Used Car Hunter: big family SUVs for £20,000

Dear Auto Express, I’m looking for a spacious SUV that suits family life, ideally for less than £20,000. What are my best options? - Derek Potter, E-mail

SUVs are a big hit with households up and down the country thanks to their combination of a high driving position, excellent levels of refinement and plenty of space.

Some of the best-selling new cars on sale are SUVs which offer great value for money, but head over to the used market and you can find even more bang for your buck. These used models might be a few years old now, but they still have the same charm, class and quality to make them as competitive now as when they were new.

The Land Rover Discovery Sport injects off-road ability and luxury into a manageably sized package, with a cosetting ride and a quiet cabin. Early models are let down by dated tech, but there’s plenty of space inside and the third row of seats can accommodate two children. 

Mitsubishi’s Outlander is another roomy SUV, but it’s not the most dynamically polished option. It’s easy to drive and comfortable, though, and it holds one trump card over the others: plug-in hybrid power on some models. Cheap to run and with almost 30 miles of all-electric range possible. 

For a no-nonsense large SUV, the Kia Sorento could be the answer. With a versatile interior, stable handling and long warranty, it’s a solid choice, albeit not the most exciting. Read on to find out which model might suit you.

Here's our expert pick for three of the best family SUVs available for £20,000, together with links to buy them through our Find a Car service…

Mitsubishi Outlander - the efficient choice

10

• For: Plug-in hybrid option, big boot
• Against: Wind noise, unsettled ride, PHEV has five seats

A deeply sculpted bumper, chrome accents and sharp creases mark out the Mitsubishi. Yet it doesn’t have the prestige of the Land Rover, and falls behind on the road, where excessive wind noise spoils motorway refinement and the dynamics fall short of its competitors’. 

While the Mitsubishi Outlander is easy to drive on the whole, the ride can be unsettled over bumpy surfaces. But the steering is accurate enough, the brakes are strong and the car is available as a plug-in hybrid. A 2020 Outlander PHEV with 27,000 miles costs £20,000.

The interior design is rather plain, but the Outlander feels durable and gets lots of kit. All models have a DAB radio, Bluetooth connectivity and dual-zone climate control, with higher-spec editions adding a 360-degree parking camera, a heated steering wheel and sat-nav. The infotainment screen is let down by poor resolution. Only the diesel model has seven seats – the PHEV gets five – but the Outlander’s versatility really shines. Where fitted, the third row provides enough space for children, and can be folded away with a one-touch mechanism. Drop the second row and there’s a cavernous 1,608-litre load space.

See our used Mitsubishi Outlander deals

Land Rover Discovery Sport - the rugged choice

10

• For: Premium feel, off-road ability, roomy cabin
• Against: Thirsty engines, clunky infotainment 

The Land Rover Discovery Sport looks every bit the shrunken version of the full-sized seven- seat off-roader, and that’s no bad thing. Using the firm’s Terrain Response system, the Disco Sport can go further than most other SUVs, and it’s a quiet, relaxing companion on tarmac, too. 

It smooths out the bulk of road imperfections and is precise enough in bends, with decent grip. The Discovery Sport comes with a range of petrol and diesel engines, and a 2019 35,000-mile 2.0-litre diesel comes in under the £20,000 budget. This offers decent performance and is fairly refined.

If you’re after a seven-seater with a plush interior, the Land Rover is easily the best bet of this trio. The layout is reminiscent of other models in the range, with a clean dash design, metal trims and a gear selector that rises from the centre console. There’s lots of adjustment in the seat and steering wheel, so most drivers can get comfy, but the infotainment system fitted to early cars isn’t so easy to live with. The Disco Sport is very spacious, with a comfortable second row and fair access to the rearmost seats, which are fine for short journeys. The large boot and flat loading lip make carrying large items a doddle.

See our used Land Rover Discovery Sport deals

Kia Sorento - the dependable choice

10

• For: Long seven-year warranty, practical, refined
• Against: Bland looks, diesel engine only

For family SUV buyers who want to blend in, the Kia Sorento fits the bill nicely. The Kia is more polished to drive than the Mitsubishi, with strong refinement and a comfortable ride on most surfaces. The softer suspension set-up does sacrifice some precision while cornering, but it’s a worthwhile trade-off. 

A 197bhp 2.2-litre diesel is the sole engine option with the Sorento, and it’s punchy and smooth enough unless pushed hard. A 2019 Sorento that’s covered 50,000 miles falls within budget, and will still be covered by Kia’s excellent seven-year warranty.

The seven-seat Sorento offers enough space to cater for a large family, with plenty of head and legroom in the second row. Access to the third row can be a little tricky because the door apertures aren’t huge, but the seats are accommodating enough. There’s a large 660-litre boot with the rearmost seats folded, too, and overall quality is good. Soft-touch surfaces and stitched panels lift the ambience, although it doesn’t feel particularly luxurious and the cabin design is a little bland. It’s not as premium as the Land Rover, but all Sorentos get DAB, Bluetooth, a touchscreen infotainment system and privacy glass. It should also be noted that this generation of Sorento is a previous Driver Power New Car Survey winner.

See our used Kia Sorento deals

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