The best-selling cars among What Car? readers

The car What Car? readers put their money down on the most in 2023 was the Kia Sportage – our reigning Family SUV of the Year.

There's a broad range of engines on offer in the Sportage, including a plug-in hybrid version, but we think the entry-level 1.6-litre petrol will suit most buyers the best. With 148bhp available, it never feels short on pulling power, even when you've loaded the Sportage up with people and luggage, and it should help to keep your running costs sensible.

Speaking of space, you can fit more into the boot of the Sportage than you can into rival family SUVs including the Nissan Qashqai and Skoda Karoq. That being said, the Sportage can't match the pricier Audi Q3 in offering a rear bench that you can slide forwards or backwards to maximise either legroom or boot space as your needs dictate.

Read our in-depth Kia Sportage review >>

Our favourite family SUV is followed by our favourite small SUV – that's right, the T-Roc joins the Sportage in not only being a What Car? Award winner, but also gaining our maximum five-star rating.

In years gone by, we would have told you that although the T-Roc is among the best small SUVs to drive and to live with, its interior didn't match up to its premium badge. Thankfully, following a recent round of updates, that's no longer the case, and each piece of trim now feels high quality – even if the overall finish isn't up to the same level as the rival Mini Countryman.

You won't be left wanting for kit in any version of the T-Roc, but we reckon entry-level Life trim will have most of your kit needs covered – it comes with dual-zone climate control, adaptive cruise control and a digital instrument cluster.

Our favourite T-Roc engine is also the cheapest one, a 1.0-litre petrol, but with 109bhp it feels pleasantly peppy for everyday driving.

Read our in-depth Volkswagen T-Roc review >>

The Qashqai was the second most popular new car in the UK in 2023, with more than 39,000 examples leaving showrooms according to official figures.

Thankfully, that popularity is well earned, because the Qashqai excels in most of the areas which matter to family SUV buyers. It has a smart interior which should stand up well to the rigours of family life, and getting in and out of it is a breeze thanks to its wide doors.

When you're seated, your passengers should have plenty of room to stretch out – just bear in mind that the Skoda Karoq is even better if you regularly carry three people on the rear bench. The Skoda can also fit slightly more into its boot, but we still managed to fit seven carry-on suitcases inside the Qashqai.

As with lots of the cars on this list, there's a wide array of engine options to choose from, but our top choice is the 1.3-litre DIG-T 140 mild hybrid, which benefits from small amounts of electrical assistance to help lower your running costs.

Read our in-depth Nissan Qashqai review >>

This former What Car? Car of the Year remains a standout choice in the family SUV market, because it's bursting with practical features for families, yet also manages to feel luxurious for those trips when the kids aren't with you.

When we named the XC40 as our Car of the Year back in 2018, it was a diesel engine which we recommended, but these days it's the 161bhp 2.0-litre petrol, badged as the B3, which we think will suit most buyers the best. It's punchy and efficient, and also comes with mild hybrid technology to help keep your running costs sensible. There's also a fully electric version of the XC40, called the XC40 Recharge, but that's a lot more expensive.

Inside, the XC40 gives the rival Genesis GV70 and Range Rover Evoque a run for their money in terms of quality, while every version comes loaded with kit. And with an eye on safety, every XC40 gets a full suite of driver assistance features as standard, including traffic sign recognition and Automatic Emergency Braking.

Read our in-depth Volvo XC40 review >>

If you're looking for a car which won't cost you a lot to run, then consider this: the Toyota Yaris Cross is the most efficient car we've ever tested. Indeed, with an average of 60.1mpg and an astonishing 103.3mpg around town, it has the top result of any car to go through our real-world economy tests.

There's more to like here than just low running costs, however, because its hybrid setup also makes the Yaris Cross quick off the line, helping you to make the most of gaps in the traffic. And while the interior doesn't feel quite as special as what you'd find in the rival Nissan Juke or Mini Countryman, it is decently spacious, with the boot swallowing seven carry-on suitcases in our tests.

Entry-level Icon trim is our top choice, and comes with luxuries including keyless entry and start, a reversing camera and adaptive cruise control.

Read our in-depth Toyota Yaris Cross review >>

Another former What Car? Car of the Year, the Ford Puma stands out in the crowded small SUV market by being among the best cars of its kind to drive.

All of the Puma's engines are 1.0-litre petrols, and all come with fuel-saving mild hybrid assistance, but it's the entry-level Ecoboost 125 which we recommend, because with a 0-60mph sprint time of 9.6sec, it's plenty fast enough for most situations. Plus, thanks to quick, accurate steering and taught body control, weaving the Puma along a country road will put a smile on your face every time.

There's more to the Puma than being a good driver's car, though, because it's also comfortable for your family, and has lots of space for their luggage. Indeed, there's even an 80-litre box hidden under the boot floor which can be hosed out thanks to a drain plug in its bottom – making it ideal for storing walking boots or camping gear. 

Read our in-depth Ford Puma review >>

Like its Kia Sportage sister car, the Tucson is available with a wide range of power options, including a full hybrid model and a plug-in hybrid. It's the former which we think will suit most buyers the best, because the battery is big enough to allow you to drive for short distances on electric power alone – thus contributing to lower fuel bills.

Your passengers will certainly like the Tucson, because it offers them more space to stretch out than most other family SUVs – only the larger Ford Kuga gives them more room. Plus, with up to 620 litres of space, the Tucson's boot is one of the biggest in the family SUV class, and even though plug-in hybrid models lose a little space, we still managed to fit seven carry-on suitcases into the boot of one such Tucson.

You get plenty of kit as standard in a Tucson, and while it might be priced higher than rivals including the Seat Ateca and Skoda Karoq, our discounts help to keep it competitive.

Read our in-depth Hyundai Tucson review >>

You'll already have read about the Skoda Karoq in this feature - it's become the benchmark for how practical a family SUV can be, as well as being one which represents amazing value.

You won't find the same breadth of engines on offer as you would elsewhere on this list – there's no plug-in hybrid version, for example – but that helps to keep costs low. And besides, the 148bhp 1.5-litre petrol engine that we recommend is still efficient, yet has the sort of punch you'll want if you regularly load your car to the gunwhales with people and luggage.

Speaking of luggage, you can fit more into the boot of the Karoq than you can into most family SUV rivals, and its seats are spacious enough to allow your passengers to spread out. Those seats are clever, too, because they split and fold independently of each other, so you can prioritise longer boot loads or more bums on seats as the need arises. The Seat Ateca – the Karoq's sister car – can't manage the same feat.

Read our in-depth Skoda Karoq review >>

The first car on this list to not take the form of an SUV is the Honda Jazz, a hybrid small car which is a frequent What Car? Award winner.

Why does the Jazz continue to rack up accolades? Well, despite not being a big car, it manages to feel like on in some respects, because its interior is simply huge. Whether you're captivated by its cinema-style rear seats which can fold up to release more room for your luggage, or its spacious front seats which allow you to stretch out and stow all of your valuables in numerous cubby holes, space is something the Jazz has no issue with.

While it might not be the most engaging small car to drive – the Seat Ibiza will put a bigger smile on your face – the Jazz is peppy enough for most situations and never feels out of breath on faster roads. Plus, because it's a hybrid, your running costs should tumble if you're coming from a regular petrol or diesel car.

Read our in-depth Honda Jazz review >>

If you want your next family car to have a premium badge on its bonnet, then you might find yourself drawn to the Audi A3. Alongside the BMW 1 Series and Mercedes A-Class, the A3 proves that you can have big car luxury in a smaller package – and among What Car? readers, the Audi out-sells its rivals.

There are lots of versions of the A3 to choose from, ranging from the superfast S3 hot hatchback to the super-frugal 40 TFSIe plug-in hybrid, plus there are traditional petrol and diesel engines. However, it's the entry-level 1.5-litre petrol engine, badged as the 35 TFSI, which we think will suit most buyers the best. It has 148bhp, so is peppy enough for most journeys, yet returned a respectable 42.5mpg in our real-world fuel tests.

The A3 looks the business inside, but be aware that the 1 Series feels nicer still, and some cheaper family cars, including the Seat Leon and Skoda Octavia, can fit more into their boots.

Read our in-depth Audi A3 review >>

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