Family SUVs have exploded in popularity in recent years. Eight of the top 10 best-selling cars in the UK in 2024 were SUVs – and, in response to this intense demand, most car makers have now deprioritised their traditional hatchback, MPV, estate and saloon models in favour of an SUV-led line-up.
That means there’s a vast array of SUVs to choose from. But with so many choices, it can be hard to work out which one is the best option for you and your family. That’s where Parkers comes in. We’ve tested every new family SUV on the market to sort the wheat from the chaff and then picked our experts’ brains to compile this top 10 list of family SUVs to help you walk into your next purchase feeling fully informed.
Scroll down the page to read our list of the best family SUVs on sale today – in order of our preferences. We’ve tested them all extensively and think each one shines brightly enough to be included here. We should note we wanted this list to include cars that are attainable for most families, so we haven’t included any premium-brand contenders such as the BMW X1. If you’d like to learn more about how our team of road testers arrived at the opinions expressed here, check out our page on how we test cars.
The best family SUVs on sale in 2025
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The interior was clearly designed by someone who actually has a family. There's acres of room inside, all passengers being spoilt for space. Legroom is plentiful, even for adults, and it's a bright and airy place to be, especially with the optional panoramic sunroof. Add in back seat phone holders and USB-C charging ports dotted throughout the interior and the Scenic couldn't be more family-friendly.
The Scenic offers a solid driving experience thanks to a relatively low kerbweight for an EV. While it leans heavily into comfort, it still offers agility and fairly satisfying steering feel. We'd go for the larger 87kWh battery for a real-world 300-plus miles of range. With Renault's award-winning financing too, the big battery option is only a couple of quid more a month, too.
It's such a good car that we have to really nitpick to be critical. Those sleek retracting door handles are a faff to use and rear visibility is rubbish. Outright performance is also fairly restrained compared to some other electric rivals, but you'd never call the Scenic slow.
To find out more, read our full Renault Scenic E-Tech review
Pros
- Easy and enjoyable to drive
- Superb real-world driving range
- Spacious, well-planned interior
Cons
- Poor rear visibility
- Ride can feel fidgety at times
Stylish, sporty plug-in for non-conformists
The plug-in hybrid Terramar e-Hybrid is the one to have, as it offers long electric-only range – ideal for commuting or school runs without stirring the petrol engine into life. Sky-high efficiency is possible if you can regularly recharge the battery. On the road, the PHEV delivers smooth acceleration and responsive handling. While it’s not exactly a hot hatch on stilts, the Terramar does feel agile and composed, with plenty of grip and well-weighted steering.
Inside, the Cupra continues its youthful theme with a tech-laden dashboard, sporty seating and premium-feeling materials. Standard equipment levels are generous; features like digital dials, a large central touchscreen, and advanced driver-assistance systems are included on even entry-level models. Compared to the Tiguan, the cabin feels a little more adventurous in design, and there’s a sense of getting more car for your money – especially when you look at the monthly finance figures.
Overall, the Terramar is a very appealing addition to the SUV market. While it might not be as refined or versatile as the Tiguan in every area, its engaging styling, competitive pricing and impressive equipment list make it a tempting alternative. Add in Cupra’s strong track record for attractive leasing deals and it becomes a seriously attractive option for buyers who want a bit of flair with everyday usability.
To find out more, read our Cupra Terramar review
Pros
- Sharp, distinctive looks
- Long electric-only driving range
- More fun to drive than rivals..
Cons
- Yet still not especially sporty
- Firmer ride than many rivals
Getting on in years but still one of the very best
The Karoq isn't available with a hybrid powertrain, something of a faux pas these days. However, the 1.5-litre petrol engine comes with clever cylinder deactivation tech that makes it nearly as efficient as its mild hybrid rivals in the real world. Our testers easily achieved more than 45mpg – and it has 150hp, so it’s not short of performance. It's also one of very few family SUVs you can still get with a diesel engine.
We love how Skoda has packaged the Karoq. It’s simply huge inside, and brimming with intelligent features such as Skoda’s Varioflex rear seat which can be tumbled forwards or removed completely to liberate extra boot space.
To be critical, the Karoq is starting to show its age, its infotainment system in particular falling behind the competition. It uses Volkswagen Group’s previous-gen screen and software, which looks and feels ancient against the system in the latest Tiguan. It works fine, it just less sharp and intuitive. But, considering how well-resolved the rest of the car is, we reckon that’s a small price to pay.
To find out more, read our full Skoda Karoq review
Pros
- Comfortable ride
- Flexible rear seats
- Spacious interior
Cons
- No hybrid option available
- 1.0-litre engine feels slow
It’s spacious and that styling makes a bold statement
Step inside and the Tucson is impressively spacious, comfortable and the cabin feels solid and well thought out. Hyundai packs in a lot of standard equipment even on mid-level trims, and the touchscreen infotainment system is sharp and easy to use.
The 1.6-litre petrol engine isn’t anything to write home about but, thanks to the astute hybrid system, at no point does the Tucson feel sluggish – despite its enormous size. The full nuclear family of hybrid systems are on offer, including plug-in, full and mild. The PHEV and full hybrid systems happily pootle about in EV mode for most of the time in town, keeping the MPG figures down and the whole experience rather civilised.
What’s more, the Tucson is also very competitively priced, with lower monthly finance costs than the Volkswagen Tiguan and Kia Sportage. Long gone are the days when Hyundai was considered an underdog in the UK market – the Tucson is now right at the heart of the family SUV shortlist.
To find out more, read our full Hyundai Tucson review
Pros
- Spacious inside
- Comfortable on the road
- Competitively priced
Cons
- Interior lacks character
- Only one petrol engine available
Practical, comfortable and for a great price
Skoda is renowned for making excellent family cars, and the Elroq is no exception. It's slightly larger in size than the Karoq and particularly offers lots of rear seat space, making it ideal for those that regularly carry taller teenagers or adults in the back. It's quite a wide car by class standards, and those dimensions go into making a wide and spacious interior. Perhaps the only downside to the Elroq is that it's not quite as versatile as the petrol Karoq as it doesn't get that car's sliding rear seats. nor do they fold completely flat.
The Elroq is available with three battery sizes – 52kWh, 59kWh, and 77kWh – offering driving range of 232-360 miles. A choice of power outputs means there’s likely to be a model to suit most needs, from everyday commuting to longer family journeys. For those seeking more performance, a sportier all-wheel-drive vRS version is coming, broadening the Elroq’s appeal further.
Even in standard form, though, it’s enjoyable to drive – arguably more so than rivals like the Renault Scenic. Beyond its technical credentials, the Elroq stands out for its value. Pricing is competitive, and strong leasing deals make it an appealing alternative to more established electric SUVs. The interior's modern and well-equipped, in keeping with the latest crop of Skoda models, and practicality seems promising with a flat floor and usable boot space.
To find out more, read our full Skoda Elroq review
Pros
- Generous rear-seat space
- Excellent to drive
- Well-priced
Cons
- Not as practical as Skoda's petrol Karoq
- Desirable options are expensive
Staggering value for money – especially in PHEV guise
But this is the second-generation of HS and it's a significant step forward in many areas, yet importantly is hardly any more expensive. That's quite an impressive achievement, and a sign of just how much this Chinese-British marque has improved in recent years.
All engines are new to the HS including the turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol base option, plus a brilliant plug-in hybrid that delivers a claimed 75 miles of range from a charge. The PHEV is much better to drive over the standard petrol engine, which isn’t the most refined or efficient. The PHEV's also hardly any more expensive than many non-hybrid rivals – in some cases it’s even cheaper. Now better to drive, more spacious and still as generously equipped, the HS is more than deserving of a second look.
While there are still a few rough edges to the HS, they're forgivable considering how much you’ll save by opting for it, at least if you're buying outright. The leasing costs aren't actually much cheaper than most others on this list.
To find out more, read our full MG HS review
Pros
- Brilliant value for money
- Spacious interior
- Excellent electric range from plug-in hybrid
Cons
- Slow automatic gearbox
- Inefficient petrol engine
A no-nonsense family SUV with a cracking warranty
The Sportage was updated in 2025, the most notable changes being new front-end styling and a revised interior with a dual-screen display spanning the digital dials and infotainment system. Otherwise, the car is as-was, which is no bad thing for its strengths are many.
Starting with a seven-year warranty that's more more attractive than the Tucson's five years of coverage. Interior quality is vastly improved over previous generations of Sportage, as is the infotainment system. But the Tucson feels that little bit better built and it's extra 30-odd litres of boot space make an appreciable difference. The Sportage’s trump card is that it's available with a broad range of powertrains that include a conventional petrol, a self-charging hybrid and a plug-in hybrid option – along with the choice of either front or four-wheel drive. That means you should be able to find a model that suits yo, which isn't necessarily true of some other cars on this list. Opt for either of the Sportage’s hybrid powertrains and you sacrifice some boot space to their batteries.
To find out more, read our full Kia Sportage review
Pros
- Smart, well-equipped cabin
- Excellent infotainment system
- Spacious seating arrangement
Cons
- Hardly inspiring to drive
- Plug-in model is expensive
The best family SUV if you like super-sized tech and a great driving experience
Now, space was hardly a problem for the previous Tiguan but, thanks to an increase in dimensions, it’s now got more boot and rear passenger space than almost any car in its class. The interior is a particular highlight, with Volkswagen really lifting things up a notch in terms of general design and quality. The huge touchscreen works well, although some might find the sheer number of features it handles a bit daunting.
If choice is key on your family SUV, you won’t find anything better than a Volkswagen Tiguan. It’s now one of the few cars in its class available with petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid power, each being some of the best powertrains you’ll find in a car of this type. The new 1.5-litre plug-in hybrid is particularly noteworthy as it can travel up to a claimed 77 miles on electric power – again, the best in this class and particularly appealing for company car users.
There are only two small downsides about the Tiguan. The first is that the ride on the standard suspension isn’t all that comfortable, especially with big wheels. Second is the cost, as the Tiguan’s high starting price puts it close to premium-brand rivals.
To find out more, read our full Volkswagen Tiguan review
Pros
- Hugely spacious
- Great choice of engines
- Upmarket interior
Cons
- Expensive starting price
- Ride quality could be better
Excellent value, especially in hybrid E-Power guise
More than four million Qashqais have rolled off the production line since the Mk1 version was launched in 2006 and Nissan’s marketing team now claims – rather eerily – that you’re never more than a few hundred metres away from one. But how does the latest version stack up?
Well, it’s mightily refined and comfortable inside. The cabin shows more design flare than the Hyundai Tucson or VW Tiguan, while the new parking assistance systems are a game changer. They include an invisible hood mode that will ‘remove’ the body of the car from the display camera feed when parking, to ensure you have a clear view of where your wheels are at all times.
As before, the Qashqai's available with a mild-hybrid power unit or Nissan’s E-Power system. The latter has a unique setup in which the engine acts as a generator to power the electric motor and charge the battery, with no direct link to the wheels. On the road, it feels closer to an EV than any of the other hybrids on this list, but the ICE unit will still kick in with just a slight nudge on the accelerator. Best of all with the Qashqai, though, is the price. It’s one of the cheapest on this list to finance, generally costing as little as £190 per month.
To find out more, read our full Nissan Qashqai review
Pros
- Fantastic value
- Refined cabin
- Efficient power unit
Cons
- Lacks poke compared with rivals
- Not very original
Big on practicality, big on value
Prices run from £25,000 to £30,000. At the top end, standard features include heated front seats and steering wheel, adaptive cruise control and an opening panoramic sunroof – all previously unheard of in a Dacia. Spec-for-spec, you’ll be spending at least five grand more on a rival car.
A choice of 1.2-litre mild hybrid and 1.8-litre self-charging hybrid powertrains is available. They’re all perfectly pleasant to use; the hybrid is most expensive but it’s also the most efficient and comes with an automatic gearbox. On the road, the Bigster’s steering feels a bit too light, and it’s not the most refined of cars. But it’s hardly taxing to drive.
What it’s like to drive is almost incidental, though, when there’s so much space. The back seats easily accommodate someone over six feet tall, and boot capacity is a near-class-leading 677 litres, stretching to 1,977 litres with the back seats folded. Couple that to the fact Dacias always seem to thrive on hard work, and there are few SUVs better suited to an active, outdoorsy family life.
To find out more, read our full Dacia Bigster review
Pros
- Huge boot
- Huge value for money
- Will gladly work hard
Cons
- Cheap-feeling interior
- Not particularly refined
Family SUVs to avoid
Sadly, not every family SUV achieves the high standards set by the cars above. Here are two we strongly advise against getting.
Looks good on paper but very poorly executed
However, that interior feels tinny and flimsy, the back seat is bizarrely complicated to fold down, battery range of 248-304 miles just isn’t enough when the Renault Scenic can comfortably do over 300 miles, and aspects of the driving experience are pretty unpleasant. In sum, the negatives outweigh the positives to such an extent we can’t possibly recommend getting a BE11.
To find out more, rear our full Skywell BE11 review
Pros
- Lots of space
- Generously equipped
- Comparatively low price
Cons
- So many aspects poorly thought through
- Interior badly lacks quality
A car that feels half-finished
This a car that falls well short of the mark set by the Dacia Bigster and yet costs over £10,000 more. The only reason we can think of to recommend one is the absolutely huge boot, but you’ll find bigger in a Citroen Berlingo which is cheaper and massively better to drive.
To find out more, read our full KGM Torres review
Pros
- Very spacious and practical
- Feels solidly put together
- Five-year warranty
Cons
- Many, many things
- Primarily the poor handling and efficiency
Best used family SUV
If you can’t stretch to the cost of a brand-new family SUV, there are loads of great options available to buy used. We think this one is the best.
Efficiency, practicality, and what’s left of a seven-year warranty
So, what makes the Niro our top pick for a used family SUV? It’s seven-year manufacturer-backed warranty. Get a Niro that’s less than seven years old – and has less than 100,000 miles – and it should still be covered by the warranty should anything go wrong. That’s a massive bonus. The Niro’s pretty good value, too. You can get a five-year-old example of the first-generation Niro for less than £15,000.
To find out more, read our full Kia Niro review
Pros
- Efficient hybrid power
- Option of electric power
- Well equipped
Cons
- Small boot in PHEV
- Unrefined engines
FAQs: Family SUV buying guide
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What does SUV stand for, and what does it mean today?
SUV stands for Sports Utility Vehicle. Originally, SUVs were rugged off-roaders with four-wheel drive and high ground clearance, typified by Jeeps and Land Rovers. These days, the term covers a much broader range of vehicles, from compact crossovers to large seven-seaters, and most are far better suited to the school run than a muddy track.
In the UK SUV market, they’ve become a family favourite thanks to their elevated driving position, practical interiors and desirable image. Not all SUVs are built for off-road use anymore – many share their underpinnings with hatchbacks, offering a balance between practicality and an elevated driving position. -
What makes an SUV good for families?
A great family SUV combines a high seating position, comfort, practicality and safety. Key features include wide-opening doors, a flat boot floor with storage options, plenty of Isofix points, and a large, usable loadbay. You'll also want good rear seat legroom, clever cabin storage, and lots of safety kit as standard. For longer trips, rear USB ports, sliding seats and great-sounding infotainment are helpful.
Many of the best family SUVs also include useful features like reversing cameras, powered tailgates and keyless entry to take the stress out of everyday driving and usage. These cars are all about making family life easier. -
Are all SUVs four-wheel drive?
Where have you been? That's ancient thinking! Most modern SUVs are two-wheel drive, with four-wheel drive offered on some as an option or reserved for more expensive trim levels. That helps reduce cost, emissions and fuel consumption, especially for buyers who spend most of their time on tarmac.
Unless you regularly tow, live in a rural area or drive in very wintry conditions, front-wheel drive is usually fine. And if not, winter tyres will make all the difference before going down the four-wheel drive route. -
Is a hybrid or electric SUV better for families?
Hybrid and electric SUVs can be ideal for families, especially if most journeys are short. In fact, we've included a couple in this list, as they are so good. Plug-in hybrids let you do the school run on electric power, while full EVs offer quiet, smooth driving with lower running costs – provided you have access to home charging.
Many hybrid SUVs have impressive boot space and towing capacity, while electric SUVs are becoming more affordable and family-friendly by the day. Just be aware of how you drive and charge – efficiency depends on usage. -
Are SUVs more likely to roll over than normal cars?
Modern SUVs are much safer than their off-roading ancestors, and roll-over risk is minimal under normal driving. Features like electronic stability control and improved suspension design help them corner confidently and brake every bit as well as any other car.
It’s true that SUVs have a higher centre of gravity than a hatchback or saloon, so aren't quite as sharp to drive, but the difference is much smaller than it used to be. If you’re buying a newer model with a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating, roll-over risk shouldn’t be a concern. -
How much boot space do I need in a family SUV?
For a typical family, 500 litres is a good benchmark. That much capacity allows room for pushchairs, shopping and luggage without needing to fold the back seats. Mid-size models like the Skoda Karoq or Hyundai Tucson strike a strong balance between overall size and practicality.
Boot shape matters too. Look for low loading heights, square openings and flat floors for ease of use. If you need to carry five people and luggage regularly, larger SUVs or those with clever storage solutions – like the Volkswagen Tiguan – are worth a look. -
Are seven-seater SUVs worth it for families?
If you have a large family or regularly carry extra passengers, a larger seven-seater SUV is a flexible and sometimes not much more expensive choice. Models like the Kia Sorento and Skoda Kodiaq, our current favourite, offer third-row seating that folds flat when not in use, giving you the best of both worlds.
However, the rearmost seats are often best for children, and boot space can shrink dramatically when all seven seats are in use. For regular seven-up driving with luggage, consider a roof box or look at MPV people carriers instead. -
Are SUVs expensive to run?
That comes down to which one you choose, as SUV running costs vary massively by model. Smaller petrol SUVs are often surprisingly economical, while larger diesel or performance models can be costly to fuel and insure. Hybrids and EVs help keep costs down, especially if you drive in town and can charge up at home.
Use the Parkers car tax calculator and check out our specs pages to see real-world fuel costs. Many plug-in hybrid SUVs look efficient on paper but only deliver savings if you regularly recharge them Tyre wear, servicing and insurance should also factor into your budget. -
Is an SUV a good first car?
Some small SUVs can make excellent first cars, rather than the larger models featured in this list. Models like the Ford Puma, Vauxhall Mokka or Volkswagen T-Cross combine SUV looks with small car dimensions, giving you good visibility and ease of driving without feeling too bulky on the road.
Check insurance groupings before committing, as some small SUVs carry a premium over equivalent hatchbacks – a T-Cross costs more than a Polo, for instance. That said, the newest ones are packed with a good amount of safety kit and driving aids, making them ideal for inexperienced drivers who want a bit more security on the road. -
Which family SUVs are the safest?
Car safety experts Euro NCAP regularly assess the safety of the latest cars, scoring them on how well they protect adult and child occupants and vulnerable road users, and how well their safety systems work. Those scores then become a star rating out of five.
If you combine the individual scores to get a total out of 400, the safest family SUV is the electric Smart #5 which scores 357, making it the second-safest car of any sort on sale in the UK. It scored an industry best 92% for its safety systems and is joint-first for child protection on 93%. -
What is the best family SUV to buy?
Having extensively tested every family SUV on the market in the UK, Parkers has concluded that the electric Renault Scenic E-Tech is the best all-round option. That’s because it has a hugely spacious interior with lots of clever features designed to help keep the kids entertained – including phone mounts in the back – and it has a real-world range of over 300 miles.
But an EV doesn’t suit everyone, in which case the Cupra Terramar is currently our top pick. It’s not quite as spacious as the Scenic but still has ample room for most families and their stuff, it looks distinctive, comes very well equipped and Cupra usually has some strong finance deals available. Petrol and plug-in hybrid versions are available. -
What is the best used family SUV to buy?
Any of the cars on this list of the best family SUVs makes a perfectly sound used purchase, but we think your best option is the Kia Niro. It’s slightly smaller than most other family-size SUVs, though it’s still plenty spacious enough. Hybrid models are very efficient, the electric version can comfortably do 200 miles on a single charge. The Niro’s pleasant enough to drive, well equipped and very good value, too.
You can pick up a high-mileage example of the first-generation Niro for under £10,000, nearly-new ones cost around £25,000 to £30,000. Crucially, if you get a Niro that’s under seven years old, you get the balance of Kia’s manufacturer warranty. -
What is the most spacious family SUV?
This is actually quite a hard question to answer, because it depends on how you judge it. Do you go by boot space? In which case it’s the KGM Torres that has 703-litre boot capacity. But that’s not a car we recommend, so we’ll go with the Dacia Bigster and its 677 litres. Do you go by passenger space? Well, all but the very largest of people will be perfectly comfortable in the front of any family SUV, and how spacious back seats feel depends on the passengers’ own size.
Bearing all that in mind, if spaciousness is a priority, we recommend getting a family SUV with sliding back seats. They allow you to tune the ratio of back seat and boot space to your needs in any situation. Cars available with such seats include the Renault Scenic E-Tech, Skoda Karoq and Cupra Terramar.
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