Best used medium SUV for 2020

One of the most popular types of vehicle in the Australian market, the medium SUV continues to offer precisely what Australian families want – practicality, comfort and safety at an affordable price.

Buyers also love medium SUVs because you can pack so much within the fairly modest footprint – and families won’t outgrow this type of vehicle for years.

Larger families can order their medium SUV with seven seats. There’s also a medium SUV for every other eventuality and scenario, whether it’s going bush at the weekend, towing a small caravan or tinnie, or just the daily commute to work or school.

For the 2020 carsales Best Used Car Awards, proudly presented by Bingle, the year under the microscope is 2014, when medium SUVs weren’t quite as popular as they are today.

Mind you, the trend was already well established and six-year-old examples of medium SUVs remain great value in the used-car market.

So, we’ve run the ruler over the medium SUVs from 2014 and settled on one winner and two ‘honourable mentions’.

The choice of the three top vehicles in the category was arrived at combining a score out of 50 from RedBook and individual scores out of 10 from each of the five judges.

And in 2020, the carsales best used medium SUV is the 2014…

Another win under its belt in this category for the very adept Mazda CX-5, which was the top-selling car in its market segment when new, by a margin of over 3000 units.

The broadly appealing Mazda posted a slightly higher overall score than it did the previous year – up by one point overall to 87.3.

According to RedBook, the high-spec CX-5 with 2.5-litre SKYACTIV-G petrol four-cylinder, six-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive can be picked up in average condition for as little as $23,450.

Technical editor at carsales, Ken Gratton, says of the CX-5: “This very popular SUV delivers keen driving dynamics and a blend of low-cost running and performance.”

You can read more about the Mazda CX-5 GT in our launch review here.

In his assessment of the Mazda CX-5 as a used-car buy, carsales used-car buying expert Cliff Chambers wrote: “Mazda’s new participant in the combative medium SUV market was a success because it did most of what its target market wanted without quirks or chest thumping.”

Find a used Mazda CX-5 on carsales

Scored 38.8 from RedBook this year and 38.0 points from the judges for a total of 76.8
RedBook value: $22,850

“Good off-road credentials in a family-friendly, safe package, good cost to own despite six-month service intervals” – Ross Booth, RedBook data services director

“Plenty of positives in Subaru’s all-rounder, including decent off-road ability and performance” – Ken Gratton, carsales technical editor

Scored 38.9 points from RedBook and 32 points from the judges for a total of 70.9
RedBook value: $20,100

“Toyota reliability in a functional, family-friendly, arguably conservative package, good cost to own despite six-month service intervals” – Ross Booth, RedBook data services director

“Conservative and familiar, perfect in most settings without ever doing enough to match the Mazda” – Cliff Chambers, carsales used-car buying expert

What makes a car eligible for carsales Best Used Cars Awards?
• Less than six years old
• Standard side-curtain airbags
• Standard Bluetooth
• Standard electronic stability control (mandated for 2014)
• Standard reversing camera for SUVs

How did RedBook weight the categories for scoring?
• 10 per cent for resale
• 10 per cent for ANCAP rating
• 20 per cent for cost of ownership
• Five per cent for service intervals
• Five per cent for number of days for vehicle to sell

Read all about carsales Best Used Cars for 2020 here