Browse over 9,000 car reviews

What is the best second-hand SUV I can buy with 8-10K?

Asked by Joanna

What is the best SUV second-hand car I can buy with 8-10K? Reliability, comfort and safety. I'm thinking automatic, Volvo XC, or Honda CR-V? Most of the time there will just be one or two adults and two medium size dogs on board. We live in a small coastal town, so short drives on country roads and highways. Not much city driving.

Answered by CarsGuide

15 Jan 2024 David Morley

The smart money says go with a Toyota. The RAV4 is popular but within your budget, you'll be buying a 12- or 14-year-old car with at least 200,000km on its odometer. Which still means it's probably a pretty good thing in terms of reliability, provided it's been serviced correctly up to now, but you'd have to buy carefully. A second-hand Kluger can also be a good deal if you can afford the fuel, but comes with the same caveats.

A Honda CR-V won't be much different to the RAV4 in terms of its price versus model year, but you stand a slightly better chance of finding a CR-V with relatively low kilometres. Don't be afraid to get a bit alternative and look at things like the Kia Sportage. Your ten-grand gets you into a Sportage of around the same vintage as the RAV4, but is likely to have as many as 100,000 fewer kilometres on board. Again, check for a full service history.

And given your usage pattern, don't be temped to stump up more for a hybrid SUV; there's just not the pay-off at the pump for a car that does mainly highway and open-road work.

Disclaimer: You acknowledge and agree that all answers are provided as a general guide only and should not be relied upon as bespoke advice. Carsguide is not liable for the accuracy of any information provided in the answers.

How can we help?

Please note: Questions cannot be answered privately. All answers will be published on CarsGuide.com.au

By clicking on the 'Submit' button you acknowledge you have read and agree to abide by the CarsGuide Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy. Carsguide reserves the right to not answer any questions for any reason. You acknowledge and agree that all answers are provided as a general guide only and should not be relied upon as bespoke advice.

Over 8,000 questions answered by CarsGuide

Search