The SUV market has simply exploded in the past decade or so, as car buyers have turned away from hatchbacks, saloons and MPVs to embrace high-riding off-roader-shaped vehicles as family cars, daily drivers and school-run buses. Why? Because SUVs combine the practicality that family car buyers need - thanks to a spacious interior, a raised driving position and lots of boot space - with the style that they crave.
In fact, SUVs are now so popular and plentiful that they now come in all sizes, from supermini-sized compact faux-4x4s to large cars with four-wheel drive and a serious agricultural or military heritage.
All of which adds up to one huge advantage for consumers: there’s now a huge variety of vehicles to choose from. Our selection of the best SUVs hints at that variety and demonstrates just how diverse the options for buyers are. You can browse one-by-one below, or you can search for great deals on all our chosen cars, all at once, right here.
Once you've read article, be sure to check out our other SUV guides:
- Best Self-Charging Hybrid SUVs
- Best Small SUVs
- The Best Electric SUVs
- The 10 Cheapest SUVs on Sale
- The Cheapest SUVs to Insure
- The Best Fast SUVs
- Best BMW SUVs
Best SUVs 2024
- Peugeot 5008 (2017-)
- Ford Puma (2019-)
- Skoda Karoq (2017-)
- Skoda Enyaq iV (2021-)
- Volvo XC60 (2017-)
- Porsche Macan (2014-)
- Land Rover Defender (2020-)
- Range Rover (2022-)
- BMW X1 (2022-)
- Kia Sportage (2022-)
Peugeot 5008 (2017-)
The secret to the success of the Peugeot 5008 is a clever bit of sleight of hand. You see, on the outside, it's been styled in the vein of most large SUVs, with chunky bodywork, a bluff nose, and an upright stance. But in fact, behind that body cladding, it's closer to an MPV in its proportions - and you can tell the minute you step inside, because the 5008 comes with seven seats as standard, and all of them are incredibly flexible.
For one thing, the middle row consists of three individual seats, rather than a bench, and all of them slide and fold individually. Meanwhile, the rearmost two seats can fold into the boot floor, and you can even remove them completely to leave you with a flexible five-seater with loads of cargo space.
This makes it an ideal family SUV, with that third row coming in handy either for additional children, or for extra adult passengers on occasional days out. Oh, and as an added bonus, all three of the 5008's middle-row seats have ISOFIX points - and that means it's one of only a handful of cars that can take three ISOFIX-mounted child seats side-by-side. And with a choice of petrol, diesel or hybrid powertrains, there's a 5008 out there to suit every family.
Peugeot 5008 Review
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Ford Puma (2019-)
Its compact dimensions make the Puma the sort of SUV you want to be in around town. Of course, it isn't alone in this; there are plenty of other compact SUVs around these days – the Nissan Juke, Volkswagen T-Cross and Kia Stonic being other choices – but what sets the Puma apart is that it's terrific fun to drive. That means it'll put a smile on your face whether you're using the punchy petrol engine to nip into a gap, or enjoying the quick, direct steering and responsive chassis on your way around a roundabout.
But the Puma isn't purely about its entertainment value. There's plenty of standard equipment, for one thing. And for another, it's incredibly practical for such a small SUV, with plenty of head-, elbow- and legroom in both the front and rear seats. The Puma's party piece, however, is found in the boot where, if you lift the boot floor up, you'll find a huge hidden locker beneath it, which is lined in waterproof plastic and even has a drain hole so that you can rinse it out - ideal for stashing muddy boots or sports gear. You could even fill it with ice, and use it to keep drinks cold on a picnic.
Ford Puma Review
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Skoda Karoq (2017-)
The Karoq isn't just one of the most versatile midsize SUVs around, it's one of the most versatile cars, full stop. The chief reason for this is its very clever rear seating, which Skoda calls VarioFlex, and the system comes as standard in all but the entry-level car in the line-up. All three rear seats can slide, fold, and tumble forward individually so that you can vary the space on offer in order to fit in awkward items of luggage while still retaining passenger space. You can even remove all three seats completely if you want to, turning the Karoq into a small van. Where not standard, Varioflex is available as an option, and it’s one we’d suggest you fit, because with it, the Karoq is one of the best small SUVs on the market.
And of course, you get everything else that makes the Karoq great thrown in: a smart interior, a comfortable ride, plenty of interior space and a great range of petrol and diesel engines that provide plenty of punch as well as good fuel economy.
Skoda Karoq Review
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Skoda Enyaq iV (2021-)
Remember when the Jaguar I-Pace and Tesla Model X were just about the only electric SUVs you could buy? Well, those days are well and truly gone now, because electric SUVs are properly flooding the market right now, with new entrants seemingly being released every single week. And yet, the Enyaq stands up as the best electric SUV around. That was proved by our Electric SUV Megatest video, in which we tested no fewer than 10 of them back-to-back - from manuafcturers including Citroen, Mazda, Lexus, Audi, Mercedes, Ford, VW, Kia, and MG - in a variety of areas, and the Enyaq emerged as the clear winner. And that was due to the car's sheer breadth of talent.
To our eye, it looks more crossover than SUV, but it still has styling that's chunky enough to have buyers drooling. The electric car powertrain is among the class leaders for both performance and range, while the interior has all the build quality and equipment you could hope for. Even better, this is one of the most practical cars of its type, partly by virture of the fact that the five seat Enyaq is similar in size to the seven-seat Skoda Kodiaq, giving huge space for passengers and luggage, plus lots of clever touches that make daily life that little bit easier. Electric or otherwise, it’s one of the best family SUVs there is.
Skoda Enyaq Review
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Volvo XC60 (2017-)
Volvo is on a roll at the moment, having refreshed its entire range in the last few years, starting with the Volvo XC90. The firm has also made big strides in reducing the carbon emissions of its cars, as well as continuing to lead the way in the field of safety. The XC60 mid-sized SUV is an important cornerstone of this revival, as the car is one of the best cars in the range, with the smaller Volvo XC40 running it close.
The previous generation was popular and the latest iteration – with its huge advances in design and engineering – is proving just as desirable. The styling of the XC60 continues the minimalist Scandi design theme of other models, with neat, flowing, unfussy lines all coming together to create a really handsome vehicle. Inside, the same philosophy creates a haven of comfort and relaxation, with high-quality materials and the latest technology, including a large touchscreen infotainment system striking just the right note of stylish modernism. The cabin is certainly a match for any rival from Audi, BMW or Mercedes-Benz.
Space is also in plentiful supply, with roomy rear seats and a 495-litre boot that will be big enough for most regular uses. The XC60 isn’t the most dynamic car in its class, but that’s not really the point: more important is the comfortable ride quality that ensures occupants travel undisturbed.
Volvo XC60 Review
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Porsche Macan (2014-)
Although SUVs are supposed to be Sports Utility Vehicles, very few of them are actually sporty to drive. Unless your SUV is built by Porsche, of course. Porsche has done very well out of building SUVs, with the Cayenne and Macan both outselling the company's former staple sports car model, the 911.
The Macan, indeed, is now the company's best-seller, and it's easy to see why as soon as you drive it. Put simply, the Macan offers the best driving experience in pretty much any class of SUV. It feels sharp and assured on the road, with excellent levels of grip and a responsiveness that is unmatched in any rival. When you combine that ability with some of the more powerful petrol engines that are available (including a blistering Turbo version), you get an SUV that doesn’t feel like an SUV most of the time.
The ride quality is on the firm side, admittedly, but it's not so firm that it’s in any way uncomfortable. In other departments, the Macan’s design is superb, its lines and curves perfectly evoking the styling of the brand's best coupes, while the interior impresses with fit and finish of the highest quality. It won’t be too long until the current model is replaced as a new car, but even when that happens, it’s still very much worth considering as a used car.
Porsche Macan Review
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Land Rover Defender (2020-)
Much like its predecessor, the new Land Rover Defender is no half-hearted crossover: it's a fully-fledged off-roader with the ability to climb every mountain, and ford every stream. But that's where the similarities end, because where old Defender felt like a tin box with seats and a few cursory slivers of trim, the latest Defender can now boast the sort of posh cockpit we've come to expect from a modern Land Rover. And no longer does it feel like a dustbin riding along on four 50p coins on the road. Granted, it isn't quite as wafty as some of its more road-biased rivals, but the Defender is still perfectly comfortable enough to use every day without feeling compromised. What's more, its standard four-wheel-drive system and weight make the Defender ideal for towing.
In short, this is a car that'll get you wherever you need to go no matter how inhospitable the terrain, yet will still feel perfectly happy sitting on the motorway on the journey home. If you need a car that can do both, there's nothing better.
Land Rover Defender Review
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Range Rover (2022-)
If you want the pinnacle of luxury SUV motoring, you really needn’t look any further than a Range Rover. This is the car that pretty much invented the concept of a premium SUV back in 1970, and the latest version is still on top of its game when it comes to combining astounding off-roading ability with genuine luxury.
Engine options include petrol and turbodiesel models, a BMW-sourced V8 and a pair of plug-in hybrid models. None of these is the last word in fuel efficiency, but the plug-in models do offer up to 70 miles of all-electric range according to official figures – which is an awful lot for such a big vehicle – and Land Rover claims that in the real world, the Range Rover PHEVs can manage 50 miles of electric running in ‘all conditions’.
Of course, no Range Rover these days is cheap, but they are filled to the brim with toys and technology, and they feel every bit as classy as a high-end Mercedes or BMW.
Range Rover Review
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BMW X1 (2022-)
The latest BMW X1 is still the smallest SUV offered by BMW, but to be honest, it really isn’t that small these days. It’s ballooned in size compared with previous versions, and it’s now more like the size of the original BMW X3. Obviously, that’s good for practicality, with the latest car providing lots of interior space. It also feels as posh and as technologically advanced inside as any other BMW, due to plush materials and swanky touchscreens. Of course, it’s also a fantastic car to drive, with a comfy ride, neat handling and punchy engines, and if you want, you can also have it as a plug-in hybrid, or as an electric car in the form of the BMW iX1.
BMW X1 Review
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Kia Sportage (2022-)
It’s no secret that the latest Kia Sportage has a great deal in common with the Hyundai Tucson, and in truth, either one could have made this list due to their sheer all-round brilliance, but we’ve gone for the Kia just because we feel it does a couple of things marginally better than its sister car.
The Sportage is a car that stands out in a very crowded marketplace due to its fairly brash styling, while inside, it has enough poshness to surprise those who still see Kia as a budget brand, while the cabin also has a fairly dazzling amount of space, practicality, equipment and technology. It’s a comfortable and civilised car to drive, and with powertrain options that include petrol, diesel, mild hybrid, full hybrid and plug-in hybrid. That means lots of choice and generally low running costs. Chuck in a seven-year, unlimited-mileage warranty that’s only beaten by a handful of carmakers including Toyota, and you have an incredibly appealing package.
Kia Sportage Review
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