SUVs are taking over Britain’s roads!
According to data from CarGurus, over half (52%) of all new car models on sale in the UK this year are SUVs, with a record 193 different models to choose from. Incredibly, that’s a 543% increase since the year 2000, when just 30 were available.
Every one of the UK’s top 35 carmakers now offers at least one SUV, and 20 of them have five or more in their range. Audi, BMW, and Mercedes have the most choice, with a combined total of 46 SUV models between them.
Electric SUVs are also increasing now, making up a third (33%) of today’s offerings. Brands such as BYD, GWM, Omoda/Jaecoo, and Leapmotor are entering the UK market with SUVs as a big part of their range.
According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, eight of the ten best-selling cars in 2025 are SUVs. This was the same as in 2024. Only the Vauxhall Corsa and VW Golf are featured in the top ten that aren’t SUVs.
Although SUVs have increased, MPVs have dropped significantly from their early 2010s rise, down by over 70% to just 22 models. Hatchbacks have also dropped by 46% from 100 variants to 54.
“Features like the high driving position, flexible interior space, big boot, and potential off-road capability make SUVs an appealing body style to consumers, so it’s no surprise that manufacturers have been racing to meet this demand with an increasingly varied supply of new models. Of course, this increase in appetite for SUVs has meant there’s been less demand for other types of cars, with the choice of MPVs in particular having dwindled on the new car market. Buyers after one of these less in-demand body styles would do well to look to the used market instead, where there are still plenty of models – SUVs and otherwise – to suit all price points and needs.”
Chris Knapman, CarGurus U.K. Editorial Director
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