The best used SUVs under 500 thousand rubles in 2021

It's nice to be a millionaire, even for a short time to buy a new car. Alas, not everyone has the ability and patience to collect such a sum. And already with a budget of 500 thousand rubles, dreams of a car with zero mileage are smashed against the harsh rocks of reality. The secondary market helps out. But can you buy something more impressive than a budget hatchback for that kind of money? Of course, and quite a decent SUV in good condition and with good equipment. We have formed a small rating of used cars, the cost of which appears in the region of half a million rubles, having tried to choose the models of the minimum age and with the lowest mileage. Not forgetting, of course, about reputation, quality, reliability and other important consumer characteristics.

Renault Duster

No matter what they say about this SUV, it is very common on Russian roads. Yes, it has flaws, but perfect cars do not exist. Moreover, for 500 thousand rubles you can buy a 2012-2014 crossover with a real mileage of 50,000 kilometers. You will not find a SUV younger than 500,000 rubles. A reliable car with excellent off-road characteristics and a good set of engines.

By the way, about the motors. The diesel turbocharged power unit is quite reliable and easily goes 150 thousand kilometers, but on condition that you feed it high-quality fuel. Otherwise, the turbocharger will quickly fail. Note that there are few SUVs with a diesel engine in Russia.

A two-liter engine is more common, it has problems with the gas distribution clutch, which can fail after 80 thousand kilometers, the throttle gasket serves about the same amount. Therefore, the best choice for the best used SUV for 500 thousand rubles is a 1.6-liter engine with a capacity of 102 horsepower - of course, it is not for the track, but it is reliable and will easily serve you for 4-5 years.

The variant with a four-band automatic will not be the most successful - this ancient transmission has not the best reputation. The mechanical box is considered reliable, and it works out its resource in full.

The suspension runs for a long time, except for the replacement of the stabilizer struts / bushings, which "fly out" every 20-40 thousand kilometers, depending on the operating conditions. But they also cost a penny.

Toyota RAV4

The maximum you can count on is a 2003-2005 SUV, but in this case, the mileage should serve as a benchmark, which for one of the most reliable crossovers that has earned a reputation is unlikely to be less than 200 thousand kilometers. Thus, in the second place in the rating of the best used SUVs under 500 thousand rubles, we put the oldest car, the exact opposite of the Renault Duster.

Why? It is the best-selling urban SUV in history and became legendary during its lifetime. The second-generation crossover served as a prototype for the Chinese SUVs Chery Tiggo and Lifan X60, which is also an extraordinary fact.

The only "but" - you have to choose from very old specimens.

What to look for? A two-liter diesel engine with a capacity of 116 horsepower is poorly represented in the secondary market in Russia - it is capricious, it is better not to buy a car with such an engine. The 1.8-liter petrol powertrain is also unreliable due to a number of design flaws. It remains the most common, reliable two-liter engine with a capacity of 150 horsepower with a timing chain drive. The 2.4-liter powertrain is good too, but finding a SUV with such an engine is a big hit.

Do not be afraid to buy a crossover with a four-band automatic, if the previous owners changed the oil on time, then it will not cause you problems. The mechanical box is also reliable and rarely breaks. The same can be said about all-wheel drive: its components are reliable, but subject to proper care and not abuse of off-road loads.

The SUV also has local shortcomings, in particular, the cooling system does not shine with reliability, gaskets and oil seals can leak, sensor failure is also not uncommon. It is important not to skimp and put as expensive original spare parts and consumables as possible, and then even a crossover under twenty years old will serve you for more than one year. You can always sell it, because the model is considered very liquid, and this is a huge plus in favor of the Japanese SUV.

Nissan Qashqai

The third place in our rating of used crossovers for 500 thousand rubles was taken by another Japanese SUV, which is also very popular. This is evidenced by a considerable number of offers on the market, among which the prevailing SUVs of 2007-2008 years of release, occasionally there are also restyled crossovers of 2009, as a rule, in basic configurations. At the same time, the average mileage lies in the range of 75-125 thousand kilometers, which is not an indicator for modern power units.

The compact city SUV is an extremely successful SUV, with good noise insulation, excellent suspension performance, rich equipment and relatively low operating costs.

The 106 horsepower 1.5-liter turbocharged diesel engine is relatively rare, and is the most problematic in the crossover engine lineup. By about 150 thousand kilometers, the turbine fails, so it is better not to take such specimens. A two-liter diesel engine is much more reliable, but even less common. The basic, most widespread and durable is the 141 horsepower gasoline 2-liter engine, which is usually paired with a CVT, but it is better to prefer a manual box. The reason is the high cost of repairing the first one (about 150 thousand rubles), and if you have to buy a new one, then this is almost the cost of the SUV itself (over 400 thousand rubles). And you can never say in advance how the car was operated by the previous owners.

The all-wheel drive clutch can also be problematic, since it is not very well protected from dirt. If the four-wheel drive stops turning on and you are not satisfied with this, prepare 50 thousand rubles to replace the clutch. But the suspension is good, replacing shock absorbers every 35-40 thousand kilometers does not count.

Original spare parts and consumables are traditionally expensive, but among the affordable non-original products are of good quality.

Suzuki grand vitara

Although the Japanese brand itself is not one of the most popular in Russia, its flagship crossover, which has a lot in common with SUVs, was and remains in demand, which made it possible to rank it among the best used SUVs in the price category up to 500 thousand rubles.

What can you buy for this money? Quite a decent second-generation car produced in 2006-2008 with a mileage of about 100-200 thousand kilometers.

The SUV has a frame structure, which is very rare in this class, it has a full-fledged all-wheel drive with a transfer case. Appearance after a change of generations approached the canons of a classic crossover, although earlier it was a massive car with the proportions of an SUV.

Most SUVs on the Russian secondary market are equipped with a 140 horsepower two-liter petrol engine, which is combined with an automatic transmission, and this pair is considered quite reliable and unpretentious. The 106-horsepower 1.6-liter engines are rather weak for a crossover, and the powerful 2.4-liter 170-horsepower powertrains are rare.

In any case, watch the oil level, all engines are prone to increased appetite, especially older ones. The timing chain with the tensioner suffers from this.

Main pair howling is another common Grand Vitara disease. The service life of the drive belts is also low - they will need to be replaced every 50 thousand.

The suspension, if you do not abuse off-road driving, serves for a long time. Shock absorbers, front levers and silent blocks can withstand up to 80 thousand kilometers.

Among other disadvantages, we note the possible sagging of the fifth door due to the rather heavy spare wheel hanging on it. The air conditioner is also unreliable, and any of its components can fail. But in general, the SUV in terms of reliability is inferior only to the Toyota RAV4, and this is far from a 20-year-old old man. And he is no less liquid than the senior fellow in the segment.

Renault Koleos

Are you surprised that a car that is not very popular in Russia is included in the rating of used SUVs up to 500 thousand rubles? And completely in vain. Yes, in terms of sales, this crossover was not close to the Duster, but this is a very good city SUV, which is a distant relative of the Nissan Qashqai present on our list. If only because they (and also the Nissan X-Trail) have the same range of engines. But you can become the owner of a copy with a range of up to 150 thousand kilometers.

Let's say right away, there are few offers with a two-liter engine, most of the crossovers present in the secondary market are equipped with a 2.5-liter engine with a capacity of 171 horsepower and a variator. Both power units are considered to be moderately reliable and durable, as is the suspension. I am pleased with the quality of the car's sound insulation, its smooth running, good off-road qualities and the level of equipment.

The problems with the power side are actually the same as those of the Nissan Qashqai: a weak variator belt (the original one costs from 12 thousand rubles), the clutch overheats due to poor protection from dirt, its replacement will cost you 40-45 thousand. With a run of 100 thousand kilometers, you have to change the timing chain and the support of the power unit.

We recommend checking and cleaning the throttle valve every 50 thousand kilometers, since its failure will come back to haunt you in the amount of 500,000 rubles.

Note that the original spare parts for Renault Koleos are cheaper than those of their Japanese classmates, and in general, the chassis of the Frenchman is more reliable than that of the Nissan X-Trail. The equipment of the lower trim levels is standard - a pair of airbags, air conditioning, adjustable outside mirrors, power windows, cruise control, etc.

Hyundai santa fe

The Korean bestseller of the past years remains so, but already on the secondary market. The inexpensive SUV is characterized by good looks, a range of powerful engines, and a spacious interior. For half a million rubles, there is a chance to purchase a 2007-2008 crossover with a range of 120-180 thousand kilometers.

Diesel two-liter engine with a capacity of 112 horsepower is the youngest in a family of three power units that were in circulation in Russia.

The more common petrol engines are the 2.4-liter 146-horsepower and the 2.7-liter 173 horsepower. Both units are considered hardy, but there are some remarks regarding reliability. In particular, after 200 thousand kilometers of mileage, they begin to observe increased oil consumption - evidence of irreversible age-related changes. Both a manual transmission and an automatic transmission are available from transmissions. But in our case, the outdated four-band automatic transmission turned out to be more resource-intensive, capable of withstanding 200-250 thousand kilometers without breakdowns.

From the foregoing, we can conclude that it is better to buy a SUV with a range that is far from 200,000 kilometers.

A few words about the all-wheel drive. It is implemented in the crossover by means of a Styer viscous clutch, which is generally hardy, but is afraid of overheating, which is fraught with cracking of the body. If the clutch is inoperative, you simply cannot use the four-wheel drive - such a breakdown will not bring any other consequences.

If the Santa Fe's power unit is good, then there may be problems with attachments. This applies to various sensors that sometimes do not stand the test of time and Russian roads.

Ssangyong actyon

Another Korean car closes the top 7 used SUVs worth up to 500,000 rubles. Except for the Renault Duster, then you can become the owner of the youngest crossover on our list. For half a million rubles in the secondary market, you can find second-generation cars from 2011-2013 with the corresponding mileage, often less than 100 thousand kilometers. That is, you can buy a car that is currently on sale. True, the cost of the model in the basic configuration has already crossed the line of 1 million rubles.

A small part of the proposals are SUVs with a two-liter petrol engine with a capacity of 149 horsepower, combined with a six-speed automatic. For such a serious car, such an engine may not be enough, especially on the track, but with a manual transmission, the dynamics becomes much better. Although the automatic transmission itself is considered durable, capable of traveling up to 200 thousand kilometers.

Diesel engines are also good, of which the most common is the two-liter and also 149-horsepower unit. But it is better not to take a copy with a gun.

Of the shortcomings, we note the poor quality of finishing materials, which quickly deteriorate or lose their presentation. There are problems with the electric power steering, you may not be satisfied with the operation of the suspension, which quickly breaks anthers, stabilizer struts and hub bearings wear out early. But spare parts for the SUV are inexpensive, and minor repairs will be affordable for you.

Choosing a used car is always a difficult task, because we choose a new one solely according to its characteristics, and here we add such a factor as the state of the SUV. So the rating is rated, but pay more attention to checking the crossover during a personal inspection. Desirable - with a friend who is well versed in the topic.