SUVs

The originator of high-riding luxury SUVs. Today’s Range Rover looks just as ‘right’ around the farm as it does dropping off celebs outside The Ritz. It has a sumptuous interior that’s also massively spacious and drives just like a luxury SUV - there’s strong performance on offer when it’s needed and high levels of comfort at all speeds.

The Audi SQ7 sits at the top of the Q7 range and is powered by a sledgehammer of a 4.0-litre diesel V8 engine. That means a 0-62 sprint time of less than five seconds, yet respectable economy at a cruise too. Clever active suspension that props up the SQ7 in corners will ensure you have fun driving it around corners, too. And, inside, you’ll also find it suitably top-of-the-range, with lashings of leather and a lengthy standard equipment list.

When Bentley announced it was to make an SUV the purists weren’t happy, but today they line the street outside Harrods. And the Bentayga is fundamentally a good car, with a comfortable ride, wonderful engines and genuinely superb interior quality. It isn’t cheap to buy and is based on an Audi Q7, but it does at least look and feel the more expensive luxury SUV.

Few luxury SUVs turn heads like the Tesla Model X. From its party piece Falcon wing rear doors that are hinged at the top and lift up, to its 17-inch screen that takes up almost all of the centre console, there really is nothing else like it. Of course, it’s also pure electric, will do 0-60mph in just 2.9 seconds and travel more than 200 miles on a full charge. It also has a high-quality interior and spongy air suspension.

This boxy bruiser has always been a leftfield choice. You do get quite a bit for your money – an iconic exterior design, super-strong suspension system, arguably the best off-road ability in class and one of the most impressive petrol V8 engines currently on sale. It’s far from a good value proposition but it’s difficult to ignore its broad range of abilities.

The Tesla Model X P100D is the fastest-accelerating SUV on sale. It has a huge 100kWh battery, a colossal 772hp on tap and there’s even a Ludicrous driving mode, which all-told, is a pretty accurate description when it’s selected.

All-wheel drive and 650hp helps propel the Lamborghini Urus to 62mph from a standstill in just 3.6sec, and it’ll carry on to 190mph. It sounds fantastic, too, and looks like no other SUV, but it’ll cost you a cool £165,000 to own one - and that’s before you get busy with the extensive options list.

Jeep is yet to confirm prices for its Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, but it has confirmed that it’s coming to the UK, and that when it does, it’ll be fitted with a 707hp 6.2-litre V8 engine. That means it takes just 3.7sec to sprint to 60mph and has a top speed of 180mph.

A £70,000 SUV can hardly be called a bargain, but next to the £150,000 Lamborghini Urus the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio still looks it. You get beautiful Italian styling and an engine co-developed by Ferrari. The Stelvio isn’t just great in a straight line – it’s one of the best-handling SUVs we’ve ever driven, and to prove it we put our money where our mouth is and awarded it our Driver’s Award at the 2018 carwow Car of the Year Awards.

The Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S is eerily similar to the Alfa Romeo in terms of stats. It has same power from its V8 engine and the same 0-62mph sprint time, while opting for the optional Driver’s Package takes the top speed from 155 to 174mph. It lacks the Alfa’s handling finesse, but does offer a more luxurious cabin and a better infotainment system.

The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid SUV has a spacious interior and robust build quality which means it’s an ideal choice if you want a dependable hybrid SUV. It sips fuel, runs on silent electric power for a few miles and is quite quick. Note, however – it isn’t exempt from paying London’s Congestion Charge.

The Lexus RX looks and feels luxurious, has space for the family and is a very relaxing car to drive. It’s not exactly cheap, but it’s more affordable than alternatives and its combination of a 3.5-litre petrol engine and electric motor make it surprisingly cheap to run.

The Volvo XC90 T8 Twin-Engine feels posh and has seven seats big enough for tall adults. Its petrol-electric powertrain provides startling performance, yet the XC90 is exempt from London’s congestion charge. Running costs are low, but only if you have a short commute.

The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV was the first car to be offered as a plug in hybrid SUV – it’s exempt from paying London’s Congestion Charge and is also cheap to run. It doesn’t get the seven seats fitted to other Outlanders, but it does have space for five and a big boot.

The Toyota CH-R hybrid SUV looks like it’s been beamed from space and, fittingly, it’s available with a high-tech petrol-electric powertrain that’s very frugal. It isn’t that spacious for an SUV but it should be fine for young families and it’s good fun to drive for a car like this.

Okay, so the Audi SQ7’s high price might not be your cup of tea, but it simply has to be on this list of ultimate diesel SUVs. Why? Well, because its very practical, surprisingly good on fuel, but also insanely fast – mostly because it has no fewer than three turbochargers.

The BMW X1 is posh but also very practical with an interior that space for four adults and a large boot. It’s easy to drive, but also fun thanks to its pointy steering and composure in bends. The 118d diesel delivers plenty of punch but also makes the X1 very cheap to run.

The Peugeot 3008 striking exterior and bold interior break the mould when compared to most other SUVs. Look deeper though, and you’ll find a car that is easy to drive and practical. The 120hp diesel has enough shove even when the car is fully loaded and is cheap to run.

The Volvo XC90 is a luxurious SUV with a posh interior and seven seats all of which are big enough for adults. It’s available with a cheap-to-run and clever D5 PowerPulse diesel engine that uses compressed air to spool up its turbo for quick bursts of acceleration.

The Skoda Karoq is a smart-looking SUV, with space for four and a huge boot. But its party piece is that you can remove all it backs seats, transforming it into a posh van. The 150hp 2.0-litre diesel engine’s power and cheap running costs make it the perfect all-rounder and was the perfect combination to scoop it the carwow Car of the Year Value Award.

The Skoda Kodiaq shares its parts with a VW Tiguan but somehow manages to feel better built inside, has more space and a lower price. Factor in its excellent range of engines and decent drive and it’s hard to imagine a more sensible way to spend £300.

For under £300 a month, you can’t get more luxurious than a Volvo XC60. Its interior is a model of Swedish simplicity, spacious and has the most-comfortable seats known to man. It’s an excellent long-distance cruiser especially when fitted with Volvo’s D4 diesel engine.

The Audi Q2’s list of personalisation options make it the coolest car Audi sells, yet it also has the excellent interior quality and brilliant range of engines you’d expect of, well – an Audi. Sure, you can get more spacious cars for £300, but the Q2’s still a perfectly viable family car.

The Kia Niro might not look like hybrid, but under its SUV body, you’ll find a petrol-electric powertrain that is cheap to run. Not bad for the not-so-princely sum of £300 a month. It has space for adults in the back and, while the boot isn’t huge, it will swallow two suitcases.

The SEAT Arona is a great choice if you’re looking for a small SUV for under £300 a month. Inside, it feels robustly built and is spacious for a small car. It’s also decent to drive and is available with a 115hp 1.0-litre petrol that’s peppy and cheap to run.

The Dacia Duster looks and feels basic, but that’s to be expected when you can have it for less than £10,000. It does looks like a proper SUV, though, has space for four adults and big boot. While not quick, the Dacia is cheap to run particularly if you go for the diesel model.

The SsangYong Tivoli lacks the Tonka-toy appeal of the Dacia Duster, but it’s still recommendable as a cheap SUV thanks to its decent interior space and long five-year warranty. It’ll even handle light off-roading if fitted with the optional four-wheel drive system.

The Fiat Panda 4x4 looks quite expensive in this company, but it’s a great choice if you’re looking for a proper off-roader that doesn't make you compromise in other areas. It’s cheap to run and has just enough space for four people with a few bags of shopping.

Okay, so the Ford Ka+ Active isn’t really an SUV – it’s just a small car with raised suspension and chunky bumpers. On the flipside, it’s cheap to run and its small size makes it perfect for town. It’s small inside, but should have space for four and two small suitcases.

The Suzuki Jimny is tight inside even for a small car and feels agricultural to drive on the road, but if you need a cheap SUV that you can actually go off-road – it’s the best car here. It also looks like a proper off-roader with a tall ride height and a chunky, upright design.

The Suzuki Vitara has distinctive looks and a range of options that let you stamp your own personality on this small SUV. It’s not just its looks that are appealing, though, the Vitara has a decent amount of interior space for its size, is easy to drive and its reasonable price means you can overlook the interior’s cheap-feeling materials.

If you’re after a funky looking, small SUV then the Citroen C3 Aircross is a great option. It’s highly customisable, eye-catching outside and in, and is seriously comfortable. Overall it's a great all-rounder.

The Mazda CX-3 comes with eye-catching styling and a sporty driving experience. Its direct, accurate controls combined with sporty suspension mean it good fun to drive. The interior is well put together, although some of the plastics lower down in the cabin feel a bit cheap.

The Hyundai Kona Electric gives you a surprisingly good, electric-powered alternative to the other small SUVs here. OK, so the batteries eat into boot space and rear seat space will also be tight for tall adults, but you do get plenty of room up front and the Electric also feels nicer inside than a regular Kona. The best thing about the Kona Electric is its range though, you’ll go much further in a Kona than in any other comparable electric car.

The Audi Q2 just about has it all for a small SUV – a premium badge, a luxurious cabin, plenty of space, powerful engines and a relaxed driving experience. Equally, handsome looks dominated by its large upright grille and a contrasting patch behind the rear door help it stand out in a car park.

The Peugeot 3008 is a sensible family car that manages not be dull. It looks great and it’s interior makes most other cars’ cabins look bland, yet it has space for four and their luggage. The 130hp 1.2-litre PureTech petrol engine makes the 3008 nippy but also cheap to run.

The BMW X3 gives you the best of both worlds – its SUV body gives you space for people and a pile of luggage, yet it’s just as good to drive as a normal BMW saloon. Best of all, the xDrive 20i petrol car has an impressive turn of speed but doesn’t cost a fortune to run.

The Skoda Karoq is hard to beat if you're after a practical, well-priced SUV, it won the carwow Car of the Year Value Award. It’s well-built cabin is spacious and the back seats can be removed to carry big loads. The 1.5-litre 150ps petrol engine is cheap to run and reasonably quick.

The BMW X1 might not look like a sporty BMW saloon, but it feels like one to drive and its SUV body gives you plenty of space and a great view out when driving. The X1 is available with a 1.5-litre petrol engine (in the 118i) which is cheap to run and reasonably nippy.

The Range Rover is like a posh limo that has a practical boot and off-road ability that’ll humble most other SUVs. Choose the 5.0-litre petrol and it’ll have the measure of most sports cars on road too (on straights, anyway), but the running costs will be huge.

The Audi Q7 is a large seven-seater SUV that’s more luxurious than butch, yet its combination of abilities makes it a great choice for many purposes. It has an interior packed full of Audi’s latest technology including the swanky Virtual Cockpit digital driver’s display. The engines are smooth and impressively frugal when you consider the size of it. The Q7’s third row of seats is good enough for kids but adults will complain on longer journeys.

The Skoda Kodiaq has a much lower price than an Audi Q7 but matches it on 7-seat SUV ability in many areas, especially those that matter to families. The Kodiaq excels at swallowing passengers and luggage while the solid-built interior can withstand years of abuse. A further feather in the Kodiaq’s cap are the lively, yet frugal engines and the quick-shifting optional auto gearbox. The Kodiaq’s third row is not much bigger than in a Q7, so it will be alright for kids but slightly cramped for adults.

The Volvo XC90 SUV is a nice halfway point between the sensible Kodiaq and the luxurious Q7. The XC90 has a posh interior with a great, minimalistic design, super comfy seats and huge space inside. It’s available as a hybrid, if you’re eco-conscious, and goes over bumps in impressive comfort. The XC90s third row is best reserved for kids – there’s very little legroom back there.

The Land Rover Discovery is equally at home towering over other cars in congested city streets as it is blasting through fields and rough roads. The interior is spacious and well built, but avoid entry level models – they miss out on things like leather seats or sat nav. The Discovery engines, while not the most frugal here, are easily powerful enough to move this seven-seat SUV with ease. The Discovery’s third row is spacious enough for adults thanks to the boxy body so it’s the best SUV here for passengers.

The Kia Sorento might not have the tech-fest interior of the Audi Q7 or the off-road ability of the Land Rover Discovery, but what it does have is value in spades. For its price, the Sorento is a great seven-seater SUV. It has a solid interior, big boot, economical engines, even if they are a bit slow, and an easy-to-use infotainment system. The Sorento’s third row is more spacious than the Kodiaq's but less so than the Discovery’s meaning you can fit two adults back there, but just for short trips.

The Volvo XC40 is a funky-looking mid-size SUV with a stylish interior and space for five adults. All models come with plenty of kit – including a nine-inch portrait touchscreen infotainment system – and loads of flashy interior trims while top-spec cars get gorgeous unvarnished wood inserts made from actual driftwood. Lovely.

The Skoda Kodiaq is a hugely practical family SUV with room for five tall adults inside. Pay a little extra and you can get it with an extra row of kid-sized seats in the boot, too. All models get a minimalist – if slightly monochrome – cabin that feels impressively robust and a high-resolution infotainment system that’s bright and easy to use.

When it comes to eye-catching interiors, the Peugeot 3008 SUV has the competition licked. Its small steering wheel and the high-mounted digital display that replaces conventional analogue instruments really feel a cut above the rest. It’s pretty roomy, too – there’s space in all five seats for adults to get comfy. The boot’s pretty generous too.

The Audi Q7 is a luxurious seven-seat SUV that’s more at home on the Autobahn than romping through the great outdoors. Sure, the Q7 is significantly more expensive than some cars in our list, but it does come loaded with bundles of high-tech kit and you can get it with Audi’s super-sharp digital Virtual Cockpit display instead of conventional analogue dials.

The five-seat Skoda Karoq is an affordable – it won our Car of the Year Value Award – but still very practical small family SUV. It has one of the biggest boots of any car its size and some roomy back seats with enough space for three adults to sit side-by-side. Everything in its sensibly-laid-out cabin feels solid and an intuitive touchscreen infotainment system is standard across the range.