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27/05/2025

Best family SUVs in 2025

Written By Ivan Aistrop

Best family SUVs

Is there any tougher role for a car than being a family SUV? These cars have to cut it when dealing with passengers of all ages and sizes, and often at the same time as packing in plenty of luggage, shopping, DIY buys, and the family dog.

And then, these SUVs are expected to glide through town comfortably and quietly, while also being simple to park and easy on fuel. They have to pull keenly on the motorway, yet also deliver the sort of refinement where those in the third row can still converse with the driver up front.

On top of that lot of demands, we expect them to look good inside and out, display excellent build quality, and come kitted out with plenty of luxury and safety equipment.

Who’d be a family SUV, eh? Well, this lot as it happens, and they do a mighty fine job of it, too.

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Best family SUVs in 2025

  1. Audi Q7
  2. Kia EV9
  3. Hyundai Tucson
  4. Volvo EX90
  5. Citroen C5 Aircross
  6. Nissan Qashqai
  7. Skoda Kodiaq
  8. Mercedes-Benz GLB 
  9. Volkswagen Tiguan
  10. Hyundai Santa Fe

1. Audi Q7

Used prices from £21,000

Audi Q7 Review 2023: Driving Side
9/10

Large, luxurious and capable of carrying three Isofix child seats across the second row, the Audi Q7 is a practical and stylish SUV. It might be advancing in age (who are we kidding, it's bloomin' ancient these days), but it's still an excellent buy, and it's becoming more affordable on the used market. 

Few cars come close to matching the Q7 for family-car usability. The interior is vast and comfortably fits seven adults. Each of the middle-row chairs slides and reclines independently, while the outer seats tip and tumble to provide access to the third row. You can also fold the rearmost seats flat into the floor, allowing the boot to swallow pushchairs, buggies and large suitcases. 

The majority of buyers choose their Q7 with 3.0-litre V6 diesel power, and that's the sweet spot between performance, price and running costs. However, there are also powerful, smooth petrol engines, and the potent SQ7 was available with V8 diesel and petrol power throughout its life. At the other end of the scale, there's the Q7 e-tron plug-in hybrid, which combines that diesel V6 with an electric motor for ultimate economy potential, although you lose the third row of seats as a result.

Any Q7 is good to drive, with responsive steering and good body control over rough road surfaces. For the best comfort, we’d recommend buying a Q7 fitted with air suspension.

2. Kia EV9

Used prices from £58,000

Kia EV9 Review: dynamic driving
9/10

The Kia EV9 is one of the few fully electric cars on this list, but it warrants inclusion due to the ludicrous amount of space and practicality it delivers. Regardless of whether you compare it to electric cars or combustion-engined cars, the EV9 is hugely roomy, with each of its seven seats (you can also have it with six for more luxury) surrounded by enough headroom and legroom to accommodate a six-foot adult in reasonable comfort. Even with all the seats in use, you still get a shade more boot space than in your average supermini, and if you can live without the rearmost chairs, they fold into the boot floor to leave a gargantuan 828-litre load area.

The cabin looks smart and high on quality, too, even if it can’t quite match the plush feel of a premium-badged SUV, but you are compensated for this by a hugely generous list of standard equipment.

All versions have a 100kWh battery. The entry-level car has a single motor and an official driving range of 348 miles, while higher-spec cars have an additional motor for more power, but range drops to 313 miles.

The EV9 has a softer suspension than some of Kia’s other models, so it rides more comfortably - important in a car like this - and it handles capably. Sure, the sheer size of the car can make it feel a bit cumbersome in tight urban areas, but lots of sensors and cameras are provided to help out.

3. Hyundai Tucson

Used prices from £15,000

Hyundai Tucson Review 2024: exterior dynamic front
8/10

The latest Hyundai Tucson is no longer the budget-focused car that its predecessors were, but it’s still a very appealing car. This is an SUV that’s moved upmarket - much like its maker - and it now has a glitzy look that makes it stand out compared with the competition, even many of the more premium offerings.

The interior design is perhaps less visually arresting, but the quality on show inside the Tucson is in no doubt, with plush materials and thoughtful finishes. The cabin is absolutely stuffed with luxury kit, too, and the all-important infotainment system is one of the best in the business.

Where the Tucson really impresses, though, is on passenger space. There’s absolutely loads of the stuff, especially in the rear of the five-seat cabin, meaning that a tall passenger can sit comfortably behind a similarly lofty driver, and travelling three-abreast on the rear bench won’t be uncomfortable, either. Meanwhile, boot space that measures up to 620 litres is among the most generous luggage figures in the class.

There’s no diesel engine on offer, so you choose between petrol, mild hybrid, conventional hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains. There isn’t a duffer among them, but do bear in mind that the more electrification your Tuscon has, the smaller the boot space becomes. The ride isn’t quite as forgiving as some cars in the class, but it’s comfortable enough and things stay impressively tidy and controlled in the corners.

4. Volvo EX90

Used prices from £83,000

Volvo EX90 Review 2024: driving dynamic - vapor grey
9/10

Okay, we know, the Volvo EX90 is certainly not a cheap car, so only very well-heeled families need apply where this family SUV is concerned. However, sometimes, things are just worth the money they cost, and that's how we feel about the EX90.

It takes the immense family-friendliness delivered so ably by the brilliant XC90 SUV over many years, and reimagines it for the all-electric age, and does so incredibly convincingly. Importantly, the seven-seat cabin is about as roomy as seven-seat cabins get, with impressive space for both passengers and luggage, while the plush materials and achingly cool design make the cabin a very appealing place in which to sit. And, being a Volvo, you get more luxury and safety kit than you'll know what to do with, too.

The ride is comfortable, and when the road turns twisty, the EX90 handles itself with surprising tidiness. The electric powertrains deliver exceptional performance and refinement, and the range figures on offer look good, too.

5. Citroen C5 Aircross

Used prices from £11,500

Citroen C5 Aircross Review: front driving
8/10

The Citroen C5 Aircross is a large and quirky family SUV that majors on comfort and practicality. A typical Citroen, then.

We particularly like the interior, which has three individual rear seats and a large boot that will cope with everything your family can throw at it. It also seems designed for the rough-and-tumble of family life, with hard-wearing materials and plenty of storage. 

There are Isofix mounts for the two outer rear seats, plus two top tether points for these. The three rear seats all slide back and forth independently, although you can't use an Isofix seat in the centre rear seat.

Unlike some of its rivals, the C5 Aircross doesn’t pretend to be a sporty car. The handling is soft and comfort-orientated, which means the suspension will soak up the lumps and bumps in the road without passing any unpleasant rattles or thumps to the cabin.

6. Nissan Qashqai

Used prices from £14,000

Nissan Qashqai Review: driving dynamic
8/10

The Nissan Qashqai has always been an immensely popular car, but the latest model has a wider range of talents than ever before. 

It's the little things that make the Nissan Qashqai an excellent family SUV. The rear doors open much wider than usual, making fitting child seats a piece of cake. When you're not carrying the children, the rear seats drop entirely flat to leave a massive boot for taking garden waste to the tip or collecting flat-pack furniture.

There's a clever hybrid model, which uses a petrol engine as a generator for the electric motor, rather than driving the wheels directly. This means it feels a lot like an electric car, but you don't have to faff around charging it. Importantly for the school run, it's also able to run under electric power for very short distances. Otherwise, the mild-hybrid 1.3-litre turbo petrol engines are both smooth and reasonably economical. They need some revs to get the best out of them, however. 

7. Skoda Kodiaq

Used prices from £26,000

Skoda Kodiaq Review 2024: front dynamic
8/10

The original Skoda Kodiaq was about as sensible as family cars could get, and was replaced in 2024 with a mk2 version that turned the sensible dial all the way up to eleven, if that doesn't sound too, well, unsensible.

The latest Kodiaq has even more space for passengers and luggage, more technology and an even higher-quality interior finish.

There's ample space for seven, plus a big boot that's still a decent size with all seven chairs in use. Sure, you can have it with five seats instead, but we think the car is at its best with seven.

The thing that sets the Kodiaq apart for family car buyers, though, is the suite of Skoda's trademark 'Simply Clever' features. These are ingenious little design touches aimed at making family life a little easier - such as an ice scraper concealed beneath the fuel filler flap - and they really work.

OK, so the Kodiaq is no longer the bargain it once was, but it still feels like great value-for-money and running costs will be reasonable. Used values are fair, so choosing either the first- or latest generation Kodiaq is a canny move.

8. Mercedes-Benz GLB

Used prices from £24,000

Mercedes GLB front
8/10

The Mercedes GLB is an alternative to cars like the Audi Q3 and Volvo XC40, and is based on the A-Class hatchback. Mercedes, however, has somehow managed to squeeze seven seats into the GLB's compact and stylish body.

While it's hardly the roomiest model in this list, its clever packaging might make you think twice about an Audi Q7. Not only is it significantly cheaper, but being smaller and lighter, it's also easier to park, more agile to drive and doesn't need thirsty, powerful engines to get it along the road. 

You get a wonderful tech-packed interior in the Mercedes GLB, while the middle bench slides back and forth allowing you to prioritise where you need space. It has 100mm more space between the front and rear wheels than an A-Class, but the rearmost seats are only really suited to occasional use. That's fine for those times when your youngest wants to bring friends home for tea, though.

In terms of engines, there's the usual mix of petrol or diesel power. If you want your family SUV to be a little more exciting, Mercedes even offers an AMG version badged the GLB 35. It's not cheap, but it's pretty rapid, and sounds the part, too.

9. Volkswagen Tiguan

Used prices from £28,000

Volkswagen Tiguan Review: Driving Dynamic
8/10

The Volkswagen Tiguan has always been a favourite with family car buyers, and the latest version - released in 2024 - will likely do nothing to change that, because it's an excellent all-rounder.

The smartly conservative looks and desirable image are what buyers have always loved about the Tiguan, along with the high-class interior quality and mountains of luxury kit that customers demand, all of which is present and correct.

It's roomy enough to carry five adults in comfort, and it'll also take a vast slice of luggage at the same time thanks to a large 652-litre boot (although this drops to 490 litres if you choose the plug-in hybrid version).

It's a pleasant car to travel in thanks to a reasonably settled ride and handling that's neat and tidy, while the engines we've tried have enough poke to pull you around at a reasonable rate, although it's also true that some have to work surprisingly hard to do so.

10. Hyundai Santa Fe

Used prices from £50,000

Hyundai Santa Fe Review 2024: front dynamic
8/10

The Hyundai Santa Fe has been providing unfathomably good family transport for many years now. Should you choose the model that was replaced in 2024, we would applaud your canny decision and eye for a great family SUV. However, we'd also have the sneaky suspicion you might prefer the latest generation model.

The previous Santa Fe is a brilliant car in almost every way, but then so is the latest one and it has the advantage of looking sensational. It's big - some might say brash - looks stand out in any crowd and it has more than enough swagger to cut it with Audi, BMW, Land Rover or Mercedes-Benz SUVs in the kids football car park.

The Santa Fe may not have the off-road prowess of the Land Rover Discovery, but how many owners ever explore this? Roughly none, and those that do have already bought a Discovery. So, pick the Santa Fe, love its looks, and the cabin that seats seven in superb comfort.

It depends how old the children are, but as the best all round family SUV, the Skoda Kodiaq is hard to beat with masses of space, a huge boot and lots of Skoda's 'Simply Clever' features dotted throughout. If those children are older, the Land Rover Discovery is capable of carrying adults in comfort in the third row of seats. 

The Audi Q7 is the most capable of carrying three child- or baby seats across the second row. All models get three Isofix anchor points in the second bench, which means you can carry three child seats in a row, and the space to do so is plentiful. 

The 2022 Lexus NX is currently considered the safest family SUV, alongside the Skoda Enyaq. Both cars have excellent scores with Euro NCAP for occupant protection and safety assists. 

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