Best used off-road SUVs to buy in 2024

Sales figures show us each month what the most popular used cars are for Australian buyers, but popular doesn't also mean best.

When it comes to heading off-road, you should make sure the three models below are high on your list of cars to consider.

JUMP AHEAD

• Near new: Ford Everest
• Mid range: Toyota FJ Cruiser
• Budget: Suzuki Jimny

Near new: Ford Everest

Better and cheaper than a Prado

Despite its commercial ute underpinnings, the Ford Everest possesses a civility that defies its roots. In fact, the Everest has shaped up as a great three-row rig for which to do some long-distance touring with, whether with or without a trailer attached.

It also shapes up as a very compelling alternative to a Prado, a vehicle that remains heavily impacted by Toyota Tax thanks to raging demand. The crazy prices that followed the Everest into the market after its Wheels COTY win have eased slightly and it’s now possible to pick up a 2023 Everest 2.0-litre Ambiente with all-wheel drive for just over $60K.

Prefer the 3.0-litre V6? You’ll need to pay from $75K for a lightly used Sport version. Yes, that’s still not far off list, but context is key here. It’s about the same price as a used 2023 Prado GXL and the Ford is more modern, drives better, has a stack more equipment, and isn’t about to suffer the depreciation wallop of imminent replacement.

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Mid range: Toyota FJ Cruiser

Country strong

We miss the FJ. Its eye-catching design was a breath of fresh air in a segment dominated by dull two-box wagons, and while its suicide doors were a pain for passengers, they certainly oozed cool factor.

But from an off-roading point of view, the FJ Cruiser’s biggest ace was what was hidden beneath its radical bodywork - an evolution of the three-door Prado’s hugely competent ladder frame chassis, suspension, and grunty 4.0-litre petrol V6 engine.

Nowadays, FJ Cruisers offer a great bang-for-buck package. Prices hover around $25K, and with all of them being 4.0-litre petrols with a five-speed auto and switchable 4WD, there’s no range complexity to contend with either. A low-grade Prado GXL of a similar vintage will cost slightly less and also give you the option of a diesel engine. But think of the FJ Cruiser like this: it’s just like a Prado but, you know, for people with a personality.

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Budget: Suzuki Jimny

The mighty atom

If you want the cheapest gateway into off-roading, but also wouldn’t mind something that still carries some semblance of reliability and competency, the previous-gen Jimny is your steed.

However, hitting the trails in the lil’ Zook will require you to be tolerant of its shortcomings, such as in power, torque, creature comforts and, if you’re carrying a passenger, personal space.

It’s also horrifically old-fashioned, with this generation of Jimny being a retro throwback to ’90s-era Japanese design.

That works in your favour though, as the more affordable older models are largely identical to later-build vehicles and Suzuki’s famously unburstable engineering means age shouldn’t necessarily be a handicap.

Accordingly, finding presentable examples in either auto or manual (note that autos are particularly soggy, performance-wise) is no great challenge if you have $10-15K to play with,

It might be slow and basic, but on a smile-per-dollar quotient, the humble Jimny scores highly.

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