The best used 4x4s in 2022 – and one to avoid

Buyers of SUVs expect a lot from their cars: comfort, practicality, a commanding driving position and, in many cases, the added security and off-road potential that comes with four-wheel drive.

All of the models we present here deliver these things, but to varying degrees. Some have seven seats, while others provide incredible ability when conditions get tough. But whatever you're after from your 4x4, you'll find something in this slideshow to meet your needs.

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There's good news and bad news about the diminutive Suzuki Jimny. The good news is that it's an absolute hoot and this second-generation version, launched in 2019, has become an instant classic.

Living up to its AllGrip moniker, it's got unstoppable off-road abilities. The bad news is that the car is no longer on sale new, and demand for used models is so high that prices are rather steep. Oh, and it's a weeny bit crude to drive on-road.

We found: 2020 Suzuki Jimny 1.5 SZ4 AllGrip, 18,000 miles, £24,500

Find a used one for sale here

Pros

• Great off-road
• Reasonably well equipped
• Good visibility

Cons

• Unrefined
• Bouncy ride
• Expensive used

A Dacia Duster is a surprisingly capable on and off-road tool. The four-wheel-drive models are really competent if you decide to leave paved roads behind.

Four-wheel-drive cars also have a more sophisticated rear suspension, which is more supple, meaning there's a decent ride, too. There's plenty of space inside and a cavernous boot. For off-road motoring on a budget, it's hard to beat.

We found: 2018 Duster 1.5 dCi 110 Laureate 4x4, 44,900 miles, £11,999

Find a used one for sale here

Pros

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

Cons

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

After the excellent second-generation X3, its successor had a lot to live up to. Fortunately, the third-generation car made sure to up its game even further in terms of technology, improved refinement and greater interior space.

In addition, it's good to drive, especially with the xDrive four-wheel drive, well equipped and classy. Overall, its tidy handling and highly practical, high-quality interior makes the X3 one of the best large SUVs you can buy.

We found: 2018 BMW X3 xDrive20d Se, 50,000 miles, £30,999

Find a used one for sale here

Pros

• Sharp handling
• Class-leading infotainment
• Strong engines

Cons

• Firm ride in M Sport trim
• Popular 20d engine sounds gruff
• High tax costs

Big, butch, roomy and rugged, the Land Cruiser comes with three or five doors and five or seven seats. Toyota has a great reputation for reliability, too, and you will count plenty of Land Cruisers in the hostile desert regions of the world, so it should prove to be a tough, go-anywhere off-roader.

Indeed, if what you need is a genuine off-road vehicle, few do it better. Not the most refined thing on-road, though.

We found: 2018 Toyota Land Cruiser 2.8d 177 AWD Utility, 30,000 miles, £33,900

Find a used one for sale here

Pros

• Great off road
• Reliable
• Well equipped

Cons

• Rudimentary on road handling
• Interior not that plush
• Rear hinged door terrible in tight car parks

This second-generation Q5 is an immensely popular car and one of the best SUVs you can buy, new or used. It's smooth, refined and incredibly classy inside and out. It drives superbly, is well equipped and spacious and practical, too.

With quattro four-wheel drive, there's plenty of traction, and the Q5 is stable and smooth riding. It's so popular that the only stumbling block is its relatively high used prices.

We found: 2018 Audi Q5 2.0 TDI quattro Sport, 38,000 miles, £29,000

Find a used one for sale here

Pros

• Smooth and punchy engines
• High-quality interior
• Relatively modest running costs

Cons

• Steering could be more involving
• No seven-seat option
• You need air suspension or non-sport suspension for the best ride

Car buyers do like a premium brand, and they don’t come much more blue-chip than BMW. The current X1 is a fine family SUV that's great to drive in xDrive four-wheel drive form and comes with bags of room inside, and a quality interior that features the excellent iDrive infotainment system.

It's well equipped, too, and according to our most recent What Car? Reliability Survey it's one of the most reliable family SUVs. Good value used, too.

We found: 2019 BMW X1 xDrive 20d Sport, 30,000 miles, £24,500

Find a used one for sale here

Pros

• Good to drive
• High-quality interior
• Spacious and practical

Cons

• Lots of road noise
• Fairly pricey

The Seat Ateca is a great family SUV and one of the best-handling SUVs on the market. It's spacious and practical, and, while not built of the plushest materials, the interior is suitably well made and fairly classy.

Four-wheel-drive models are mostly found paired with a torquey 2.0-litre diesel engine that is both economical and refined at a motorway cruise.

We found: 2018 Seat Ateca 2.0 TDI 150 Xcellence 4Drive, 45,000 miles, £18,000

Find a used one for sale here

Pros

• Spacious interior
• Class-leading handling
• Boot space pips rivals

Cons

• Some rivals offer more flexible seating
• Interior isn’t that plush
• Rivals offer lower CO2 emissions

If you need a big seven-seater, the Volvo XC90 is a car you can buy with your head as well as your heart. Not only can it seat seven in reasonable comfort, but there’s still enough room behind the third-row seats for a decent amount of luggage.

The XC90 is good to drive, too, and nicely finished and wonderfully stylish inside and out. It'll impress the neighbours and it's a bit of a used car bargain.

We found: 2019 Volvo XC90 2.0 D5 Powerpulse Momentum, 37,000 miles, £36,950

Find a used one for sale here

Pros

• Classy interior
• Seven-seat versatility
• Well equipped

Cons

• Ride slightly unsettled
• Road and suspension noise

The Skoda Karoq is a fantastic family SUV, with compact dimensions that make it easy to handle around town, as well as a practical and versatile interior that gives it the capability to carry everything you need. Plus, the Karoq's raised ride height and large window area help to give the driver great all-around visibility.

You'll need one of the bigger 2.0-litre diesel or 2.0-litre petrol engines if you want four-wheel drive, though.

We found: 2019 Skoda Karoq 2.0 TDI 150 Sport Line 4x4, 30,000 miles, £24,500

Find a used one for sale here

Pros

• Spacious and practical interior
• Comfortable ride
• Punchy engines

Cons

• A little bland to drive
• Not as efficient as some
• VarioFlex seats optional on some models

The Audi Q7 is one of our favourite luxury SUVs, and the good news is that it’s perhaps even better as a used buy; a 2019 facelift left it with a more hesitant automatic gearbox and a less user-friendly infotainment system.

However, the update also brought some positive tweaks, including mild hybrid assistance which helps to reduce fuel consumption. All versions are great to drive, comfortable and spacious, and come with a wonderfully classy interior.

We found: 2018 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI 218 S line quattro, 51,000 miles, £34,950

Find a used one for sale here

Pros

• Smooth and powerful engines
• Great ride on air suspension
• Wonderful build quality

Cons

• Not as sharp to drive as some rivals
• Plug-in hybrid loses seven-seat option
• Expensive to run

So those were our top ten used 4x4s – but what about the one to avoid? Read on to find out...

The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross is spacious and well equipped, but let down by a bad ride and a small boot. There are better driving SUVs out there and ones that get better infotainment systems too, so we wouldn't blame you for giving this one a miss.

Pros

• Well equipped
• Sliding rear seats
• Impressive safety kit

Cons

• Uninspiring handling
• Unsettled low-speed ride
• Poor infotainment

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