If you’re hoping to find a used SUV in Canada on a $10,000 budget, we’ve got you covered. Granted, you might need to make more compromises when choosing a $10,000 price cap for an SUV instead of a car. Because used SUVs are in high demand, you’ll likely end up in a vehicle that’s older and higher in mileage. But if all-wheel drive (AWD) and plenty of ground clearance are important to you, then an SUV is the way to go.
You won’t drive home a vehicle with the latest safety features, best fuel economy, or coolest technologies for $10,000. But if sticking to this budget means you’ll skip out on a car loan, the trade-offs may be well worth it. With some knowledge under your belt and a patient search, a $10,000 used SUV could potentially serve your needs for years to come. Read on to find out what we think are the best SUVs you can buy used with a $10,000 budget in Canada.
If you'd prefer a traditional car rather than an SUV, check out our separate guide: The Best Used Cars in Canada for Under $10,000.
The Best Used SUVs Under $10,000
- Honda CR-V
- Toyota RAV4
- Toyota Matrix
- Subaru Outback
- Acura MDX
- Lexus RX
- Kia Rondo
- Hyundai Tucson
- Infiniti EX35
- Chevrolet Trax
Honda CR-V
Let’s start with the obvious choices. There are two compact SUVs that have been perennial bestsellers in Canada since they launched in the mid-1990s. One of them is the Honda CR-V, and the proof is on Canadian highways. It’s not unusual to see first-generation examples still rumbling along our roads, which is a testament to their reliability and longevity. With a $10,000 budget, you’ll be balancing vehicle age and mileage, meaning you’ll either get an older car with less feature content or a newer one that’s been driven further. Either way, the Honda CR-V has long been lauded for its reliability and safety ratings. As long as it's been well maintained, we wouldn’t be shy about picking up a CR-V that’s been around for a while or has been driven 150,000 kilometres or more. And if you buy one that’s been built since 2012, you’ll get a Honda CR-V that was built right here in Canada in Alliston, Ontario.
Toyota RAV4
The other perennial best-selling SUV in Canada is the Toyota RAV4. It’s not unusual to find an older model, complete with rear-mounted spare tire and side-hinged door, on Canadian roads on any given day. This is no doubt spurred on by the fact that Toyota has been manufacturing RAV4s in Woodstock, Ontario, since 2008. The same caveat applies here, too: you’re likely going to have to decide on a balance of age and odometer reading that you’re comfortable with. But Toyota’s reputation for safety and reliability—and the evidence provided by the thousands of these that are still on the roads—make a well-maintained example in this price range a solid bet.
Toyota Matrix
The Toyota Matrix was far more popular in Canada than it was in the United States. Owners here tend to love them and hang onto them thanks to their reliability ratings and relatively low maintenance costs. With a compact footprint, tall profile, and larger cargo space, the Matrix makes a good alternative to a small SUV at a lower price. Expect to get a 10 to 12-year-old car with about 200,000 km on the odometer in this price range, with plenty of higher-mileage units around to show that these reasonably priced options have plenty of life left in them when they’re well-maintained.
Subaru Outback
What you won’t often find in a used Subaru Outback is a low kilometre count. Outback owners love to drive their cars for long distances and keep them forever. But what you will find when browsing this nameplate is standard all-wheel drive (AWD), above-average attention to detail, and meticulous maintenance. Most Outbacks you’ll find at this price point will have four-cylinder engines, but you may even luck into the occasional six-cylinder powertrain. The Outback’s wagon-like profile and roomy rear seats make it a great fit for those who want the usability of an SUV with more car-like driving dynamics. Find yourself one that’s been well cared for—chances are, the owner will be happy to tell you all about the car’s history—and get ready to throw your camping gear in the back and head off into adventure.
Acura MDX
A luxury SUV for under $10,000? Yes, indeed. The Acura MDX is a surprisingly upscale option among this list of budget used SUVs. You’ll most often find Acura’s Super Handling-All Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system included, which is one of the better ones on the market. The trade-off is their higher luxury starting price means making more compromise at this end of a used MDX’s life cycle. You’ll be looking at 15-year-old models with roughly 200,000 kilometres on the odometer to snag one at this price. But given their stellar reputation for reliability, even a model of this age and mileage will have plenty of life left in it if it has a solid maintenance record.
Lexus RX
Ask the average Canadian to name the most reliable SUV they can think of, and we’ll bet the Lexus RX often springs to mind. This midsize two-row SUV has a reputation for longevity and relative safety, and AWD is a given. You’ll even find hybrids on the used market, and while they won’t be performing as well as when they were new, they’ll likely still save you some money at the pumps. The RX is another SUV its owners tend to keep for a long time, so age and mileage counts tend to be on the higher side in this price range. But if you can bide your time, you should be able to find a 15-year-old model with less than 200,000 kilometers on it within our prescribed budget.
Kia Rondo
The Kia Rondo is often overlooked, which may be because it’s technically not an SUV but a multi-purpose vehicle or MPV. It comes with a surprisingly spacious interior for its size and available four- or six-cylinder engine options, but it has a relatively low ground clearance and was sold only with front-wheel drive (FWD). Some buyers may dismiss it as a result, but if you’re a city dweller looking for a spacious family vehicle and can afford a decent set of winter tires, the Rondo might be just the budget option you need. Plus, you may be surprised by how well it rates in reliability. Based on our Cargurus.ca used car listings, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding a Kia Rondo that’s less than 10 years old and has around 150,000 kilometres on it within a $10,000 budget.
Hyundai Tucson
If you want a compact SUV that’s likely to be a little newer than a Honda CR-V or a Toyota RAV4 you can get at this price, check out the Hyundai Tucson as an alternative. Past generations of the Tucson were on the smaller end of the compact spectrum, so that’s important to keep in mind if you expect to have a packed vehicle fairly often. But as a nameplate, it has a good reputation for reliability, and its tendency to fly below the radar means there are some deals out there to be scored. Our research on the CarGurus.ca used vehicle listings in October 2023 turned up multiple examples of 10- to 12-year-old Tucsons with roughly 170,000 kilometres on the odometer being offered below our $10,000 price point.
Infiniti EX35
When nameplates disappear, people’s memories of them sometimes fade as well. This means a savvy shopper can score some deals. The Infiniti EX35 is a great example: the average buyer might not know that it preceded the Infiniti QX50 or think to trace its roots back far enough to learn about its reputation for great handling and decent reliability. 2012 was its final model year with this nameplate, so you’re looking at a 10-year-old model at minimum. You may also find a 2013 EX37, which was the only year this model carried that nomenclature. If you find one with much less than 200,000 kilometres on it for less than $10,000, grab it with confidence.
Chevrolet Trax
There’s a good reason the Chevrolet Trax is relatively easy to find for under $10,000: it wasn’t a whole lot more expensive than that to buy new. The Trax is a front-wheel-drive-only subcompact SUV that’s been on the market since 2013. The second generation just launched in 2023 and the first generation didn’t change much mechanically during its 10-year run, so shopping the used car market for one of these is simpler than average. There are varying reports on the Trax’s reliability, so that’s important to keep in mind. But it shouldn’t take much effort to find a Trax that’s less than 10 years old with around 150,000 kilometres on it for under $10,000, making it as much of a bargain among used SUVs as it was when bought new.