Best used small SUVs for less than £15,000

Used prices for the VW T-Roc start from around £9000 for early examples, so it's competitive on value with the Ford Puma, Skoda Kamiq and the VW T-Cross, while newer, facelift examples can be had for less than £15,000.

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.

Facelift models have a much-improved interior, with soft materials and bright plastic finishes where you’d want them. To top things off, it finished in second place out of 38 small SUVs in our most recent reliability survey, which should inspire confidence.

"I think this T-Roc combines all that's best of modern VW in a small, practical and comfortable package. Top marks." – George Hill, Used Cars Writer

We found: 2022 Volkswagen T-Roc 1.0 TSI Life, 48,989 miles, £14,750

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The Ford Puma is a brilliant small SUV. 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 an impressive package, but it's reliability has dropped in our most recent reliability survey, which is why it loses out to the VW T-Roc for the top spot.

Even so, it's a close call, and the Puma is excellent value against its main rivals, including the Skoda Kamiq and T-Roc, with prices starting from the £8000 mark. For a touch under £15,000, you'll find plenty of 2023 cars in really good nick, with around 20,000 miles on clock, either in Titanium or ST-Line trim. 

"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 MHEV Titanium, 46,680 miles, £11,998

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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, with prices starting from around £10,000. It scored very well in our most recent reliability survey, too.

"Oh, all that Audi high-quality feel in a small and easy-to-park SUV package. I'm hooked." – George Hill, Used Cars Writer

We found: 2021 Audi Q2 1.0 TFSI 30 Sport, 49,587 miles, £13,990

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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.

Expect to pay upwards of £10,000 for a Kamiq in good condition, with the top end of our budget getting you a 2022 or 2023 car in range-topping SE L trim.

"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 SE Drive, 35,690 miles, £12,490

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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 forward, 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. It's not quite as plush or well-rounded as the closely related T-Roc, but prices are similar, starting from £9000 for a high-mileage example. Lower mileage cars kick off at around £11,000.

"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: 2023 Volkswagen T-Cross 1.0 TSI SE, 47,990 miles, £13,037

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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. Prices start from around £7000, this for a high-mileage 2017 or 2018 car. Newer models, in Cooper form with the 1.5-litre petrol engine, can be had within our budget.

"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: 2022 Mini Countryman 1.5 Cooper Classic, 46,726 miles, £14,850

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With a premium interior and punchy engine range, the stylish Peugeot 2008 has some real substance to back up its stylish looks, especially for prices within our budget, at around £9000.

It's an impressively practical and spacious interior, too, complete with Peugeot's iCockpit set-up, 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, plus it's economical to run and reliability is good. It's just not the most user-friendly car on this list, with an infotainment system that's a bit fiddly to use.

"Très 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 PureTech Allure Premium, 41,259 miles, £11,990

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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, with prices starting from around £9000.

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 engines available, but it's still a very likeable car. There's a hybrid version, too, which is great if you want make savings at the fuel pump. 

"I'll be honest, I thought the first Captur was 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: 2023 Renault Captur 1.0 TCe Techno, 29,233 miles, £12,894

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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 2023 or 2024 car with low mileage. Earlier, low mileage cars can be had for even less, at around £7000. Just be aware that it feels quite cheap inside.

"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 Boosterjet MHEV SZ-T, 47,898 miles, £11,800

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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, it hasn't done particularly well in our last few reliability surveys, demoting it way down our rankings. On the plus side, it is one of the more affordable cars on this list, with prices starting from around £6000 for high-mileage examples. Lower mileage models cost upwards of £8000.

"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: 2023 Seat Arona 1.0 TSI EVO SE Technology, 34,274 miles, £12,494

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