Best large SUVs to buy 2025
Large SUVs are big on comfort, practicality and versatility. Here’s our pick of the best on sale now
Large SUVs are among the most adaptable and capable cars you could hope to drive. The best ones offer everything, including a family-friendly cabin with up to seven seats, a big boot, superb refinement, and plenty of luxury and safety tech. Whether you’re planning a holiday, an off-road adventure, or simply ferrying the family around, large SUVs have it covered.
Our expert road testers have examined and driven every large SUV on sale in the UK, and we’ve gathered the very best here for you to consider. We looked for vehicles with the qualities mentioned above and included models that will meet the requirements of owners, based on our exclusive buyer priority research. Large SUVs are big, substantial and somewhat expensive vehicles by nature so we’ve also looked for models that keep running costs in check and aren’t likely to blow the family budget with frequent visits to the fuel station or big car insurance premiums.
Given that the typical large SUV customer will usually have a gaggle of children or pets to transport around, we’ve also looked for and evaluated these cars’ useful, practical features beyond outright space - think about load securing features in the boot, charging points for devices and cabin storage space generally. So let’s get going and take a look at our expert opinion on the best large SUVs you can buy…
Compare the best large SUVs to buy
At Auto Express our expert road testers drive and rate every new car in the context of rival models to build a full picture of how they compare. The table below shows our top ten large SUVs with prices, overall star ratings, practicality scores, plus fuel types and each car’s best fuel economy figure (or range for electric vehicles).
| Rank | Name | Prices from | Practicality, comfort & boot space rating (out of 5) | Overall Auto Express star rating (out of 5) | Fuel types |
| 1 | Skoda Kodiaq | £38,100 | 5 | 4.5 | Petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid |
| 2 | Hyundai Santa Fe | £47,900 | 4.5 | 4 | Hybrid, plug-in hybrid |
| 3 | Volkswagen Tayron | £40,100 | 4.5 | 4 | Petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid |
| 4 | BMW iX | £75,400 | 4.2 | 4.5 | Electric |
| 5 | Kia EV9 | £65,900 | 4.8 | 4.5 | Electric |
| 6 | Kia Sorento | £42,700 | 4.5 | 4 | Diesel, hybrid, plug-in hybrid |
| 7 | Volvo XC90 | £65,500 | 4.7 | 4 | Petrol, plug-in hybrid |
| 8 | BMW X5 | £74,300 | 4.5 | 4.5 | Petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid |
| 9 | Land Rover Discovery | £64,800 | 4.8 | 4 | Diesel |
| 10 | Peugeot 5008 | £39,900 | 4.5 | 4 | Mild hybrid, plug-in hybrid, electric |
Read on to find the top 10 large SUVs you can buy in the UK. Alternatively, click the links in the table above to go directly to each car
1. Skoda Kodiaq
- Price from £39,000
- Auto Express Large SUV of the Year
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The Skoda Kodiaq embodies all that the Czech firm stands for: solid value for money, quality, practicality, and a few little surprises that add to the ownership experience.
You can have the Kodiaq as a five- or a seven-seater, and we’d take it with the full seven seats to have as much flexibility as possible; transporting a full quota of passengers whenever you need, along with the option to fold the third row flat and open up a huge boot space. There’s 845 litres in five-seat mode, though even with all seven seats occupied you’ve got some luggage room to play with behind.
The Kodiaq is a little unusual in the large SUV sector nowadays for still offering a diesel engine, alongside a petrol with mild hybrid assistance. The diesels can manage around 50mpg combined, while you can also have plug-in hybrid power for an electric-only driving range of up to 62 miles.
Skoda has always had a knack for ensuring its vehicles aren’t a challenge to drive, and despite its size, the Kodiaq is another of these. The ride could stand to be a little softer, but the handling inspires confidence and makes it a great long-distance cruiser.
“Skoda’s ‘Simply Clever’ philosophy is perfectly suited to a car such as the Kodiaq – family-friendly features make it a useful accessory to family life.” – Dean Gibson, senior road test editor.
The Kodiaq has some of the strongest competitors on the market, with the likes of the Toyota RAV4, Hyundai Santa Fe, Ford Kuga, and Nissan X-Trail all vying for your money and attention
2. Hyundai Santa Fe
- Price from £47,900
- Best for large families
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There’s more than a dash of the Land Rover Defender to the Hyundai Santa Fe’s attitude, yet it is distinctly its own design thanks to those angular lines and H-themed headlights.
Hyundai fits the Santa Fe with seven seats as standard, which is ideal for family life as the rear pair fold to create a gigantic boot space – or fold them all down for a van-like 1,949 litres. You can even have your Santa Fe as a luxury six-seater, along with a choice of three well kitted-out trim levels.
Engine-wise you can choose from hybrid or plug-in hybrid options. Both use the Korean firm’s 1.6-litre petrol engine, which may sound on the small side for this car, but it does an excellent job providing performance, economy (a little more than 40mpg for two-wheel drive versions, a little less for the AWD), and a hushed ride. The plug-in, meanwhile, claims 38 miles on a charge, which should be useful even if it’s far from class-leading.
Related to the Kia EV9, it’s no wonder the Hyundai Santa Fe is much more agile to drive than you would at first suspect for a large SUV of this scale. It’s also extremely refined and comes packed with safety tech.
“The Santa Fe’s boxy shape is very on trend right now, but more importantly, it provides a huge amount of cabin space for both passengers and luggage.” – Dean Gibson, senior road test editor.
The closest equivalent for the Santa Fe is the Kia Sorento, which is similar under the skin, though the Skoda Kodiaq and Peugeot 5008 are also in the same ballpark in terms of abilities and cost
3. Volkswagen Tayron
- Price from £40,100
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VW has no shortage of SUVs on its books, but the Volkswagen Tayron is one of the most practical.
While there’s a fair number of seven seaters to choose from on the current market, we found the Tayron’s cabin to be one of the most spacious for every passenger. Our fully-grown road testers managed to fit reasonably comfortably in the rearmost seats, with ample headroom although legroom is a little snug. If you want PHEV power, though, you’ll have to stick with the five-seater variant. However, the upside of this model (provided you don’t need the extra passenger space) is that there’s even more room to stretch out and store your luggage — 885 litres, to be precise.
Speaking of plug-in hybrids, this version of the Tayron can cover up to 75 miles on purely electric power and is available in 201bhp or 268bhp forms. If you prefer traditional combustion, you can choose between multiple petrols and a diesel. The largest petrol, a 2.0-litre TSI unit, is a bit thirsty, though, with an official economy figure of only 33mpg.
Being a large SUV, the Tayron leans more towards comfort than it does sportiness, which we think is a sensible decision. Britain’s supply of potholes are dealt with smoothly, although our test car’s composure did get a bit upset whenever we were a bit overenthusiastic while steering into corners. Go easy on it, though, and this VW is a pretty calm and collected cruiser.
“The Tayron’s longer wheelbase means its turning circle is 40cm greater than the Tiguan’s 11.7-metre radius. Meanwhile, the electric auto-hold handbrake feels jerky and can allow the Tayron to roll by an alarming amount between forward and reverse gears.” - Alastair Crooks, senior news reporter.
You won’t need to search too far to find the VW Tayron’s arch-rival; the closely-related Skoda Kodiaq. Both SUVs share the same powertrains, and also come with the option of five or seven seats. Elsewhere, the Peugeot 5008, Hyundai Santa Fe and Nissan X-Trail are other tempting options for larger families
Latest Volkswagen Tayron deals
4. BMW iX
- Price from £75,400
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Now that discussion of the BMW iX’s styling has died down, we can appreciate it for what it is: one of the best electric SUVs on the market.
The iX has several impressive aspects but arguably none more so than its cabin. With the need to seat just five on a space-efficient EV platform it’s very spacious whichever seat you’re in, and the 500-litre boot is decent too, though it’s clear BMW has prioritised passengers over luggage. The design of the interior and the materials used are top-notch too – it’s a hugely appealing space, backed up by the effective iDrive infotainment system.
Recent updates have seen a shakeup to the iX lineup and an increase in both performance and range. The xDrive40 now does 364 miles, a massive 100 miles more than its predecessor and really increasing its appeal, while the xDrive60 does 426 miles, and the sporty M70 (replacing the old M60) goes 366 miles.
All have got quicker too, not that the iX was ever slow. The range-topping M70 is truly mighty, with 650bhp (39bhp more than before) and a 3.8-second 0-62mph time. There’s excellent handling too, considering its size and weight. We’d stick with one of the less frantic models though, and revel even more in the class-leading refinement.
“BMW has developed a large, all-electric SUV that is supremely comfortable, great to drive and leads the way with first-rate on-board technology.” – Ellis Hyde, news reporter.
Other options for those perhaps not sold on the iX’s styling include the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV, Audi Q6 e-tron, or the new Porsche Macan Electric
5. Kia EV9
- Price from £65,900
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You can’t miss the Kia EV9. It’s big, it’s bold, and it looks a bit like it should be a concept on a motor show stand.
With a cavernous interior the EV9 fits seven plus luggage, so there have been minimal compromises in packaging all that EV technology. The first five occupants get plenty of space while the third row is better suited for kids, and the driver faces a pair of large screens for all the vital information and infotainment functions.
The EV9’s headline 349-mile range (thanks to a near-100kWh battery pack) should cover most trips for most owners, even the odd longer jaunt, though a figure in the 200s is more realistic, and the EV9’s size means it’s not especially efficient. We’d stick to the single-motor model to maximise your range, as the 378bhp dual-motor version seems like overkill for family use.
There are rear- or four-wheel drive versions of the EV9, so you can decide which works best for your needs. It’s quick to recharge, too, and good to drive, though its size can be an issue in town or in car parks; you’ll find yourself sticking a long way out of parking spaces and the turning circle isn’t very tight either.
“Big, comfortable and relaxing are words that spring to mind when driving the EV9. Less expected is a surprising amount of ability from the chassis.” – Alex Ingram, chief reviewer.
Big seven-seat electric cars are thin on the ground but others to consider if you’re shopping for an EV9 are the Volvo EX90 and Mercedes-Benz EQB
6. Kia Sorento
- Price from £42,700
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It’s no surprise to us that Kia has two entries in this top 10 of large SUVs. The Kia Sorento is simply one of the best choices you can make, and it offers an alternative to those drivers not ready to switch to the Kia EV9’s all-electric powertrain.
There’s space for seven in the Sorento, and Kia packs it full of all the tech and safety gear you could want to keep the family and others outside the car as safe as possible. The cabin is attractive too, and in true Kia fashion, the tech is pretty easy to use.
The Sorento is not offered as a full EV, instead coming with hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or diesel power. As a result, you can still have a Sorento capable of EV driving when the need arises (for 35 miles, give or take), or the simplicity of just filling up with diesel and driving for hundreds of miles, courtesy of claimed economy of up to 43.5mpg, and a lower price tag to boot.
It’s definitely a car optimised for sitting back, relaxing, and letting the miles pass underneath its wheels. Not a thrill-seeker in other words, though it doesn’t turn into a floaty mess in corners, since there’s just enough control to keep everything tidy. Some bumps do make their way through to the cabin, but generally it soaks up crumbly surfaces well. Performance is also well-judged; all versions break under 10 seconds from 0-62mph.
“The Kia Sorento is able to cater for a wide range of buyers with its standard-fit four-wheel drive and range of plug-in hybrid, hybrid and diesel powertrains” – Alastair Crooks, senior news reporter.
The Sorento is effectively Kia’s version of the Hyundai Santa Fe above, so you should consider one of those, as well as the Skoda Kodiaq, Toyota RAV4, and Honda CR-V
7. Volvo XC90
- Price from £65,500
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Anyone wanting a large SUV that speaks of quality, comfort and success has plenty of options to choose from. The Volvo XC90 does this, but in its own subtle, Scandinavian style, so don’t expect any brash design or frivolous gadgets.
At its heart, the Volvo XC90 is a brilliantly practical, seven-seat large SUV that will transport the family with ease. It serves up comfort in spades, and has a cabin finely detailed right down to the very last stitch on the leather steering wheel. It’s all been thought-out to perfection, and this shows in just how effortlessly the Volvo will slip into family life or serve as an executive car.
Opt for the B5 petrol engine, and efficiency is nothing to write home about. Volvo abandoned diesel a while back now so the XC90 really has no answer to non-plugin models from other brands in this class. The T8 plug-in hybrid’s 217.3mpg is more like it, and 30g/km CO2 means relatively low BiK for business users, though for the best economy, remember that you’ll have to make as much use as possible of the 44-mile EV range.
Driving the Volvo XC90 has a calming effect. There is a satisfying way the big Volvo goes about dealing with lumpy roads, motorways, inner cities and more. There’s also four-wheel drive to look after you on slippery winter roads, along with a whole suite of reassuring safety equipment that all seems very well integrated.
“The big seven-seat SUV is showing its age in places after over a decade on sale, but the 2024 facelift freshened things up nicely.” – Steve Walker, head of digital content.
The XC90 goes head to head with cars like the BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GLE, and Audi Q7, while the electric Volvo EX90 may also be an option if you have somewhere to charge
8. BMW X5
- Price from £74,300
- Best for keen drivers
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The BMW X5 is an established pillar of the large SUV community, and it shows in the way this car is still as desirable as it was when the first generation wowed the world in 1999.
You can have the BMW X5 with seven seats or five, and both versions are roomy. They also have a luxurious air that means the X5 can hold its head high when around models such as the latest Range Rover. BMW’s build quality has always been pretty good, but the latest models like the X5 are among the most solid-feeling in their class, and materials feel luxurious too.
Where this X5 is very different to its predecessors is that you can have it with a brilliant plug-in hybrid powertrain that offers up to 67 miles of electric driving range. Combined with a silky smooth six-cylinder engine, the xDrive50e plug-in hybrid is as good as it gets with the X5, though the diesel and petrol engines are also pretty good; the xDrive30d is capable of nearly 40mpg.
The latest X5 still displays many of the traits that made the first generation such a game-changing SUV. Like the original, the latest X5 is great to drive and you’re left wondering how BMW makes such a big car feel so nimble, with better steering and body control than just about any rival, and responsive and powerful engines. It’s also refined on longer trips.
“If you're prioritising comfort, refinement and interior quality, then the X5 is an excellent choice.” – Max Adams, online reviews editor.
If you’re looking at an X5 then premium German alternatives like the Audi Q7 and Mercedes-Benz GLE may also appeal, as well as the Porsche Cayenne, which is similarly nimble for a big 4x4, and as a left-field option, the Lexus RX
9. Land Rover Discovery
- Price from £64,800
- Best for off-road use
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It’s come a long way in more than 35 years, yet the latest Land Rover Discovery continues to show the same flair as the original did with its Sir Terence Conrad-designed cabin.
Wherever you choose to drive your Land Rover Discovery, it will take you and a further six other occupants there in top drawer comfort. All Discovery versions come with a long list of standard kit that can be boosted by moving up the trim levels or ticking some choice options. Like many seven-seat SUVs the rearmost pair of chairs are less spacious than those further forward, and leave just 172 litres of boot space when they’re in place, but drop them and you’ve got 722 litres to play with.
The Discovery hasn’t quite kept up with the times like some of its siblings. No hybrid, plug-in hybrid or EV here; just a single diesel at the time of writing, the turbocharged inline-six D350, good for 34.8mpg and 213g/km of CO2. To be fair, diesel suits the Disco and owners love it for towing ability, but the car’s price and emissions will rule it out as a company car for most.
It drives like it looks, which is to say, like a big, tall car, but not in a bad way. It feels rock-solid stable on the motorway and big A-roads, another plus point for towing, and the steering responses are predictable, which helps when driving off road. It rides well, the occasional big-wheeled thump aside, and is composed in corners.
“The Discovery is impressively refined, yet it still delivers all the versatility you’d expect from an upmarket seven-seat 4x4.” – Max Adams, online reviews editor.
Those looking at the Discovery may also be tempted by Land Rover’s own Defender, though the seven-seat Hyundai Santa Fe is an option, or for a more premium feel, an Audi Q7
Latest Land Rover Discovery deals
10. Peugeot 5008
- Price from £39,00
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Sitting in the Peugeot 5008, you wonder how the French firm has come up with something this stylish and still kept the price competitive with its main rivals. The digital i-Cockpit in its latest guise here looks fantastic, and it works really well.
The driver is put right at the centre of the Peugeot 5008’s cabin experience and it feels special in a way that you usually only find in large SUVs costing considerably more. However, Peugeot has not lost sight of basic practicality, so there’s good room in the two rows of rear seats and a sizeable boot, with a hatchback-like 348 litres even in full seven-seat form.
The 5008 doesn’t guzzle fuel either. Peugeot claims more than 50mpg even for the mild hybrid, while if you get the E-5008, then a WLTP range of 415 miles really stands out, putting it among the longest-range electric cars currently on sale in the UK. This means less need to regularly top up at expensive public chargers even on longer trips.
Peugeot has also used all of its accumulated knowledge about suspension to make sure the 5008 covers ground without being upset by any uneven surfaces. Other large SUVs are crisper in the corners, but few are as cushy or hushed as the Peugeot. Choose the all-electric Peugeot E-5008 and it’s even more refined.
“The 5008’s starship looks are guaranteed to draw attention, but the interior design is the real star of the show. It features a 21-inch panoramic display that curves around the driver, while pools of ambient lighting illuminate the dashboard.” – Ellis Hyde, news reporter.
The 5008 has several talented rivals, including the Skoda Kodiaq, Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorento and Nissan X-Trail on this page, while the Skoda Enyaq is an alternative to the E-5008 electric version.
How we choose the best large SUVs
Traditionally, large SUVs were thought of as ungainly, thirsty machines that were better suited to being off-road rather than on it. However, these big cars have come a very long way in a short space of time, and they’ve rapidly become a firm favourite for those seeking a spacious family car.
These cars don’t come cheap, but our exclusive Auto Express buyer data showed that over 50 per cent of SUV buyers prioritise value for money over anything else when choosing their new car. Our expert road testers always focus on the things that matter most to car buyers, and we’re making no exceptions here, so we carefully evaluate just how much bang for your buck every large SUV in the UK really offers.
Build quality, standard-fit features, plushness, ride quality and driving experience, these are just some of the core qualities that we score every car on during our in-depth road testing process. Remember we mentioned family cars earlier? Practicality plays a very big role here, too, with passenger and cargo space potentially making or breaking a car’s chances of appearing on this list.
How to choose the best large SUV for you
If you’re considering a large SUV, the first question you need to ask yourself is exactly what you need it for. Some models are focused towards driver engagement and performance, some towards space and comfort, and others towards off-road durability. In other words, these cars can vary quite considerably from each other, so you’ll need to do your research.
While none of these models can be described as compact, not all of them offer the choice of seven seats, so your options will be trimmed down if you need to transport a larger family. Cargo space is less of a priority in some SUVs than others, too, so it’s a good idea to get a feel for the amount of space on offer. Can you fit all of your luggage and shopping in the boot, and will your rearmost passengers be comfortable enough for a long trip?
Perhaps you might be tempted by the idea of indulging in a bit of off-roading in your new car, but while this can be a lot of fun in some large SUVs, it can be a recipe for disaster in others. You’ll need to ensure that your prospective purchase is up to the task with appropriate ground clearance, a capable four-wheel drive powertrain and sturdy build quality.
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