If you've recently shopped for an SUV or crossover, the sheer number of options can be overwhelming. Almost every mainstream automotive manufacturer offers multiple SUV models across various price points. A $20,000 budget opens the door to great choices in the used car market, but how do you ensure it meets your long-term needs? We've broken the SUV market into categories to help you select the perfect vehicle to keep you satisfied for years to come.
The Best Used SUVs Under $20,000 in 2024
- Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
- Kia Sportage
- Ford Edge
- Subaru Outback
- Lincoln MKT
- Jeep Renegade
- Dodge Durango
- Chevrolet Tahoe
- Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
- BMW X3
Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
Best Fuel-Efficient SUV Under $20,000: Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
Priced from: $19,000
We’d love to say that you could slide behind the wheel of a Lexus RX 450h for under $20,000. You can, actually, but it’s going to be one with over 100,000 miles on it. The better choice at this price point is the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Limited, which is packed with most of the features you’d get with the Lexus, and at that price, you’ll be under 70,000 miles on the odometer, easily.
In the range of $15,000 to $20,000, the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Limited is going to come from around the 2016 model year. If you’re looking for a hybrid that’s new enough to be covered under the original factory warranty, the Kia Niro is nice, but it’s also significantly smaller. The Honda CR-V is a solid choice as well, but tends to have slightly higher resale values than the RAV4. The nice thing about the RAV4 is that it’s a real vehicle ready for just about anything you can throw at it, with the exception of carrying more than four other passengers.
In the $20,000 price range, the RAV4 Hybrid Limited is going to be equipped with leather upholstery, the largest touchscreen infotainment system available, a power sunroof, and heated seats. You can also expect outstanding fuel efficiency for the class, with 34 mpg city and 30 mpg highway fuel economy thanks to the hybrid drivetrain
Kia Sportage
Best Compact Crossover Under $20,000: Kia Sportage
Priced from: $15,000
With our $20,000 price cap, you’ve got access to some used vehicles that are essentially brand new, and that’s the case with the Kia Sportage. You’re not going to get into the fully loaded trim levels, but if you’re willing to accept the LX trim with cloth interior and all-wheel drive (AWD), you can find a Sportage LX AWD for under $20,000 from the 2020 model year, with under 50,000 miles, and still covered by the Sportage’s new-car warranty.
We’ve driven numerous examples of these compact SUVs over the years, along with their Hyundai counterparts, and they’ve been great with one exception: They’re hard to see out of. Yes, you get a large screen for the reversing camera, and you can buy a Sportage with blind-spot monitoring, but they do have seriously impeded visibility out the back window. That’s not uncommon these days, but it’s something to think about.
Aside from that one minor complaint, the Sportage is a capable, reliable, pleasant crossover with a healthy dose of standard safety features that should get you and a small family anywhere you need to go.
Ford Edge
Best Used Midsize Crossover Under $20,000: Ford Edge
Priced from: $16,000
Our search for midsize crossovers under $20,000 turned up a very nice Ford Edge Titanium, protected under Ford’s certified pre-owned (CPO) program. Expand your search to other trim levels and you’ll be able to find a CPO Edge with that kind of mileage in any color you’d like.
The Titanium is a top trim level along with the performance-oriented ST, and sits above the SE and SEL. Nevertheless, if you’re out there looking for an Edge, you're most likely going to find more SELs than any other trim level. They’re well equipped with leather, power seats, automatic climate control, and seat warmers, but they lack some of the high-end features that the more expensive trims offer. If you can live with that, the Edge is an excellent, quiet, comfortable choice in all-wheel-drive crossovers.
Subaru Outback
Best AWD Crossover Under $20,000: Subaru Outback
Priced from: $15,000
Although it started life as a station wagon, the modern Subaru Outback is now undeniably a crossover SUV. Equipped with standard AWD, the Outback (like its Forester brethren) has long been a fan favorite of shoppers living in the snowy northeast, pacific northwest, and the Rocky Mountain region. Subaru redesigned the Outback for its fifth generation in the 2015 model year, improving interior passenger and cargo space as well as updating and upgrading the car's safety tech.
While the 2.5-liter H4 engine under the hood of most Outbacks may leave some folks wanting more power (particularly at higher elevations), it operates smoothly and is well-matched to the continuously variable transmission. Add in the AWD systems excellent traction management, and this is a well-priced SUV for shoppers who regularly travel in less-than-stellar weather conditions. And, of course, if you need a little extra oomph from the engine, Subaru did offer an optional 3.6-liter H6 engine upgrade.
New Outbacks range from almost $30,000 to north of $40,000, but fifth-generation models offer the same style and much of the same mechanical equipment for a fraction of the price. Starting with the 2015 model year, shoppers can easily find good options below $20,000.
Lincoln MKT
Best Large Crossover Under $20,000: Lincoln MKT
Priced from: $19,000
Over the years, we’ve recommended the Ford Flex to dozens of people who have families and need maximum functionality to haul around all their junk in comfort. The people who have taken us up on that advice have absolutely loved them. The Lincoln MKT is exactly the same model, but it looks less like a Brinks truck and offers more upscale styling than the Ford.
Like the Flex, the MKT was universally ignored by the car-buying public. Most of them ended up going to livery fleets after Lincoln ceased production on the Town Car. Part of the reason they were overlooked was that they carried a wildly high manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) as new vehicles, but that’s all corrected on the used market. For $20K, you can buy a super clean, fully loaded MKT with under 75,000 miles. An MKT is going to have all of the luxury car appointments and features of the most exclusive SUVs on the market, at a significantly reduced price.
One note on these: As we mentioned, a lot of these were in use in livery fleets. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, because fleet operators are generally pretty good when it comes to vehicle maintenance.
Jeep Renegade
Best Compact Rugged SUV Under $20,000: Jeep Renegade
Priced from: $15,000
For less than $20,000, a proficient shopper can dig up a Jeep Renegade Trailhawk with fewer than 30,000 miles. We had grim opinions of the cheap, small Jeeps prior to the introduction of the Renegade, but this model is a vast improvement over the Compass that it eventually replaced.
The Renegade is based on the same platform as the Fiat 500X, but is wrapped in a much more attractive package. It features a four-cylinder engine mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission versus a continuously variable transmission that you’ll find in most vehicles in this class. And shockingly enough, it's pretty capable off-road. You’re not going to scale the Rubicon, but it’ll certainly get you to your campsite without issue.
The Trailhawk example we found close to home in a CarGurus search had just over 42,000 miles, and was protected under a CPO program.
Dodge Durango
Best Midsize SUV Under $20,000: Dodge Durango
Priced from: $17,500
The Durango is an eye-opening model. A few years back, we had one in the driveway during a good 10-inch dump of snow, during which we had planned a ski trip. We packed up the Durango, headed out and, despite the terrible weather, arrived at our destination completely without drama. We’ve had as many as five people inside and a week’s worth of vacation luggage, and it did the job remarkably well.
At our $20,000 price point, you won’t find the sportier GT trim, and you won’t have access to the V8 in the R/T, but the 305-horsepower V6 engine in the older Durango is more than adequate on the back roads and along the highway.
In our search, we turned up several examples in the SXT AWD trim with less than 70,000 miles, and in very nice condition. One had leather interior and dual screens for rear-seat passengers, along with headphones. It’s a lot of vehicle for short money.
Chevrolet Tahoe
Best Full-Size SUV Under $20,000: Chevrolet Tahoe
Priced from: $18,000
Twenty grand will buy you a Chevrolet Tahoe with fewer than 100,000 miles, but you’re going to need to search a bit. You can easily find a GMT800-era vehicle for that kind of money, but you’ll want to look around to find a GMT900, from the 2007 to 2014 model years. They’re modern, good looking, roomy, and most people won’t be able to tell it from a new one.
We looked through the CarGurus listings and located multiple examples from around 2011, most in the LT trim level that included leather; wood accents on the dash, console, and door panels; and most of the luxury features you’d want in a vehicle like this, with the exception of a moonroof.
These are stout, durable vehicles that were built to run a quarter of a million miles without breaking a sweat. Find a clean Chevy with 75,000 miles and your kids will end up driving it when they pass their driver license test.
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
Best Fun SUV Under $20,000: Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
Priced from: $12,500
The step from $15,000 to $20,000 really unlocks some potential in the Jeep Wrangler market. That extra five grand makes it a lot easier to step into a four-door Unlimited, which offers tons more room for rear passengers and cargo space to store more than a duffel bag.
Usually the $20,000 mark is the line of demarcation for vehicles with over 100,000 miles. A $19,995 Wrangler Unlimited is likely going to have a soft top and 90,000 miles. A $22,000 Wrangler Unlimited will probably come with a hard top and 75,000 miles.
Trim levels are going to be locked out by the $20,000 cap, too. You won’t find a Rubicon. But you might find a Willys, which offered a lot of the great looks, and some of the hardcore equipment of the Rubicon without the higher price tag.
BMW X3
Best Luxury SUV Under $20,000: BMW X3
Priced from: $13,000
The BMW X3 is a rewarding vehicle. It features typical BMW quality inside, and offers all the comfort, convenience, and sportiness of a 3 Series, while delivering the ground clearance and cargo capacity of a small SUV. It also compares favorably to competitors from the likes of Acura, Mercedes, and Audi.
For $20,000, you’ll be looking at something from around 2016, with just over 60,000 miles—relatively low mileage for a luxury SUV of that model year. You’re out of luck if you want the power of the X3M, but the X3 xDrive28i delivers excellent acceleration, sharp handling, and more room than you might expect from something this sporty.
One note: BMW did offer these in rear-wheel drive, as well as AWD. They didn’t sell many, and typically sold them in the warmer climates, but be aware of it if you’re looking specifically for the benefits of all-wheel drive.