Best used SUVs for less than £10,000

So you fancy the on-trend practicality of an SUV but can't commit to a huge spend? Don't worry, there are still many used examples to choose from at surprisingly modest prices. Here, we’ve picked out SUVs of varying sizes that we think will fit a variety of different bills, all for an upper price limit of £10,000.

You can choose from SUVs both big and small, depending on your needs, but whatever the dimensions there are many qualities that all these cars share, including a spacious and versatile interior and a relaxing drive. But which models made the list? Here are the top 10...

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Handsome, spacious and cheap to run, the Renault Kadjar is a fine family SUV that built on the success of its smaller sibling, the Captur. It shares a lot of its underpinnings with the highly successful second-generation Nissan Qashqai. Its interior quality is a little mixed and its reliability record is not as good as some, alas.

We found 2018 Renault Kadjar 1.5 dCi Dynamique Nav, 52,000 miles, £9990

Strengths

• Spacious interior
• Bigger boot than sibling Nissan Qashqai
• Quiet petrol engines

Weaknesses

• So-so quality
• Grabby brakes
• Choppy ride on big alloys

The very apogee of the family SUV, the Nissan Qashqai has pointed the way for all others since it started the trend way back in 2008. This second-generation version really upped the game when it was introduced in 2014. It's immensely practical and spacious inside, and comfortable. Only an average showing in our most recent What Car? Reliability Survey blots the Qashqai's copybook.

We found 2019 Nissan Qashqai 1.2 DIG-T Acenta, 55,000 miles, £9700

Strengths

• Quiet and comfortable
• Sips fuel
• Lots of equipment

Weaknesses

• Poor reliability
• Ride suffers on 19in wheels
• Limited rear visibility

Chunky, Tonka-toy looks, blistered wheel arches, neat roof rails and some subtle lower-body cladding give the previous-generation Ford Kuga real presence. It's a likeable and competitive SUV. Some of its rivals were more practical size-for-size when it was new, but now it seems like a used car bargain, especially when you consider our money would buy you a good 2018 car with a service history. It's good to drive, too, and only a slightly cheap-feeling interior lets it down.

We found 2018 Ford Kuga 1.5 Titanium, 53,000 miles, £9995

Strengths

• Agile for an SUV
• Diesels are economical
• Well equipped

Weaknesses

• Cheap-feeling interior
• Rivals are more spacious
• Shortage of standard safety tech

The Renault Captur was consistently Europe’s best-selling small SUV – and as the first-generation model had a good, long life, surviving up until the launch of a replacement in 2019, there are plenty of used examples around. There's a good choice in the engine range from nippy petrols to frugal diesels. Our money buys one of the last 2019 models.

We found 2019 Renault Captur 0.9 TCe 90 Dynamique Nav, 30,000 miles, £9995

Strengths

• Practical interior
• Impressive refinement
• Well equipped

Weaknesses

• Pre-facelift Captur has poor interior quality
• Some engines have weak performance
• Rear leg room can be tight
• Reliability a bit mixed

It's one of the smallest SUV offerings on the market, but it is also one of the best value. £10,000 buys you a Suzuki Ignis with a low mileage and maybe even some of the three-year warranty left over. What's more, its diminutive dimensions make it ideal in the city, yet inside, there's space for four adults and a very reasonable-sized boot. If you want a funky little SUV that works in town, the Ignis should be high on your list.

We found 2021 Suzuki Ignis 1.2 Dualjet SZ-T, 4000 miles, £9990

Strengths

• Spacious for a city car
• Most models well equipped
• Agile in corners
• Top-notch reliability

Weaknesses

• Jiggly ride quality
• Vague steering
• Fiddly touchscreen system

The first-gen Mazda CX-5 was a corker when it arrived, being far nicer to drive than the Nissan Qashqai of the time, and a lot roomier, too, with a boot that can easily hold enough luggage for a family holiday. The rear seats of this large SUV are just about wide enough for three people to sit abreast, which not a lot of family SUVs will let you do. Oh, and it's reliable and well-equipped, too. It would finish even higher if you could buy a newer one for this money.

We found 2017 Mazda CX-5 2.2d SE-L, 61,000 miles, £9995

Strengths

• Spacious interior
• Sharp handling
• Good economy from petrol engine

Weaknesses

• Lots of road noise
• Ride firm on Sport models
• Drab interior

This version of the Dacia Duster has just been replaced, but it's still a great used buy: it's good to drive, comfortable and cheap to run. Space is very good, too; four adults should have few complaints about longer journeys and you can even take five – at a pinch. Boot capacity is excellent, too. It might not be of the highest quality inside, but it'll stand up to abuse from even the most ardent DIYer, or the most abusive toddler.

We found 2021 Dacia Duster 1.5 DCi Laureate, 36,000 miles, £9999

Strengths

• A lot of car for the money
• Big boot
• 4x4 version very capable

Weaknesses

• Sparse equipment on lower trims
• Interior feels very cheap
• Disappointing Euro NCAP safety rating

The Suzuki Vitara is good to drive, has a comfortable ride, loads of interior space, and a good touchscreen infotainment system in SZ-T trim or higher. On top of that, its reliability record is very strong and it's also surprisingly economical. It's been on sale since 2015 so there's plenty of choice on the used forecourts, but our £10k budget now buys you a good 2019 car with a low mileage.

We found 2019 Suzuki Vitara 1.6 SZ4, 18,000 miles, £9500

Strengths

• Good driving manners
• Spacious and practical interior
• Well equipped
• Reliability

Weaknesses

• High emissions on some petrol models
• Diesel engines can be noisy
• Some of the trim feels flimsy

Rugged, rocky and arid, that's what the name Hyundai Tucson suggests, and it lives up to it, too, to a certain degree. In fact, space and practicality are the Tucson's real forte, and it's the perfect size and shape for families. It's nice to drive, too, if not outstandingly sharp or quick, and it looks great. Our budget should get you a good, average mileage version of the previous-generation car from 2018, and it'll come with a top-notch reliability record, too.

We found 2018 Hyundai Tucson 2.0 CRDi 136 SE Nav, 30,000 miles, £9490

Strengths

• Plenty of space
• Lots of equipment
• Relatively cheap to buy used

Weaknesses

• Plasticky interior
• Firm ride
• Some thirsty engines

The previous-generation Kia Sportage has a spacious and practical interior, perfect for families, and is now great value bought used. True, the Sportage is not quite as engaging to drive as some of its rivals, but it betters many of them in so many other areas that it's a worthy winner here. It's a seriously good SUV and its looks will impress the neighbours, too. You can pick up a clean 2018 example now for our budget and that should give you many years of practical and reliable motoring.

We found 2018 Kia Sportage 1.7 CRDi 1, 52,000 miles, £9990

Strengths

• Spacious and practical interior
• Good value for money used
• Neat steering

Weaknesses

• Diesel engine can be noisy
• So-so ride and handling
• No automatic emergency braking on some models

The Vauxhall Mokka X looks like good value. Sadly, it's no more than a very light facelift of its predecessor, the Mokka, and one which failed to sort that car's myriad problems. It is, therefore, best avoided.