Best used small SUVs for less than £10,000

It's fair to say that small SUVs have almost – if not completely – replaced the conventional small car as the most popular car class in Britain. After all, the Ford Puma (a small SUV) continues to outsell any other new car on the market.

However, what if you can't stretch to a new Puma, or even a used one? Good used Pumas are yet to dip below the £10,000 mark and there are plenty of people with that amount as their maximum spend limit. Well, fortunately there are still alternatives – and great ones at that – you can consider. So here's our top 10 list of used small SUVs you can buy for £10,000 or less.

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In regards to equipment levels and the performance of its engines, the Hyundai Kona is pretty generous and it represents good value. There's even a silly quick Hyundai Kona N version, too – you'll need a bigger budget for one of those, mind you.

However, like the Stonic, the Kona's ride isn't particularly smooth and the model is a bit lacking in the space department. Hyundai's warranty – while still longer than most at five years – is shorter than Kia's, too, hence the Kona places just below the rival Stonic.

"With its impressive 276bhp engine, the Kona N certainly caught my eye." – Oliver Young, used cars reporter

We found: 2019 Hyundai Kona 1.0 T-GDi SE, 63,198 miles, £9920

Strengths

• Decent performance
• Generous kit
• Good infotainment

Weaknesses

• Bumpy ride on 18in wheels
• Not very practical
• Auto braking not standard

One of the downsides of going used rather than new is that you often have little or no manufacturer warranty left. That's not the case with Kia and this, the Kia Stonic; you have seven years (from new) of warranty here and many examples within our £10,000 budget are younger than that.

It's good to drive, too, even if the ride is on the firmer side. Another reason it doesn't rank higher is that the Stonic isn't particularly spacious by small SUV standards. Head room is fine, but leg room is tight next to the Seat Arona and the larger Skoda Kamiq, especially if there’s someone tall sitting up front.

"The Stonic is a good, safe bet. However, there are small SUVs – quite a few, in fact – that I'd choose above it." – Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2021 Kia Stonic 1.0 T-GDi 2, 64,561 miles, £9600

Strengths

• Punchy 1.0-litre engine
• Plenty of standard equipment
• Agile handling

Weaknesses

• Firm ride
• Lack of adjustable lumbar support
• Rivals are more practical

The little Suzuki Ignis is about as small as SUVs come, resembling a city car in most measurements. However, that does yield some advantages. The Ignis is easy to manoeuvre around town, great on fuel and even fairly recent examples are available for very reasonable money – it's certainly more affordable to buy (and run) than many small SUV rivals. It's pretty practical for such a small car, too, thanks in part to sliding and reclining rear seats.

"I find the Ignis an adorable little SUV and I was pleasantly surprised by the level of practicality it possesses." – Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2020 Suzuki Ignis 1.2 Dueljet MHEV SZ-T, 35,202 miles, £9199

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 Mazda CX-3 serves up quite an old-school driving experience: the steering is rather slow and the engines need revving rather hard for them to really get going. It's a tidy handler, though, feeling pretty light on its feet by small SUV standards. Mechanically, the CX-3 is closely related to the Mazda 2 small car and that's a good egg too, so perhaps the CX-3's handling talents should come at no surprise.

"I find the CX-3's back to basics approach rather refreshing, actually." – Oliver Young, used cars reporter

We found: 2018 Mazda CX-3 2.0 SKYACTIV-G SE-L Nav, 52,354 miles, £9594

Strengths

• Classy interior
• Beefy petrol engines
• Low used prices

Weaknesses

• Firm ride
• Limited rear seat space
• Some concerning recalls

The Skoda Yeti may be the oldest car on this list, but it continues to impress us even 15 years or so after its initial release. It's incredibly spacious and practical inside and an immensely comfy cruiser, making it a wonderful choice for families.

And naturally, the benefit of being a bit older than our other recommendations is that the Yeti is generally a cheaper buy. Go for an early car and you'll only be paying around £5000 for a respectable example. Go for a later one and you'll still be paying less than £10,000 in some cases.

"The Yeti is a car that you can instantly tell is the product of a clear, collective vision and an aim to build the ultimate family car. Sure, it's dated in places – the interior being the obvious one – but in many ways the Yeti still feels fresh to me." – Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2016 Skoda Yeti 1.2 TSI SE, 63,000 miles, £9990

Strengths

• Fun to drive for an SUV
• Spacious interior
• Some efficient versions

Weaknesses

• Too much wind and road noise
• Ride is jittery on poor surfaces
• Removable rear seats are fiddly

With 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, too, plus it's even quite fun to drive. Admittedly, the interior is one of the cheaper-feeling ones on this list, but at least it feels well-screwed together.

"The Vitara is a tough, reliable choice, as seen in our latest reliability survey. I certainly found that reassuring when taking the model off the beaten track." – Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2020 Suzuki Vitara 1.4 Boosterjet MHEV SZ4, 60,712 miles, £9995

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

The Renault Captur is a comprehensively good package and a reasonably priced one at that. It delivers on what many buyers want from their small SUV, too. You sit noticeably higher up than you would in a regular hatchback, for instance. You also have handy, sliding rear bench and a good-sized boot.

It's just nothing special to drive, unfortunately, plus a fair few rivals have punchier, more varied engine ranges – hence it's not higher up on this list.

"I appreciated the Captur's sliding and reclining rear bench when I needed to prioritise either rear-passenger space or boot space." – Oliver Young, used cars reporter

We found: 2020 Renault Captur 1.0 TCe Launch Edition, 60,764 miles, £9995

Strengths

• Well equipped
• Affordable to buy and run
• 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

Few small SUVs bank on retro style, but the Mini Countryman is one of them. The model pulls it off, too, thanks to its looks being met with a plush interior and good performance.

There's a variety of engines to choose from, including a plug-in hybrid version – although you'll need to stretch our budget by a couple grand to get one of those. The 1.5-litre petrol and 2.0-litre diesel are both strong units, though, and they're accessible within the £10,000 limit.

"I was very impressed with the Mini Countryman's interior. There are lots of expensive-feeling materials, build quality is solid and the infotainment system looks and feels slick. As small SUVs go, the Countryman is one of your more premium options and it definitely feels it to me." – Oliver Young, used cars reporter

We found: 2017 Mini Countryman 1.5 Cooper, 80,000 miles, £9000

Strengths

• Neat handling
• Strong engines
• Luxurious interior and large boot
• Reliability

Weaknesses

• Firm ride
• Average rear space
• There are larger SUVs available for similar money

For an SUV, the Skoda Kamiq sits 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 little SUV, with a supple, well-controlled ride and a remarkably spacious interior. The interior feels classier than that of the rival VW 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. Still, you might have to shop around or haggle a tad with this one, because it's only just dipped within budget. If you do, though, you'll have a great buy on your hands.

"Initially, I was rather perplexed by the low driving position – the Kamiq didn't really feel like an SUV at all from behind the wheel – but those feelings soon went away. You just have to think of it as a chunky-looking small car, more than you do a small SUV, and then such concerns should drift away and all you're left with is a top-notch product." – Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2021 Skoda Kamiq 1.0 TSI SE, 83,000 miles, £9499

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
• Reliability mixed

With £10,000 to spend, we consider the Seat Arona the very best small SUV you can buy used. Why? Well, it has a roomy interior, comfortable ride and perky range of engines. What's more, thanks largely to the Arona's mechanical DNA being shared with the great-handling Seat Ibiza, it tackles a twisty road with fantastic poise and composure.

The value on offer here is unmatched, but it isn't just the buying cost that's impressively reasonable. For instance, go for the 1.0-litre petrol engine, drive smoothly and you should see north of 50mpg and, in turn, low fuel bills.

"There's very little I dislike about the Arona and there's certainly nothing major. It ticks all the boxes – reasonable buying and running costs, a great driving experience, enough space and practicality to cater for my family." – Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2019 Seat Arona 1.0 TSI SE Technology, 44,500 miles, £8995

Strengths

• Good ride comfort on standard suspension
• Big boot for class
• Excellent 1.0-litre petrol

Weaknesses

• Average interior quality
• Reliability could be better
• Some road noise