Top 5 used SUVs to buy under ₹ 5 lakhs

The want for a seven-seater of a just a big rear wheel drive is huge. But these mammoths are not always reasonable and very inexpensive to buy. Then there are also maintenance costs, which for some cars is pretty high. But there is no denying the utility, comfort, high level of safety and the great convenience SUVs offer. And for some an SUV is a need and a necessary type of car to have in their garage.

So here is a list of some SUVs under ₹ 5 lakhs that will fit not require you to break the bank and will also be a great overall package –

 Ford Endeavour

The SUV uses a ladder frame chassis with a 7 seat layout, and has been around in India for over a decade. Armed with a three-liter, four cylinder turbo diesel engine, this makes 156bhp and 380Nm of torque. This engine came mated to either a five speed or an automatic manual gearbox.

If you want off road capability, there is a 4X4 variant too. We have found out multiple 4X2 versions with automatic gearboxes in Mumbai starting from around 3 lakhs and going up to ₹4.5 lakhs. The 4X4 version is a great option to consider but one in good condition will cost an extra penny.

Tata Safari

There are very few cars that have a massive cult following as the Tata Safari. This again is a big SUV with a ladder frame chassis. The car was India’s first premium SUV and was widely sought after. The Safari came with 2.2-liter Dicor unit that makes around 145bhp. This is a very strong engine. The Safari’s looks and road presence is again a noteworthy attribute. The cars we have looked in the pre-owned market range in good condition range from as low as 3 lakh for an 4X4 version up to ₹4.40 lakh for a car with less kilometers on it.

Mitsubishi Pajero SFX

The Mitsubishi Pajero SFX 4X4 is one bullet proof car. This old beast is powered by a 2.8 liter turbo diesel engine. This car’s 4X4 transmission is legendary. The engine on the older-spec Pajero, pre-2012, makes 118 Bhp-292 Nm, and is mated to a 5 speed manual gearbox. Offering a seven seat layout, twin airbags and ABS.The Pajero SFX of 2005 vintage can be bought for about ₹5 lakh. This SUV continues to be a popular option among off-road enthusiasts. There are older cars that can be brought for lesser money but do go ahead and check out the offers on post 2005 cars.

Mahindra Scorpio

This is the car that came out of the Mahindra stable and set the company’s image as an SUV manufacturer. This car came with a 2.6-litre engine that made about 75bhp and 200Nm of torque. Mated to it was a five-speed gear box. This whole setup is very bullet proof. The interior is a great set up too. This car does not disappoint when taken off-road too. The Scorpio is also known to be largely maintenance free. We have found some very nice examples on the pre-owned market for less than ₹5 lakhs, which have been modified slightly and been more feature loaded.

Honda CRV

The Honda CRV is not a hard core off-roader and does not even share some slight off-road traits like the other cars here. But this is the car family car that you want to use every day for normal use in city traffic if you can afford the running costs of a big engine. We have seen a great example of this soft –roader from 2007 with low miles for around ₹4 lakh rupees in Mumbai. This is the 2.4 liter-4 cylinder i-VTEC naturally aspirated petrol motor with 161bhp with 218 Nm of torque.

What sweetens the deal more is the all wheel drive layout.