IF YOU’RE IN the market for a family-sized SUV fancy something with some more luxury than the mainstream models like Nissan Qashqais and Hyundai Tucsons, looking at a used luxury model may net you a bargain of sorts.
Looking at a used, rather than a new model, means that there is more than likely a significant reduction in price due to depreciation – and if you’re not as fussed about having the very latest version, going back one model generation should bring further savings.
This week we’re going to look at some of the luxury SUVs that you might want to consider if you’re shopping in the used market, with a budget of €30k.
The Q5 was a hugely successful model for Audi, selling in high numbers throughout its model life. It was replaced with a new model in late 2016, but there is a great choice of cars for sale, with many of the earlier models falling below the €20,000 barrier. Find a tidy example with a good history and all of its servicing up to date and your total cost of ownership shouldn’t be that high.
The Lexus RX isn’t the largest of SUVs, but it is one of the only cars of its type that you can buy as a hybrid.
That hybrid system makes is most useful if you’re primarily driving on short urban routes, where the battery has more opportunity to chime in and help propel the car. However, if you’re a more regular long distance driver, this isn’t going to be the best buy for you, as fuel consumption at higher cruising speeds can increase a lot.
No longer is the first E53 generation the only affordable BMW X5, now prices for the later E70 versions are starting to come down too. This generation was the first of the X5s to be available with a seven-seat option; however, that third row has next to no legroom.
As ever we recommend approaching with caution here, be thorough when viewing a car and take all the necessary steps to check that it is driving correctly before buying. Come across the right example, and you can land something of a bargain when you consider what these cars cost when new.
The Porsche Cayenne very much ticks the luxury SUV box. They are reasonably capable off-road, and on tarmac some versions deliver serious levels of performance.
The Cayenne is one car you do need to go into with your eyes fully open though. They have a reputation for eating through front tyres, and the all-wheel drive hardware can fail. There’s also the hefty annual motor tax bill you will face if you’re opting for one of the larger petrol-engined models.
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