Best SUVs 2024 reviewed and rated – plus the models to avoid

While there are many impressive family SUVs out there to choose from, no car is more complete than the Kia Sportage. 

For starters, you only need to step inside to see how impressive it is. The interior has a very smart design, with a solid feel and intuitive controls, while the dual 12.3in screens with our favourite 3 trim offer a real ‘wow’ factor. 

There’s no limit to the amount of space on offer, either. The Sportage can carry five adults with ease, while the boot is one of the biggest in the class – especially in petrol form. It features a capacity of 591 litres, which is more than the Nissan Qashqai and Skoda Karoq can manage. 

So, surely all of this comes at a cost? Well, not exactly, because the Sportage is actually at its best in entry-level 1.6-litre petrol form. We think it’s the one to go for because it’s cheaper than the mild hybrid and only fractionally behind it in terms of acceleration and fuel economy. 

Need we say more to tempt you? Well, our favourite 3 trim level comes with a full haul of kit, including heated seats (both front and rear), electrically adjustable front seats and keyless entry. 

If you’re looking for a small SUV but covet a high driving position, then few rivals can match the Volkswagen T-Roc for the feeling it gives you behind the wheel.

It places you higher above the road than the rival Seat Arona and Skoda Kamiq, and the interior gives a feeling of quality with its soft-touch plastics, leather steering wheel and bright coloured inserts.

The T-Roc is also a pleasure to drive, with minimal wind noise, tidy handling and a range of punchy yet efficient engines. Our favourite is the entry-level 109bhp 1.0-litre petrol unit, which provides plenty of pulling power for the money.

In fact, we think the T-Roc makes the most sense in entry-level form, otherwise it can become expensive.

Few SUVs combine luxury and on-road capability as successfully as the Range Rover Sport. And at times, it can be difficult to believe what it can do in the rough stuff, too. 

However, it’s on the road where the Range Rover Sport really shines. Okay, it’s not quite as sporty as its name suggests, but the tight body control means that it can take on corners better than the full-size Range Rover, while the air suspension means that long motorway journeys are a doddle.

As with its bigger brother, a wide range of smooth engines are available. Our favourite is the D300 3.0-litre straight-six diesel, which feels strong enough to haul its weight at any speed. For company car drivers, the P460e plug-in hybrid is the better option.

Of course, a car that bears the Range Rover name must be luxurious, and the Sport is just that. The driving position is superb, while the interior is vast and beautifully put together.

If you think that SUVs are boring to drive, then the Ford Puma could be the car to change your mind.

The Puma is a pleasure to drive everyday; it’s nimble, both around town and on a twisty country road, while our favourite 153bhp 1.0-litre engine provides plenty of pulling power.

But what about fuel economy? Well, our favourite engine comes with mild hybrid technology, which means a small electric motor assists the engine to help boost performance and efficiency. 

Meanwhile, there’s plenty of room for your family in the Puma – and even the kitchen sink. Actually, having said that there’s no need to bring the kitchen sink at all, because the Puma has an enormous underfloor storage box that has a plug for rinsing it out if you need to. 

Our 7-seat Car of the Year, the Hyundai Santa Fe continues to have nearly every base covered for those looking for an SUV with seven seats.

Despite being one of the more affordable cars in its class, its interior doesn’t feel cheap; in fact, it’s really quite upmarket. The cheapest trim, for instance, comes with heated leather front seats, a 10.3in infotainment touchscreen and adaptive cruise control.

That upmarket feel continues in the back seats, because space is very impressive; even adults should be comfortable in the third row for shorter journeys.

What’s more, the 1.6 T-GDi Hybrid is a great match for the Santa Fe. Okay, it may not be the quickest engine, but it does help keep running costs low. 

It may be made in a different vein to previous Smarts, but the #1 is a much better car as a result.

Being fully electric, the #1 provides impressive performance; our favourite Premium model provides a 0-62mph time of 6.7sec and an official range of 273 miles. For comparison, the similarly-priced Jeep Avenger can travel 249 miles officially.

The #1 continues to impress inside. The quality of the materials is top notch, while the touchscreen infotainment system is quick to respond and packed full of features. 

Space in the back seats is plentiful, too, with seats that slide and recline. It’s just a shame that the boot space is significantly compromised as a result.

Genesis is still a relatively new brand in the UK, so we wouldn’t be surprised if you haven’t heard of it before. However, the GV60 could be the car to change that.

How so? Well, the GV60 is based on the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 – two of the best electric cars around. And like those cars, the GV60 is comfortable, spacious and very competitive on charging speeds. Indeed, it can top up from 10-80% in as little as 18 minutes with a suitably powerful charger.

Where the GV60 steps ahead of those cars is with its interior, because it's filled with soft-touch materials, synthetic leathers and attractive metals, making it feel properly premium. What’s more, the GV60 has a row of physical buttons and a rotary controller for the infotainment system, which makes it very easy to operate while driving.

Factor in a generous equipment list, competitive pricing and an impressive range of 321 miles (in RWD Premium form), and the GV60 is hard to beat.

The BMW X7 is everything a big and luxurious SUV should be.

The interior, for starters, is beautifully put together. Every surface you touch simply screams craftsmanship, lending it a properly upmarket feel that even beats the more expensive Range Rover for build quality.

However, it’s actually in the practicality department where the X7 really shines, because the X7’s third row is more spacious than those in the Audi Q7 and Land Rover Discovery. And as you’d expect from a car this big, the boot is vast – especially in five-seat mode. 

Despite its size, the X7 is surprisingly easy to drive, with a great view of the road, agile handling and accurate steering. The engines available are also smooth and powerful, with the 3.0-litre straight-six diesel (xDrive40d) being our pick.

Which plug-in hybrid has the longest electric-only range of any new car? That would be the Mercedes GLC, which can travel a whopping 80 miles on electric power officially. This makes it the ideal candidate if you’re looking for an SUV as a company car, thanks to its low CO2 emissions and benefit-in-kind (BIK) rating. 

However, it’s not just the range that makes the GLC tempting. The GLC 300e is actually the best engine in the GLC line-up, and that’s largely thanks to the refinement and instant power available from the electric motor.

Of course, being an SUV, you sit suitably high up in the GLC, and you shouldn’t have much trouble finding a comfortable driving position. In fact, the interior is a very pleasant place to spend time, with plenty of soft-touch materials, a large central infotainment screen and snazzy ambient interior lighting to lift things up.

The BMW iX3 is one of the more conventional electric SUVs, and it’s actually all the better for it.

You see, the iX3 is based on the same underpinnings as the BMW X3. So, this means you get the same intuitive infotainment system, high-quality interior and big boot.

What’s more, the iX3 has a similar dynamic set-up to the regular car, which means it’s one of the more engaging SUVs to drive with an agile and alert feeling through the bends. Its 0-62mph time of 6.8sec is more than quick enough, too, while the 285-mile official range is better than the Mercedes EQC.

As for equipment, there’s only one trim level available – but thankfully it comes with everything you need, including a head-up display, a panoramic glass sunroof, a powered tailgate and heated front seats as standard.