Best used family SUVs for less than £15,000

The Nissan Qashqai was a trendsetter when it arrived and it continues to be a very popular choice. This second-generation car is quiet, comfortable and economical. The driving experience leaves room for improvement, as does its questionable reliability (see our latest What Car? Reliability Survey), but it remains a sensible, compelling choice. 

We found: 2019 Nissan Qashqai 1.3 DiG-T Acenta Premium, 37,000 miles, £14,495

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Perhaps a little overshadowed by the more popular Nissan Qashqai (a shame, really, considering that the two are basically identical under the skin), the Renault Kadjar is a bit of a bargain. It has a big boot for all your pram and/or weekly shopping requirements, plus it can be had with a smooth 1.3-litre turbo petrol engine. It’s hardly exciting to drive, but it is refined and comfortable.  

We found: 2020 Renault Kadjar 1.3 TCe Iconic, 56,000 miles, £14,799

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A premium badge and a high-quality interior make the Audi Q3 a desirable used proposition. It also comes with a fine choice of punchy and efficient engines, decent refinement and tidy handling. It's a popular car so it holds its value well, and that means our budget only buys you a 2017/2018 version of the first-generation model, otherwise it might have finished higher on our list.

We found: 2018 Audi Q3 2.0 TDI 150 SE, 50,000 miles, £14,500

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The C-HR handles sweetly, is swift enough for most needs and looks just as interesting inside as it does on the outside. All in, it's quite a departure for a conservative brand like Toyota. It's not as practical as one or two of the other cars on this list, but it's good to drive, comfortable and reliable. 

We found: 2018 Toyota C-HR 1.2T Icon, 40,000 miles, £14,900

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The recent facelift of the Tucson means that the values of earlier examples have dropped, meaning you can get a well-specified example easily within our budget. And we do mean well-specified: SE Nav comes with rear parking sensors, heated front seats, climate control and a reversing camera. Oh, and sat-nav. It's also comfortable, spacious and practical. 

We found: 2019 Hyundai Tucson 1.6 GDi SE Nav 2WD, 51,500 miles, £14,750

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The Sportage in mid-spec ‘2’ trim has sat-nav, rear parking sensors, heated front seats, power-folding door mirrors, climate control, auto lights and wipers, and privacy glass. You'll also be getting one of the most dependable family SUVs available – as shown by our latest What Car? Reliability Survey – and it came with a seven-year warranty new, so there should be plenty of cover left. 

We found: 2019 Kia Sportage 1.6 GDi 2, 38,750 miles, £14,795

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Car buyers do like a premium brand, and they don’t come much more blue-chip than BMW. The current X1 is great to drive, comes with bags of room inside and has a quality interior that features 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. 

We found: 2017 BMW X1 2.0 18d sDrive, 54,000 miles, £14,899

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The Volkswagen Tiguan has regularly been one of the most popular family SUVs around. This second-generation version is beautifully made and finished, and is also a solid performer, especially if you go for the torquey 2.0-litre that has no trouble carrying a car-load of people around (or towing a caravan). It's also refined, practical and spacious. 

We found: 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 TDI S, 39,700 miles, £14,800

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Another great family SUV, the Seat Ateca is one of the very best of its kind to drive – feeling sure-footed on a challenging B-road, nimble on city streets and refined on a motorway. It’s also backed up by a cracking range of engines. Practicality is still a top priority: the doors open wide to make putting a child car seat in easier, the boot is big and the interior is spacious. 

We found: 2018 Seat Ateca 1.0 TSI Ecomotive SE, 34,730 miles, £14,950

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The 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 drives well and is 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.

We found: 2018 Skoda Karoq 1.6 TDI SE Technology, 31,000 miles, £14,995

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