Best SUVs
What are the SUVs to buy?
If you’re in the market for a new family car, and need more practicality or a higher seating position than a saloon, hatchback or estate car can offer, then the best SUVs will be right up your street. These tall-riding hold-alls are now the default choice for most families these days, and with very good reason.
They tend to combine the best elements of all of the above – the compact footprint of a hatchback (despite generally looking larger than they are), the generous rear space of a saloon and the loadspace of an estate. The high driving position is an added bonus, which an increasing number of drivers are really being turned on to. Finally, getting a child seat into an SUV is a whole lot easier than a lower-bodied alternative.
The Parkers team has put all of the latest SUVs the reviewing process and have pulled together this list of the Top 10 choices for all budgets. To see how thoroughly, check out our how we test cars page…
Latest articles
-
Best electric SUVs of 2024If you’re looking at the best SUVs you can buy in 2024, don’t just consider those powered by petrol or diesel. The best electric SUVs have plenty of benefits that...
-
The fastest SUVs in the world in 2024How important is speed to you? If the answer is very, but you still need something more practical than a coupe or saloon, – or perhaps even a little more...
-
-
Best used family off-roadersLooking for a second hand family car that can handle anything? A used 4x4 car should be able to meet all the demands of a young family while providing safe,...
-
Tackling the rough stuff: how to drive off roadSUVs are hugely popular right now. Over the past decade, car makers have been steadily purging their model ranges of saloons and hatchbacks and replacing them with tall-riding, tough-looking crossovers....
-
Sizing up: the best family SUVs to buy in 2024Sports Utility Vehicles (better known as SUVs) have exploded in popularity. Seven of the top 10 best-selling cars in the UK for the first half of 2024 were SUVs –...
-
-
Best seven-seater SUVs 2024The best seven-seater SUVs combine rugged looks, a commanding view, and all-round practicality without resorting to styling choices that are better suited to a bus. Gone are the days when...
-
The best SUVs to buy in 2024 - family-friendly hold-alls tried, tested and ratedIt’s easy to see the appeal of the best SUVs. While they’ve evolved a long way from the working off-road and 4x4 vehicles of the past into the family-friendly lifestyle...
-
-
Best crossover SUVs in 2024New car buyers who want a practical car with sensible running costs may well be tempted by one of the best crossovers. These cars, which blend elements of great hatchbacks...
-
Best used family SUVs for less than £15,000 2024SUVs are immensely popular. Seven of the UK’s top 10 best-selling new cars have been SUVs for the past three years, but most manufacturers have offered something in this sector...
-
The best used SUVs 2024Buying a second hand car has become something of a marketing minefield, thanks to the concept of a ‘crossover’. This is particularly apparent in the world of used SUVs, which...
-
-
SUVs for £200 per monthIf you’re after a family car then you’re potentially going to be looking at the best SUV deals as your first port of call. Their practicality and rugged appeal are...
-
Top 10 plug-in hybrid SUVs of 2024The best hybrid cars come in all shapes and sizes but few are as popular as the scores of hybrid SUVs out there. SUVs are among the most in-demand vehicles...
-
-
The best small 4x4s for 2024Not all of the best SUVs are massive fuel-chugging eco terrorists – if you genuinely need 4x4 performance and don’t a need a great deal of space there are some...
-
Best self-charging hybrid SUVs of 2024If you’re shopping for a new family car, you may well be considering one of several self-charging hybrid SUVs. These cars, which employ a mixture of conventional combustion and electric...
-
The most economical SUVs 2024It’s hard to get good fuel economy out of an SUV. They’re heavier and blunter faced than a hatchback or a saloon, which means their engines need to work harder...
-
-
Best luxury SUVs to buy in 2024SUVs have a greater breadth of ability than ever before. Now, you can have ones that go off-road, ones that can carry seven people and even ones with coupe rooflines....
-
The best diesel SUVs 2024Diesel’s popularity is waning. In the early 2000s, the fuel was viewed as somewhat of a miracle for its stunning blend of high fuel efficiency and low CO2 output. However,...
-
-
The best hybrid SUVs 2024UK motorists love big SUVs, but legislators are doing their darnedest to stamp them off the roads by introducing ever-tightening emissions regulations and chargeable low-emission zones. The purpose? To try...
-
The safest SUVs in the UK 2024Buyers demand a lot from their SUVs, certainly more than they did 20 or 30 years ago. These days, the best SUVs need to be fuel efficient, practical, packed with...
-
Best SUVs for less than £300There are some great new car deals available on SUVs at the moment and, thanks to monthly finance, you can buy to suit your budget. There’s a large selection of...
-
Most popular articles
-
The safest SUVs in the UK 2024Buyers demand a lot from their SUVs, certainly more than they did 20 or 30 years ago. These days, the best SUVs need to be fuel efficient, practical, packed with...
-
Sizing up: the best family SUVs to buy in 2024Sports Utility Vehicles (better known as SUVs) have exploded in popularity. Seven of the top 10 best-selling cars in the UK for the first half of 2024 were SUVs –...
-
-
Best seven-seater SUVs 2024The best seven-seater SUVs combine rugged looks, a commanding view, and all-round practicality without resorting to styling choices that are better suited to a bus. Gone are the days when...
-
The best used SUVs 2024Buying a second hand car has become something of a marketing minefield, thanks to the concept of a ‘crossover’. This is particularly apparent in the world of used SUVs, which...
-
The best diesel SUVs 2024Diesel’s popularity is waning. In the early 2000s, the fuel was viewed as somewhat of a miracle for its stunning blend of high fuel efficiency and low CO2 output. However,...
-
-
The best small 4x4s for 2024Not all of the best SUVs are massive fuel-chugging eco terrorists – if you genuinely need 4x4 performance and don’t a need a great deal of space there are some...
-
The best SUVs to buy in 2024 - family-friendly hold-alls tried, tested and ratedIt’s easy to see the appeal of the best SUVs. While they’ve evolved a long way from the working off-road and 4x4 vehicles of the past into the family-friendly lifestyle...
-
-
Best used family SUVs for less than £15,000 2024SUVs are immensely popular. Seven of the UK’s top 10 best-selling new cars have been SUVs for the past three years, but most manufacturers have offered something in this sector...
-
The fastest SUVs in the world in 2024How important is speed to you? If the answer is very, but you still need something more practical than a coupe or saloon, – or perhaps even a little more...
-
Top 10 plug-in hybrid SUVs of 2024The best hybrid cars come in all shapes and sizes but few are as popular as the scores of hybrid SUVs out there. SUVs are among the most in-demand vehicles...
-
-
Best self-charging hybrid SUVs of 2024If you’re shopping for a new family car, you may well be considering one of several self-charging hybrid SUVs. These cars, which employ a mixture of conventional combustion and electric...
-
Best small SUVs 2024Until very recently, even the best SUVs were hulking great things that drank fuel, towered above everything else and rolled around in corners like a drunk hippo. Today, SUVs have...
-
-
Best used family off-roadersLooking for a second hand family car that can handle anything? A used 4x4 car should be able to meet all the demands of a young family while providing safe,...
-
Best crossover SUVs in 2024New car buyers who want a practical car with sensible running costs may well be tempted by one of the best crossovers. These cars, which blend elements of great hatchbacks...
-
Best luxury SUVs to buy in 2024SUVs have a greater breadth of ability than ever before. Now, you can have ones that go off-road, ones that can carry seven people and even ones with coupe rooflines....
-
-
Best SUVs for towing 2024For those who tow, an SUV of some description has become the default choice of car. Whether you’re towing a caravan on holiday, a horsebox to the races or a...
-
The most economical SUVs 2024It’s hard to get good fuel economy out of an SUV. They’re heavier and blunter faced than a hatchback or a saloon, which means their engines need to work harder...
-
-
Best electric SUVs of 2024If you’re looking at the best SUVs you can buy in 2024, don’t just consider those powered by petrol or diesel. The best electric SUVs have plenty of benefits that...
-
The best hybrid SUVs 2024UK motorists love big SUVs, but legislators are doing their darnedest to stamp them off the roads by introducing ever-tightening emissions regulations and chargeable low-emission zones. The purpose? To try...
-
SUVs for £200 per monthIf you’re after a family car then you’re potentially going to be looking at the best SUV deals as your first port of call. Their practicality and rugged appeal are...
-
What does SUV stand for?
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.
FAQ: 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 case 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, designed to corner and steer within the same margins as their lower-bodied counterparts. They also have an increasing number of electronic stability aids, which Euro NCAP now tests and assesses as part of the safety ratings. 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.
What is a crossover?
It's interesting how the language around SUVs is changing. Cars such as the Renault Kadjar, Nissan Qashqai and Audi Q3 were clearly based on standard road cars and until recently what many people (and car manufacturers) referred to as crossovers. That meant they featured SUV-like styling with pretty standard road car engineering underneath. In other words, they were hatchbacks on stilts. These days, they tend to all be called SUVs, and that's how we refer to them.
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 reasons. They are in demand, so people will spend 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.