Best family SUVs on sale 2026 - top 10

The best family SUVs must have many strings to their bow. They need to be easy to drive, affordable and packed with useful tech. They must also be durable and have enough space to cope with the demands of family life.

Families usually have lots of practicality demands including a big boot, versatile seating for five or seven and lots of storage solutions. An SUV that makes it easy to load children into their car seats is also desirable, while connectivity features to keep the kids entertained are useful too. 

But that’s not all. Parents will want a family SUV to slip into their busy lives as simply as possible by being easy to drive and affordable to run. Luxury and convenience features are desirable as a result, while a comfortable ride and easy-to-use tech are also important.  

To help you find the best family SUV for your needs, we've shortlisted the top 10 cars for a variety of budgets and needs, with petrol models, hybrids, plug-in hybrids and fully electric cars.

Best family SUVs 2026: the shortlist 

• Hyundai Santa Fe 
• Citroen C3 Aircross
• Skoda Kodiaq 
• Kia Sportage 
• Renault Scenic E-Tech 
• Nissan Qashqai 
• Dacia Duster 
• Kia EV9 
• Volkswagen T-Roc 
• Peugeot 5008 

Hyundai Santa Fe 

Price: from £49,090        Seats: 6 or 7        Boot space: 628 litres 

The bold, angular shape of the Hyundai Santa Fe gives it a premium air that makes it stand out from the crowd. That upmarket feel extends to the interior, which is loaded with features and tech and gives more expensive seven-seaters a run for their money.  

The Santa Fe doesn’t compromise with the basics of family life, either. It’s extremely spacious for all passengers – even those in the third row of seats – and has lots of storage solutions along with a roomy boot. It’s comfortable and surprisingly easy to drive for its size, too, with hybrid and plug-in hybrid options adding flexibility.

Citroen C3 Aircross

Price: from £22,495        Seats: 5 or 7       Boot space: 40 - 460 litres 

The spacious and affordable Citroen C3 Aircross is proof that you don't need to spend big to get a comfortable and capable family SUV. Both the petrol and electric versions are excellent all-rounders and you also get the choice of five or seven seats.

The C3 Aircross majors on comfort, which means you get some of the best seats in the family SUV class. The ride quality is soft and perfect for tackling rough road surfaces, while standard equipment is generous which makes Citroen's SUV excellent value.

Skoda Kodiaq 

Price: from £42,140        Seats: 5 or 7       Boot space: 910 litres 

Skoda has long been a firm favourite with families looking for a car with space, comfort and quality at an affordable price. The Kodiaq is the largest SUV from the brand and offers those features in abundance.  

There’s a huge amount of cabin space whether you opt for five or seven seats – although the rearmost seats are best suited to children. What’s more, the Kodiaq is packed full of clever touches, has plenty of standard technology and is decent to drive, with frugal engine options including a plug-in hybrid with an electric range of up to 75 miles.  

Kia Sportage  

Price: from £34,895       Seats: 5         Boot space: 540- 591 litres 

The latest version of the Kia Sportage has been around since 2021 but remains high on the list of the most popular new cars in the UK. It’s easy to see why Kia’s mid-size SUV is so popular: it’s stylish, affordable, practical, has a smart cabin design and packed is full of standard kit even in entry-level trims.  

The Sportage also offers a powertrain to suit your needs, with petrol, hybrid and plug-in hybrid offerings in the range. All offer strong performance and good efficiency, while the Sportage has a comfortable ride, composed handling and low noise levels for the price. Factor in the seven-year warranty and it’s a very complete package.

Renault Scenic E-Tech

Price: from £33,425      Seats: 5      Boot space: 545 litres 

It’s easy to overlook the brilliant Renault Scenic E-Tech when the French brand has other EV superstars like the new Renault 5 in its line-up. But it’s well worth a look if you’re after a roomy, relatively affordable electric family SUV, offering style, tech and comfort in equal measure.  

While it doesn’t offer the storming performance of some EVs, its efficient single motor and big battery gives the Long Range model impressive range of up to 379 miles. It has a very smooth ride, too, but the interior stands out with its impressive plenty of intuitive infotainment and easy-to-use physical controls, plus cool gadgets on higher trims like the opacifying glass roof – likely to be a hit with the kids.  

Nissan Qashqai 

Price: from £34,875    Seats: 5    Boot space: 455-504 litres 

The original mainstream SUV is still vying with the Sportage for positions in the top 10 most popular cars in the UK, and it’s easy to see why. With a smart design in the latest version, a high-quality and easy-to-use interior and keen pricing, there’s plenty to like about the Nissan Qashqai. 

Family-friendly buyers will appreciate the usefully wide opening rear doors – ideal for hauling kids out of car seats – while there’s plenty of space inside, even if some alternatives have bigger boots. The Qashqai is also very easy to drive, comfortable and refined, with smooth engines and a strong performing Qashqai e-Power full hybrid option.

Dacia Duster 

Price: from £21,845      Seats: 5        Boot space: 430-517 litres 

Looking for a practical family SUV but have a budget that would normally only get you something small? It’s Dacia to the rescue as usual. The value-focused Romanian brand has always been a firm favourite for those that value bang-for-buck over style, and the latest Dacia Duster further adds to that appeal.  

This latest model is more sophisticated than ever, offering more standard equipment and tech features along with being more capable on or off-road than previous versions. But it remains top value, and although there are cars with much posher interiors in this list the Duster is a lot roomier than most small SUVs, with a big boot.  

Kia EV9 

Price: from £66,645     Seats: 7         Boot space: 828 litres  

The Kia EV9 sits at the opposite end of the family car spectrum to the Dacia Duster. This large, electric SUV makes a statement with its sharp design and sheer bulk – with the advantage of the latter being masses of interior space for up to seven, and room even for adults in the third row of seats.  

A huge boot and a variety of clever storage touches make the EV9 capable of swallowing everything even a large family will carry. It’s also packed with tech and comfort features, offers a comfortable and refined drive and manages a range on a charge of up to 349 miles. And although it is less important to family buyers, the dual motor model offers performance to match some sports cars.  

Volkswagen T-Roc

Price: from £31,635   Seats: 5    Boot space: 475 litres 

The Volkswagen T-Roc is one of the most refined cars in its class thanks to its spacious interior that features a premium design and feel. Standard equipment is also very high, which means even the cheapest model comes with LED lighting, adaptive cruise control and all-round parking sensors.

The elevated driving position provides an excellent view of the road while the mild-hybrid petrol powertrains should make Volkswagen's family SUV affordable to run. Full self charging hybrids will be added to the range in 2027, along with a punchy 204hp 2.0-litre petrol engine.

Peugeot 5008 

Price: from £37,045     Seats: 7      Boot space: 916 litres 

Take one look at the striking Peugeot 5008 and you might consider it a car that puts style ahead of substance – but you’d be wrong. This svelte seven-seater betters even the Skoda Kodiaq for cabin space, and although it can’t match the EV9 for outright room it’s considerably more affordable.  

With seven usable seats on all versions, three separate seats across the middle row and a huge boot, the 5008 caters for the space needs of the vast majority of families. It’s also comfortable and quiet, with a high-quality interior and plenty of standard kit, with the option of an all-electric e-5008 too. Only the limitations of having only two ISOFIX mounting points mark the Peugeot down.  

• Family breakdown cover