£16,000 is a sensible budget is you want a nearly new ‘soft-roader’. By which we mean a chunky car that looks like a 4x4 but is actually only a 2-wheel drive car with a high vantage point. Such a budget will currently buy a diesel Nissan X-Trail that is less than 2 years old.
The X-Trail is competent off road, highly regarded by the outdoor sports community but is also a very family-friendly load-lugger. A comfortably interior, good levels of equipment, economic but throaty engines and if you shop around, great prices.
But beware, prices are volatile, so for every bargain there is an over-priced nearly new car that can catch you out. Depreciation on 1 and 2 year old cars is fluctuating between 20 and 40% in the marketplace depending on how keen the dealer is to get rid of their stock. Our advice is to look at cars over 18 months old because they can be £10,000 less than new cars and the depreciation thereafter is steady. Older petrol examples can be even less; clean 5 year old cars can be as little as £6,000.