Best-selling cars in the UK: petrol car registrations fall in June

The family SUV market is extremely competitive, so a car has to be truly excellent to stand out. The Kia Sportage absolutely is, though – in fact, it's our reigning Family SUV of the Year.

Practicality is a particular strength; the boot is spacious and thoughtfully designed, and the interior offers plenty of leg and head room in both the front and the rear. In addition, the Sportage is plush inside – more so than the Hyundai Tucson to which it's closely related.

The entry-level model is very temptingly priced, but upgrading to our recommended 3 trim gives you lots of useful extras, such as heated front seats and keyless start.

Our favourite version 1.6T GDi 157 48V ISG 3
List price £32,890
Target price £30,899
Target PCP £345

June sales 4113

Read our in-depth Kia Sportage review

The Nissan Juke continues to be a popular choice among small SUV buyers, offering an upmarket interior as well as plenty of safety tech.

Practicality is also decent, but rivals such as the Skoda Kamiq and Volkswagen T-Roc edge ahead in this regard.

As standard, the Juke comes with a 112bhp 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine. While a more powerful hybrid model is available, we think this entry-level engine offers better value for money.

We reckon entry-level N-Connecta is the trim to go for; this gets you 17in alloy wheels, rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera and lots more.

Our favourite version 1.0 DiG-T N-Connecta
List price £25,500
Target price £22,928
Target PCP £219

June sales 3891

Read our in-depth Nissan Juke review

If you want an electric SUV with a long range and rapid performance, the Tesla Model Y is a great option. Our preferred Long Range version, for example, can rocket from 0-60mph in 4.8sec, and can officially travel 331 miles between charges. Even in the depths of winter, we eked 272 miles from its battery in our Summer range test.

On top of that, the added height and hatchback tailgate of the Model Y make it more practical than its sibling, the Tesla Model 3. However, it’s not as good to drive as that car.

Family SUV rivals such as the Genesis GV60 and Kia EV6 are also nicer to drive, while the former especially feels much more upmarket inside.

Our favourite version Long Range AWD
List price £52,990
Target price £52,990
Target PCP £515

June sales 3642

Read our in-depth Tesla Model Y review

It's one of the most well-known family cars on the market, but how does the Volkswagen Golf stack up against the competition? For a start, it mixes comfort and practicality very well – it’s about as smooth around town as the pricier Mercedes A-Class, for example, and has space for five carry-on suitcases in its boot.

You also get a good choice of engines with the Golf, including mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid options, as well as a diesel for those covering lots of miles. Our top choice is the mid-range 148bhp 1.5-litre petrol, which can get you up to motorway speeds swiftly, yet should also help keep running costs in check. It's worth noting that though the Golf handles well, the closely related Seat Leon is much more fun to drive quickly.

The Golf is due to be updated later this year, and this outgoing version is now only available from dealer stock.

June sales 3463

Read our in-depth Volkswagen Golf review

A new, fourth-generation BMW 1 Series is on its way, but the outgoing BMW 1 Series is still a good premium family car. It’s great to drive, and offers sharper handling than the rival Mercedes A-Class – although the Mercedes counters with a more cosseting ride.

The 1 Series is also fantastically well screwed together inside, with plush, soft-touch materials as far as the eye can see. In fact, it’s an even nicer place to be than either the Audi A3 or the A-Class. Plus, using BMW’s excellent rotary infotainment controller is much less distracting than prodding a central touchscreen.

June sales 3397

Read our in-depth BMW 1 Series review

The Hyundai Tucson is among the most practical family SUVs – there’s lots of space in the front and the rear, and the boot is one of the biggest in the class.

Practicality aside, the interior is well laid out and feels solid, but lacks the premium feel you get inside rivals such as the Volvo XC40.

If you go for the hybrid version you can expect reasonable performance and impressive fuel economy, but ride comfort in all versions of the Tucson could be better, especially considering how comfortable some family SUVs manage to be.

Our favourite version 1.6 TGDi Hybrid 230 SE Connect
List price £35,950
Target price £33,153
Target PCP £259

June sales 3271

Read our in-depth Hyundai Tucson review

For many buyers, the Nissan Qashqai exemplifies the family SUV class. After all, it was the car that first popularised the idea of a tall car without the sky-high running costs of a traditional off-roader. The latest version is a fine all-rounder, combining good practicality with some efficient engine options.

Our preferred choice is the entry-level 1.3-litre petrol, which has mild-hybrid technology to help lower your fuel bills.

Meanwhile, there's a good reason why most Qashqai buyers choose N-Connecta trim, because it bundles together lots of desirable kit – including 18in alloy wheels, a fully digital driver display and a leather-wrapped steering wheel – for a reasonable price.

Our favourite version 1.3 DiG-T MH N-Connecta
List price £32,305
Target price £29,426
Target PCP £303

June sales 3194

Read our in-depth Nissan Qashqai review

The Ford Puma is a former What Car? Car of the Year, and even though its small SUV crown has now been taken by the excellent Lexus LBX, it remains one of the best cars in its class.

The Puma should certainly put a smile on your face, because it's very agile, especially in ST-Line guise, because this comes with sports suspension and well-weighted, engaging steering.

The Puma's interior is well laid out and reasonably plush, although rivals such as the Volkswagen T-Roc provide a much more upmarket feel. Also, the Puma's rear visibility isn’t ideal, and the view out of the front can be limited depending on your seating position.

The boot is large for the class and has a height-adjustable floor with even more storage underneath. Excellent fuel economy and a low CO2 output also help to make the case for the playful Puma being a sensible buy.

Our favourite version 1.0 Ecoboost mHEV 155 ST-Line
List price £29,250
Target price £27,730
Target PCP £330

June sales 3169

Read our in-depth Ford Puma review

Once you account for the fact that it’s definitely a budget SUV and built to a low price point, the MG ZS has quite a few strengths. For starters, interior space is impressive for a car of its size, and there are plenty of useful storage areas.

Interior quality is even more impressive (for the price), featuring soft-touch plastics where it matters and solid-feeling buttons on the dashboard.

The 1.0-litre T-GDi petrol engine offers more flexible performance than the entry-level 1.5-litre VTi-Tech petrol, but we'd ultimately choose the latter because it keeps the purchase price down.

Our favourite version 1.5 VTi-Tech Excite
List price £18,335
Target price £16,628
Target PCP £190

June sales 3113

Read our in-depth MG ZS review

If you’re in the market for an electric executive car, look no further – the Tesla Model 3 is both the best electric car and best executive car you can buy. It’s spacious, comes packed with tech and is pleasant to drive, meaning it’s something of a jack-of-all-trades.

Long Range variants can officially travel 390 miles on a charge – that could get you from London to Berwick-upon-Tweed without needing to plug in. And, when the time comes to top up, you’ll be able to make use of Tesla’s prolific Supercharger network.

However, it’s worth noting that while the Model 3’s minimalist interior is a nice place to be, the lack of physical controls (most notably the indicator stalks) can make everyday actions pretty fiddly.

Our favourite version RWD
List price £39,990
Target price £39,990
Target PCP £509

June sales 3111

Read our in-depth Tesla Model 3 review