Volkswagen Tiguan

Volvo XC40

Genesis GV70

Citroën C5 Aircross

Mini Countryman

Volvo XC60

Mazda CX-5

Honda CR-V

best-used-family-suvs-for-less-than-pound15000

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/family-suvs/n17116">Family SUVs</a>&nbsp;are stylish, practical and immensely popular; they offer the raised-up driving positions, spacious interiors&nbsp;and rugged looks that people love.

The good news is they can be decently affordable, too,&nbsp;especially if you buy used. You can actually put an excellent example on your driveway for less than £15,000.

So, read on as we count down our top 10 list of the best on the market.

Best used family SUVs for less than £15,000

Hatchback

Nissan turned up early to the SUV party, with its Qashqai paving the way for the countless models we see today. The Qashqai continues to sell in big numbers in the UK, too, and was also our overall Car of the Year in 2014.

Don’t think Nissan is just about SUVs, though. As well as the Qashqai, the smaller Juke and the larger X-Trail, the Japanese brand has the Micra hatchback, GT-R sports car and Navara pick-up truck.

Nissan was also one of the first big car makers to launch a fully electric car, with its latest Leaf being one of the best on the market.

Despite being based in Japan, Nissan has long committed to building cars in the UK, making several of its best-selling models at a huge factory in Sunderland.

NISSAN

QASHQAI

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/qashqai/hatchback/review/n7">Nissan Qashqai&nbsp;</a>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&nbsp;latest&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2021-what-car-reliability-survey-family-suvs/n23403">What Car? Reliability Survey</a>), but it remains a sensible, compelling&nbsp;choice.&nbsp;

We found:&nbsp;2020&nbsp;Nissan Qashqai 1.3 DiG-T Acenta Premium, 37,000 miles, £14,495

Find a used one for sale&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/nissan/qashqai?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true">here</a>

10: Nissan Qashqai

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Quiet and comfortable</li>
	<li>Sips fuel</li>
	<li>Lots of equipment</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Poor reliability</li>
	<li>Ride suffers on 19in wheels</li>
	<li>Limited rear visibility</li>
</ul>

Hatchbacks, SUVs, hybrids, electric cars: Renault makes them all, in a variety of shapes and sizes, meaning&nbsp;it has a line-up designed to tempt pretty much everyone.

From the roadside, the standout feature of all its cars is design, with them instantly recognisable as members of the Renault family, without being so similar that they fall&nbsp;into the Russian doll trap. However, in terms of ability they're a mixed bag,&nbsp;ranging&nbsp;from very good to no better than average.

Models that fall into the former camp include the Clio small hatchback and Megane E-Tech electric car, while the smaller Zoe electric car is also impressive in most respects; it's just a pity Renault omits key safety kit.

On the other hand, the Captur, Arkana and Austral SUVs are all outclassed by several rivals.

Renault has some exciting new models planned, including a new Scenic (this time it will be an electric SUV instead of a conventionally powered MPV) and two cars that reimagine classic Renaults: the 4 and 5.

RENAULT

KADJAR

Perhaps a little overshadowed by the more popular&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/qashqai/hatchback/review/n7">Nissan Qashqai&nbsp;</a>(a shame, really, considering that the two are basically identical&nbsp;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.&nbsp;&nbsp;

We found:&nbsp;2020 Renault Kadjar 1.3 TCe Iconic, 36,000 miles, £14,799

Find a used one for sale&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/renault/kadjar?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true">here</a>

9: Renault Kadjar

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Spacious interior</li>
	<li>Bigger boot than sibling Nissan Qashqai</li>
	<li>Quiet petrol engines</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>So-so quality</li>
	<li>Grabby brakes</li>
	<li>Choppy ride on big alloys</li>
</ul>

Estate

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 are all common - yet upmarket - sights on UK roads.

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

A premium badge and a high-quality interior make the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/q3/4x4/review/n43">Audi Q3</a>&nbsp;a desirable used proposition.&nbsp;It also comes&nbsp;with a fine choice of punchy and&nbsp;efficient engines, decent refinement and tidy handling. It's a popular car so it holds its value well, and that&nbsp;means our budget only buys you a 2017/2018&nbsp;version of the first-generation model, otherwise it might have finished higher on our list.

We found:&nbsp;2018&nbsp;Audi Q3 2.0 TDI 150 SE, 50,000&nbsp;miles, £14,995

Find a used one for sale&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/audi/q3?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true">here</a>

8: Audi Q3

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Fine refinement</li>
	<li>Good motorway cruiser</li>
	<li>High-quality interior</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>No more space than a family hatch</li>
	<li>Seating not especially versatile</li>
	<li>Very firm S line suspension</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

C-HR

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/c-hr/hatchback/review/n112">Toyota C-HR</a>&nbsp;handles sweetly, is swift enough for most needs and looks just as interesting inside as it does on the outside. All in,&nbsp;it's quite a departure for&nbsp;a conservative brand like&nbsp;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.&nbsp;

We found:&nbsp;2019&nbsp;Toyota C-HR 1.2T&nbsp;Icon, 40,000&nbsp;miles, £14,900

Find a used one for sale&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/toyota/c-hr?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true">here</a>

7: Toyota C-HR

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>1.2 petrol is good to drive</li>
	<li>Plenty of equipment</li>
	<li>Well built</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Hybrid model is noisy</li>
	<li>Rivals are more practical</li>
	<li>Infotainment isn't great</li>
</ul>

Hyundai has transformed itself from a maker of oddball hatchbacks that sold in small numbers in the UK, to a major rival to the likes of Ford, Vauxhall and Volkswagen.

The Korean firm’s Ioniq Hybrid is particularly impressive, having beaten the trend-setting Toyota Prius when we tested the cars back to back.

Meanwhile, at the extremes of the Hyundai range you find the tiny i10 city car – a four-time What Car? award winner – and the stylish yet family-friendly Santa Fe SUV.

As a bonus, all of these cars come with the reassurance of a five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty, whereas most of Hyundai’s rivals offer only three years and 60,000 miles of cover.

HYUNDAI

TUCSON

The recent facelift of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/hyundai/tucson/4x4/review/n103">Hyundai Tucson</a>&nbsp;means that the values of earlier&nbsp;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&nbsp;comfortable, spacious and practical.&nbsp;

We found:&nbsp;2019&nbsp;Hyundai Tucson 1.6 GDi SE Nav 2WD, 51,500&nbsp;miles, £14,750

Find a used one for sale&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/hyundai/tucson?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true">here</a>

6: Hyundai Tucson

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Plenty of space</li>
	<li>Lots of equipment</li>
	<li>Relatively cheap to buy used</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Plasticky interior</li>
	<li>Firm ride</li>
	<li>Some thirsty engines</li>
</ul>

Buyers seeking value for money should have Kia towards the top of their shopping list.

Although once a niche brand in the UK, today Kia outsells many more established brands, helped by its market-leading seven-year warranty and a strong reputation for reliability; in fact, Kia regularly finishes towards the top of our reliability surveys.

There are plenty of models to choose from, too, ranging from the small Picanto city car to the Ceed family hatchback and the Sorento large SUV. The Picanto was the first Kia to win its class at the What Car? Car of the Year awards.

SPORTAGE

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/kia/sportage/4x4/review/n17352">Kia Sportage</a>&nbsp;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&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2021-what-car-reliability-survey-family-suvs/n23403">What Car? Reliability Survey</a>&nbsp;– and it came with&nbsp;a&nbsp;seven-year warranty new, so there should be plenty of cover left.&nbsp;

We found:&nbsp;2019 Kia Sportage 1.6 GDi 2, 38,750&nbsp;miles, £14,795

Find a used one for sale&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/kia/sportage?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true">here</a>

5: Kia Sportage

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Spacious and practical interior</li>
	<li>Good value for money used</li>
	<li>Neat steering</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Diesel engine can be noisy</li>
	<li>So-so ride and handling</li>
	<li>No automatic emergency braking on some models</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 M8&nbsp;grand tourer, which costs more than £120,000.

BMW was also quick to capitalise on the rise of the SUV and now has ten in its range: the X1, X2, X3, X4, X5, X6, X7 and XM, plus the electric iX3 and iX.

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 BMW. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/x1/estate/review/n25006">BMW X1&nbsp;</a>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&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2021-what-car-reliability-survey-family-suvs/n23403">What Car? Reliability Survey</a>&nbsp;found it to be one of the most reliable family SUVs available.&nbsp;

We found:&nbsp;2019&nbsp;BMW X1 2.0 18d sDrive, 54,000&nbsp;miles, £14,999

Find a used one for sale&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/bmw/x1?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true">here</a>

4: BMW X1

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

The VW Group famously spends more money on research and development than any rival – and as a result, perhaps it should be no surprise that our testers rate its cars so consistently highly.

The fact that many of those cars use the same underpinnings also helps, because it means that if they get it right once, they have the foundations to keep on getting it right.

However, the Volkswagen brand faces plenty of tough competition, often from within, because the rapidly rising Seat and Skoda brands that are also part of the group have access to the same technology.

VOLKSWAGEN

TIGUAN

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/tiguan/estate/review/n17357">Volkswagen Tiguan</a>&nbsp;has regularly been one of the most popular family SUVs around. This second-generation version is beautifully made and finished, and is also&nbsp;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.&nbsp;

We found:&nbsp;2019&nbsp;Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 TDI S, 59,700&nbsp;miles, £14,995

Find a used one for sale&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/volkswagen/tiguan?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true">here</a>

3: Volkswagen Tiguan

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Good to drive</li>
	<li>Refinement</li>
	<li>Smart interior</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Rearmost seats in the Allspace model are very tight</li>
	<li>Handsome, but not very exciting to look at</li>
	<li>Reliability average</li>
</ul>

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

Another great family SUV, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/ateca/estate/review/n111">Seat Ateca</a>&nbsp;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.&nbsp;

We found:&nbsp;2020&nbsp;Seat Ateca 1.0 TSI Ecomotive SE, 34,500&nbsp;miles, £14,950

Find a used one for sale&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/seat/ateca?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true">here</a>

2: Seat Ateca

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Spacious interior</li>
	<li>Class-leading handling</li>
	<li>Boot space pips rivals</li>
	<li>Good value used</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</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>

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">Karoq</a>&nbsp;just edges out its&nbsp;broadly similar sibling the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/ateca/estate/review/n111">Seat Ateca</a>&nbsp;to the top spot.&nbsp;It's extremely practical (even more so than the Ateca), plus it drives well and is excellent value for money. The ride is cosseting&nbsp;too, and it's decently refined in town and on a motorway. The Karoq’s greatest asset, though, is its interior, which is&nbsp;flexible, smart and beautifully built,&nbsp;with loads of space for all your passengers.

We found:&nbsp;2020&nbsp;Skoda Karoq 1.5 TSI SE Technology, 31,000 miles, £14,995

Find a used one for sale&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/skoda/karoq?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true">here</a>

1: Skoda Karoq

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Spacious and practical interior</li>
	<li>Comfortable ride</li>
	<li>Punchy engines</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</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>

<hr />
For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter&nbsp;<a href="http://pages.haymarket.com/whatcar/wcar-form.html">here</a>

<h2>Read more: <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/family-suvs/n17116">Best family SUVs</a> &gt;&gt;</h2>

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Comfortable ride </li> <li>Feature-filled infotainment </li> <li>Space for child seats </li> <li>Robust build quality </li> <li>Practical storage spaces </li> <li>A boot fit for a family holiday </li> <li>Fuel-efficient engines</li></ul>

While we define a small SUV&nbsp;as something&nbsp;less than 4.3 metres long and a large SUV as measuring more than 4.5 metres, family SUVs tread the middle ground.

As the name suggests, the vast majority are&nbsp;designed for family duties rather than serious off-roading, so practicality is paramount. However, that&nbsp;shouldn't come at the expense of a decent drive; the best examples combine tidy handling with smooth engines&nbsp;and a ride that's comfortable&nbsp;enough to ensure the kids aren't left feeling queasy.

&nbsp;

Family SUV

You can put a great family SUV on your driveway for less than £15,000 if you buy used, but which car should you choose? Here's a list of our top 10 favourites

LATEST DEALS:

Best used family SUVs for less than £15,000

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