Best used SUVs

The Skoda Enyaq may look rather conventional next to one or two of its modern electric SUV rivals, but don’t be put off: it’s the best around, new or used, regardless of size.

It's so good we had no hesitation in making it our What Car? Used Car of the Year this year. And no wonder. It’s good to drive, comfortable, practical, extremely refined and comes with a decent range. It's very well-equipped, too. 

The iV 60 version has a 58kWh battery and a decent official range of 256 miles and, for not much more cash on the used car forecourt, there's an 80 version that can go even farther, up to 333 miles. 

Bought used, it’s also great value, with prices starting from just £12k. You can check out the full list of used Skoda Enyaqs on our used car classifieds site here, but there's a good range available to suit nearly every pocket.

And it's reliable, too, with a good score of 91.3% in our most recent What Car? Reliability Survey. It could be all the car you’ll ever need. 

"The Enyaq was one of the first electric cars I ever got behind the wheel of. Still, even to this day, I find myself impressed with how practical, comfortable and well-priced it is (new and used)." – George Hill, used cars writer 

We found: 2023 Skoda Enyaq iV 60 63kWh Nav Suite, 45,000 miles, £17,485

Read our full used Skoda Enyaq review

Search for a used Skoda Enyaq for sale

 

The Volvo XC40 mixes style, space and comfort with cutting-edge safety.

It's a highly desirable used choice, a car that oozes style both inside and out. It's a smooth and hushed performer, too, with a low level of wind and road noise, helping to make the interior a noticeably refined place in which to spend time.

When it comes to interior quality, the XC40 is exceptionally classy. All the surfaces feel suitably upmarket, thanks to plush, soft-faced materials, and everything feels robust, too.

So, the XC40 might not be the youngest car here, but it's still a mightily good one. It's reliable, too, if its results in our latest reliability survey are anything to go by. Prices start at just £12,000 for an early one, but we'd spend more on one of the later models if you can afford to. Check out the full range of Volvo XC40s on our used car classifieds site here. 

"For a family SUV, I thought the XC40 felt like it had quite a low centre of gravity, helping it corner well but without the need for super stiff, ride-damaging suspension to control its body movements." – George Hill, used cars writer

We found: 2022 Volvo XC40 T3 Momentum, 31,100 miles, £18,950

Read our used Volvo XC40 review

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You want luxury, you got it. Our luxury choice here, the BMW X7, really does let you have it all – big space, big comfort, and a big personality.

Indeed, the only thing bigger than the X7’s gigantic front grille is the car itself, so if you’ve got a big budget for a used car and a big family and you want to impress the neighbours, this is the one for you.

Yet despite its size, the X7 doesn't feel like the big SUV it is. Indeed, threading an X7 down a congested urban street is no harder than in a much smaller car. Plus, if you go for our favourite engine – the 3.0-litre (whisper it) diesel-fuelled xDrive40d – then you'll always have plenty of power without sacrificing fuel economy.

As a bonus, the interior is as flashy as it is sturdy, and refinement is so impressive that someone in the third row can have a conversation with those up front without raising their voice. It's wonderfully refined, has an amazing ride and an upmarket interior second to none.

Obviously not cheap new, with a price tag in excess of £ 94,000, but used prices are really good value. Check out our classifieds site for the latest prices, but you can pick up a used X7 for less than £35,000, which is exceptional value. Reliability's looking good, too. 

"Now, if you've never seen an X7 before in the flesh, don't be surprised when you do - it's huge. A great statement and a really great car." - Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2021 BMW X7 xDrive40d MHT, 55,000 miles, £45,950

Read our full used BMW X7 review

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The Peugeot 5008 steals victory over all the MPVs and even its premium-badged SUV rivals if you're after a seven-seater car. 

Why? Well, for starters, it's stylish, practical and good to drive. In fact, it's the ideal used car for large families. 

Those rugged good looks cover an interior that's impressively flexible and will seat seven in comfort. The interior features a pleasing mixture of high-quality, tactile materials for a more upmarket ambience than you’ll find in a Seat Tarraco or a Skoda Kodiaq. What’s more, it provides a very civilised and flexible travelling environment for up to seven occupants.

Our preferred 1.2-litre Puretech 130 petrol engine is not only smooth but also has enough oomph for most owners’ needs, even when the car is fully loaded. It’s capable of impressive fuel economy, so there’s really no need to go chasing the more expensive engine options. 

Used 5008s are slightly more affordable than Kodiaqs of the same age and much cheaper than Hyundai Santa Fes. Prices can start from as little as £10,000. If you can stretch to one, post-2020 cars are worth the extra; they added LED headlights, a bigger infotainment screen and a clearer instrument panel. Expect to spend around £15,000 and upwards on one of these. 

"Whenever I've driven a 5008, I've always been impressed by the interior. It's wonderfully plush for a car of this price as well as being impressively stylish and more than spacious for a family of four or more." – Mark Pearson, Used Cars Editor

We found: 2021 Peugeot 5008 1.2 PureTech Allure, 45,000 miles, £16,990

Read our full used Peugeot 5008 review

Search for a used Peugeot 5008 for sale

 

Land Rover knows a thing or two about building luxurious SUVs, and the Range Rover Sport is a prime example of the firm’s expertise.

Like the full-size Range Rover, you get a high driving position that gives you a great view of the road. And yet, the centre console is raised to give it a slightly sportier feel. The ride is also smooth and supple, making it the ideal companion for long journeys.

Our favourite version is the entry-level engine, the D300 diesel, because it blends impressively punchy performance with silken refinement. Indeed, its 296bhp is officially enough to get you to 62mph in 6.6sec, and that feels plenty quick enough despite being the least powerful option in the line-up. Every Range Rover Sport feels stable and relatively agile, but the BMW X5 offers even more grip through corners. 

Even taller passengers won't struggle for space in the rear seats, but unlike older Range Rover Sports, the latest model only has room for five – if you want a seven-seat Range Rover, you'll need to spend more on its bigger brother.

For years, reliability has been an issue with Land Rover products, making it difficult for us to recommend them as used buys. However, in our most recent reliability survey, the Range Rover Sport finished in third place out of 16 cars in the luxury car class with a good overall score of 94.9%. 

This generation of Range Rover Sport goes all the way back to 2103, so you'll find plenty of high-mileage cars that look wonderfully cheap, with prices starting at around £15,000. However, we'd always recommend going for a car with an average mileage for the year, and the newer the better. One of the last 2021 cars will set you back around £28,000, which is good value for something that was expensive new. 

“I found that my holiday luggage fit with ease inside the Range Rover Sport's boot – and even better, there's no penalty in terms of space if you go for the plug-in hybrid model.” – George Hill, used cars writer

We found: 2021 Range Rover Sport P400e, 55,000 miles, £28,000

Read our full used Range Rover Sport review

Search for a used Range Rover Sport for sale

 

The Kia Sportage understands and delivers on what families demand from a mid-sized SUV.

Passengers of all ages and sizes can fit comfortably in the front and back seats, plus the boot is vast, and you can fold the back seats in a useful 40/20/40 configuration. The Sportage also has a lofty driving position that gives you a great view ahead.

There are fuel-sipping hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions available, but even the entry-level 1.6-litre petrol model is a good performer, offering affordable running costs and strong performance.

Running costs and parts costs are very reasonable. The seven-year warranty is fully transferable, and reliability is looking good. If you're looking for the 2026 version of that original Nissan Qashqai, this is probably it. 

Prices for this latest generation of Sportage start at around £14,000 for a 2022 model. Expect to pay around £15,000 to £20,000 on a good one from 2022 or 2023, a little more than £20,000 for a 2024 or later model. Check out all the prices on our used car classifieds site here. 

"The Sportage can cater for my family of four and, what's more, I'm left with space and practicality to spare." – Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2023 Kia Sportage 1.6 T-GDi 3, 41,766 miles, £19,514 

Read our full used Kia Sportage review

Search for a used Kia Sportage for sale

The original BMW X5 rewrote the rule book on how big, tall and heavy SUVs should handle, and subsequent generations only added to its overall appeal.

Now, this fourth-generation BMW X5 is a real class leader with a terrific ride and excellent refinement. Go for one of the excellent 3.0-litre diesels to get the best value used, or the plug-in hybrid model for its potential economy. 

Don't think that by spending less than you would on its X7 sibling you'll be living in a bargain basement SUV, either, because it's truly hard to fault the quality of materials used inside the X5. Every surface you're likely to touch regularly is coated in plush-feeling materials, but what's especially impressive is that attractive, tactile finishes are used even in places you won't see or touch often.

Then there's the X5's infotainment system, which remains one of the best in the business to use thanks to its rotary controller – a feature also shared with the X7. Reliability is looking good, too, and used prices are definitely tempting, with prices for this generation starting from just £21,000, a good saving on a car that costs in excess of £75,000 new. 

"It might look big and butch but I find the BMW X5 is a delight to drive. Add in the plug-in hybrid's refinement and I think it's remarkably civilised." - George Hill, used cars writer 

We found: 2021 BMW X5 xDrive40d M Sport, 48,000 miles, £30,999

Read our full used BMW X5 review

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The Ford Puma earned our overall What Car? Car of the Year award back in 2020. 

The recipe is simply brilliant: you take the tried-and-tested Ford Fiesta as the basis, retain the super-sharp, fun driving experience and add a higher driving position and an extra layer of practicality. 

This small SUV can fit six carry-on-sized suitcases in its main boot compartment and, for reference, that's one more than the Fiesta can manage. The Puma has a trick up its sleeve, too. If you lift its 'false' boot floor, you’ll come across a large well that can swallow two more cases.

Aided by the huge number that've flown off new car forecourts, there are plenty of Pumas on the used market and prices are very reasonable. Running costs are reasonable, too, thanks in part to the model's fuel-efficient (yet punchy) engines. 

Prices for a Puma start at around £10,000 for an earlier car. That's quite a bargain. Check out all the Puma's prices on our used car classifieds site here. 

"There are small SUVs that are good to drive, but none are as entertaining as the Puma is. That's what sets it apart and why it's my favourite car in the class." – George Hill, used cars writer

We found: 2021 Ford Puma 1.0T EcoBoost MHEV Titanium, 45,304 miles, £12,000 

Read our full used Ford Puma review

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While previous versions of the Land Rover Defender were as luxurious as an apple at a state banquet, this latest version really upped the ante, mixing premium materials and cossetting on-road manners with the off-road prowess which has made the Defender name famous.

You can have your Defender in a variety of lengths, ranging from the shortest '90' models to the enormous '130' version with up to eight seats, but it's the middle-ground seven-seat '110' models which we think make the most sense.

Opting for the D250 diesel engine means effortless progress, even with every seat filled – indeed, Land Rover says the 0-62mph sprint can be cracked in around 7.0sec.

Your rear passengers will find they have a palatial amount of leg and head room – although both the Audi Q7 and BMW X5 have slightly lower floors, so the rear seats in those models are likely to be more comfortable over big distances.

Used prices now look very attractive, with prices starting at around £25,000, this for something that has new car prices starting from around £80,000. Its reliability has been good so far, with the Defender finishing in fourth place out of 16 cars in the luxury car class in our most recent reliability survey. 

“When I tested the Land Rover Defender 110 against its Audi Q7 and Volvo XC90 rivals, I found that I could fit seven carry-on suitcases into its boot below the load cover – but both of its rivals could take more.” – George Hill, used cars writer

We found: 2021 Land Rover Defender 110, 40,000 miles, £28,995

Read our full used Land Rover Defender review

Search for a used Land Rover Defender for sale

 

The Volvo XC90 is a luxury SUV that combines everyday practicality with top-tier safety tech and a very luxurious interior.

It's comfortable, too, and spacious, with plenty of room for seven. It doesn’t matter all that much which trim you go for, because all of them are very well equipped.

We would recommend going for one of the D5 or B5 diesels, though; we've heard reports of poor reliability (and big repair bills) on early T8 plug-in hybrid cars. That's one of the reasons it finishes at the bottom of our list rather than up at the top. 

The XC90 has been on sale for many years now, and, although its residual values have always been strong, there are now some cheap cars to be had, with used prices starting from less than £18,000. Check out the full list of XC90s for sale and plot prices against age on our used car classifieds site here. 

"If you love that Volvo feel, and I do, you'll love the XC90. It's like spending the afternoon driving round in the World of Leather showroom." – George Hill, Used Cars Writer

We found: 2019 Volvo XC90 D5 Momentum Pro, 51,000 miles, £28,063

Read our full used Volvo XC90 review

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