Top five sexy soft-roaders
- Five crossovers that are easy on the eye
- Pricing, boot size and engine spec included
- We pick out our Parkers sensibly sexy choice
Written by Parkers
Published: 14 August 2011
Updated: 1 February 2017
If you're after a car that looks tough but works in the city, why not take a look at a crossover? Built big and bold, they're popular with younger buyers who need space but don't want to sacrifice style.
We've picked our five favourites, telling you what's available, how much they cost and while model we'd pick if it was our own hard-earned at stake.
1. Range Rover Evoque
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Why buy?
The eagerly-awaited Range Rover Evoque is bound to be a popular choice in this segment. Range Rover driving dynamics, svelte exterior styling and a cabin designed with help from Posh Spice mean this car will appeal to families who value image as well as practicality.
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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
Price: from £27,955
Boot size: 575 litres
Engines available: 2.2-litre diesel, 2.0-litre petrol
The Parkers sensibly sexy choice: Coupe eD4 Pure 5dr
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2. BMW X1
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WHY BUY?
The X1 is the smallest of the ‘X' BMWs. Slightly shorter than a 3-Series, it's easy to manoeuvre through town and fairly simple to park too compared to its bigger relatives. Available as both two- and four-wheel drive, you can expect typical BMW build quality and a refined driving experience.
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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
Price: from £24,270
Boot size: 420 litres
Engines available: 2.0-litre diesel
The Parkers sensibly sexy choice: sDrive 18d M Sport
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3. Audi Q3
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WHY BUY?
Audi's answer to the X1 doesn't have the raw driver appeal of the BMW, but makes up for it with an excellent quality interior and arguably slightly more amiable exterior aesthetics. Again available in both two- and four-wheel drive configurations, the Q3 gets a wide range of petrol and diesel engines.
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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
Price: from £24,560
Boot size: 460 litres
Engines available: 2.0-litre petrol, 2.0-litre diesel
The Parkers sensibly sexy choice: 2.0 TDI SE
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4. MINI Countryman
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WHY BUY?
Mini's crossover, the Countryman, is the firm's first five-seat four-door. It aims to appeal to those young, hip and trendy people commonly known as ‘urbanites'. An extremely low list price further helps make this car a strong competitor in the crossover market, which helped the Countryman pick up Parkers' award for ‘Best Crossover' in the 2011 Cost of Motoring awards.
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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
Price: from £16,345
Boot size: 350 litres
Engines available: 1.6 petrol, 1.6 diesel, 2.0 diesel
The Parkers sensibly sexy choice: One D
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5. VW Tiguan
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WHY BUY?
Not to be outdone, VW has hopped onto the crossover bandwagon too. Although it looks like an off-road machine, the Tiguan is more suited to doing groceries than green lanes. As ever with VW, it's built well and extremely refined, and is available in both two- and four-wheel drive.
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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
Price: from £20,085
Boot size: 470 litres
Engines available: 1.4 and 2.0 petrol, 2.0 diesel
The Parkers sensibly sexy choice: S 2.0 TDI BlueMotion Technology
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Parker's Top Tip
You can compare both new and used car running costs by using our Cost of Motoring tool. If you're maybe thinking about changing your car then find out what it's worth by getting a Used Car Valuation, and you can research the replacement cars that might interest you in our New Car Reviews section.
