Best-selling cars in the UK: electric cars drive growth in September

The family SUV market is extremely competitive, so a car has to be truly excellent to stand out. And the Kia Sportage absolutely is – in fact, it's our reigning Family SUV of the Year.

Practicality is a particular strength; the boot is spacious and thoughtfully designed, and the interior offers plenty of leg and head room in both the front and the rear. In addition, the Sportage is plush inside – more so than the Hyundai Tucson to which it's closely related.

The entry-level model is very temptingly priced, but upgrading to our recommended 3 trim gives you lots of useful extras, such as heated front seats and keyless start.

Our favourite version 1.6T GDi 157 48V ISG 3
List price £29,390
Target price £25,745
Target PCP NA

September sales 7482

Read our in-depth Kia Sportage review

The Ford Puma is a former What Car? Car of the Year, and even though its small SUV crown has now been taken by the excellent Lexus LBX, it remains one of the best cars in its class.

The Puma should certainly put a smile on your face, because it's very agile, especially in ST-Line guise, because it comes with sports suspension and well-weighted, engaging steering.

The Puma's interior is well laid out and reasonably plush, too, although rivals such as the Volkswagen T-Roc provide a more upmarket feel. Also, rear visibility isn’t ideal, and the view out of the front can be limited depending on your seating position.

The boot, on the other hand, is large for the class and has a height-adjustable floor with even more storage underneath. Excellent fuel economy and a low CO2 output also help to make the case for the playful Puma being a sensible buy.

Our favourite version 1.0 Ecoboost mHEV 155 ST-Line
List price £28,475
Target price £26,705
Target PCP NA

September sales 6681

Read our in-depth Ford Puma review

Just like the larger Nissan Qashqai did for family SUVs, the Nissan Juke has set the formula for many of the small SUVs we see today – namely offering smaller engines in a practical package, but with the high-set driving positions and easy access which SUV buyers love.

Our favourite Juke engine is also the cheapest option in the range, the 112bhp 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol. It's not especially quick – the 0-60mph sprint took 11.7sec in our tests, which is slower than rivals – but it pulls strongly enough for most situations and should be cheap to run.

That being said, the Ford Puma, with its fuel-saving mild hybrid technology, should cost you even less in fuel. There is a full Juke hybrid, which features an electric motor and petrol engine, but it's rather expensive.

Interior quality has taken a huge leap forward in the latest Juke compared with earlier models, and while not up to the standard of the Audi Q2, it still impresses, with most surfaces coated in fancy materials, and everything feeling built to last. Your family will have a reasonable amount of room to stretch out on the Juke's rear bench, and you can get almost as much luggage into the boot as you can into the larger Qashqai.

Our favourite version 1.0 DiG-T 114 N-Connecta
List price £23,775
Target price £19,495
Target PCP £228

September sales 6025

Read our in-depth Ford Puma review

The Hyundai Tucson is among the most practical family SUVs – there’s lots of space in the front and the rear, and the boot is one of the biggest in the class.

Practicality aside, the interior is well laid out and feels solid, but lacks the premium feel you get inside rivals such as the Volvo XC40. More positively, the entry-level Advance trim is very well equipped, and includes a 12.3in digital driver's display, a 12.3in infotainment screen, dual-zone climate control and ambient interior lighting as standard.

If you go for the petrol version you can expect reasonable performance and a competitive price, but ride comfort in all versions of the Tucson could be better, especially considering how comfortable some family SUVs manage to be.

Our favourite version 1.6TGDi Hybrid 230 SE Connect
List price £32,350
Target price £28,066
Target PCP £297

September sales 5799

Read our in-depth Hyundai Tucson review

Think of the Tesla Model Y as being a Tesla Model 3 on stilts, distilling everything that's great about that car into a more practical, family friendly package, and you won't be far wrong.

While the Model Y can't match the Model 3's rapid performance because of its extra weight, it still doesn't feel slow. In fact, the Long Range version managed to blast from 0-60mph in 4.8sec in our tests, while the range-topping Performance model dropped that time to 3.5sec – that's faster than any version of the rival Audi Q4 e-tron can manage, and a match for the Kia EV6 GT.

Range is a strength of every Model Y, and our recommended Long Range models can officially take you up to 331 miles according to official figures – that figure fell to a still respectable 277 miles in real-world conditions. Ride comfort could use some work, however, and the Model Y jostles you around in your seat while you're driving along. Road noise is also more noticable than in rival electric SUVs.

The Model Y has the same minimalist interior as the Model 3, and offers lots of room in both the front and rear seats for your family to stretch out. Plus, we managed to fit 10 carry-on suitcases on board the Model Y.

While the Tesla and the Tucson above sold in the same amounts last month, we've put the Tucson higher up on this list due to its availability with a discount.

Our favourite version Long Range
List price £52,990
Target price £52,990
Target PCP £580

September sales 5799

Read our in-depth Tesla Model Y review

For many buyers, the Nissan Qashqai exemplifies the family SUV class. After all, it was the car that first popularised the idea of a tall car without the sky-high running costs of a traditional off-roader. The latest version is a fine all-rounder, combining good practicality with some efficient engine options.

Our preferred choice is the entry-level 1.3-litre petrol, which has mild-hybrid technology to help lower your fuel bills.

Meanwhile, there's a good reason why most Qashqai buyers choose N-Connecta trim, because it bundles together lots of desirable kit – including 18in alloy wheels, a fully digital driver display and a leather-wrapped steering wheel – for a reasonable price.

Our favourite version 1.3 DiG-T MH N-Connecta
List price £29,735
Target price £26,066
Target PCP £276

September sales 5239

Read our in-depth Nissan Qashqai review

The Volkswagen Polo is a small car with a big car feel to it. It's one of the smoothest-riding small cars you can buy, for example, plus it's surprisingly quiet to drive on the motorway, which can't be said for the closely related Skoda Fabia. The 94bhp 1.0-litre petrol engine is a good match to it, too; while the 0-62mph time of 10.8 seconds isn't that brisk, it pulls strongly from low revs. It makes the 109bhp version seem like an unnecessary expense.

Space inside is very good for a small car. There's more shoulder room in the front than you'll find in a Renault Clio, plus a pair of six-footers will fit comfortably in the back with head and leg room to spare.

To help keep costs down, we think the entry-level Life trim makes the most sense. It includes air conditioning, automatic windscreen wipers, heated and power-folding door mirrors and an 8.0in touchscreen infotainment system as standard.

Our favourite version 1.0 TSI Life
List price £20,950
Target price £18,935
Target PCP NA

September sales 4657

Read our in-depth Volkswagen Polo review

The Tiguan occupies the curious middle ground between mass-market family SUVs like the Seat Ateca and Skoda Karoq, and more premium options like the BMW X1 and Volvo XC40. It's easier to look out of than the Volvo, and while the X1 has the edge over the Volkswagen in terms of material quality, there are still plenty of soft-touch materials covering the areas you touch regularly.

The Tiguan is good to drive, too, and the mid-range 1.5-litre mild hybrid petrol engine we recommend will out-run the equivalent XC40 or Mini Countryman C to motorway speeds. The VW's suspension does a good jo of rounding off the worst lumps and bumps in the road, while the steering is well weighted and accurate, which gives you confidence to press on.

As a bonus, you'll get more luggage into the Tiguan's boot than you would in most rivals, with non-PHEV versions managing to swallow an impressive nine carry-on suitcases in our tests.

Our favourite version 1.5 TSI 150 Match
List price £34,085
Target price £30,790
Target PCP NA

September sales 4327

Read our in-depth Volkswagen Tiguan review

Since it's available with petrol, regular hybrid and plug-in hybrid power, as well as a huge variety of trim levels, there's likely to be a version of the Ford Kuga which will suit you.

While the plug-in hybrid model will work out best for company car drivers because of its low C02 emissions, the 2.5-litre hybrid is the version to go for if you're buying privately. It can travel for short distances on electric power alone, and can two up to 2100kg – enough for a good-sized caravan.

Your rear passengers will find they have more leg room than in the Kia Sportage, and more space to stretch out overall than they'd find in the Citroën C5 Aircross. The Mazda CX-5 offers a better quality of materials inside, though, as well as a more intuitive infotaintment system.

Our favourite version 2.5 FHEV
List price £32,895
Target price £29,995
Target PCP NA

September sales 4066

Read our in-depth Ford Kuga review

It's one of the most well-known family cars on the market, but how does the Volkswagen Golf stack up against the competition? For a start, it mixes comfort and practicality very well – it’s about as smooth around town as the pricier Mercedes A-Class, for example, and has space for five carry-on suitcases in its boot.

You also get a good choice of engines with the Golf, including mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid options, as well as a diesel for those covering lots of miles. Our top choice is the mid-range 148bhp 1.5-litre petrol, which can get you up to motorway speeds swiftly, yet should also help keep running costs in check. It's worth noting that though the Golf handles well, the closely related Seat Leon is much more fun to drive quickly.

Our favourite version 1.5 TSI 150 Match
List price £27,210
Target price £23,700
Target PCP NA

September sales 3974

Read our in-depth Volkswagen Golf review

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