4. Kia Sorento
Overall rating
4.0
RRP
£41,995 — £56,585
Pros
- Practical, spacious interior
- High equipment levels
- Four-wheel drive standard
Cons
- Uninspiring to drive
- Cabin materials could be better
- Slightly unrefined engines
At a glance
Key specifications
- Engine power190 – 248 BHP
- 0 – 62mph8.8 – 9.7 secs
- Top Speed113 – 124 MPH
- Fuel Economy39.8 – 43.5 MPG
- Insurance Group25E – 33A
Dimensions & weight
It’s no surprise to us that Kia has two entries in this top 10 of large SUVs. The Sorento is simply one of the best choices you can make, and it offers an alternative to those drivers not ready to switch to the Kia EV9’s all-electric powertrain.
The Sorento is not offered as a full EV, instead coming with hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or diesel power. As a result, you can still have a Sorento capable of EV driving when the need arises, or the simplicity of just filling up with diesel and driving for hundreds of miles.
While the previous Sorento also provided hybrid power, the biggest change for this model is the serious upswing in quality and style, aided by a refresh in 2024. Large SUVs can be guilty of appearing like big boxes on wheels, but this Kia has standout looks and an attractive cabin.
There’s space for seven in the Sorento, and Kia packs it full of all the tech and safety gear you could want to keep the family and others outside the car as safe as possible.
5. Volvo XC90
Overall rating
4.0
RRP
£62,280 — £84,740
Pros
- Neat interior design
- Comfortable ride and cabin
- Strong finance offers
Cons
- Unrefined petrol engine
- Running costs
- Showing its age next to rivals
At a glance
Key specifications
- Engine power235 – 455 BHP
- 0 – 62mph5.4 – 7.7 secs
- Top Speed112 MPH
- Fuel Economy32.4 – 39.7 MPG
- Insurance Group36E – 44E
Dimensions & weight
Anyone wanting a large SUV that speaks of quality, comfort and success has plenty of options to choose from. The Volvo XC90 does this, but in its own subtle, Scandinavian style, so don’t expect any brash design or frivolous gadgets.
What the XC90 serves up in spades is superb comfort, and a cabin detailed right down to the very last stitch on the steering wheel. It’s all been thought out to perfection, and it shows in just how effortlessly the Volvo will slip into family life or as an executive car.
At its heart, the Volvo XC90 is a brilliantly practical, seven-seat large SUV that will transport the family with ease. There’s four-wheel drive to look after you on slippery winter roads, along with a whole suite of reassuring safety equipment.
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Driving the Volvo XC90 has a calming effect. There is a satisfying way the XC90 goes about dealing with lumpy roads, motorways, inner cities and everything in between that leaves you fresh and ready for whatever lies at the end of a journey.
6. BMW X5
Overall rating
4.5
RRP
£71,275 — £114,330
Pros
- Comfortable and luxurious
- Seven-seater option
- Good to drive
Cons
- Limited drivetrain options
- Not the best off-road
- Expensive option packs
At a glance
Key specifications
- Engine power286 – 530 BHP
- 0 – 62mph4.3 – 6.3 secs
- Top Speed145 – 155 MPH
- Fuel Economy23.9 – 39.8 MPG
- Insurance Group45E – 50E
Dimensions & weight
The BMW X5 is an established pillar of the large SUV community, and it shows in the way this car is still as desirable as it was when the first generation wowed the world in 1999.
The latest X5 still displays many of the traits that made the first generation such a game-changing SUV. Like the original, the latest X5 is great to drive and you’re left wondering how BMW makes such a big car feel so nimble. It’s also refined on longer trips.
Where this X5 is very different to earlier versions is you can have it with a brilliant plug-in hybrid powertrain that offers up to 67 miles of electric driving range. Combined with a silky smooth six-cylinder engine, the xDrive50e plug-in hybrid is as good as it gets with the X5.
You can have the BMW X5 with seven seats or five, and both are roomy. They also have a luxurious air that means the X5 can hold its head high when around models such as the latest Range Rover.
7. Land Rover Discovery
Overall rating
4.0
RRP
£63,560 — £80,590
Pros
- Spacious and practical
- Comfortable and quiet
- Clever tech options
Cons
- Divisive styling
- No plug-in hybrid version
- High CO2 emissions
At a glance
Key specifications
- Engine power350 BHP
- 0 – 62mph6.3 secs
- Top Speed130 MPH
- Fuel Economy33.4 – 34.8 MPG
- Insurance Group43E – 45E
Dimensions & weight
It’s come a long way in more than 35 years, yet the latest Land Rover Discovery continues to show the same flair as the original did with its Sir Terence Conrad-designed cabin. The current Discovery is a good deal more opulent in every way, but you’d never mistake its cabin for anything else, and it retains a flavour of true go-anywhere, do anything appeal. Wet dogs and mucky wellies in the boot? It’s all part of the Discovery deal.
You can also put the Discovery to work on the school run with some confidence thanks to its smooth hybrid powertrains, while every engine has plenty of pull for a relaxed motorway experience, or hauling the Discovery through muddy fields.
Wherever you choose to drive your Land Rover Discovery, it will take you and a further six other occupants there in top drawer comfort. All Discoverys come with a long list of standard kit that can be boosted by moving up the trim levels or ticking some choice options.
8. BMW iX
Overall rating
4.5
RRP
£75,895 — £120,295
Pros
- Interior quality
- Efficient
- Great to drive
Cons
- Smaller boot than rivals
- Expensive to buy
- Polarising looks
At a glance
Key specifications
- Power408 – 650 BHP
- 0 – 62mph3.8 – 5.1 secs
- Top Speed124 MPH
- Range367 – 374 miles
Dimensions & weight
A guest appearance in the most recent Mission: Impossible film didn’t do the BMW iX’s credibility any harm. It might even have helped persuade a few large SUV customers to forgive its rather divisive styling and give it a go.
Look beyond its bold exterior look, though, and what you find is all of the things that we love about big BMW SUVs, just with a pure electric powertrain. This is the defining feature of the iX, which can be had in standard or mighty 610bhp M60 forms. Stick with the slightly less potent xDrive50 model and it offers up to 383 miles of driving range.
The M60 is a wonder to steer down twisty roads, but again the standard car wins our vote for its sublimely smooth ride and handling that is still far more adept than a 2.5-tonne EV has any right to be.
On the inside, the iX has plenty of style to match its striking exterior, while everything is simple to use and there’s a vast boot to swallow all of your luggage demands. Mission impossible? Nah, the BMW iX makes it easy.
9. Nissan X-Trail
Overall rating
3.5
RRP
£35,175 — £49,685
Pros
- More spacious interior
- Good levels of safety
- Decent residual values
Cons
- Hybrid should be more efficient
- Average three-year warranty
- Boot could be bigger
At a glance
Key specifications
- Engine power163 – 213 BHP
- 0 – 62mph7 – 9.6 secs
- Top Speed105 – 124 MPH
- Fuel Economy39.2 – 49.6 MPG
- Insurance Group22E – 36E
Dimensions & weight
At first glance, the Nissan X-Trail seems to be a somewhat traditional large SUV offering. Nothing much wrong with that, but you might wonder why it makes it into our top 10. It’s simple – the X-Trail is a superb family car.
Take a look inside the X-Trail and you’ll find plenty of space front and back. It also has a generous boot that can be traded for a third row of seats to lug a couple of extra folk on any trip.
Comfort takes precedence over excitement in the way the X-Trail drives, but few will ever worry about that. Refinement is good, too, and you have a choice of three different powertrains, all using a 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine. You can pick from a standard petrol unit, a mild hybrid option, or the X-Trail e-Power that uses the engine as a range-extending generator to power an electric motor for lower emissions.
