The best SUVs to buy in 2021

Looking for a new SUV? You're not the only one. The car market is changing rapidly and is currently packed with high-riding, family-friendly SUVs that are easy to drive, look good, and handle the rough and tumble of modern life.

We understand why you're keen on buying one and are perhaps confused by all the choices. Read on for everything you need to know about SUVs, as well as links to cars to lease or buy, both new and used.

Read our guide to SUVs and FAQs at the bottom of the page

Best SUVs 2021

Scroll down to discover our list of the best SUVs in the UK - or click on your favourites below to jump down.

1. Ford Puma
2. Dacia Duster 
3. Volkswagen Tiguan
4. Volvo XC40
5. Audi Q5
6. BMW X5 
7. Peugeot 3008
8. Mercedes-Benz GLB
9. Hyundai Tucson
10. Mazda CX-5

1. Ford Puma

Pros:

✅ Great to drive
✅ Economical mild-hybrid engines

Cons:

❌ Lacks interior quality
❌ No plug-in or electric versions

The Ford Puma is based on the Fiesta and makes great use of its brilliant engines and suspension set-up to create an enjoyable-to-drive small car that both practical and good to look at. Its styling won’t appeal to all but you can’t call it boring or derivative. We love it for that.

It's tough inside and looks good, and the major controls are so simple that making yourself at home in a Ford Puma takes seconds. Practicality is impressive, too, and we love how the roomy passenger compartment is complemented by a large and well-shaped boot that comes with an extra storage area that Ford calls the MegaBox.

Price new: From £22,040
Lease this car from £213 per month
Browse Ford Puma cars for sale on Parkers

2. Dacia Duster

Pros:

✅ Cheap with lots of choice
✅ Good tech and spec options

Cons:

❌ Question marks over resale values
❌ Dual-fuel LPG no substitute for lack of hybrid

This offering from Dacia is not only great value, but it's pretty good offroad too. So good in fact, that it was crowned the Best Off-Roader in the Parkers New Car Awards 2019. Now available with the option of dual fuel LPG, running costs can be cut ever further.

It may be the cheapest SUV in the UK, but buyers won’t feel short-changed. It comes with more kit than ever, including keyless entry and climate control. It's a contender on our list of Best SUVs in its own right, even before that rock bottom price is factored in.

Price new: From £11,745
Lease this car from £194 per month
Browse Dacia Duster cars for sale on Parkers

3. Volkswagen Tiguan

Pros:

✅ Brilliant image
✅ Simple-to-use interior

Cons:

❌ R-Line suspension too hard
❌ Due for replacement

Volkswagen's big-selling Tiguan might be due to be replaced in 2022, but that's not to say that the current version is still an excellent choice. Blessed with a strong image and a tough, no-nonsense interior, it's an aspirational choice without the excessive prices its posher rivals are landed with.

It's roomy inside, looks good, and in R-Line trim has a high resale value that reflects that it's so in demand. It will be interesting to see how Volkswagen ends up replacing this one.

Price new: From £24,915
Lease this car from £270 per month
Browse Volkswagen Tiguan cars for sale on Parkers

4. Volvo XC40

Pros:

✅ Looks great inside and out
✅ Lots of engine and transmission choices

Cons:

❌ Expensive compared with rivals
❌ Some options are also dear

The XC40 is one of our favourite SUVs right now thanks to its chunky styling, smart and functional interior and neat road manners. Its engines are all efficient and powerful - and you can also buy this car as a plug-in hybrid or an all-electric version.

As well as a Scandi cool vibe that Audi or BMW would kill for, its onboard tech is great too. Its semi-autonomous systems are among the best in the business. Obviously, it gets a five-star rating from Euro NCAP, but there's also autonomous emergency braking, whiplash prevention systems, and more airbags than a Zeppelin factory.

Price new: From £25,440
Lease this car from £262 per month
Browse Volvo XC40 cars for sale on Parkers

5. Audi Q5

Pros:

✅ Excellent build quality
✅ Spacious interior

Cons:

❌ Expensive options
❌ Cost of plug-in versions

We really like the Q5, and it seems that family car buyer do, too, judging by the number of them you see on the road. It majors on interior quality, precision engineering and being easier to drive than you would think - put that down to sharing much of its engineering with the Audi A4 saloon.

It comes with loads of standard and optional equipment, and is a five-star performer in the Euro NCAP safety test, as you'd expect. Highly recommended, as is its coupe-roofed sister car, the new Audi Q5 Sportback.

Price new: From £43,670
Lease this car from £485 per month
Browse Audi Q7 cars for sale on Parkers

6. BMW X5

Pros:

✅ The best SUV to drive
✅ Practical and spacious

Cons:

❌ Big and unweildy in town
❌ Divisive looks

This is a massive SUV, but BMW offers a range of engines that get this beast moving with agility. The inside feels luxurious, with a choice of comfort or sports seats, and entertainment options for those residing in the back seats.

Tech levels are high; you can personalise the suspension levels, and Parking Assistant seeks out a parking spot and controls the steering, accelerator and brake while it parks itself. The optional head-up display is excellent. The X5 is a monster, and we like it.

Price new: From £61,155
Lease this car from £769 per month
Browse BMW X5 cars for sale on Parkers

7. Peugeot 3008

Pros:

✅ Great looks inside and out
✅ Brilliant petrol engines

Cons:

❌ Infotainment isn't brilliant
❌ Hefty price for plug-ins

The Peugeot 3008 is a striking family car that not only looks great on the driveway, but also it's fabulous inside thanks to some impressive trim choices and supremely comfortable seats. It has all the space you need for the family, drives well and doesn’t cost a bomb to run thanks to a range of frugal and fun-to-drive engines.

What really makes it appealing is that stunning interior though - it's a real showpiece. It is far more interesting a place in which to spend time than the equivalent Skoda Karoq or Kia Sportage. Stick to the more modest models in the range and you won’t be disappointed.

Price new: From £27,160
Lease this car from £248 per month
Browse Peugeot 3008 cars for sale on Parkers

8. Mercedes-Benz GLB

✅ Impressine dashboard and tech
✅ Competitive prices

Cons:

❌ Third row of seats for children
❌ Options are expensive

We really rate the Mercedes-Benz GLB so much that we made it the 2021 Best Medium Family Car in the Parkers New Car Awards. The Mercedes-Benz GLB is a convincing, if pricey, option. Space in the third row of seats is tighter than with a Skoda Kodiaq or Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace, yet in return you get a car that’s nicer to drive, has a better interior and features the all-important Mercedes-Benz badge.

There’s also the small matter of the Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 4Matic performance version. The novelty factor of a seven-seater that’s as fast as a hot hatch will be lost on many, yet for those interested it’s in a class of its own – even if the price might be rather eye-watering on paper.

Price new: From £36,905
Lease this car from £422 per month
Browse Mercedes-Benz GLB cars for sale on Parkers

9. Hyundai Tucson

✅ Quirky, modern styling
✅ Some great hybrid options

Cons:

❌ Expensive for well-equipped models
❌ It's not the sharpest-driving SUV

The 2021 Hyundai Tucson is a striking-looking car that has loads of interior space and lots of tech, even in the entry-level versions. The latest version has upgraded high-quality materials in the cabin, a simplified interior design, and the latest technology to make driving its infotainment system easier.

There's a good range of hybrid engines, which offer great efficiency. If you're looking for an interesting family SUV with strong warranty and great dealer backup, the Tucson should be near the top of your list.

Price new: From £28,495
Lease this car from £313 per month
Browse Hyundai Tucson for sale on Parkers

10. Mazda CX-5

✅ Sharp and sporty to drive
✅ Interior quality

Cons:

❌ Petrol engines lack power
❌ Uneconomical, too

Updated in 2020, the Mazda CX-5 is in our Top 10 SUVs because it's a consumate all rounder. There's a good chance you've seen quite a few of these striking Mazda SUVs on the road, too. And while Mazda is famous for its brilliant MX-5, the CX-5 is actually its bestselling car.

Deservedly so, too. The sharp angles on the outside are matched with sharper driving characteristics. The CX-5 is more agile and fun than it really needs to be, and if you opt for the manual, it's one of the slickest 'boxes around. Its interior is a minimalist delight - there are no huge touchscreens in here. Just well-made, solid-feeling, and ergonomic buttons and dials.

Price new: From £27,230
Lease this car from £290 per month
Browse Mazda CX-5 cars for sale on Parkers

More SUV content on Parkers

>> Best seven-seaters for 2021

What does SUV stand for? Sport Utility Vehicles explained

SUV stands for Sports Utility Vehicle. They tend to be larger, high-riding cars, often with four-wheel drive. Originally all SUVs were designed for off-roading, but that's very much not the case now. Some are little more than tall estates and hatchbacks with a rugged look that families can't get enough of.

>> Read more: What is an SUV?

They are spacious, safe, with lots of practical solutions and storage for luggage and all the gear that families accumulate. They have a higher driving position than a standard, and some can even have seven seats, making them ideal for a large family and all their kit and clobber. On the downside, their size can mean they are difficult to park, and they're often less efficient than the equivalent estate car or MPV.

With so many SUVs on the market, it's important to decide what's vital in your choice of new car, and what your budget is. With help from Parkers, you might be surprised at what your budget could stretch to thanks to finance and leasing deals. Plus, you can often get a really large car for a relatively small amount of money - just because an SUV is large, doesn't mean it'll cost the earth.

FAQ: Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV) questions answered

Are all SUVs 4x4?

Absolutely not. The idea of an SUV being  a four-wheel drive mud-plugger is outdated, and probably hasn't really been the base since mid-2000s. The emergence of cars, such as the Nissan Qashqai and Ford Kuga, and their popularity proves that an SUV works just as well as a front-wheel drive family car. Popular family SUVs are generally based on hatchback and saloon counterparts, and although some are available with four-wheel drive, the majority these days are front- or rear-wheel drive.

Do SUVs flip easier than cars?

Not these days. Back in the 1980s, when the popularity of SUVs blossomed, they earned a reputation for flipping in emergency manoeuvres. But these cars were very different to today's counterparts - they were often quite basic in their engineering and dynamics. Modern SUVs are much safer and are designed to corner and steer within the same margins as their lower-bodied counterparts, and have a huge number of electronic stability aids. They might have more bodyroll in corners, due to a higher centre of gravity, but you need to do something quite drastic to flip a modern SUV.

Is an SUV a good first car?

A small SUV is just as easy as a small hatchback to drive, and has the added bonus of a higher seating position, so visibility is better. There's no reason to believe that a Vauxhall Mokka or Ford Puma is any less suitable as a first car than a Corsa or Fiesta.

Which is better: an SUV or MPV?

Functionally, they're pretty much the same thing these days, so it comes down to personal choice. If space is your absolute first priority then you're probably best off going with an SUV, which tends to be roomier within the same footprint in the road. However, if you're likely to be towing or driving on rougher roads, the raised ride height of an SUV will make one of these cars a better bet.

What is a compact SUV/mini SUV?

A compact or mini SUV is generally based on a small car. Out of your current options, a typical compact or mini SUV is a Nissan Juke, Ford Puma or Vauxhall Mokka. They're family-friendly cars, but also manageable in towns and cities - a good compromise.

Why are SUVs so expensive?

If we were being cynical, we'd say that they are more expensive than the hatchbacks and saloons they are based on for marketing reasions. They are in demand, so people will spand more on them. But with so many SUVs on sale now, prices are much fairer than they used to be as they increasingly become the norm. Having said that, used examples command higher prices, too, because they are more in demand. If you don't necessarily need all of the features of an SUV, you can save money by choosing an estate or hatchback instead.