The best large SUVs - driven, rated and ranked

Best for: Refinement

For a car that has been on sale for more than 25 years, the BMW X5 has managed to adapt to market changes with little difficulty, while retaining its luxury appeal and sweet-handling drive.

This is the luxury SUV half-breed that gives people as much space, convenience and utility as they need and a driving experience that doesn’t make any of those things feel like it has come at a compromise.

Matt Saunders, Road test editor

Thanks to its reassuringly weighted steering, solid body control and balance through corners, the X5 handles like a big saloon rather than a heavy SUV.

And even though its ride isn’t quite as cushioned as a Range Rover’s, it remains pliant and comfortable over potholes and harsh imperfections. 

There are more engine options beyond the tax-swerving xDrive50e plug-in hybrid: there’s a choice of two diesels and a snarling 500bhp petrol V8,

The revisions to the X5 a year ago means it now has the technology to match its plush and super-refined cabin. 

There’s plenty of room for adults in the back, a large boot and, unlike with some cars in this list, the option of seven seats.

Best for: Off-roading

Rugged, robust and with an air of refinement, the Land Rover Defender majors on off-road ability and personifies the marque's 4x4 identity like no other model in its line-up.

Draw up a list of the most broadly capable cars in the world and the Defender would sit comfortably in the top three.

Matt Saunders, Road test editor

Even if your need for a go-anywhere large SUV is small, its big proportions, versatile yet durable cabin and vast boot make it the ultimate family SUV. 

But while its departure angles and endless off-road modes make it a thoroughly enjoyable car for ploughing through mud, the Defender is an equally pleasant car to drive on the road, with easy-going driving manners. 

It’s this key trait that marks it out against rivals: whether you’re using it for daily duties on a farm or simply heading up the motorway, the Defender is a true all-rounder. 

There’s a broad mix of engines, and you can have it in 90, 110 and 130 bodystyles – or even with no rear seats in commercial Hard Top form. 

Best for: Driver appeal

The German marque's flagship SUV has maintained a foothold at the front of the large SUV class for decades, thanks to its impressive driving dynamics. 

If you have been waiting for an uncomplicated, relatively traditional but really enjoyable luxury SUV to go all in on and keep forever, this may be it.

Matt Saunders, Road test editor

Much of the Cayenne’s appeal lies within its driving experience, which intelligently unifies the athleticism of a Porsche sports car with the comfort and refinement of a big 4x4.

Granted, it’s not as pliant over bumps as other cars here, but that's a minor trade-off when you consider just how interesting the Cayenne is to pilot down a twisty road. 

While you sit high in the Cayenne, its stellar body control and overall agility tricks the mind into thinking it’s a surefooted saloon car in the corners.

With excellent ergonimcs and refinement, the Cayenne feels upmarket and comfortable inside, too. 

Its cabin might not be as flexible as rivals, nor dos it’s ride isolate bumps as well as others, but for all-out driver appeal, the Cayenne is in a league of its own. 

Best for: Electric motoring

With bucketloads of kerb appeal, thanks to its modern and boxy silhouette, the Kia EV9 is a radical large electric SUV that delivers on versatility and spaciousness without compromising on range.

All versions of the EV9 can be fast-charged at up to 210kW. On our DC rapid-charging test, the GT-Line S logged an impressive 170kW weighted average.

Matt Saunders, Road test editor

Kia's premium flagship SUV has pushed the Korean brand into new territory, as its biggest, most expensive car to date. 

In its costliest form, the EV9 is almost as expensive as the entry-level Cayenne, and a poke and prod at some of the interior materials suggest it lacks a bit of quality to match some rivals.

That being said, the EV9 more than makes up for any material shortcomings with oodles of cabin flexibility, with the option of six or seven seats.

The chunky EV9 doesn’t cut corners when it comes to range and efficiency: under the floor, there’s a huge 99.8kWh battery that offers a range of 313-349 miles depending on trim.

Best for: Sophistication

There aren’t many large SUVs that come close to matching the sophisticated and uber-refined cabin of the Audi Q7.

Another facelift later, the Q7 remains a likeable, practical and plush large SUV.

Sam Phillips, Staff Writer

Its innards are full of polished metals, soft-touch fabrics and a fit and finish that makes it a true luxury SUV, but one that also comes with a spacious interior and a big boot. 

There’s plenty of grip and it steers accurately, but there isn’t much communication through the wheel, nor does it drum up the same level of entertainment as rivals like the X5. 

Like the other large SUVs here, you can have the Q7 with a mix of engines, and there’s also a plug-in hybrid variant that promises up to 52 miles of pure-electric driving. 

There’s the option of a third row of seats too, and the car recently received a minor facelift and a number of tech updates to help it keep pace with rivals. 

Best for: Hybrid options

Hyundai is now a force to be reckoned with, having worked its way into the upper echelons of the automotive hierarchy with a successful electrification strategy.

The interior has all the design and material appeal you could wish for and combines it with clever practicality solutions and excellent usability.

Illya Verpraet, Road Tester

Its EV success has trickled down to its ICE cars, and no car showcases this paradigm shift better than the latest Sante Fe. 

You can have it as a hybrid or a plug-in hybrid, seven seats come as standard and without the third row up there’s 725 litres of boot space to play with.

It also feels more expensive than rivals like the Nissan X-Trail, thanks to its plusher materials and curved digital displays. 

The hybrid engine lacks a bit of pep which means you have to work it harder, and the ride is often struck dumb by harsh imperfections. 

But for 99% of the time, the Sante Fe is a relaxing cruiser, and with bags of usability and space, it's a fine large SUV.

Best for: Daily driving

A no-nonsense SUV with pleasing on-road dynamics and a broad range of engines, the second-generation Skoda Kodiaq delivers on space, comfort and practicality to make it a solid all-rounder. 

Despite some evidence of cost-cutting and an interior that isn't quite the resounding success we thought it was, the Kodiaq strikes all the chords it needs to play.

Illya Verpraet, Road Tester

Being at the cheaper end of the spectrum (prices start at just over £36,000), the undemanding Kodiaq might have a super-spacious interior and a vast boot, but prod and poke around the cabin and you will understand where Skoda has cut corners.

It feels robust inside, and the physical 'Smart Dials' are a great addition, but there is a lack of material richness compared with some rivals. 

But for a large SUV, there is little the Kodiaq can’t handle, with endless cubby holes and storage compartments, a middle row that’s big enough for adults and a 910-litre boot.

The plug-in hybrid has an impressive 71-mile pure-electric range and can charge at up to 50kW.  

Best for: Technology 

Volvo's flagship SUV gained a facelift late last year with several updates, but the model remains a competent all-rounder at its core, with serious appeal for families and briefcase-wielding business people alike. 

This truly is the car Volvo can’t afford to stop making. The recent improvements – especially the infotainment and passive suspension set-up – are well judged and it’s still, as ever, a supreme product.

Murray Scullion, Digital editor

The XC90 comes with a few powertrain options, all electrified. There's the B5 mild hybrid, which uses an electrified 2.0-litre petrol engine with 247bhp and 267lb ft of torque. 

BIK tax-busters will want to opt for the T5 plug-in hybrid, which takes a turbocharged and supercharged 2.0-litre petrol engine and adds an electric motor. Total power stands at 461bhp, which propels the XC90 onto 0-62mph in 5.5sec. The PHEV also gets 44 miles of electric range. 

Inside, the XC90 is thoughtfully organised, using a combination of buttons and touchscreen functions. There's an option for seven seats too, if you're after even more flexibility.