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15 Mobil dengan Nilai Review Terbaik Sepanjang 2020 Versi Motor1.com
Nomor dua mungkin mengejutkan Anda.
Oleh: Jeff Perez
Diterjemahkan oleh: Kunta Bayu Waskita
30 Des 2020 di 11:04
Bagikan
Meski tahun 2020 penuh gejolak akibat pandemi virus corona, kami dari kru Motor1.com edisi Amerika Serikat tetap menguji banyak kendaraan.
Faktanya, kami telah mereview lebih dari 200 produk mobil terpisah sejak bulan Januari 2020 lalu.
Dari crossover berukuran kecil seperti Hyundai Venue hingga mobil konvertibel seperti Porsche Boxster dan SUV mewah macam Mercedes-Benz GLS.
Tetapi, hanya 15 dari semua kendaraan itu masuk dalam daftar mobil terbaik yang pernah kami uji tahun ini.
Setiap mobil yang kami nilai mendapat skor 0-10 dengan metode penilaian menggunakan tanda bintang. Sistemnya menghitung rata-rata skor total dari tujuh kategori.
Yakni desain, kenyamanan, teknologi dan konektivitas, performa dan penanganan, keselamatan, penghematan bahan bakar, dan harga.
Anda dapat membaca lebih lanjut tentang bagaimana Motor1.com menilai mobil di sini. Awal tahun depan, kami akan mencari pembaruan besar untuk format saat ini.
Namun, harus dicatat: mobil yang jadi subyek uji perbandingan (seperti Polestar 1, Shelby GT500, dan BMW M8 Competition) tak memenuhi syarat mendapatkan bintang peringkat.
Demikian pula untuk kategori ‘first drive’ (seperti Ford Bronco Sport baru) dan kategori tulisan ‘pros and cons’ (pro dan kontra).
Jadi, Anda tidak akan melihat beberapa kendaraan tersebut dalam daftar ini (mungkin ini juga akan jadi salah satu perubahan besar untuk 2021).
Tapi, masih banyak mobil hebat yang berhasil masuk dalam daftar di bawah ini, salah satunya mungkin favorit Anda. Simak!
15. BMW X5 M Competition 2020
Nilai: 7,1 / 10
BMW X5 M Competition adalah kendaraan yang benar-benar tangguh, melepaskan 617 tenaga kuda dari mesin V8 4.4 liter twin-turbocharged.
BMW X5 M Competition mendapat skor 10 dari 10 dari sisi kinerjanya, serta nilai tinggi lainnya dalam hal keamanan dan desain.
Sayangnya, BMW X5 M Competition tidak terlalu nyaman dan harganya mahal yakni 126.295 dolar AS (lebih dari Rp1,7 miliar) saat diuji.
Itulah alasan BMW besar ini mendapat nilai 7,1 dari 10, tetapi itu tetap menempatkannya pada peringkat 15 besar.
14. Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet 2020
Nilai: 7,1 / 10
Jika Anda dapat menemukannya di banyak dealer, desain Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet ini menjadi salah satu daya tarik.
Mobil ini tampak hebat – mencetak nilai 9,0 dari skala 10 dalam desain. Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet juga menawarkan teknologi terbaru dengan performa natural.
Bermesin inline-6 3.0 liter Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet menghasilkan 379 tenaga kuda yang memesona dan torsi 331 pound-feet (448 Nm).
Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet mendapatkan nilai 7.1 dari 10 yang solid pada skala kami, tetapi ini bukan satu-satunya Porsche tanpa atap yang ada dalam daftar ini.
13. Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio 2020
Nilai: 7,3 / 10
Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio 2020 merupakan SUV dengan penampilan terbaik yang kami kendarai sepanjang tahun.
Sehingga, layak mendapatkan nilai 10 dari 10 desain yang sempurna. Secara umum mobil ini memang berperforma baik dan layak mendapatkan skor bagus dari sisi lainnya.
Dengan mesin V6 bersumber dari Ferrari, twin-turbocharged yang cocok untuk 505 tenaga kuda, Stelvio Quad dapat mencapai 0-100 km hanya dalam 3,6 detik.
Dengan kemudi ringan dan kelincahan ala mobil sport, Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio jadi salah satu SUV favorit kami tahun ini. Tapi, bukan yang terbaik secara keseluruhan.
12. Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited 2020
Nilai: 7,3 / 10
Seluruh jajaran Hyundai Sonata luar biasa, tetapi model Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited 2020 inilah favorit kami.
Mobil ini mencetak nilai 7,3 yang mengesankan dari skala 10 pada sistem peringkat bintang kami.
Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited 2020 bekerja dengan baik dalam penghematan bahan bakar. Mencapai 45 mil (72,5 km) per galon kota, 51 jalan raya, dan 47 gabungan.
Mobil ini juga menyenangkan untuk dikendarai dan menawarkan beberapa fitur keselamatan terbaik, teknologi, dan konektivitas di segmennya.
Harga Hyundai Sonata Hybrid 2020 mulai dari 27.750 dolar AS (Rp391 juta). Harga menjadi 36.275 dolar AS (Rp512 juta) dalam kondisi lengkap (well-equipped).
11. Hyundai Venue SEL 2020
Nilai: 7,3 / 10
Hyundai Venue SEL 2020 berukuran kecil ini adalah salah satu crossover terbaik yang kami kendarai sepanjang tahun.
Kekurangan mobil ini dalam ukurannya tertutup dengan gaya, kemampuan mengemudi, dan kenyamanannya.
Ditambah lagi, Hyundai Venue SEL 2020 sangat aman dengan rangkaian standar peralatan keselamatan aktif.
Sejauh crossover subkompak ini berjalan, Hyundai Venue SEL 2020 adalah yang terbaik yang kami kendarai sepanjang tahun.
10. Lincoln Navigator Black Label 2020
Nilai: 7,3 / 10
Lincoln Navigator Black Label yang besar dan bertenaga memperoleh nilai 7,3 dari 10 bintang pada sistem peringkat kami.
Nilai itu didapat berkat desain hebat, kenyamanan tak tertandingi, serta pilihan teknologi dan keamanan yang mengesankan.
Harga Lincoln Navigator Black Label bahkan relatif terjangkau dibandingkan dengan kompetitor lainnya.
Harga permintaan 100.335 dolar AS (Rp1,4 miliar) pada mobil yang kami uji mungkin terdengar seperti banyak.
Tapi, sebuah Lincoln Navigator Black Label dalam kondisi hampir lengkap hanya sedikit lebih mahal daripada harga beberapa pesaing terdekatnya.
9. Mercedes-Benz GLB 250 2020
Nilai: 7,3 / 10
Mercedes-Benz GLB 250 adalah crossover kecil yang hebat dengan gaya imut dan teknologi dalam mobil terbaru dan terhebat.
Untuk alasan itu saja, Mercedes-Benz GLB 250 sudah memperoleh skor 7,3 solid dari skala 10 pada sistem peringkat kami.
Mobil ini juga unggul dari sisi kinerjanya. Mengemas mesin 2.0 liter turbocharged yang bagus untuk 221 tenaga kuda.
Dengan harga awal 36.600 dolar AS, mobil ini jadi Mercedes-Benz ketiga yang paling terjangkau di belakang GLA yang lebih kecil dan sedan A-Class.
8. Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S 2021
Nilai: 7,3 / 10
Mengemas mesin V8 4.0 liter twin-turbocharged, mobil ini menghasilkan 603 tenaga kuda dan torsi 627 pound-feet (850 newton meter).
Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S lebih mengedepankan kinerjanya sebagai yang terpenting. Mobil ini masih merupakan crossover yang hebat.
Mengemas keamanan dan teknologi yang mengesankan, gaya yang menarik, dan kenyamanan, Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S mendapatkan 7,3 bintang dari skala 10.
7. Porsche 911 Carrera 4 2020
Nilai: 7,3 / 10
Porsche 911 tidak membutuhkan paket mahal atau cat mewah untuk menjadi mobil sport yang sempurna.
Setelah mengendarai basis Porsche 911 Carrera 4 coupe dengan penggerak semua roda, mobil ini mengumpulkan 7,3 bintang dari 10 pada skala peringkat kami.
Porsche 911 terbaru ini tampak hebat, mengemudi dengan luar biasa, dan menawarkan banyak hal dalam hal teknologi dan keamanan.
6. Range Rover Velar SVAutobiografi Dynamic 2020
Nilai: 7,4 / 10
Selain nama yang panjang, ada banyak hal yang disukai tentang Land Rover Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic.
SUV mewah ini tidak hanya menjadi salah satu opsi paling bergaya, tetapi juga memiliki mesin V8 supercharged yang menonjol dengan 550 tenaga kuda.
Kabin mewahnya juga sarat dengan fitur keselamatan dan teknologi. Harganya mencapai 96.570 dolar AS (Rp1,3 miliar).
Jika Anda mampu membelinya, Anda akan merasakan bahwa Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic adalah SUV yang luar biasa.
5. Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 2020
Nilai: 7,4 / 10
Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 dengan deretan tiga baris ini adalah salah satu crossover mewah terbaik yang dijual hingga hari ini.
Mobil ini tidak hanya mendapatkan skor 10 dari 10 bintang dalam kenyamanan berkat suspensi adaptif dan ruang kargo luas.
Melainkan juga mendapat skor terbaik dalam keselamatan karena rangkaian fitur keselamatannya yang canggih.
Dengan rating keseluruhan 7,4, Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 adalah salah satu dari mobil tiga baris terbaik yang pernah kami kendarai sepanjang tahun.
4. Genesis G90 3.3T 2020
Nilai: 7,6 / 10
Sedan-sedan mewah modern saat ini tidak jauh lebih baik dari Genesis G90 3.3T 2020 terbaru ini.
Penguji kami memang hanya mengendarai Genesis G90 3.3T berbasis mesin twin-turbocharged 3.3-liter V6 (ada versi opsional 5.0-liter V8 opsional).
Tapi, itu pun kami sudah merasakan mobil ini bagaikan ‘kapal penjelajah’ yang bergaya dan berperforma baik.
Genesis G90 3.3T juga menawarkan sejumlah peralatan fitur keselamatan aktif yang mengesankan. Wajar bila mobil ini mencetak skor 7,6 dari 10 pada skala kami.
3. Porsche 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 2021
Nilai: 7,7 / 10
Porsche 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 mungkin merupakan salah satu merek Porsche terbaik yang dapat Anda beli saat ini.
Dengan desain drop-top (tanpa atap) mobil ini terlihat bergaya dan nyaman. Mobil ini juga unggul dalam performa berkat mesin inline-6 4.0 liter naturally aspirated.
Menghasilkan 394 tenaga kuda dan 309 pound-feet (418 Newton meter), serta suspensi yang sangat adaptif.
Porsche 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 ini juga cukup aman. Harganya pun cukup ‘ramah’ untuk ukuran Porsche, mulai dari 88.900 dolar AS (Rp1,2 miliar).
2. Toyota GR Supra Premium 2020
Nilai: 7,7 / 10
Salah satu mobil sport terbaik yang kami kendarai di tahun 2020, percaya atau tidak, adalah Toyota Supra.
Tepatnya, Toyota GR Supra Premium 2020 (bukan model 2021 yang diperbarui). Mobil ini menerima nilai tinggi dalam hampir setiap kategori.
Mencetak poin pada bidang-bidang utama seperti desain, kinerja, dan keselamatan. Toyota GR Supra 2020 tidak hanya hebat untuk dikendarai.
Selain menggunakan mesin enam silinder 335 tenaga kuda, juga dilengkapi fitur seperti pengereman darurat otomatis, bantuan penjaga jalur, dan kontrol jelajah adaptif.
Harga Toyota GR Supra 2020 ini juga lumayan terjangkau, mulai dari 49.990 dolar AS (Rp 705 juta).
Namun, kami berharap model trim Toyota GR Supra 2021 mendapat skor lebih tinggi ketika kami menghabiskan lebih banyak waktu dengannya.
1. Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring Black Label 2020
Nilai: 7,9 / 10
Kendaraan dengan rating tertinggi yang kami uji dan kendarai sepanjang tahun ini adalah Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring.
Crossover tiga baris dengan sumber daya plug-in-hybrid ini adalah salah satu kendaraan terbaik yang dapat Anda beli.
Mobil ini bergaya dan sangat nyaman, serta menawarkan fitur keselamatan dan penghematan bahan bakar yang mengesankan.
Bahkan, dengan output 494 tenaga kuda dan torsi 630 pound-feet (854 Newton meter) dari mesin twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6, mobil ini tetap irit.
Indikasinya, Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring mencapai kombinasi 23 mil (37 km) per galon dan 56 mpge saat menggunakan jarak 21 mil (33 km) murni dari tenaga listriknya.
Best SUVs 2025 reviewed and rated – plus the models to avoid
Thinking of buying a new SUV? Well, we’ve tested them all – from the smallest to the biggest – so we can reveal the top 10. Plus, we’ve named the SUVs that are best avoided…
Published01 October 2023
With their high driving positions, spacious interiors and rugged, go-anywhere looks, SUVs are among the most popular cars on sale.
Indeed, nearly every car maker makes at least one SUV these days to help meet this demand. So, to help separate the best from the worst, we’ve made a list of the top 10 SUVs you can currently buy – and revealed the ones to steer clear of.
You’ll see a wide variety of models, ranging from small SUVs to a couple of 7-seaters – all spanning different price brackets. But if you know what type of SUV you want, then you might want to check out one of these other top 10s: Best small SUVs, Best family SUVs, Best luxury SUVs, Best sports SUVs, Best coupé SUVs or Best off-roaders.
Alternatively, if you want to find out more about a particular model below or to see how much you could save on the list price, just click on the relevant links.
Learn more about how we test cars to decide which are best, or see the best and worst SUVs below
Kia Sportage
Driving
Interior
Practicality
Buying & Owning
Strengths
- Lower-spec models are great value
- Smart interior
- Generous rear leg room and boot space
Weaknesses
- Rear head room compromised with panoramic roof
- No clever rear seat functions
- Auto gearbox feels frustratingly slow with non-hybrid engine
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.
What Car? best price £26,450
Save up to £3,720
from £272pm
from £22,999
Volkswagen T-Roc
Driving
Interior
Practicality
Buying & Owning
Strengths
- Comfortable ride and quiet on the motorway
- High-set driving position for a small SUV
- Good boot by class standards
Weaknesses
- Touch-sensitive controls can be fiddly
- Upper trims and engine options are expected to be costly
- Not as sharp to drive as some of its rivals
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.
What Car? best price £24,800
Save up to £5,000
from £232pm
from £21,395
Range Rover Sport
Reliability
Safety
Costs
Quality
Performance
Strengths
- Offers lots of Range Rover qualities for a lower price
- Incredible ability off-road
- Fantastic electric range on the PHEV model
Weaknesses
- Cheaper than a Range Rover, but still very expensive
- Rivals are sharper to drive
- Land Rover’s reliability record is a concern
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.
What Car? best price £76,350
from £816pm
from £75,981
Ford Puma
Reliability
Safety
Costs
Quality
Performance
Strengths
- Great fun to drive
- Remarkable blend of performance and fuel economy
- Big and cleverly designed boot
Weaknesses
- Rear space is adequate rather than outstanding
- Visibility could be better
- VW T-Roc is more comfortable and quieter
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.
What Car? best price £24,848
Save up to £3,757
from £246pm
from £13,490
Hyundai Santa Fe
Driving
Interior
Practicality
Buying & Owning
Strengths
- Outstanding seven-seat practicality
- Comfortable and quiet at speed
- Long warranty
Weaknesses
- PHEV’s underwhelming electric-only range
- So-so performance
- Peugeot 5008 is even cheaper
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.
What Car? best price £44,995
Save up to £3,864
from £471pm
from £41,995
Smart #1
Driving
Interior
Practicality
Buying & Owning
Strengths
- Great to drive
- Plush, high-quality interior
- Great safety rating
Weaknesses
- Small boot
- Slightly choppy low-speed ride
- Efficiency could be better
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.
What Car? best price £29,960
from £588pm
from £2,499
Genesis GV60
Driving
Interior
Practicality
Buying & Owning
Strengths
- Wonderful interior
- Extremely quiet on the move
- Great infotainment system
Weaknesses
- Boot isn’t huge
- Rear space is average
- Optional cameras not as good as traditional door mirrors
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.
What Car? best price £57,000
Save up to £14,445
from £405pm
from £34,499
BMW X7
Driving
Interior
Practicality
Buying & Owning
Strengths
- Supremely quiet and comfortable
- Incredibly spacious and practical
- Great infotainment system
Weaknesses
- There are cheaper alternatives
- Looks won’t be to all tastes
- No plug-in hybrid or electric option
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.
What Car? best price £77,600
Save up to £16,695
from £1,057pm
from £69,500
Mercedes GLC
Driving
Interior
Practicality
Buying & Owning
Strengths
- Well equipped
- Plug-in hybrid has impressive electric range
- Spacious interior
Weaknesses
- Slightly firmer ride than rivals
- Stylish interior doesn’t feel the most sturdy
- Petrol engines need working hard
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.
What Car? best price £51,420
Save up to £6,000
from £49,735
BMW iX3
Driving
Interior
Practicality
Buying & Owning
Strengths
- Long official range
- Plush ride
- Lots of interior space
Weaknesses
- Quite expensive to buy
- Some rivals handle better
- Rivals have bigger boots
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.
What Car? best price £58,755
from £718pm
from £16,963
And the SUVs to avoid…
Even though the KGM Rexton is a good tow car and can seat seven, it’s flawed in too many other areas to be recommendable. For instance, the engine is gruff, the steering is vague and the ride is just plain awful. For the money, there are loads are far better SUVs… Read our review
With the Jeep Renegade, a user-friendly interior is offset by ab unsettled ride and woeful refinement. Plus, the Renegade is comparatively expensive to buy. Read our review
How to choose the best SUV
In an episode of The Simpsons that pokes fun at our consumer society, Marge and Apu visit a new supermarket. Called Monstromart, it offers them a virtually unlimited choice of products on shelves that reach up like skyscrapers, while the store’s slogan is ‘Where shopping is a baffling ordeal’.
Buying an SUV can feel very similar. The vast number of models on sale these days undoubtedly increases the chances of you being able to have something that’s perfect for your needs, but it can also make life horribly confusing.
Fortunately, it’s surprisingly easy to cut through the noise and get yourself a much more manageable shortlist. You just need to focus on the following things.
Size and space
SUVs come in a wide range of sizes, with some barely any bigger than a small hatchback, and others among the largest cars on the road. So, the first thing to consider is how frequently you’re going to carry rear passengers, how many of them there will be, and whether they’ll be children or tall adults.
Even if you do need space for four six-footers, most family SUVs are up to the job. So, ask yourself, do you really need that 7-seater?
Likewise, you should think about how much luggage you’re likely to carry. After all, as with any type of car, bigger usually means a higher purchase price and higher running costs.
Fuel efficiency
Obviously, having an efficient car is a good thing, but it needs to be weighed against whole-life costs.
Yes, choosing a hybrid SUV is going to save you money on fuel. However, these models invariably cost more to buy than their petrol counterparts, so you might have to drive to the moon and back before you’re quids in.
Similarly, if you’re considering an electric SUV and hoping it will save you money in the long run, think about how you’re going to charge it.
If you can do so at home on a cheap overnight tariff, your running costs will plummet. On the other hand, if you’re planning on relying on the public charging network, the electricity might well cost more than filling a petrol tank.
Driving position
One of the main reasons for choosing an SUV is because you like an elevated driving position and the improved visibility that comes with it. However, if this is something you value, it’s worth remembering that it’s not an area where all SUVs are created equal.
Some small SUVs, for example, sit you barely any higher than traditional hatchbacks. And even if you’re looking at 7-seat and luxury SUVs, not all of them have you sitting eye to eye with HGV drivers in the way that something like a Range Rover does.
Off-road and towing ability
While SUVs look like they can go anywhere, the majority are actually designed for on-road use – and that’s a good thing, because they’re more comfortable and refined as a result.
Likewise, the fact that many of them don’t even have four-wheel drive makes them cheaper to buy and easier on fuel. But if you live in a part of the country that regularly experiences bad weather – or you tow a heavy caravan or trailer – the added traction that four-wheel drive brings can be a godsend.
Just don’t think that it will automatically turn your SUV into something that can climb any mountain and ford any stream. For that you need a model equipped with specialist equipment, such as locking differentials and off-road tyres.
Comfort vs handling
The elevated ride heights of SUVs means they tend to lean more through corners than equivalent hatchbacks, saloons or estates, but the best small and family SUVs still strike a good balance between suppleness and control.
By contrast, bigger SUVs tend to prioritise comfort over handling – particularly those models that sit in the luxury category and come fitted with air suspension.
Not that an SUV can’t be sporty. There are some models that seem to defy physics, but they tend to be expensive choices that are loaded with clever tech – cars like the Aston Martin DBX and Porsche Cayenne. If these out of reach and sporty handling is a high priority, you’ll either need to put up with a firm ride or look at something other than an SUV.
