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. They offer everything from 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.
Read on to find out our picks for the best large SUVs to buy in 2025, along with some frequently-asked questions at the bottom of this page.
1. Skoda Kodiaq
At a glance
Engine power
150 - 265 BHP
0 - 62mph
6.4 - 9.9 secs
Top Speed
126 - 143 MPH
Fuel Economy
33.8 - 53.3 MPG
Insurance Group
18E - 31E
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 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.
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. You can also have plug-in hybrid power for an electric-only driving range of up to 62 miles.
Good to drive and now with the latest infotainment tech included, the Skoda Kodiaq carries on its winning run as the current Auto Express Large SUV of the Year.
2. Kia EV9
At a glance
Power
200 - 378 BHP
0 - 62mph
5.3 - 9.4 secs
Top Speed
114 - 124 MPH
Efficiency
2.8 - 3.1 m/kWh
Range
313 - 349 miles
Insurance Group
45E - 50E
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. We’re very glad it’s on the road as the EV9 is a superbly appealing large SUV with electric power and a near-350 miles available on a full charge.
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 the cavernous interior fits seven people plus luggage, so no compromises have been made in packaging all that EV technology.
Speaking of the interior, all seven occupants get plenty of space, and the driver is presented with large twin screens to present all the vital information and infotainment.
On top of all its other talents, the Kia EV9 is good to drive. It’s relaxed, comfortable, and very quiet, so it more than holds its own with similarly priced large SUVs.
3. Hyundai Santa Fe
At a glance
Engine power
215 - 253 BHP
0 - 62mph
9.3 - 9.8 secs
Top Speed
112 MPH
Fuel Economy
38.2 - 41.5 MPG
Insurance Group
33P - 36P
The Hyundai Santa Fe has always been a sound bet in the large SUV category, but with the latest generation gambling on a daring new look, has it come up trumps? Well, yes - we love it. There’s more than a dash of the Land Rover Defender to the Santa Fe’s attitude, yet it is distinctly its own design thanks to those angular lines and H-themed headlights.
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.
Unlike the Kia, the Hyundai is not offered with full EV power, so instead 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, and a hushed ride.
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, you can have the Santa Fe as a luxury six-seater, along with a choice of three well kitted trim levels.
4. Kia Sorento
At a glance
Engine power
190 - 248 BHP
0 - 62mph
8.8 - 9.7 secs
Top Speed
113 - 124 MPH
Fuel Economy
39.8 - 43.5 MPG
Insurance Group
25E - 33A
It’s no surprise to us that Kia has two entries in this top 10 of large SUVs. The 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.
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, or the simplicity of just filling up with diesel and driving for hundreds of miles.
While the previous Sorento also provided hybrid power, the biggest change for this model is the serious upswing in quality and style, aided by a refresh in 2024. Large SUVs can be guilty of appearing like big boxes on wheels, but this Kia has standout looks and an attractive cabin.
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.
5. Volvo XC90
At a glance
Engine power
235 - 455 BHP
0 - 62mph
5.4 - 7.7 secs
Top Speed
112 MPH
Fuel Economy
32.4 - 39.7 MPG
Insurance Group
36E - 44E
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.
What the XC90 serves up in spades is superb comfort, and a cabin detailed right down to the very last stitch on the steering wheel. It’s all been thought out to perfection, and it shows in just how effortlessly the Volvo will slip into family life or as an executive car.
At its heart, the Volvo XC90 is a brilliantly practical, seven-seat large SUV that will transport the family with ease. There’s four-wheel drive to look after you on slippery winter roads, along with a whole suite of reassuring safety equipment.
Driving the Volvo XC90 has a calming effect. There is a satisfying way the XC90 goes about dealing with lumpy roads, motorways, inner cities and everything in between that leaves you fresh and ready for whatever lies at the end of a journey.
6. BMW X5
At a glance
Engine power
286 - 530 BHP
0 - 62mph
4.3 - 6.3 secs
Top Speed
145 - 155 MPH
Fuel Economy
23.9 - 39.8 MPG
Insurance Group
45E - 50E
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.
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. It’s also refined on longer trips.
Where this X5 is very different to earlier versions is 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.
You can have the BMW X5 with seven seats or five, and both 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.
7. Land Rover Discovery
At a glance
Engine power
350 BHP
0 - 62mph
6.3 secs
Top Speed
130 MPH
Fuel Economy
33.4 - 34.8 MPG
Insurance Group
43E - 45E
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. The current Discovery is a good deal more opulent in every way, but you’d never mistake its cabin for anything else, and it retains a flavour of true go-anywhere, do anything appeal. Wet dogs and mucky wellies in the boot? It’s all part of the Discovery deal.
You can also put the Discovery to work on the school run with some confidence thanks to its smooth hybrid powertrains, while every engine has plenty of pull for a relaxed motorway experience, or hauling the Discovery through muddy fields.
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 Discoverys come with a long list of standard kit that can be boosted by moving up the trim levels or ticking some choice options.
8. BMW iX
At a glance
Power
326 - 619 BHP
0 - 62mph
3.8 - 6.1 secs
Top Speed
124 - 155 MPH
Efficiency
2.8 - 3.1 m/kWh
Range
259.1 - 382.8 miles
Insurance Group
47E - 50E
A guest appearance in the most recent Mission: Impossible film didn’t do the BMW iX’s credibility any harm. It might even have helped persuade a few large SUV customers to forgive its rather divisive styling and give it a go.
Look beyond its bold exterior look, though, and what you find is all of the things that we love about big BMW SUVs, just with a pure electric powertrain. This is the defining feature of the iX, which can be had in standard or mighty 610bhp M60 forms. Stick with the slightly less potent xDrive50 model and it offers up to 383 miles of driving range.
The M60 is a wonder to steer down twisty roads, but again the standard car wins our vote for its sublimely smooth ride and handling that is still far more adept than a 2.5-tonne EV has any right to be.
On the inside, the iX has plenty of style to match its striking exterior, while everything is simple to use and there’s a vast boot to swallow all of your luggage demands. Mission impossible? Nah, the BMW iX makes it easy.
9. Nissan X-Trail
At a glance
Engine power
163 - 213 BHP
0 - 62mph
7 - 9.6 secs
Top Speed
105 - 124 MPH
Fuel Economy
39.2 - 49.6 MPG
Insurance Group
22E - 36E
At first glance, the Nissan X-Trail seems to be a somewhat traditional large SUV offering. Nothing much wrong with that, but you might wonder why it makes it into our top 10. It’s simple - the X-Trail is a superb family car.
Take a look inside the X-Trail and you’ll find plenty of space front and back. It also has a generous boot that can be traded for a third row of seats to lug a couple of extra folk on any trip.
Comfort takes precedence over excitement in the way the X-Trail drives, but few will ever worry about that. Refinement is good, too, and you have a choice of three different powertrains, all using a 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine. You can pick from a standard petrol unit, a mild hybrid option, or the X-Trail e-Power that uses the engine as a range-extending generator to power an electric motor for lower emissions.
10. Peugeot 5008
At a glance
Engine power
136 - 231 BHP
0 - 62mph
8.3 - 11.3 secs
Top Speed
105 - 137 MPH
Insurance Group
23E - 36E
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 just as well for the driver to see and use.
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.
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 e-5008 and it’s even more refined.
Top 10 best large SUVs
| Rank | Car | Overall rating | Boot space, comfort and practicality rating | Price from |
| 1 | Skoda Kodiaq | 4.5 | 4.6 | £36,645 |
| 2 | Kia EV9 | 4.5 | 4.8 | £65,615 |
| 3 | Hyundai Santa Fe | 4.0 | 4.7 | £59,225 |
| 4 | Kia Sorento | 4.0 | 4.5 | £41,995 |
| 5 | Volvo XC90 | 4.0 | 4.7 | £62,280 |
| 6 | BMW X5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | £71,275 |
| 7 | Land Rover Discovery | 4.0 | 4.8 | £63,560 |
| 8 | BMW iX | 4.5 | 4.2 | £71,575 |
| 9 | Nissan X-Trail | 3.5 | 4.0 | £35,175 |
| 10 | Peugeot 5008 | 4.0 | 4.5 | £38,360 |
Frequently Asked Questions
A large SUV is one that has more than enough space to carry five people in comfort. Many will also come with a third row of seats to offer space for up to seven people and still have some room left over for luggage.
There are no exact rules about what defines a large SUV, so it can be anything from a Peugeot 5008 to a Land Rover Discovery.
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