For families looking for an affordable vehicle, it’s a great idea to take a look at used SUVs for sale in your area. You can find some pretty amazing vehicles that might have been out of your budget when they were new. Chances are you’ll even luck up and find the perfect SUV that is only a year or two old.
Let’s take a look at a few of the best used SUVs options that you should keep an eye out for when you hit your local dealership lots.
2017 GMC Yukon
If you are looking for an SUV that can handle a large family, consider taking a peek at a 2017 GMC Yukon. Able to carry up to nine passengers comfortably, this massive model boasts a powerful engine and a stout towing capacity.
Growling under the hood is a robust 5.3-liter V8 engine that generates 355 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque. Equipped with a 6-speed automatic transmission and RWD (AWD is optional), it has a surprisingly good fuel economy set at 19 mpg combined (16 city/23 highway). The AWD version has slightly lower numbers set at 18 mpg combined (16 city/22 highway). With the proper towing package, this beast can haul up to 8,500 pounds without breaking a sweat.
If you manage to locate a used Yukon Denali, you’ll get an even stronger 6.2-liter V8 engine that pumps out a whopping 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. Mated with an 8-speed automatic transmission and 4WD, this monster has a fuel economy set at 17 mpg combined (15 city/20 highway), which is to be expected for a vehicle of this stature.
The 2017 GMC Yukon features three rows of seating with 15.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the last row. Folding down the third row will give you access to 51.6 cubic feet, and folding both rows will grant you a cavernous space of 94.7 cubic feet. This model is a solid used SUV choice for large families who love to travel.
2018 GMC Acadia
If the pre-owned Yukon seems a little too powerful for your daily driving need, but you don’t want to compromise on space, you can opt for used GMC Acadia. Able to carry seven passengers across three rows of seating, it offers 12.8 cubic feet of cargo room behind the back row. Folding down the third row will give you 41.7 cubic feet of space, and laying both rows down will provide you with 79 cubic feet of cargo room.
Most 2018 Acadia models are powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that generates 193 hp and 188 lb-ft of torque. This gives you a better fuel economy set at 23 mpg combined (21 city/26 highway) Higher trim levels come equipped with a larger 3.6-liter V6 engine that puts out 310 hp and 271 lb-ft of torque. Both models are mated with a 6-speed automatic transmission.
The designers at GMC wanted to make a full-size SUV that felt more like a car than a truck. Installing a lightweight, fuel-efficient engine was one of the main ways they went about making that happen. The result was the Acadia.
2016 Nissan Juke
If you are looking for an SUV that your teenager won’t hate driving, consider a used Nissan Juke. Its unique, curvy exterior style is fun and fascinating to look at. Nissan even had the Color Studio that enables buyers to mix-and-match color options however they wanted. So, you might get a funky looking Juke second-hand, but that doesn’t diminish the sporty performance and cool entertainment features.
Under the hood rests a turbocharged 1.6-liter inline four-cylinder engine that generates 188 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque. Equipped with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) and FWD, it boasts an exceptional fuel economy set at 30 mpg combined (28 city/32 highway). In track tests, it had a spry acceleration time going from zero to 60 mph in just 7.3 seconds. Granted, if this is for a teen driver, you certainly wouldn’t want them drag racing. So, with the quick acceleration time also comes great stopping power. Track tests also showed that this model can come to a complete stop from 60 mph in 123 feet. It also earned a solid 5-star rating for side-impact protection in government-conducted crash tests
Able to carry five passengers, it offers 10.5 cubic feet of cargo room behind the back seats. This can grow up to 36 cubic feet by folding the seats down. It even comes standard with Bluetooth connectivity and hands-free text assist so that your teen has no excuse to take their eyes off the road.
2015 Ford Explorer
As one of the most recognizable SUVs on the market, a used Ford Explorer has many benefits for a family on a budget searching for used SUVs for sale.
In the business for over 25 years, this three-row crossover seats seven passengers comfortably and offers a maximum cargo area of 80 cubic feet. So, if you need to move, you won’t have to rent a truck!
Most 2018 Explorers, minus the Sport trim level, comes with a 3.5-liter V6 engine that generates 290 hp and 255 lb-ft of torque. Equipped with a 6-speed automatic transmission and FWD (4WD is optional), this beast has a fuel economy set at 20 mpg combined (17 city/24 highway). It can also tow up to 2,000 pounds with no problem.
In government-conducted crash tests, it raked in a solid 5-star rating in all categories, including front- and side-impact protection. You can rest assured that you and your loved ones will be as safe as possible inside this land whale.
2017 Jeep Cherokee
If you are looking for a smaller SUV, consider a used Jeep Cherokee. This crossover is able to carry five passengers and offers 24.6 cubic feet of space behind the back seats. By folding the back row down, you can maximize the cargo area to 54.9 cubic feet. That’s still ample space for a family with an active lifestyle.
The majority of pre-owned 2017 Jeep Cherokees has a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine under the hood that generates 184 hp and 171 lb-ft of torque. Equipped with a 9-speed automatic transmission and FWD, it has an impressive fuel economy set at 25 mpg combined (21 city/30 highway). If you manage to locate a Cherokee with the 3.2-liter V6 engine, it will pump out 271 hp and 239 lb-ft of torque and have a fuel economy set at 24 mpg combined (21 city/29 highway). That’s not a big drop from the smaller engine, which is quite impressive.
Choosing the Right Used SUV
There are so many wonderful used SUVs for sale out there that it is impossible for us to list them all. It’s up to you to weigh all of your options and choose the vehicle that best suits the needs of your family. Some of the factors that you should consider when buying a pre-owned SUV are the overall performance, safety ratings, and, of course, the vehicle history report.
