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Year: 2007
List price: €13,950
Owners: 3
Mileage: 125,000km
Engine: 3.0 diesel
Location: Dublin
Given the high annual tax of a pre-2008 car with a 3.0-litre engine, it's surprising how many examples of the Audi Q7 3.0 TDI there are on the market from about 2007, and they're getting quite affordable to buy too. This is a lot of car for the money, with seven decent seats, lots of space, loads of electronic goodies and, of course, the status of the Audi rings on the front grille. We chose an SE model with upgraded alloy wheels as we reckon the Q7 needs them to look at its best. Just remember that a car like this costs considerably more to fuel and maintain than, say, an Audi A4 Avant estate.
2 - Hyundai Santa Fe
Year: 2009
List price: €11,999
Owners: 1
Mileage: 143,232km
Engine: 2.2 diesel
Location: Dublin
If you're serious about buying a large SUV that can accommodate all the family - and maybe a few friends - then you'll likely already have the Hyundai Santa Fe on your shortlist. It is, by far, the most common seven-seat SUV in the Carzone database and with good reason. It was good value new, it's spacious, well-equipped, relatively economical to run and very reliable. It holds its value well, but our €14,000 budget should get you a decent post-2008 example. We chose a 2009 car with moderate mileage. Beware that not all versions of the Santa Fe have four-wheel drive, so choose carefully.
3 - Land Rover Discovery 3
Year: 2008
List price: €13,900
Owners: 2
Mileage: 159,000km
Engine: 2.7 diesel
Location: Dublin
The chunky looking Land Rover Discovery 3 should be the star of this feature, but its reliability woes let it down. Inspect any example of this car carefully and only buy one with a full and comprehensive service history. Not all Discoverys have poor reliability, but many do. On the flip side, it will go absolutely anywhere, it has a huge, flexible interior and well, it's a classy looking car to have on your driveway.
4 - Mitsubishi Outlander
Year: 2010
List price: €12,950
Owners: 2
Mileage: 130,358km
Engine: 2.0 diesel
Location: Dublin
If you're less interested in status and more in functionality, then you could do a lot worse than the Mitsubishi Outlander. It has a good reputation for reliability and for our budget you'll find well cared for examples with four-wheel drive and a seven-seat cabin. Those extra rear seats aren't huge, but fine for occasional use - and they fold away when you don't need them to make the boot bigger. The AWD system has various modes of operation too so it really could be useful when things turn slippery.
5 - Nissan Qashqai+2
Year: 2010
List price: €13,950
Owners: 2
Mileage: 149,500km
Engine: 1.5 diesel
Location: Dublin
The Nissan Qashqai needs no introduction, but, in spite of its crossover image, it has no more interior space than, say, a Volkswagen Golf. That's why Nissan launched the +2 model, with extended and raised body work to accommodate an extra row of seats. Sure, they're relatively small, but they do the job when needed. In comparison to the other cars featured here, the Qashqai+2 should be the cheapest to run too, thanks to its economical 1.5-litre diesel engine. However, there are very few all-wheel drive versions around.