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Luxury SUVs are great, except when you want to sell one. Buying a good used While a Land Cruiser will keep its value, and maybe even increase in value, most 15 to 20-year-old luxury SUVs have resale values that resemble Blockbuster stock. A $59,000 BMW X5 in 2004, for example, is now worth about $6,300 used. And it’s a killer V8-powered highway cruiser that can hold its own on many off-road trails. You can buy a great used luxury SUV for less than $15,000. Below are some that all have V8s, four-wheel-drive, and still look modern.

Many dealers use one of two books to price used cars. The Kelly Blue Book and the NADA, or National Auto Dealers Association, guide, are the two standards. Sure, many other sites offer values but these two are always a good starting point if you’re looking to buy used. We’ve included both prices below so you can get a sense of what these are selling for. Both books show that some of the best values in used vehicles are used luxury SUVs. Of course, options, mileage, condition and even color will affect the price.

2004 BMW X5

Used BMW X5s are a great used SUV option for less than $15,000.
2006 BMW X5 | Bring a Trailer

Original price: $59,695
NADA: $6,300
KBB: $5,338

Somehow the BMW X5 still looks relatively modern. While some Benzes have dissolved into looking like modern minivans, the X5 still looks like a proper SUV. The 2004 version was the first to be updated since 2000 and it was the first to offer xDrive, the company’s then-new four-wheel-drive system. The 4.4-liter V8 made 315 horsepower and it was quick, at about 7 seconds to 60 mph. The X5 was updated again for 2007, but those versions are considerably more expensive today for virtually the same performance. Though not all X5s are winners on the used market.

2006 Cadillac Escalade

The second generation of Cadillac Escalades sell for less than $15,000 and earned J.D. Power reliability awrds at the time.
IFCAR | Wikimedia Commons

The 2006 Escalade still looks like a proper full-sized SUV. At the time it had all the luxury features you could imagine, such as adjustable pedals, power seats, multi-zone climate, and a navigation, but it also has a stonking V8 that makes 285 horsepower. It can also seat eight people and make you look like one of the “Men in Black” in the right color. What makes the ‘Slade a winner on the used market, however, was that it won a JD Power award for reliability in 2006.

Its’ company stablemate, the Yukon, also won a dependability award from as best Large Multi Activity Vehicle from JD Power.

Lexus LX 470

The Lexus LX 470 is a great used luxury SUV for less than $15,000 and has the capability of a Land Cruiser.
2006 Lexus LX 470 | Bring a Trailer

NADA: $15,950

KBB: $16,416

The second-generation of the LX appeared in 2002 and was updated with new lights and an updated V8 with variable valve timing that upped the horsepower to 275 from from 230 in the older versions. This thing was huge, but it also finally had the power to match. Underneath it’s a Land Cruiser, which means that it has some serious off-road chops, but it does have a lower-hanging running board and air dam than the LC. Regardless, JD Power named the LX 470 the most reliable luxury SUV over three years.

Porsche Cayenne S

The Cayenne S has a 340-horspower V8 that makes it a performance value, even today.
2006 Cayenne S | Bring a Trailer

Original price: $55,900

NADA: $10,325

KBB: $8,431

The Cayenne S has a V8 that made it the most-powerful non-turbo luxury SUV of the era. With 340 horsepower, and a top speed of 150, it was a sports car that seats five. Though its interior was funky in 2005, because it looked like a 911’s, it’s hard to believe that you can get this much performance for about $10,000.  That’s not too much of a unicorn price, either. Autotrader has several for sale around this price, although they do have about 150,000 miles. But ask any Porsche fan and they’ll tell you that a Cayenne should last to 200,000 miles without any “major” repairs and remain a used bargain.

2006 Mercedes Benz ML500

The updated M-Class Benzes from were built on the larger GL chassis, which meant better handling and better quality.
2006 Mercedes-Benz ML500 | Bring a Trailer

Original price: $49,975

NADA: $9,950

KBB: $8,243

When the original M-Class was released, it was OK. Instead of looking like a beefy SUV, the Ms looked more like jellybeans. But in 2006 Mercedes-Benz updated the M-Class and it became a hit. The five-passenger M shared its chassis with the GL-Class SUV, and that brought a beefier vibe and better handling. It was also praised for its build quality at the time. In 2009 the M-Class was updated again and those look more contemporary, with used prices to match. If you can find one, the ML63 AMG packs the most powerful naturally-aspirated V8 made up to that time.

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Writer - Sedans & Coupes

Dan Mayfield

Dan joined MotorBiscuit in 2022 with over 20 years of experience in journalism and a lifelong passion for anything related to the automotive industry. He grew up wrenching a 1949 Ford pickup truck and an MGB with his dad, learning how not to wire a fuel pump (he inadvertently set the MGB on fire).

After earning a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from the University of New Mexico, Dan has contributed his expertise to a range of local outlets, including the City of Albuquerque, US Eagle, and the Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity.

On weekends, Dan spends Saturdays enjoying “cars and coffee” chats and, on Sundays, he’s watching the Route 66 Cruise roll through town. He also races motorcycles, and it’s not unusual to find him elbows-deep in his latest cafe racer build.

Taking advantage of the local desert terrain, Dan also enjoys exploring and driving off-road in his trusty Ram Rebel pickup truck, which provides personal insights into his contributions to our Trucks, SUVs, & Crossovers coverage. Dan strives to give our readers unique information about the dynamic automotive market, reading anything that has to do with cars, trucks, bikes, 4X4s, and, in his words, “everything with a motor.”

Dan has earned a number of accolades from the Public Relations Society of America, and is a University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Fellow.