The best SUVs - tested, rated and ranked

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. 

The BMW X5 is now 25 years and several generations old, but it retains the key selling point with which the original forged its reputation back in 1999.

Illya Verpraet, Road Tester

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. 

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. 

There is no PHEV option and diesels are out, but you can still have your Duster with four-wheel drive, though only with the MHEV powertrain.

Matt Saunders, Road test editor

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.

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.

The Macan's standard seats aren't the last word in support or sporting sense-of-occasion, but the driving position is so good - and so low - you'll hardly notice

Matt Saunders, Road test editor

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.

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.

World-class capability. Brilliant on and off road, at a price.

Matt Prior, Editor-at-large

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. 

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.

Dynamically, both the single-motor and twin-motor versions handle simply, predictably and without any trickery.

Matt Saunders, Road test editor

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.

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. 

Even in base SE trim, it's equipped with everything it needs and is an eminently spacious, practical SUV that has never played to its key strengths quite as well as it does now

Illya Verpraet, Road Tester

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.

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. 

The interior has all the design and material appeal you could wish for and combines it with clever practicality solutions and excellent usability

Matt Saunders, Road test editor

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. 

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. 

For a reasonably priced crossover, it's unlikely to benefit from the most sophisticated suspension. How well the Qashqai irons out road imperfections therefore depends on the wheels on which it rides.

Illya Verpraet, Road Tester

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.