The best used luxury and 4x4 cars you can buy

Rising material and energy costs, supply chain restrictions and increased equipment levels among them – and on top of that, most buyers are having to wait months between placing an order and taking delivery due to heavily delayed production schedules. The second-hand car market can provide welcome respite.

But a knock-on effect of more expensive new cars is – you guessed it – higher demand, and higher prices, for used cars. So you need to be extra quick and extra careful when perusing the classifieds. We’ve compiled a list of 10 cars in each of the market’s most popular segments, with prices ranging from £500 to £500,000, to demonstrate the variety on offer and inspire you to swap into a used car when you fancy a change. Take your pick. We start with luxury cars, chosen by Hilton Holloway:

From a classic British luxury brand taken under the German wing, the Arnage has one foot in an old-school British drawing office. It was updated and improved throughout its production run, so the later cars are probably better, especially in terms of day-to-day reliability. Its pre-Germanic roots mean that you get a properly upright dashboard, high driving position and pre-modernist styling.

Because these cars were individually specified and there were many special factory editions, choose the right one and you’ll get plenty of trad walnut, quilted leather and ‘engine turned’ trim. The best way to buy is from a specialist (they often offer their own warranties) and stick with them for maintenance. It won’t be cheap to run and fuel, but you’ll get genuine get-away-from-it-all luxury.

For my money, one of the finest pieces of styling of the past decade and perhaps one of the most stunning UK-produced cars ever. It’s unfairly overshadowed by the Phantom, but Ghost owners say they are happy to have a slightly less conspicuous machine and they feel they have lost nothing in terms of ultra-luxury. Much is made of the performance, refinement and isolation. If you drive yourself, it’s arguably the ultimate pure luxury car.

It’s arguable that trad German exec cars are much more mile-munching business machines than true luxury transport, but an A6 Quattro will cover long distances and leave its driver unflustered. This A6 has a smooth V6 diesel with huge punch. The cabin is vast. As ever, you need to find one that has been meticulously serviced. Avoid S Line (suspension unsuited to UK roads) and front-drive A6s (Multitronic CVT, which is becoming hard to repair).

I know a motoring hack who ran one and he says it was among his favourite cars ever. Rather than repeat the past Legend formula of a big, plush car with a peaky V6, Honda lent towards brisk handling. The petrol V6 has 295bhp and 265lb ft, which is delivered to the road via a sophisticated four-wheel drive system. The ride isn’t sublime but owners report terrific reliability and rave about these as a driving machine. Plush, thirsty, rare and cheap.

Probably a genuine classic now, especially as the 75 arrived just as its time was gone, making it feel more ’80s than late ’90s. A very effective evocation of the classic British luxury car, but stymied by being launched into an era defined by the arrival of Germany’s tech-first, Bauhaus-influenced cars. It’s silly cheap today, even for examples that have been cared for by enthusiasts.

Weak points (including the complex V6 cambelt change) are well understood by a small network of specialists. The styling is ageing very gracefully and the ride quality remains fantastic. Buy a pre-facelift V6 car that has been cared for and enjoy the 75’s unique take on luxury over apex-clipping.

A car that can delivery luxury travel with main street running costs. Saloon shaped, with the option of a boot opening or full hatch access, the Mk2 Superb was based on a long-wheelbase VW Group platform and was of notably higher quality than its period Octavia sibling. It’s quiet, calm and huge inside. Choose the smooth and punchy 1.8 turbo petrol over the diesel. Just two hurdles: check the 1.8 has had oil changes once a year from birth or it may burn oil (look for sooty exhaust pipes), and you’d want to see a DSG gearbox service as well.

A used Lexus is almost always a no-brainer. There’s probably no other brand of cars that stays in the dealer servicing network as long. Twelve- and 14-stamp Lexus service histories are not uncommon. And the faith in the reliability of this brand is reflected by the dealer network, which can be seen retailing Lexus models even 16 years old. Okay, so the GS has a small boot (blame the battery pack for the hybrid system) but it remains beautifully engineered inside and out. Enjoy the plushness.

An oddball, but I will make a case for this, having driven one from Lisbon in Portugal to Fez in Morocco and back. Regardless of the hatch-come saloon rear end, what made this car so amazingly comfortable and relaxing over distance was the raised driving position and superb front seats. Rear passengers also get raised ‘cinema’ seating, a much underrated feature. It’s not the full SUV but has most of the advantages in terms of comfort. The six-pot diesel is a gem, and these are tough machines generally.

True old-school Brit, which delivers another unique driving experience. The narrow glasshouse, higher floor and low roof are satisfyingly of another time, before luxury cars were packaged by numbers. Have no doubt that the Double Six is a true luxury experience. The V12 is like nothing since and the Jaguar dynamic balance allows a beautiful mix of flying carpet ride and surprisingly deft handling. Usefully backed up by a knowledgeable network of Jag specialists.

Another take on luxury, this time Rolls-Royce level fittings squeezed inside a tiny city car. Only 1000 of these £41,000 cars (when new) were produced and just 250 in right-hand drive. This car was inspired by the early 1960s bespoke coachbuilt Minis (famously by Radford but there were others) commissioned by stars such as The Beatles and Peter Sellers.

While everyone loved the classless design and handling of original Minis, they were also very sparse and noisy machines. That wasn’t the case with the donor Mini here, but the Goodwood took things up a good many notches by being trimmed in Rolls-grade leather and other rich interior materials. Prices are currently rocketing upwards. A genuine rarity that would be worth hanging on to.

Now let’s look at 4x4s, with Matt Prior:

There are never more than a handful of Forward Control Land Rovers for sale in the UK so this is a bit niche, but as one of your author’s current fascinations, here it is. The 101, or the ‘one tonne’ (after its supposed payload), was designed as a gun carrier for the British army in the late 1960s, produced in the 1970s and decommissioned by the 1990s. They were never sold new to the public, but they’ve made their way into private hands since.

Most of them seem to still keep their original 3.5-litre V8s; and while they’re pretty agricultural to drive, there’s a thriving ownership scene to help keep them on the road. Originals were canvas roofed but later came with ambulance or radio truck bodies, too, and there’s a real diverse mix of them around today. They make great overland campervans, if you can tolerate the driving experience.

Why is a pick-up truck here? Because it’s the Toyota Hilux, the original go-anywhere, haul-anything and last-forever wagon. In this instance, we’re looking at a fifth- or sixth-generation model. (Newer ones are great but they’re not classic territory yet.) You can still get parts for them easily enough and they’ll do whatever you ask of them.

Exceptionally trusty cars, these. The XJ-series Cherokee was made in the US from 1983 but didn’t arrive here until much later and didn’t sell in big numbers. Owners love them, though, and there are always a few around to choose from. Thirsty engines but they will do a million miles.

No UK 4x4 guide would be complete without one. The Defender name was adopted a long way into the Land Rover’s life. Immediately preceding it was the 90/110. But if you want one, the year/name is less relevant. Updates were gradual and the late 2.2 diesel was only a little more refined than earlier models. They can be expensive to run but there are lots around and they hold their value.

A wicked alternative to an early Land Rover 90/110, the J70-series Land Cruiser entered production in 1984 and is still made today, largely for sale in Africa. That there was a troop carrier variant gives an idea of its dependability but it comes in myriad versions. Most likely here, though, in a cool period colour and nicely looked after. A rare and real niche but lovely choice.

The car that spawned half a dozen Volkswagen alternatives based off of its platform has always had a good reputation around the car industry, making it a must-have benchmark for engineers from other manufacturers. It’s attractive and reliable in its first-generation form. Sensible, too. Unless you want the V10 diesel or W12 petrol. Which you do, right?

For a proper battle bus with kerb appeal and go-anywhere credentials, look absolutely no further than this raised and rugged take on VW’s microbus. It’s rare now, and expensive, but the variety of bodystyles – van, camper, microbus and pick-ups with single and dual cabs – make it a real do-it-all workhorse. Best keep the MIG welder on standby, mind.

One of the best-looking cars in the world, by your author’s reckoning. The Geoff Upex-designed Discovery 3 still looks the part today because it was designed entirely for its purpose as an adventure vehicle. It’s also beautifully relaxing to drive and on its way to being a great classic. Not always costless to run, but wonderful when on form.

The Land Cruiser is a brilliant 4x4. But there aren’t many around, and at the ‘modern classic’ time we’re thinking of here, there were two J100-series models: the Colorado and bigger, full-fat Amazon. Many have been modded but it’s a hobbyist’s car so don’t let that put you off. It should hold its value. And if the apocalypse comes, it’s the place to be.

The Suzuki SJ 410/413/Samurai is a Jimny by another name, and it’s becoming hard to find today, but it’s well worth the effort. They’re small, light and low geared, and thus will probably go as far offroad as any other car you can think of – particularly if modified, like a lot of UK cars have been, and which you’ll most likely spot caked in mud and grime at the end of a weekend. They’re mechanically simple and very durable, too, but knowing how to weld could be an ownership advantage. They are old cars, built simply, so may want some looking after.

But, hey, they’re classics, right? And as classics go, there are few better ways to head out for a picnic on a sunny Sunday with the roof down than in a SJ, taking in a few green lanes on the way, being small and innocuous enough not to annoy anybody. A car to smile at and from.