One of life's most critical considerations in deciding which car is best for transporting you and your family. As a result, we've compiled a list of our favourite family SUVs.

They're all well-suited to the expanding number of people who want practicality, comfort, and low operating costs, as well as a higher driving position and off-roader appearances. We've also highlighted the models to avoid if you don't want to make a costly choice.

Maybe you're one of the thousands of people shopping for a family SUV, you've come to the right place. Then you have the option of selecting the number of seats. The bulk of them has five seats and a big trunk. However, if you require seven seats, there are a few available. Only a few of them have a large boot with all of the seats in place.

Audi Q5

It's difficult to find flaws in such a refined and capable all-rounder as the Audi Q5, but the car's slightly anodyne handling will turn off more experienced drivers. Despite this flaw, the Q5 has been able to replicate the sales success of its predecessor, which was the best-selling car in its segment in practically every country where it was sold.

The Q5 is a quiet, practical, and appealing SUV with superb driving finesse and material quality, and there's now a swoopy-roofed Sportback version if you prefer your SUVs with a little more beauty and less utility.

In 2020, the Q5 underwent a rather extensive revamp, with efficiency-boosting mild-hybrid engines beneath the hood, new digital electronics in the cabin, and a larger trapezoidal grille on the front end. As part of the update, the popular 40 TDI received a 14-bhp power boost, and it remains a smooth, comfortable, assertive-performing, and easy-to-drive family car.

With its electric motor and 2.0-litre turbo petrol four-pot combining to create just shy of 300bhp, the 50 TFSI e plug-in hybrid is a very smooth operator.
The 55 TFSI e, on the other hand, brings it close to 400-. For both variants of the automobile, the electric-only range and CO2 emissions have decreased, making them more competitive offerings on benefit-in-kind tax than they were previously.

Land Rover Discovery Sport

The Discovery Sport may be the cheapest Land Rover on the market, but it's not short on Land Rover capabilities, comfort, or charm.

The Discovery Sport has been facelifted for 2019, and it now rides on the same PTA platform as the Range Rover Evoque, but it retains all of the features we liked about the original. It's still higher-riding than many of its competitors, has better visibility and 4x4 capabilities than many, and drives more like a regular SUV than some while still handling admirably. It boasts a practical cabin - with seven seats available for those who need them, which is a key selling point in this class - that has now been given a much-needed boost in premium appeal and is now equipped with Land Rover's latest 'Pivi' infotainment system.

In order to enhance fuel economy, its petrol and diesel engines are now complemented with 48V mild-hybrid architecture, but the particularly sleek P300e plug-in hybrid variant stands out with its fairly long electric range. If you're looking for a family SUV with more adaptability and off-road toughness than the competition, the Discovery Sport offers minimal compromises.

BMW X3
What exactly is this: a mid-range SUV with decent handling? The thought of BMW creating SUVs would have been ridiculous before, but the BMW X3 has handling appeal down pat.

The X3 has plenty of power and performance; the smaller diesel engines are a little rough around the edges, but the multi-cylinder M40d and M40i are quick and smooth. Because it is now unavailable with the all-important adaptive M suspension, the plug-in X3 xDrive30e PHEV may not shine as brightly as its conventionally powered rangemates dynamically (which brings with it mass-checking adaptive dampers), However, the petrol-electric X3 is sleek and enjoyable to drive in other regions, even if it isn't the most tax-efficient PHEV due to its limited electric range.

The BMW is a close third in class, behind the more luxurious Q5 and the more practical Discovery Sport. On some trim levels, standard equipment is a little sparse, but the car's perceived quality is superior to almost all others, and its on-road qualities are difficult to fault.

Jaguar F-Pace
In 2016, Jaguar's first SUV hit the market with generally outstanding handling, plenty of passenger space, and looks that propelled it to the top of the Jaguar range as the company's best-selling model until it was surpassed by the smaller E-Pace.

A few minor elements, such as some unremarkable four-cylinder diesel engines, a sluggish automatic gearbox, and a slightly twitchy, noisy ride in certain configurations, detract a little from the overall driving experience. However, as part of its big mid-life redesign in 2021, Jaguar did a lot to improve the car's appearance. With a more luxurious interior and a substantially enhanced infotainment system, as well as a wider variety of engines, including a torquey six-cylinder mild-hybrid diesel and a six-pot plug-in hybrid petrol, the new model has a lot to offer. The D300 diesel is still our pick for balanced in-town and out-of-town driving, although the mild-hybridized four-pot diesel has improved drivability over the years.

The quicker F-Pace SVR is also a lot of fun, and it's a great example of a well-executed performance SUV with plenty of V8 drama.

Skoda Kodiaq
The Kodiaq is our best family SUV that isn't made by a premium brand, and it undercuts even the most affordable of the plusher options on this list by a big amount.

So, what are you giving up? For starters, there's a substantial amount of premium-feeling materials, albeit everything appears to be well-screwed together. The top four SUVs on this list all have superior handling and ride quality than the Kodiaq, but they don't all have the third row.

Apart from the slightly over-firm and distant manner in which the Kodiaq drives, it's an excellent car in almost every regard. An oily-bits facelift might easily solve the car's primary issues, and we'll be driving one shortly.

Mercedes-Benz GLC
The handling element sorts the class leaders from the also-rans in the second part of our top 10.

The redesigned Mercedes GLC, with its well-appointed and luxurious-feeling cabin, merits a spot in the top 10, but its numb handling makes it a poor choice for enthusiastic drivers. It drives more like a car than many of the full-fledged SUVs on our list, but it also rides less peacefully than a Mercedes-Benz should on ordinary steel coil suspension, making it difficult to recommend in base trim.

It is, nevertheless, one of the most laid-back, effectively comfort-oriented cars in the class when equipped with optional air suspension, and it comes in a variety of mechanical flavours, including the GLC 300e petrol-electric PHEV, the GLC 300de diesel-electric PHEV, and the GLC 63 V8 hot-rod SUV. It's something to think about.

Alfa Romeo Stelvio
Alfa Romeo took the Giulia's platform and engines, added extra ride height, a raised hip point, and four-wheel-drive technology, and created the Stelvio, a fine-handling SUV.

Remarkable handling and classic Alfa Romeo aesthetics are standard, as is a powerful but gruff diesel engine. Unfortunately, Alfa's emphasis on good handling has resulted in a jittery ride on rougher UK roads, and some of the cabin components, like those on the Giulia, feel basic and cheap.

A redesign in 2020 improved things slightly in this regard, adding a new infotainment system and improved driver aids, although the distinctions between this and the original will still take a keen eye to find. It is, however, reasonably priced, albeit not as competitively as it was when it was first released three years ago. Without a doubt, it's one for the more experienced driver; yet, it may not be for the dynamically uninterested SUV fanatic.

Volvo XC60

At the time of its launch in 2017, this was the safest car ever evaluated by Euro NCAP, and it's still one of the most attractive family SUVs on the market today.

The XC60 isn't the most appealing vehicle to drive, but as a slick, comfortable, and easy-to-use family waggon, it has a lot to recommend it. Volvo has also updated its engine lineup, with all XC60 models now featuring some sort of electrification. The B-series petrol and diesel vehicles now have a 48V mild-hybrid architecture enabling fractional fuel consumption and CO2 emissions savings, but it's the T6 and T8 Recharge plug-in hybrids that offer the most low-cost running possibilities. However, they do not have as much electric range as competitors.

Seat Tarraco
The Tarraco is Seat's first full-size SUV, and it's a good-looking one at that. Because it is a Volkswagen Group product, the Tarraco shares almost everything with the Skoda Kodiaq, with the exception that, unlike its sibling, the Tarraco comes standard with seven seats across the range.

Although it feels a little more incisive and agile than other SUVs of its size, this sharper handling appears to come at the sacrifice of rolling refinement and downright comfort. In a vehicle like this, comfort and refinement should certainly take precedence. Nonetheless, the cabin is nicely polished, and the petrol and diesel engines are extremely refined. It's also quite reasonably priced.

Kia Sorento
Well, hasn't the Sorento come a long way since the drab, boxy first model that debuted in 2002? Its new fourth-generation model easily has the design appeal to compete with the actual luxury competitors in this class.

It earns big marks for being one of the most spacious, practical, and versatile automobiles on the list thanks to its spacious interior and seven-seat arrangement. On the surface, there appears to be very nothing this attractive Korean SUV can't achieve, thanks to its appealingly low price.

However, there is a catch. Its conventional hybrid powertrain isn't quite up to the task of delivering the fuel efficiency benefits you'd expect from normal daily driving, and the car's dynamic performance is quite average. At a steady cruise, it's polished and comfortable enough, but dig a little deeper and flaws emerge, particularly in terms of body control, ride sophistication, and steering feel.

Still, it has a lot going for it as a practical, well-made, well-equipped, and reasonably priced family SUV that's easy to drive. The diesel variants are also reasonably refined and run well, and the PHEV is more secure and drivable than the standard hybrid.

It'd be more of a gut-feeling option than any other automobile on our list, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Conclusion

It's a strongly fought and strategically significant segment, where consumers prioritise design, safety, and size, and capacity for seven occupants is frequently necessary. Manufacturers ignore the importance of this sector at their risk, considering that it has essentially demolished the MPV market and is only likely to increase in the future.

It's currently a somewhat diverse genre, despite a lack of variety in appearance and approach. A wide range of enterprises has entered the SUV market as a result of this category. Many models are now available as tax-friendly plug-in hybrids as manufacturers fight for a larger portion of the more emissions-conscious fleet market.