Best used luxury cars for £10,000

If you have a budget of £10,000 to spend on a brand new car, your options, quite literally, are zero. The used market is a very different story, though, with even luxury cars (and a few luxury SUVs) available for that aforementioned amount of cash.

Sure, they won't be the latest, flashiest cars in the class – for instance, they might ask you to put up with some dated tech. However, you'll struggle to find such reasonably priced opulence anywhere else. Our top 10 recommendations are as follows – all of which can be found via our used cars for sale pages.

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A costly car to maintain, fix and fuel but about as plush and classy as a private jet, this generation of Range Rover (known as the L322 to the Land Rover aficionado) is a future classic. Just make sure you find yourself one that's been cared for and cherished – a later car with the 4.4-litre diesel V8 engine is often a good option.

"Having owned one, I would say there are few luxury cars that are as good value as the L322 Range Rover. It’s supremely comfortable to drive on the road (thanks largely to its air suspension), plus it’s very capable off-road, with later models gaining Land Rover’s renowned terrain response system. Mind you, it is cheap to buy for a reason. Mine cost me a hefty amount to run." – George Hill, staff writer

We found: 2011 Range Rover 4.4 TD V8 Vogue, 77,270 miles, £9995

Strengths

• Luxurious interior
• Fantastic driving position
• Relaxing ride
• Very capable off-road

Weaknesses

• Heavy fuel consumption
• Pricey to insure
• Reliability concerns

Launched at a time when the SUV was merely at the beginning of its growth spurt, the original Volkswagen Touareg was an instant success, selling in large numbers.

This is the second-generation version and while it retained all the attractive features that made the first one such a big hit, it was also lighter, roomier and more economical. What's more, the Touareg shares parts with the plush and powerful Porsche Cayenne.

"The Touareg's relation to the Cayenne isn't just inconsequential pub chat. The model feels more premium than you might expect from a VW." – Oliver Young, used cars reporter

We found: 2011 Volkswagen Touareg 3.0 TDI V6 Tech Altitude, 86,715 miles, £8850

Strengths

• Supple ride
• Excellent handling

Weaknesses

• Plain interior
• Thirsty

Overall, the Q7 is more practical, but there’s otherwise not much between it and the BMW X5. The X5 also benefits from all the traditional attributes you'd associate with BMW, including strong engines and excellent handling. It’s a cliché, but an X5 really can be hustled along like a sports car on stilts.

"As someone who appreciates a sharp driving experience, even in a big SUV, the X5 holds a lot of appeal in my view." – Oliver Young, used cars reporter

We found: 2012 BMW X5 3.0 40d M Sport, 88,300 miles, £9990

Strengths

• Strong engines
• Driver involvement
• Roomy interior

Weaknesses

• Poor ride
• Suspect build quality
• Expensive to run

The Audi Q7 was the company's first attempt at a seven-seat luxury SUV. This beast is just as capable at tackling a muddy field as it is at catering for the big family holiday. You're getting a lot of car for the money with the Q7 – just be aware that running costs are likely to be high.

"There aren't many tasks that I found to be outside the Q7's wheelhouse – it's that capable." – Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2011 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI V6 SE, 88,624 miles, £8990

Strengths

• Great build quality
• Very well-equipped
• Some off-road ability

Weaknesses

• Firm ride
• Cramped interior
• It won't be cheap to run

As the XJ's slightly smaller and cheaper sibling, the Jaguar XF trades a dose of luxury and comfort – it's still very posh, mind you – for some added agility and lower costs. For the money, this is one of the newest luxury cars you'll be able to get, the only big caveat being that reliable has proven subpar in the past.

"It's a real shame about the XF's poor reliability, because if it were more reliable, a fifth star (as a used buy) would be on the cards. I like the XF a lot in most respects." – Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2018 Jaguar XF 2.0d Prestige, 74,750 miles, £9750

Strengths

• Fabulous handling
• Well equipped
• Smooth ride

Weaknesses

• High running costs
• Subpar reliability
• So-so build quality

This generation of Audi A6 isn't quite a match for the rival 5 Series or E-Class of the time – they're that bit sharper to drive – but there's still a lot to like here. The interior is classy and plush, the ride is largely smooth and comfortable, and there's a wide variety of engines to choose from – everything from 2.0-litre petrols and diesels to a 4.0-litre V8 in the Audi RS6 Avant.

"Some people might complain about the A6 being too blasé to drive, but I think most people would argue that luxury cars are about comfort above all else and, seeing as the A6 does that very well, I'm left with little to complain about." – Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2016 Audi A6 2.0 TDI ultra SE, 75,000 miles, £9995

Strengths

• Powerful and efficient diesel engines
• Superb refinement
• Well equipped

Weaknesses

• There are better exec cars to drive
• Some of the controls are fiddly
• Low-speed ride can be lumpy

This fourth-generation Mercedes E-Class was tremendously well-received when it was new. For starters, the build quality was near-enough faultless, but, not only that, it was good to drive, roomy and comfortable – and all of that stands true to this day.

A 2014 facelift saw even better interior quality, too. Big miles are not a problem, either, though parts can be expensive.

"Mercedes used to have a reputation for producing bulletproof (figuratively speaking) cars, but that has faded somewhat in recent years. This E-Class, although it's still not quite from the hayday of that, feels impeccably well put together if you ask me." – Oliver Young, used cars reporter

We found: 2015 Mercedes E-Class E300dh SE, 72,000 miles, £9999

Strengths

• Spacious interior
• Comfortable ride on most versions
• Strong reputation for reliability

Weaknesses

• More expensive than some rivals
• Not exciting to drive
• Noisy 2.1-litre diesel

Audi may have pioneered the use of aluminium in its original A8, but Jaguar upped the game with this Jaguar XJ. Thanks to an aluminium bodyshell, it's lighter and stiffer than the previous XJ, translating into a really good car to drive, as well as a surprisingly efficient one, too.

Meanwhile, those svelte lines and leather-lined interior are enough to take the luxury car fight to the typically German status quo.

"The XJ has been a bit of a left-field choice in the past, but perhaps those days are over, seeing as used prices are among the most reasonable in its field. I was pleasantly surprised to see it scored an impressive 95.8% in our 2023 What Car? Reliability Survey, too." – Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2013 Jaguar XJ 3.0d V6 Premium Luxury, 67,000 miles, £9995

Strengths

• Great handling
• Punchy engines
• Well equipped

Weaknesses

• Poor rear head room
• So-so quality
• Reliability of diesel-engined models varies

The Mercedes S-Class is a go-to luxury car for many people, whether we're talking about new or used cars. It offers an outstanding level of quality and refinement. And, in our chosen spec S350 diesel form, it even boasts fairly reasonable running costs.

It’s comfortable, too, with a cosseting ride and plush seats – along with a very plush interior as a whole. There’s plenty of tech on-board and everything is easy to access and use. The fact you can have all this quality for £10,000 makes the S-Class a true luxury car bargain.

"While some passengers can fall asleep at the drop of a hat, I'm not one of those people. The S-Class is one of the few cars I've been out like a light in. It's that comfortable. No wonder countless chauffeurs have been using them for decades." – Oliver Young, used cars reporter

We found: 2013 Mercedes S-Class S350L, 81,200 miles, £8995

Strengths

• Supreme ride comfort
• Amazing value for money
• Strong diesel engine

Weaknesses

• Often expensive to fuel and tax...
• ...and service and fix (and the list goes on)

You'll be hard pushed to find a car at any price that has as broad a range of talents as the BMW 5 Series. For £10,000, you'll be able to buy a later example of this sixth-generation 5 Series – expect the entry-level (yet still punchy) 2.0-litre diesel engine. It’s a marvellous driver’s car, especially when equipped with the adjustable suspension, making the already sharp handling even sharper and the already comfy ride even comfier.

Add to that its plush, spacious interior and class-leading iDrive infotainment system and you've got yourself an amazing buy.

"Sharp and engaging handling can come at the expense of comfort. However, that's not the case with the 5 Series. It's so well rounded and very much a crowd pleaser in that sense. It certainly won me over." – Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2016 BMW 5 Series 520d SE, 77,033 miles, £9688

Strengths

• Brilliant to drive with the right options
• Low running costs
• Easy-to-use entertainment system

Weaknesses

• A little skimpy on standard safety equipment
• Needs optional extras fitted to fulfil its potential
• Not as reliable as some rivals