If you’re thinking about buying a car this year, chances are you're looking at an SUV — and you’re definitely not alone. According to research from CarGurus, the number of new SUV and crossover models on offer in the UK has skyrocketed from just 30 in 2000 to a massive 193 in 2025.
Every one of the UK’s 35 most popular car brands now sells at least one SUV, and over half of them have five or more SUV options. Audi leads the pack with 18 different SUVs, followed by BMW (15) and Mercedes (13). Back in 2000, fewer than half of these manufacturers even had an SUV in their line-up — now, they’re dominating.
Why the shift? It’s all about demand. SUVs are consistently topping the sales charts. So far in 2025, eight out of the top ten best-selling cars in the UK are SUVs — only the Vauxhall Corsa and Volkswagen Golf made the list from other body styles. It was the same story in 2024, with the Ford Puma, Kia Sportage, Nissan Qashqai, Nissan Juke, and Tesla Model Y leading the charge.
And it’s not slowing down: there’s been an 18% increase in the number of new SUV models released this year compared to last, and about a third of those are electric.
But as SUVs rise, other car types are quietly disappearing. MPVs (multi-purpose vehicles, like people carriers) have taken a nosedive — dropping by over 70% since their peak. Hatchbacks are also fading, with only 54 models available now compared to 100 a decade ago. Overall, more than half (52%) of all new cars on sale today are SUVs.
So, why is everyone so obsessed with SUVs? According to Chris Knapman from CarGurus, it’s simple: “Features like the high driving position, flexible interior space, big boot, and potential off-road capability make SUVs an appealing body style to consumers, so it’s no surprise that manufacturers have been racing to meet this demand with an increasingly varied supply of new models.
“Of course, this increase in appetite for SUVs has meant there’s been less demand for other types of cars, with the choice of MPVs in particular having dwindled on the new car market. Buyers after one of these less in-demand body styles would do well to look to the used market instead, where there are still plenty of models – SUVs and otherwise – to suit all price points and needs.”
