The 10 best petrol cars 2026 - plus the one to avoid

Priced from £30,935 | Recommended trim 1.6 Turbocharged Petrol Pure

This humble family SUV has all the hallmarks of a deserving five-star car: it’s smooth and quiet on motorways, features a smart yet functional interior, and has a welcoming amount of space for people and baggage alike. What’s more, our recommended entry-level Pure model undercuts rivals like the Honda CR-V and the Renault Austral, yet its 147bhp turbocharged engine (with a six-speed manual gearbox) still delivers a respectable 9.0sec 0-62mph time. Simply put, the Sportage is the most bang-for-buck petrol car on sale right now. 

“If you engage Sport mode in the hybrid Sportage, the paddles on the steering wheel change gears rather than adjust the regenerative braking, which is clever.” – Doug Revolta, Head of Video

Read our full Kia Sportage review

Priced from £93,160 | Recommended trim xDrive40i M-Sport

Where the Kia Sportage wins maximum points for versatility, the X7 does so for pure quality. Its interior is not only spacious and tech-filled, but it's decked-out with ultra premium materials like Merino leather, wood trim and crystal glass accents. You also get a 14.9in infotainment screen and 12.3in digital driver’s display; the only negative for the former is a lack of physical buttons. We’d stick with the entry-level six-cylinder petrol engine, which still has enough oomph to get to 62mph in around 6.0secs, but pair it with the one-up from standard M-Sport trim. This gets all the niceties of the standard car, including air suspension, a panoramic glass roof and heated front seats, but adds a little more panache to the exterior for a small premium. 

“For a huge seven-seat SUV weighing around 2.5 tonnes, I was astonished at how tidily the BMW X7 handles with Executive Drive Suspension fitted.” – Oliver Young, Reviewer

Read our full BMW X7 review

Priced from £35,860 | Recommended trim B3 Plus

Volvo’s decision to phase-out estate cars was controversial, but what the Swedish marque ended up with was a fleet of excellent SUVs – take the 2018 What Car? Car of the Year winner, the Volvo XC40, for instance. The interior quality is close-to-class-leading, the practical boot belies its relatively dinky dimensions, and for a premium-badged vehicle in a packed segment, the XC40 is genuinely affordable. Add to these facets a strong resale value, plus Volvo’s almost customary five-star Euro NCAP rating, and you can see why this practical, posh SUV takes the final podium spot in our list. 

“The XC40’s boot is well thought out, and I like the recessed areas which can hold smaller items such as cleaning cloths or a first aid kit.” – Doug Revolta, Head of Video

Read our full Volvo XC40 review

Priced from £31,620 | Recommended trim 1.5 TSI 150 Life DSG

The Volkswagen T-Roc continues to make a strong case for itself, once again being named our favourite small SUV at the 2026 What Car? Awards. As well as impressing in all the key areas that the best small SUV should – namely, being good to drive, spacious for your family and their luggage and comfortable for long and short journeys alike – the T-Roc comes with a cracker of a petrol engine. The 148bhp 1.5-litre petrol that we recommend offers effortless performance no matter the situation, yet won't also send your running costs into the stratosphere. 

“I like that you get a ski hatch and the ability to fold the front passenger seat down. It means you can fit really long loads in the T-Roc." – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

Read our full Volkswagen T-Roc review

Priced from £38,120 | Recommended trim 1.5 TSI e-TEC 150 SE L

One estate car which simply refuses to retire is the Skoda Superb; where it has seen plenty of rivals come and go, this comfortable, practical and keenly-priced alternative to the Superb saloon has only solidified its position as the best estate on the market. You’re compromising on interior quality (in places), and it’s not quite as fun to drive as the BMW 3

Series Touring or the VW ID 7 Tourer, but just about everywhere else, the Superb Estate is a class leader. The SE L – which is also our preferred spec – gets 17in alloy wheels, heated front seats, privacy glass and a host of parking aids provided as standard. Plus, there's a 690-litre boot to haul around all of your kit.

"The Superb's physical rotary controls are a reminder that sometimes the old ways are best. I find them so much easier to operate on the move than it would be to mess around with the touchscreen." – Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

Read our full Skoda Superb Estate review

Priced from £46,160 | Recommended trim 420i M Sport

Where the very best coupes used to be primarily about sharp looks and engaging dynamics, these days, they also need to soothe in stop-start traffic and long commutes. With that in mind, the finest petrol-powered coupe you can buy is the BMW 4 Series Coupe. Of course, you can have the raucous range-topping BMW M4 if you so wish, but opt for the more sedate 420i entry level and you’ll retain a fraction of the magic, but with friendlier running costs, a more comfortable day-to-day experience and an interior cocooned in lavish materials.

Most options can be left out, but we’d suggest adding the £450 adaptive suspension and, potentially, the £1295 Comfort Pack, which adds lumbar support for the front seats, an electric bootlid and a charging pad for your phone. 

"The optional 16-speaker Harman Kardon sound system sounds great, and I’d definitely recommend it if you're a music fan." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

Read our full BMW 4 Series review

Priced from £20,995 | Recommended trim 1.0 TSI 95 SE

The Seat Ibiza shares its underpinnings with the Skoda Fabia and the VW Polo, which is a good start. But where the Ibiza stands apart is that it’s even better to drive, with sharp, confidence-inspiring handling that doesn’t compromise ride quality.

The entry-level 1.0-litre TSI 95 engine isn’t the punchiest in its class (0-62mph in 9.8sec), but it’s quick enough, and can be paired with a five or six-speed manual gearbox. It misses out on a five-star rating because the Ibiza does generate a lot of road noise, some rivals are more spacious, and Seat’s reliability record is iffy. But with prices starting from less than £21k, it’s cheaper than the Polo, Honda Jazz or Toyota Yaris. 

“I’ve yet to drive another small car that flows down a country road as well as the Ibiza does.” – Oliver Young, Reviewer

Read our full Seat Ibiza review

Priced from £103,700 | Recommended trim Carrera T

Some complain that its engine is in the wrong place (at the rear), while others chastise it for nabbing the headlights from a VW Beetle. But the irrefutable fact is this: the Porsche 911 is an icon of the performance car world more than 60 years on from its inception, and the current generation is as good as there’s ever been.

You’ll choose from a quartet of turbocharged flat-six petrol engines, and among them – for the first time ever - is a mild-hybrid option (dubbed the GTS). On top of that, you can cherry-pick from various gearboxes, suspension setups, interior comforts and just about anything else you can think of. In truth, though, even the most basic 911 will prove very special.

"Many Porsche 911 fans were worried about the GTS getting a hybrid system, but it has turned out to be a great thing. It feels more like a non-turbocharged 911, reacting instantly when you plant the throttle." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

Read our full Porsche 911 review

Priced from £66,270 | Recommended trim B5 Plus

The XC90 is Volvo’s flagship car: the biggest, fanciest and loaded with the most technology. It’s also the most practical, and comes with seven seats as standard. The current model has actually been around since 2019, but in 2025, Volvo gave it a facelift, which included a new Android-based infotainment system. Plug-in hybrid versions of the XC90 are coming, but for the time being, the base version (badged B5) gets a 247bhp petrol engine.

Elsewhere, the XC90’s strong points include quiet cruising manners, good all-round visibility, a huge boot and lots of standard safety equipment. It’s not cheap at £66k, but the XC90’s popularity speaks for itself. 

"The XC90 has an airy, open feel inside and its driving position is pretty lofty. I enjoyed having such a commanding view of the road and being able to see out easily while parking." – Oliver Young, Reviewer

Read our full Volvo XC90 review

Priced from £56,585 | Recommended trim 200 AMG Line Premium

Beyond simply being a stylish four-seat cruiser, the CLE Cabriolet is enjoyable to drive and packs a sumptuous interior. The build quality is superb too, and small quality of life measures, like the cleverly crafted wind deflectors, cut out any compromises you may get with older convertibles.

We’d go for the entry-level 200 AMG Line Premium to keep costs down, but you’ll still get plenty for your hard earned cash: 18in alloy wheels, synthetic leather upholstery, ambient lighting and two-zone climate control, to name a few. 

“The CLE Cabriolet comes with a conventional wind deflector that can be installed over its rear seats but I found it wasn’t needed because the Aircap and the deflector behind the rear seats are so effective.” – Steve Huntingford, Editor

Read our full Mercedes CLE Cabriolet review

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Priced from £32,929 | Recommended trim e-Hybrid

The Renegade isn’t all bad; it’s got a reasonably comfortable ride, good head room and is quite well-equipped across the board. However, there are far too many general flaws for us to recommend one. Refinement is poor, the digital driver’s display graphics look outdated and there are far too many cheap-feeling materials for something that costs almost £33k. You'll find much better value in a VW T-Roc or a Kia Sportage.