The best used SUVs 2024

Written by Richard Kilpatrick Updated: 5 April 2024

Buying a second hand car has become something of a marketing minefield, thanks to the concept of a ‘crossover’. This is particularly apparent in the world of used SUVs, which once implied rugged 4x4s with more family-friendly trim. The phrase SUV (sports utility vehicle) has become almost meaningless, as car designers have adopted the tall, chunky off-road aesthetic for everything from superminis to seven-seater large MPVs and people-carriers.

There are good reasons for the 4x4-derived shape and style taking over. Higher seating positions feel safer, so as pickups and refined off-roaders became popular, other drivers wanted to be on the same level. The raised seats mean less effort to get up and out of the car, or when lifting infants and small children into child seats. Finally, the visibility over hedges and parked cars (until all the parked cars became SUVs) is a benefit that passengers enjoy, not just drivers.

When buying a used SUV therefore, it’s worth thinking about what you consider an SUV to be. Is it a vehicle that combines off-road competence like a Land Rover, with agile on-road handling and long-distance comfort that traditional 4x4s like the Jeep Wrangler can’t come close to – or is it more like a regular family hatchback or estate, just with a higher ride height and some rugged styling touches?

Both definitions are right – but if you want the 4x4 and off-road skills of an archetypal SUV such as the Jeep Cherokee, a lot of recent models fall short.

Which used SUV is best?

To help you find the perfect used SUV this guide progresses through two groups: the first are focused on getting the best ride, handling and practicality with affordable running costs, and the second set offers the best off-road and adventure ability.

Are there any second-hand SUVs that should be avoided?

For families the simple rule is not to buy anything too old-school, such as Mitsubishi Shoguns or original Land Rover Defenders. They’re the cars that set the style, but they are unpleasant to drive in everyday traffic, with poor handling and brakes and extremely low limits of handling in emergency situations.

This extends to things like older Suzuki Grand Vitaras or the original Kia Sportage, where a scaled-down big 4x4 attitude didn’t get the softer, safer handling of a conventional car until the manufacturers developed all-new models to suit this growing market. For the same reasons we’d avoid lifted or modified examples of later SUVs.

We would also avoid very cheap examples of premium SUVs such as the Porsche Cayenne, VW Touareg or Range Rover and Range Rover Sport – particularly non-turbo V8 Cayennes, early L322 (2002-2012) Range Rovers, and any Land Rover/Range Rover with the 2.7-litre V6 diesel. While these cars can be a lot of fun for enthusiasts, they’re a terrible choice if you just want a car to use and pay someone else to maintain.

Finally – steer clear of modern SUVs with all-wheel drive that have been maintained badly. Red flags include mismatched tyres, scuffs on the sills and bumpers, towbars (particularly with cheap electrics rather than proper CANbus adaptors and factory-fit wiring/brackets) and cars which have come up for sale locally right after floods. Models such as the Honda CR-V, Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson need their transmission fluids changing if driven through deep water.

Which used SUVs are reliable and cheap?

As a rough guideline, manufacturers from Japan, Korea and Thailand – such as Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Honda, Daihatsu, Nissan, Toyota, Subaru and SsangYong – made the first good crossover-type SUVs, and these are the ones that survived long enough to become cheap, reliable used SUVs.

The Toyota RAV4 defined the genre, but pioneers such as the Suzuki SX4, Daihatsu Terios and of course, the first Nissan Qashqai and X-Trail feature robust, easy to use 4x4 systems (often electronically engaged and fully decoupled when driving in good conditions), compact space-efficient bodies, and secure car-like handling.

Older examples of these can often be great value – you could spend as much on a timing belt and gearbox service for a mid-2000s Range Rover Sport as you could buying a 4x4 RAV4 of the same age outright, and that wouldn’t cover the finance deposit on their new equivalents.

Remember how much you’re saving, and put a little bit back into your used SUV. Get the fluids changed, the underbody rustproofed, and don’t be afraid to replace tired radiators, hoses and coolant before a problem arises. Money planned for maintenance could mean months of low-cost motoring, rather than an unexpected big bill.

Are there any good electric or hybrid used SUVs?

Yes! Though it’s very important to check the monthly cost, interest rate and deposit of a new model before taking on a newer used SUV.

Top of the list here is the plug-in hybrid Toyota RAV4 mentioned already, but you could also consider a Kia EV6, Tesla Model Y or Audi e-Tron if you want a high-end fully electric SUV. We’d be more cautious about a used Jaguar i-Pace, though it is temptingly affordable second hand.

For the best used hybrid SUV at an affordable price, look for a Lexus RX. For newer models and a larger budget it’s worth considering models from BMW and, if on an approved-used scheme, Land Rover’s Range Rover Sport P400e or Discovery Sport P300e.