You can buy these reliable SUVs for €15,000

A week ago our budget was 20 grand, because premium. This week we are going back to normal again, so our budget can be significantly reduced. How many RAV4 can you buy for 15 grand? And what are some alternatives in the large selection of mainly German, French, Japanese and South Korean models?

Toyota RAV4 2.0 VVT-i 4WD Dynamic – 2011 – 127,207 kilometers – €14,949

People regularly complain that used cars are so expensive these days, or rather: have such high asking prices, because questions are of course free. The popular RAV4 also suffers from this, and not just a little! In order to keep up with the other two in terms of age and mileage, we ended up with this Toyota RAV4 in our used car database, fresh from Germany. He is the oldest of the trio, but blessed with relatively low mileage. The – according to the provider – sole owner has (therefore) handled it with care. Not wrongly, because he/she has chosen an attractive version. First there is the variable four-wheel drive that you can block under terrain conditions to keep the distribution over both axles equal. This prevents the non-slip rubber from losing its strength when wheels slip. The brown metallic X-456-BT also has hill assist. With a braked towing capacity of 2 tonnes, this makes it a pleasant transporter of a caravan, boat or horse trailer. However, the two-liter is of the naturally aspirated type and therefore less fierce, fast and economical than the blown 1.6 from the X-Trail. Secondly, there is the Dynamic version that fits well with the character of this occasion. For an SUV, the steering is remarkably direct and precise, and in line with the solid road holding. The suspension is even on the hard side, but as a result, the RAV4 is unusual in leaning in faster corners. It’s almost a hatchback, but with a high seat.

The seating could be better: quite short seats and little lateral support. Some other aspects can be criticized, such as the back door instead of a hatch. Build quality, materials used and equipment are what you would expect from a car of this age: not ultra-modern, but Toyota-solid. Despite its foreign past, it therefore comes with a standard 6-month warranty. A 12-month Bovag warranty costs €450 extra.

Signaling

Brand Toyota
Type RAV4 2.0 VVT-i 4WD Dynamic
Construction year January 2011
Mileage 127,207
Asking price €14,949
Where to buy? Autototaalservice Oudshoorn & Ruygt

Technical data
Engine 4 cyl. in line, 1,987 cc
Max. assets 116 kW/158 hp at 6,200 rpm
Max. couple 198 Nm at 4,000 rpm
Luggage compartment 586 l/1,469 l
Max. trailer braked 2,000 kilos
Avg. consumption 1:13,2
0-100 km/h 10.5 sec
Top speed 185 km/h

All data according to factory specifications

Nissan X-Trail DIG-T 163 Tekna – 2016 – 168,411 kilometers – €14,900

The RAV4 has many peers from Japan: Honda’s CR-V and Mazda’s CX-5 (both featured in this section) for the sporty among us, while adventurers go for a Subaru or Suzuki Vitara. However, we see the biggest competitor in the Nissan X-Trail. In terms of reliability and build quality, the RAV4 has an edge, and this is reflected in the used car prices: for the same money you can drive a much younger X-Trail. This Nissan X-Trail, for example: although it has 41,000 kilometers more on the odometer, it is also more than 5.5 years younger. No naturally aspirated 2.0 here, but a blown 1.6. That makes the KL-096-K (October 2016, two owners) smoother, more economical and look at that torque. This used car only has front-wheel drive and a braked towing capacity of 1,800 kilos.

Despite its stronger power source, the X-Trail is above all a comfortable mile-eater: there is sufficient space at the front and rear. The luggage compartment is indeed the smallest of these three, but at 550 liters it is still spacious enough and can be expanded to almost 2 cubic meters. Bring on that caravan holiday! On the way there, it is noticeable that the chassis neatly smooths out long bumps and although the steering is a bit light and numb, it is nicely neutral in the straight-ahead position. In sharp bends, however, the Nissan shows slightly more understeer than desired and you also feel the driving forces quite clearly in the steering wheel.

At higher speeds the power source is pleasantly quiet and the extensive Tekna equipment does the rest. With items such as a whole host of safety features (so that the The light, predominantly Qashqai interior makes this occasion more up to date on all fronts than the example above.

Signaling
Brand Nissan
Type X-Trail DIG-T 163 Tekna
Construction year October 2016
Mileage 168,411
Asking price €14,900
Where to buy? Auto Walinga Heerenveen BV, Heerenveen

Technical data

Engine 4 cyl. in-line, 1,618 cc, turbo
Max. assets 120 kW/163 hp at 5,600 rpm
Max. couple 240 Nm at 2,000 rpm
Luggage compartment 550 l/1,982 l
Max. trailer braked 1,800 kilos
Avg. consumption 1:16.1
0-100 km/h 9.7 sec
Top speed 200 km/h

All data according to factory specifications

Kia Sportage 2.0 CVVT Plus Pack – 2012 – 84,680 kilometers – €14,650

The time when people made fun of Kia is now far behind us. The Sportage in particular turned out to be a permanent fixture in our country. However, as a used car, such a higher South Korean seems to be slightly less on the radar than the RAV4, which also translates into an attractive price/performance ratio. Take this Kia Sportage: its age is closer to the RAV4 than the X-Trail, but with less than 85,000 kilometers on the odometer, it has barely been broken in. Moreover, the South Korean is also more modern than the Toyota with five safety stars.

In terms of equipment, the brown metallic 79-TTN-8 (one owner since April 2012) has to take precedence over the X-Trail. Half-leather upholstery is present, but it feels too slippery – especially in bends. There is little support, despite the available lumbar support on the driver’s seat. Fortunately, the Sportage prefers to drive straight ahead. The steering wheel is quite power-assisted and, in combination with the fairly soft chassis (it tends to lean over and dive into the springs when accelerating and braking quickly), it naturally makes you feel quite calm. You also do this to keep fuel consumption in check. With 163 hp, the naturally aspirated 2.0-liter GDI is just as powerful as the X-Trail, but the consumption is at RAV4 level. Both outside and inside (a rather black interior), this occasion lacks some personality, which, together with the comfortable, but somewhat distant character, gives it more American than European characteristics. We miss a bit of refinement, the much-for-little feeling still prevails. That also has advantages: 1,900 kilos of braked towing capacity and enough space for the occupants, for example. But also an asking price including a one-year Bovag warranty. This used car rakes in enough positive points as an alternative to the almost all-powerful RAV4. And otherwise there are the many other competitors, from Volkswagen Tiguan to Peugeot 3008 and from Ford Kuga to BMW ix35 …

Signaling

Brand Kia
Type Sportage 2.0 CVVT Plus Pack
Construction year April 2012
Mileage 84,680
Asking price €14,650
Where to buy? Oostendorp, Den Bosch

Technical data
Engine 4 cyl. in line, 1,998 cc
Max. assets 120 kW/163 hp at 6,200 rpm
Max. couple 194 Nm at 4,600 rpm
Luggage compartment 564 l/1,353 l
Max. trailer braked 1,900 kilos
Avg. consumption 1:13.3
0-100 km/h 10.4 sec
Top speed 184 km/h

All data according to factory specifications

Which SUV from the C-segment appeals to you most?

In summary: when looking for a decent tow car, Toyota’s RAV4 is rightly on many a shortlist. That makes it popular and therefore a pricey occasion. In addition to the RAV4, we have portrayed two alternatives, but this segment is huge. We have already mentioned models such as CR-V, CX-5, Vitara, Tiguan, Kuga and 3008, but the used car range does not stop there, think of Grandland, X1, Outlander … What would your choice be?