Compare the best cheap SUVs

The Citroen C3 Aircross will probably be the cheapest to insure, as it falls into Group 6. Nothing else can match that — even a Nissan Juke is in Group 11. If you want something larger, then the Skoda Karoq falls into a very competitive Group 9 for the 1.0-litre version. As far as tax is concerned, the Peugeot 2008 is the cheapest, thanks to 121g/km CO2 emissions for the basic 100hp model, meaning you’ll pay £190 in your first year.  You could beat that figure with a diesel, or even electric model, but those are more expensive to buy.

The winner in theory here is the Renault Captur Hybrid, which can manage 56mpg on the combined cycle. That, though, is quite an expensive model, and we’re looking for cheap SUVs in this case, so your next best bet is the regular petrol-engined Captur, which manages 48mpg, while the Peugeot 2008 gets a solid 47mpg.

Dacia has done well in reliability surveys in the past few years, but we’re going to put our money on one or other of the two Skodas in our list. Skoda has an enviable reputation for quality and reliability (actually often doing better in that regard than Volkswagen) so we’d be pretty comfortable looking at long-term ownership of either the Karoq or the Kamiq.

This one has to go to the Dacia Jogger, simply because it’s the most versatile (seven seats as standard, and the third row has proper adult-sized room) and the roomiest (especially if you take the third row seats out and leave them at home). It’s a bit basic inside, and doesn’t have the best safety rating, but as a cheap way of shifting lots of people around, it’s pretty hard to beat.

If you’re looking for high-performance, you’ve probably come to the wrong market segment. Still, the fastest of our bunch is the Nissan Juke, which will make it to 62mph in 10.7secs from rest. The rest are all clustered closer to, or above, 11secs, but none in their cheapest form is exactly what you’d call quick.

Technically none of them are, as all of these cars in their basic form come with front-wheel drive and economy-minded tyres, so you’d be as well off in a Fiesta heading off into the mud. That said, for a bit of extra cost some of them can be made to off-road. The Peugeot 2008 can be fitted with ‘Grip Control’ electronic traction control and all-season tyres, which makes it better off the tarmac than most. The best advice, though, if you want to go off-road on the cheap, is to buy a four-wheel drive Dacia Duster (for £20,495) and a set of mud-and-snow tyres.