Top 10 Most Successful & Satisfying SUVs
The 10 SUVs that are a pleasure to drive, own and enjoy...
10. SEAT Ateca - From £18,675
One of the key factors we’re looking for in this listicle is ‘satisfying.’ SUVs haven’t always been great fun to drive. They’ve often been slow, with indirect steering and buckets of body roll - not the Ateca. This new model from SEAT is praised as one of the most fun to drive in its segment. Attracting buyers from the Leon hatchback, this Ateca is available with a wide range of engines, from as small as a 1.0litre petrol to a 2.0 diesel.
9. Ford Kuga - From £22,600
The Kuga has been a strong seller in the UK since its inception, and we tested the facelifted model last year in the Peak District. Now featuring the hexagonal grille and an option of a sporty ‘ST-line’ trim, this Kuga has been fully brought up to speed alongside the competition. The new SYNC 3 in-car technology is also mega easy to use and it’s no surprise that the Kuga was the 9th best-selling car in the UK in March.
8. Range Rover Velar - From £44,735
The new Velar has now hit the showrooms and already promising to be one of the best-selling Range Rovers of all time. Attending to a void between the Range Rover Evoque and Range Rover Sport, the Velar is to be the most accessible non-compact Range Rover yet, and will take on the likes of the Porsche Macan and Mercedes GLC. The Velar shares the award-winning engines already existent in the Range Rover lineup, while also boasting some (arguably) best in class looks. Quite a pretty thing isn’t it...
7. Renault Kadjar - From £19,790
The Kadjar was lucky enough to inherit its underpinnings from the top-selling Qashqai thanks to the Renault-Nissan Alliance, but it hasn’t quite taken the shine of the Qashqai's sales figures, but it does offer an attractive alternative. Perhaps the most satisfying thing about the Kadjar is just how well equipped the car is, though, for under £25,000 you will have a very well spec’d car which is comfortable to drive, pleasant to look at and great for kids.
6. Jaguar F-Pace - From £36,520
Where to start with the F-Pace? It is the best-priced luxury SUV, by a margin, with genetics carried over from the Land Rover range, and a classy exterior that has made the F-Pace the fastest selling Jaguar in the company’s history… not bad for their first ever SUV!
The F-Pace drives like a much smaller car, as it sits flat in the corners, has a well-designed cockpit and is easy to manoeuvre. A very, very good show of ability from Jaguar.
5. Kia Sportage - From £19,200
The Kia Sportage is certainly a worthy rival to its arch-nemesis, the Nissan Qashqai. Not to mention the Sportage is a good few grand cheaper like-for-like, you’ll also get a 7 year warranty with the striking Sportage. Some will consider this the smart choice if you’re looking for an SUV around the £20k mark.
4. Range Rover Evoque - From £30,805
The Evoque needs no introduction here. The go-to luxury SUV for buyers who aren’t quite willing to stretch to the Range Rover Sport. (Well, that was before the F-Pace came along…) It’s not much of a compromise over the Sport, though, as you still get a fantastic interior, exceptional off-road ability and more manageable vehicle dimensions. Go for the 5 door model and you get a roomy cabin which is less claustrophobic in the back than the coupe model.
3. Peugeot 3008 - From £22,870
The 3008 is probably one of the hottest SUVs on the market right now. A huge, huge improvement from its predecessor, this 3008 embodies the styling and driving characteristics which have brought Peugeot right up to pole position in its class. Take a seat inside the gorgeous 3008 interior and you’ll be forgiven for thinking you were perched in a premium, perhaps German, alternative. This is a french-SUV that demands to be taken seriously.
2. Dacia Duster - From £9,495
We’ve been singing our praises to the Duster for quite some time now and Dacia have been generous to give the car a mid-life facelift. It’s a well-built, exceptionally priced and strangely endearing SUV that undercuts every competitor on the market. A real workhorse which is composed of tried and tested parts while boasting a no-frills character.
1. Nissan Qashqai - From £19,295
At the time of writing, the Qashqai is the best selling crossover in the UK - that’s properly outstanding. The new model is doing a good job of keeping the Qashqai at the very top of the segment (by some distance) thanks to a refreshed interior, much-improved front-end and a significantly better ride quality. They’ve done a really good job with the Qashqai, offering great value for money.
