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Best used small SUVs (and one to avoid)
Small SUVs are some of the most popular new and used cars in the UK right now. Here are our top 10 used favourites
Mark Pearson
Updated: 2 March 2026
How long does a trend last? Is there a set time limit? Well, if there is, the immense popularity of small SUVs has likely surpassed it, so maybe it's time to stop calling it a trend and concede that it's the norm.
So, the demand for high driving positions and butch, big-car styling (despite most being similar in size to traditional small cars) is as strong as ever and there are plenty of options to choose from, especially used. It can be overwhelming, but we've put together this list of the top 10 best used options to take the edge off.
What's more, all of these cars are easy to find and buy via our used cars for sale pages.
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Used Volkswagen T-Roc 2018-2026
Strengths
- Comfortable ride
- Impressive safety
- Good boot by class standards
Weaknesses
- Low-rent interior on earlier cars
- Only top-spec cars get sat-nav
- Lumbar support is an option
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 and entertaining package. Top marks." - George Hill, used cars writer
We found: 2022 Volkswagen T-Roc 1.0 TSI Design, 48,495 miles, £13,995
Read our full used VW T-Roc review
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Used Ford Puma 2019-present
Strengths
- Excellent to drive
- Practical, flexible boot
- Quick and economical
Weaknesses
- Passenger space isn’t outstanding
- Reliability isn’t rock-solid
- Visibility could be better
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 1.0T Ecoboost MHEV Titanium, 48,270 miles, £13,000
Read our full used Ford Puma review
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Used Audi Q2 2016-present
Strengths
- Classy and user-friendly interior
- Excellent infotainment system
- Top-notch reliability
Weaknesses
- Not as spacious as rivals
- Firm ride
- Four-wheel drive reserved for top models
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. I'm hooked." - George Hill, used cars writer
We found: 2021 Audi Q2 1.0 TFSI 30 Technik, 23,305 miles, £15,000
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Used Skoda Kamiq 2019-present
Strengths
- Remarkably roomy interior and large boot
- Better-finished inside than many of its rivals
- Comfortable ride
Weaknesses
- No sliding or reclining rear seats
- Not especially well equipped
- Other small SUVs have a higher driving position
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: 2021 Skoda Kamiq 1.0 TSI SE, 39,034 miles, £10,000
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Used Volkswagen T-Cross 2019-present
Strengths
- Spacious, flexible interior
- Impressive for safety
- Good to drive
Weaknesses
- The older T-Roc is still a superior purchase
- Interior is hardly plush
- SEL and R-Line trims don't offer good value for money
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: 2022 Volkswagen T-Cross 1.0 TSI SEL, 44,248 miles, £13,995
Read our full used VW T-Cross review
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Used Suzuki Vitara 2015-present
Strengths
- Good driving manners
- Spacious and practical interior
- Well equipped
Weaknesses
- High emissions on some petrol models
- Diesel engines can be noisy
- Some of the trim feels flimsy
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: 2021 Suzuki Vitara 1.4 Boosterjet MHEV SZ-T, 41,253 miles, £10,995
Read our full used Suzuki Vitara review
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Used Seat Arona 2018-present
Strengths
- Good ride comfort on standard suspension
- Big boot for class
- Excellent 1.0-litre petrol
Weaknesses
- Average interior quality
- Reliability has been a little mixed
- Some road noise
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 this year its reliability let it down, hence it finds itself near the bottom of the 10 rather than up the top." - Mark Pearson, used cars editor
We found: 2022 Seat Arona 1.0 TSI SE Technology, 14,920 miles, £11,000
Read our full used Seat Arona review
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Used Mini Countryman 2017-2024
Strengths
- Neat handling
- Strong engines
- Luxurious interior and large boot
Weaknesses
- Firm ride
- Average rear space
- There are larger SUVs available for similar money
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, 21,000 miles, £18,500
Read our full used Mini Countryman review
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Used Renault Captur 2020-present review
Strengths
- Well equipped for the money
- Affordable to buy and run, especially the hybrid versions
- Sliding rear seats are standard from new
Weaknesses
- Engines are relatively weak
- Rivals have more rear seat space
- E-Tech PHEV is disappointing to drive
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 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: 2022 Renault Captur 1.0 TCe Iconic, 41,586 miles, £12,000
Read our full used Renault Captur review
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Used Peugeot 2008 2019-present
Strengths
- Impressive interior
- Good fuel economy
- Punchy performance
Weaknesses
- Crashy ride
- Fiddly infotainment
- Average to drive
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
Read our used Peugeot 2008 review
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Ford Ecosport
That's right, the car maker behind one of our favourite used small SUVs is also responsible for one of the worst small SUVs of recent times. Like the Puma, the Ford Ecosport is Fiesta-based, but it's somehow devoid of that car's strengths. It's disappointing to drive, with a jiggly ride and underwhelming handling. It's not very spacious or practical, either. There are a few positives, such as punchy engines and reasonable costs, but none are enough to save the Ecosport from our 'one to avoid' spot.
Read our review
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