In the old days, SUVs weren't known for their ride quality.
That was simply the result of being taller and heavier than equivalent hatchbacks or saloons. However, decades of clever engineering later, modern SUVs cruise just as well as traditional body styles.
Here are the comfiest SUVs you can buy – including both budget-friendly options and premium brands. Most are available as great-value nearly new and used cars from Motorpoint.
Skoda Karoq
The Skoda Karoq isn't just one of the comfiest SUVs – it's one of the very best. It's impressively affordable, undercutting the Volkswagen Tiguan on which it's based, making it a great-value buy as a nearly new or used car. Practicality is excellent with surplus space for tall passengers in the rear seats, and a wardrobe-sized squared-off cargo area out back. Those features alone would be plenty to sell the Karoq but perhaps its greatest asset is its soft and pillowy ride quality, reminiscent of luxury SUVs that cost several times the price. Make sure you get one on smaller alloys for the most cushioned experience.
Search used Skoda Karoq cars or read our Skoda Karoq review
Renault Austral
Renault's SUV range is a little confusing. Traditional nameplates like Scenic and Megane are now pure-electric cars. Meanwhile its fuel-powered SUVs all have new-fangled names like Symbioz and this, the Austral. Ignore the complicated lineup, however, because the Austral is quite simple – there's just one excellent full-hybrid engine to choose from. All versions have the same modern, spacious cabin that's trimmed in tasteful materials, with a sensible layout. Most importantly, the Austral rides with grace over cracked UK roads, softening bumps and isolating you from nearly all the vibrations from scruffy surfaces.
View used Renault Austral cars or read our Renault Austral review
Volvo XC60
The Volvo XC60 is the brand's mid-size SUV and the largest five-seater in the lineup. Despite lacking the XC90's gargantuan dimensions, the XC60 has acres of passenger space, with loads of room for those in the back to stretch out, and a cargo area that's just the right size for a large pushchair or your four-legged friend. It's not a car that rewards enthusiastic driving but, if you leave it in automatic mode, the Volvo wafts from corner to corner with the kind of calm composure that can soothe even the longest of office days.
Take a look at used Volvo XC60 cars or read our Volvo XC60 review
Jaecoo 5
Jaecoo has quickly become a hit in the UK, climbing to the top of the sales charts after just a few months on sale. A big part of the appeal is the upright, stately styling that reminds us of a certain British brand. It also helps that Jaecoos are literally half the price of those traditional luxury brands, and comes backed by a seven-year warranty. The larger Jaecoo 7 is decently comfortable, but we reckon the smaller Jaecoo 5 has finally nailed the setup for the UK – absorbing imperfections from our craggy roads while keeping the body calmly under control.
Search used Jaecoo cars or read our Jaecoo 5 review
Volkswagen T-Roc
Where the Golf was once the main family car in the brand's lineup, the Volkswagen T-Roc is now among its most important models. This compact SUV fits easily through tight city streets while also having enough space to fit adults in every position. It's not so soft that it wobbles through corners but there's enough compliance in the setup to absorb most impacts before they make it to the base of your seat. The rest of the car is classic 'Volkswagen', with a sensible, intuitive dashboard and a sense of solidity to the build quality. The brand's recently announced a new VW T-Roc with overhauled styling and tech.
Shop used Volkswagen T-Roc cars or read our Volkswagen T-Roc review
Peugeot 2008
The Peugeot 2008 is one of the more affordable options on this list if you're shopping used cars. You wouldn't know it from behind the wheel, however, as the 2008's ride quality is very well judged. There's enough compliance to cope with nasty potholes and enough composure that it doesn't feel like a lumbering old-school 4x4. The upmarket atmosphere continues as you appreciate the interior design, which has attractive materials with an avant-garde edge, plus a fully featured dashboard with all the infotainment tech modern buyers expect.
Check out used Peugeot 2008 cars or read our Peugeot 2008 review
Range Rover Evoque
You might look at the Range Rover Evoque's taut bodywork and planted stance, and think this is an SUV that's mainly going to focus on the 'sports' part of the brief. However, take the smallest Range Rover out for a spin and you'll find that it's much more than a one-trick pony. There's a maturity to the Evoque's ride quality that works wonders over the UK's broken road surfaces, all without softening the handling so much that it rolls uncontrollably through corners. Decent practicality and a plush cabin complete this tempting package.
Browse used Range Rover Evoque cars or read our Range Rover Evoque review
Mercedes GLA
The GLA is the smallest SUV in the Mercedes lineup but there's nothing lightweight about the experience. When you step in, you're greeted by plush materials and a glossy, modern-looking infotainment system. Drivers expect premium German cars like the GLA to strike a balance between a cosseting ride and engaging handling. While it's not quite the last word in agility, the GLA has a grown-up quality to its suspension that absorbs big bumps without sending the body bouncing around like some softer rivals. Plus, the turbo petrol engines are punchy and reactive, so you always have the confidence to flow with stop-start traffic.
Check out used Mercedes GLA cars or read our Mercedes GLA review
MG HS
No, this isn't your grandparents' MG. The new MG HS is the company's large five-seat family SUV and it offers nearly unbeatable value for money. It undercuts nearly all its main rivals – often by several thousand pounds – and there's virtually no penalty in terms of build or material quality, with the HS also boasting a standard equipment list as long as your arm. The ride quality is particularly well judged, with lots of genuine compliance over nasty stretches of road, while not suffering the roly-poly feeling other soft SUVs sometimes exhibit. There are also acres of interior space, so your passengers won't feel hemmed in on long drives.
See used MG HS cars or read our MG HS review
Volkswagen Tiguan
The Tiguan is arguably Volkswagen's most important model, as its competitor in the family SUV class. Unsurprisingly, the Tiguan does things in a very 'Volkswagen' way. That means understated styling, a clean cabin design and a well-rounded on-road experience that demands little effort from the driver. Most bumps are isolated effectively before they reach the base of your seat, and the damping does a good job of tuning out higher-frequency vibrations from scruffy road surfaces.
Find used Volkswagen Tiguan cars or read our Volkswagen Tiguan review
Big comfort, small prices
View an enormous choice of nearly new and used cars at Motorpoint. We have used SUVs for sale from all major brands, with thousands off the brand-new price.
