owners
- Restricted rear visibility without parking aids
- Higher trims can compromise ride comfort
Speaking of good fuel economy, diesel versions of the ever-popular Nissan Qashqai can embarrass much smaller cars when it comes to efficiency. Mid-range Acenta examples are the ones to go for because you get dual-zone climate control, cruise control, auto lights and wipers, along with Bluetooth connectivity. Reliability can be an issue, though.
"The one that started the trend for family SUVs and still a good car today. This model I ran as a long-termer and found it spacious and comfortable for my family." - Mark Pearson, used cars editor
We found: 2019 Nissan Qashqai 1.5 dCi Acenta, 38,000 miles, £9999
Read our full used Nissan Qashqai review
Search for a used Nissan Qashqai for sale
Our pick: 1.6T GDi 157 48V ISG 3 5dr
Strengths
- Spacious and practical interior ideal for families
- Good value for money as a used buy
- Petrol-engined Sportages have a good reliability record
Weaknesses
- Diesel-engined cars have a poor reliability record
- Handling is not particularly engaging or fun
- Ride can be badly unsettled by larger wheel options
- Some interior materials do not feel as premium as its rivals
Compared with the Hyundai Tuscon it is closely related to, the Kia Sportage is a slightly better drive and comes with a longer (seven years from new as opposed to five) manufacturer's warranty. It was a popular new choice too, so there are loads of examples out there to pick from. Reliability for the post-2018 cars is worse than for the 2016-2018 models, oddly, so maybe shop for a well-kept early car.
"The Sportage is a car that has improved immeasurably over the years. This model was the first that was good to drive and really practical. I love the looks of it and at this price it's very desirable." - George Hill, used cars writer
We found: 2018 Kia Sportage 1.6 GDi ISG 2, 48,000 miles, £9995
Read our full used Kia Sportage review
Search for a used Kia Sportage for sale
Strengths
- Fun to drive for an SUV
- Spacious interior for passengers and luggage
- Economical diesel engines
Weaknesses
- Too much wind and road noise at high speeds
- Ride is jittery on poorer road surfaces
- Removable rear seats are fiddly
The much-loved Skoda Yeti is an excellent family SUV; its only real downside is that its infotainment technology is a little dated now compared with more modern rivals. The Yeti isn't the biggest SUV on the outside, but thanks to its boxy exterior it's remarkably roomy inside, and versatile seating makes the most of that space. It's chunky, still funky and remarkably practical.
"The very definition of the go-anywhere, do-anything SUV. Affordable, chic, even though it's old now and there are far more modern SUVs out there I still love the Yeti. Buy one of the last in rugged 'Outdoor' trim." - Mark Pearson, used cars editor
We found: 2017 Skoda Yeti Outdoor 1.2 TSI Elegance, 50,000 miles, £8550
Read our full used Skoda Yeti review
Search for a used Skoda Yeti for sale
FAQs
Many people buy family SUVs for their ability to make life that little bit easier. That means when you go to view a car, make sure you bring the family, plus any equipment you regularly carry, such as pushchairs or scooters. If you have young children, make sure you can fit their child seats and check the car’s seats are wide enough to make it easy to fasten seatbelts across them. If you carry bulkier items, check how easy it is to fold the seats.
Family-friendly features are really useful. But of equal use are the ability to disable the rear window switches, turn child locks off and on easily and deactivate the front passenger airbag before installing a child seat.
In our most recent survey of the most reliable family SUVs, the Lexus NX took the top place followed by the related Toyota RAV4. The diesel-engined version of the Renault Kadjar featured here finished third.
