The best SUVs – tested, rated and ranked
The modern SUV now spans the whole car market and blends a varied mix of qualities. These are our favourites
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by Jack Warrick
7 mins read
10 December 2024
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The rise of the sports utility vehicle (SUV) over the past 25 years has been so vast that it has forever changed the way cars are designed.
Despite their flaws, the best SUVs provide comfort, convenience, space and versatility and chunky-cornered design appeal.
The market segments have mushroomed in popularity and continue to grow. Now you will find small SUVs, family SUVs, sports SUVs, luxury SUVs, hybrid SUVs and electric SUVs, and even that isn’t an exhaustive list.
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But which are the best of the best? This article covers SUVs of all walks of life, making it our most broad SUV top 10. While narrowing the field down to 10 cars is tough, we’ve done just that.
Our pick for the top spot is the Range Rover Sport, which delivers performance, practicality and driver appeal. Other options include the excellent-value Dacia Duster, the generally brilliant Porsche Macan and the family-friendly Skoda Kodiaq.
You can read our full list of the top 10 best SUVs on sale below.
1. Range Rover Sport
9
- Design8
- Interior9
- Performance8
- Ride & Handling9
- Costs7
Pros
Outstanding refinement
Broad range of dynamic ability
Digital technology is top-class
Cons
It’s 15-20% more expensive than rivals
Exterior design might be too prissy for some tastes
JLR has a poor track record on reliability
Best for: Opulence
The Range Rover Sport earns a place on this list by being almost as comfortable and as good off-road as the Range Rover while also being cheaper and better on the road.
Both cars sit on the same platform now, but the Sport’s ability to control its mass helps distinguish it. Its damping is taut and sophisticated, yet the steering is tactile and communicative for something this size.
There’s a wide-reading powertrain line-up consisting of turbocharged mild-hybrid diesels, plug-in hybrids and the petrol V8-powered SV, which pumps out up to 626bhp.
The standard of material quality is virtually the same as in the Range Rover and there are near-endless possibilities in terms of fit and finish.
JLR’s excellent Pivo Pro infotainment system is easy to use, is lag-free and has one the most responsive touchscreens in the business.
Read our Range Rover Sport review
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2. BMW X5
9
- Design9
- Interior7
- Performance10
- Ride & Handling9
- Costs8
Pros
Strong engine line-up
Refined and dynamic handling
Excellent plug-in hybrid with long electric range
Cons
Some rival SUVs are more practical
Updated interior takes a step back in quality and usability
PHEV can charge at 7.4kW only
Best for: Performance
The BMW X5 is one of the largest SUVs on our list and can be equipped with up to seven seats, depending on the powertrain you choose.
Speaking of which, the powertrain palette is one of the best around, consisting of petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid options.
Even the diesel is a 3.0-litre straight six with 282bhp, while the petrol straight six comes with 347bhp. Step up to the PHEV for 483bhp and a 0-62mph sprint of 4.8sec.
The PHEV also gets 51 miles of electric range, which is decent for the class but starting to look a bit middling, especially compared with the new Skoda Kodiaq PHEV.
In diesel form, the only engine available with seven seats, the X5 gets 650 litres of boot space. That increases to 1870 litres with the seats down but drops to 500 litres in the PHEV.
Read our BMW X5 review
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3. Dacia Duster
9
- Design8
- Interior8
- Performance8
- Ride & Handling8
- Costs9
Pros
Plenty of space for the money
Good range of powertrains
Unique Bi-Fuel version can reduce running costs
Cons
Lacks the refinement of larger SUVs
Cheap-feeling in places
No engine is particularly involving
Best for: Value
The Duster has just entered its third generation, and it’s one of the best SUVs on sale in the UK today.
Sitting on a new platform, the Duster features a far more modern and assertive look than the previous model.
Engine-wise, there’s a 1.2-litre mild-hybrid petrol, a 1.6-litre hybrid and a 1.0-litre ‘Bi-Fuel’ option that can run on petrol or LPG.
The 1.2 feels most at home here, as it’s simple and no-nonsense to drive, as well as pretty economical. You can also order it with four-wheel drive.
You can pick the Duster up for a little under £19,000, making it the best value-for-money SUV on this list. It’s not as cheap as it once was, but it’s still considerably less than most brands ask for a supermini.
It provides a roomy four-seat cabin, a good-sized boot, good driving and cruising manners and a pretty healthy equipment specification, even in entry-level form.
Read our Dacia Duster review
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4. Porsche Macan
9
- Design8
- Interior9
- Performance9
- Ride & Handling9
- Costs8
Pros
Best-in-class handling
Brilliant blend of space and pace
Well thought-out interior
Cons
The 2.0-litre version isn’t exciting enough
Top-end versions are pricey
Soon to be replaced
Best for: Driver appeal
If any SUV is going to earn grudging respect from a dyed-in-the-wool sports car fan, it’s the Porsche Macan.
Porsche’s entry-level off-roader continues to set the bar in this closely fought class, with a brilliant blend of pace, space and dynamic grace.
Porsche both spruced up and pared back the Macan line-up with an end-of-life facelift in 2023. The flagship Turbo went, but the GTS that effectively replaced it packs the same 434bhp 2.9-litre turbo petrol V6, thankfully with no loss in terms of performance.
Crucially, its subtly lowered and uprated suspension delivers the sort of involving and agile driving experience that has you convinced you’re in something smaller and lower. Its physics-defying antics beggar belief.
The steering also has a similar weighting and response to Porsche’s low-slung road-burners, while the expensively tuned dampers are cast-iron in their control and cushioned in their operation.
And yet with its air suspension and cosseting, lavishly appointed interior, the Macan is as relaxed and easygoing as an executive saloon when you just want to cruise.
Read our Porsche Macan review
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5. Land Rover Defender
9
- Design9
- Interior9
- Performance8
- Ride & Handling10
- Costs7
Pros
Comfortable and well-mannered
Supremely easy to drive
Fashionable
Cons
The 110 and 130 versions are huge
All are heavy
Not cheap
Best for: Off-road ability
The Land Rover Defender is a seriously versatile machine, as capable on the road as off it. It’s a serious go-anywhere car, although admittedly many of them will never leave the Tarmac.
Despite its size and its unmatched off-road capability, the Defender is easy to drive with smooth steering, well-positioned pedals and great visibility. It feels supremely comfortable and controlled.
The Defender is offered with a host of powertrain options in varying states of tune, including a mild-hybrid six-cylinder diesel, a hearty V8 and plug-in hybrid options.
Our pick of the range is the diesel, which is packed with pace and feels particularly refined.
It’s one of the best SUVs you can buy today, and the burly Defender is a great option for drivers who crave space, usable performance and a luxury feel.
Read our Land Rover Defender review
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6. Kia EV9
8
- Design8
- Interior9
- Performance8
- Ride & Handling7
- Costs9
Pros
Huge interior space
Impressive performance
Long range
Cons
Expensive
Lacks a little luxury cabin appeal for the price
Enormous on UK roads
Best for: Electric power
Big, square cars have a lot of car-park presence. That’s why people notice SUVs in the first place – and you will certainly notice the Kia EV9.
Roughly the size of a Range Rover Sport or Mercedes-Benz GLE, the EV9 takes Kia into the full-sized premium SUV segment for the first time – and with some impact.
Chunky, square-cornered, sharply drawn and sternly detailed, it has a boldness about its appearance of the kind that inspired the smaller EV6 and that makes passers-by double-take and say things like: “That’s a Kia? Really? Wow!”
Available with both six- and seven-seat cabin layouts, it’s also as spacious as any other three-row SUV on the market.
Mind you, quality isn’t the best in some areas inside.
The car’s 99.8kWh battery endows a real-world range of between 260 and 320 miles, depending on how and where you’re driving.
Performance is strong from the dual-motor version, while the ride and handling are a little soft but contained.
Read our Kia EV9 review
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7. Skoda Kodiaq
8
- Design8
- Interior8
- Performance8
- Ride & Handling7
- Costs8
Pros
Very spacious and practical
Wide range of petrol, diesel and hybrid options
PHEV offers unrivalled electric range
Cons
Hesitant at lower speeds
PHEV powertrain has some operational foibles
Standard petrol engine sounds strained at higher revs
Best for: Everyday life
Lots of drivers just want a more practical, versatile and convenient family car for their money, and the Skoda Kodiaq is an SUV that fulfils that brief nicely.
The Kodiaq has a lot going for it, including a vast interior. The boot measures 910 litres in the five-seater or 745 litres in plug-in hybrid versions.
Plus, if you have a larger family, the Kodiaq can be selected in a seven-seat configuration, with decent levels of space for those in the third row.
You can select the Kodiaq with petrol, diesel or PHEV power. Our pick of the bunch is the 1.5-litre petrol, but the PHEV also has its merits, with an excellent 71 miles of electric-only range.
Read our Skoda Kodiaq review
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8. Hyundai Santa Fe
8
- Design9
- Interior10
- Performance6
- Ride & Handling7
- Costs7
Pros
Spacious and practical interior
High-grade materials
Sharp handling
Cons
Unsophisticated ride
Disappointing engines
Poor driver assistance features
Best for: Interior ambience
The Hyundai Santa Fe is a practical SUV with room for up to seven people, but its standout feature is its interior.
It’s genuinely cavernous and Hyundai has retained an intuitive and accessible layout with dual touchscreens and buttons.
Two of those buttons can be customised, and we would recommend using them to quickly disable the annoying ADAS systems.
The Santa Fe gets mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrain options, both based around a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine. The PHEV gets a 13.8kWh battery with a slightly meagre 33-mile electric range.
It might be a bit too big for many, but the Santa Fe is otherwise a great option if you’re after an SUV with a pleasant interior and a standout design.
Read our Hyundai Santa Fe review
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9. Nissan Qashqai
8
- Design8
- Interior8
- Performance6
- Ride & Handling7
- Costs8
Pros
Interior feels modern and remains easy to use
Ride and seats score on comfort
Google-based infotainment is a step forward
Cons
Rivals have more boot space
Steering lacks feel
Engine and manual gearbox aren’t well matched and the alternative is a CVT
Best for: Families
The Nissan Qashqai was the UK’s best-selling car in the UK in 2022, outselling the Vauxhall Corsa and Ford Puma, and it’s the ideal SUV for many drivers.
It’s practical, spacious and comfortable, but it’s also solid enough to handle everyday wear and tear at the hands of families and young children.
Nissan’s popular SUV is available with a range of electrified powertrains, including the four-wheel drive hybrid e-Power version, which is dependably petrol-powered but propelled by electric motors.
Perhaps its biggest selling point is how easy it is to drive. It will suit most drivers and is an appealing option for families on the hunt for a reasonably-priced crossover.
