In what turned out to be another banner year for Honda in North America, the Japanese marque’s bestselling model was – to the surprise of no-one – the mid-sized CR-V. This is a crossover, after all, that’s been Honda’s sales flag bearer in the US since 2017, and of which the brand had already sold nearly six million units-worth heading into 2023.It does make sense. While not the most exciting of family haulers on the market (Honda has never claimed it to be, in fairness), the Honda CR-V is dependable, reliable, and as comfortable and practical as an everyday daily driver should be. Even an impressively competitive $30,920 MSRP too undercuts the likes of Jeep’s mid-sized Cherokee, the Hyundai Tucson, and even Subaru’s workhorse Forester.But what if you wanted just a dash more luxury in your mid-sized SUV for the same, if not less, money? We hit the used second-hand sites recently, and it turns out, give or take the odd scrape and some mid-to-high mileage figures, your options are much wider than you might expect…Pre-owned examples of each of the following models were found via Autotrader.com and the CarBuzz Marketplace. Each featured a clean history and was deemed to be in manufacturer-approved or third-party certified condition. 2017 Range Rover Evoque Pre-Owned Price Range: $26,998 - $30,888 2021-2024 Land Rover Range Roer Evoque Exterior (10)Nope, we didn’t expect to find a Range Rover Evoque at this price either. This was the ‘fashionable’ Range Rover, after all, more synonymous with Saville Row and SoHo than Land Rover’s rutted, off-road heritage. Indeed, that rakish roofline, and the (slightly) limited headroom and reduced cargo area this caused, meant the Evoque was less practical than its equally subcompact, premium rivals at BMW (X1), Mercedes (GLB), and even Porsche.The Evoque did, admittedly, have an enviably stylish cabin, with opulent extras like heated seats and a power-liftgate as standard. Upgraded for 2022, Land Rover’s turbocharged four-cylinder tapped out, in full fat P300 form anyway, at 296 hp (be warned, the slightly less powerful P250 is your only option here). It was less dynamic than the BMW, and obviously the Porsche, but then, the Evoque, a trendy $45,750-plus statement on four wheels, was always going to. A brand-new Honda CR-V certainly won’t turn heads like an Evoque can. 2019 Porsche Macan S Pre-Owned Price Range: $24,995 - $29,550 2021 Porsche Macan S-1-1As we established recently, there’s arguably no better time to experience the ‘Cayman on stilts’ that is Porsche’s Macan GTS, given that prices for pre-owned examples – at least the third-party certified examples we came across – now start from just shy of $19,000. Unless, you’re looking for manufacturer-certified examples, of course, in which case you’re options immediately leapfrog the $35,00 mark. The slightly dynamic, but in no way ponderous, Porsche Macan S, meanwhile, is an excellent, and more affordable, alternative.Granted, you will lose the lowered ride height, Porsche’s torque vectoring system, and nearly 60 hp from that twin-turbo V6 (oddly, the first-generation Macan S is scarcer at this price range…). You can, however, still experience Porsche’s customarily sharp and responsive steering, bafflingly limited bodyroll, a surprisingly practical cargo area, and a spacious(ish) cabin replete with leather upholstery, Again, for less than the price of brand-new Honda CR-V. 2021 Jaguar F-Pace P400 Pre-Owned Price Range: $22,500 to $30,490 Silver 2021 Jaguar F-Pace sideYour chances of finding a pre-owned ‘depreciating disaster’ Jaguar I-Pace at this price range are slim to nil. Its sister F-Pace, however, is a more than worthy alternative. Beneath its sculpted hood, for instance, lies either a turbocharged four-cylinder kicking out 246 hp, or a solid 395 hp in the super-turbocharged, straight-six-engined F-Pace S, both of which we found in our price range. The cabin is typical Jaguar chic, including a larger dash-mounted touchscreen and upgraded infotainment system, but no less practical than the admittedly more popular BMW X3 it rivaled.So popular was that Jaguar face, meanwhile, that the face-lifted 2021 models only received a larger front grille and re-sculpted headlamps. Though discontinued for 2026, the F-Pace was, unsurprisingly, Jaguar’s runaway bestseller, even with an asking price of up to $66,000, plus change. Oddly, our options for first-generation, 3.0-liter-engined models were very limited, but that’s still quite the bargain. 2018 Volvo XC60 T5 Pre-Owned Price Range: $16,728 - $30,900 2018 Volvo XC60 1An odd choice, at face value, until you realize that the second-generation Volvo XC60 we’re referencing was just ‘more’ than its immediate predecessor. More stylish. More fuel efficient. More luxurious. It also borrowed more from its then-brand-new, range-topping XC90 sibling, meaning the already-industry safety standard XC60 offered Pilot Assist (semi-autonomous steering and braking) and blind spot alerts alongside that striking new design.Of course, one rarely buys a Volvo for its performance. Indeed, most pre-owned XC60s we found packed the smaller, T5 turbocharged inline-four, which sent an adequate 250 hp to all four wheels as standard. Some owners did opt for the spicier, super-turbocharged, 316 hp T6 – prices for this will be closer to the $30,000 mark – though the handling was rarely dynamic enough to warrant such rambunctious (ahem) pace. Power and tire-shredding performance? Look elsewhere. Style, luxurious build, and a cosseting ride? Look no further… 2022 Acura RDX Pre-Owned Price Range: $16,800 - $30,888 2022 Acura RDX (9)That the premium answer to Honda's CR-V makes this list isn’t too much of a surprise, given how unfairly overlooked the Acura RDX is. Granted, the latter is less luxurious than the admittedly pricier BMWs, Audis and Mercedes in the segment. Acura’s decision to overhaul its previously drab, soulless mid-sized SUV with something more characterful, however, has been crucial for North American sales. The new look was strong, even trendy. The torquey, turbocharged four-cylinder kicked out a competitive 272 hp. Even the optional all-wheel drive system was dubbed ‘Super Handling.’Acura didn’t completely lose its mind, however. Cabin room is spacious, build quality was prioritized over funky design. And while ‘Sport’ is the default drive mode, the ride leans more towards ‘everyday’ than ‘Laguna Seca’ (bad back-havers can change the drive mode to Comfort). All at less than half its MSRP, if perhaps relatively high-mileage on the clock. Why the CR-V at all, you may ask… 2020 Lincoln Corsair Pre-Owned Price Range: $15,984 - $30,837 2020 Lincoln CorsairBy far the youngest model on this list, the Lincoln Corsair arrived in 2019 as a replacement to the rather staid MKC, and with a point to prove. Though it borrowed the platform and suspension from the Ford Edge, the Corsair boasted a bespoke chassis, steering tuning and optional adaptive dampers for a ride quality and handling far superior to the model it replaced. Its new look was a hit straight out the gate too.It wasn’t the cheapest of options, however. Customers opting for the pricier 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder found much the same performance as they would with the smaller 2.0-liter example, while many of the optional extras and packages were only available on the top-spec Reserve trim. A $54,000-plus headache back then, but a potential bargain today. 2018 BMW X3 Pre-Owned Price Range: $14,500 - $30,898 2018 BMW X3A BMW pioneer since 2003 (the Bavarian brand was one of the first to enter the premium mid-sized SUV market) there’s no shortage of pre-owned mid-sized X3 SUVs available. Indeed, our AutoTrader search dug up more than 120 certified X3s donned with various trim levels, with even the highest-priced examples boasting comfortably less than six figures on the clock. Unsurprisingly, with the fourth-generation model landing in 2025, most of our options are the post-2017 models.That’s no bad thing, though. Reinvigorated for 2018, the BMW X3 came with all-wheel drive as standard, a less polarizing face, BMW’s typically excellent and well-built cabin, and a surprisingly punchy turbocharged four-cylinder. It was also, critics argued, more fun to drive than the model it replaced. For those considering a top-spec 3 Series instead, we even found a few straight-six-engined, 355 hp M40is. 2020 Cadillac XT5 Pre-Owned Price Range: $14,250 - $30,900 2017 Cadillac XT5Perhaps unsurprisingly, the most notable, though slightly scarcer, Cadillac XT5 examples we found are the post-2020 face-lifted examples. The then-newly introduced turbocharged inline-four was standard – as was the updated nine-speed automatic gearbox – but many previous owners have opted for the punchier naturally-aspirated V6, which produces a more robust 310 hp.The optional Sport trim is also a pre-owned favorite, including as it does larger 20-inch alloys, all-wheel drive as standard (a costly $2,000 optional extra at the time), and ‘more dynamic’ interior trim. Prices for which, incidentally, started at a hefty $56,090 in 2020. With the third generation XT5 due in 2027, and with a host of pre-owned second-gen models expected to hit the market soon after, there’s arguably been no better time to try, at one stage, Cadillac’s best-selling model, for less than a quarter of its original price. 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLA 4MATIC Pre-Owned Price Range: $11,595 - $30,797 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLA 4MATIC-2Is the second-generation Mercedes-Benz GLA the best-looking model on our list? True, the liftback-style roofline meant Mercedes’ SUV-equivalent to the CLA coupe was less roomy than its BMW X1 and Lexus NX segment rivals. The stiffened chassis and suspension meant the GLA’s ride wasn’t quite as pillowy either. The cabin was, however, as stylish as you’d expect from Mercedes, and that muscular front end was guaranteed to turn heads.Handily, the second-generation GLA – your only real option at this price range – was also surprisingly fun to drive. The turbocharged four-cylinder pumped out 208 hp through the front wheels, and was particularly fleet-footed in the higher revs (added bonus, many pre-owned models include the optional all-wheel drive). An underdog, brand-new, at just under $35,000, sure. But a potential snap at less than half that price today. 2019 MINI Countryman S Pre-Owned Price Range: $10,960 - $30,921 2025 Mini Countryman S Side DrivingThat the biggest production Mini of them all – to that point, at least – has the smallest opening price on our list seems fitting (it also had the cheapest MSRP when new, in fairness). Naturally, the fuel-burning maniacs among us will make various beelines for the more dynamic John Cooper Works examples – yes, there actually are a few – while the more fuel conscious will be motivated by the slightly weedy, three-cylinder-engined base models. Your best bet, as far as we’re concerned anyway, is the four-cylinder Mini Countryman S. Which – yay! – comes with a six-speed manual gearbox.189 hp is delivered with suitable Mini exuberance, despite the comparative size of the Countryman, while the slightly stiffened suspension and more rigid chassis means the handling, while not quite ‘go-kart’ like, is more refined and communicative than almost every other model on this list. Also, what you lose in practicality, you more than make up for with Mini’s indelible charisma. And you’re not finding that in a $30,000 Honda CR-V.Source: Respective Automakers
