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Buyers would be forgiven for feeling bamboozled by the staggering array of options in the Large SUVs category.
In one of Australia’s most popular segments, prices range from below $40,000 to close to $400,000, there are ladder-frame, monocoque and electrified vehicle platforms, and cabin layouts ranging from 5-seater to 7-seaters with 5+2s and even six-seaters in between.
You’ll even find a couple of (high-riding) wagons in our industry's official classification.
So, if you don’t have your eye on a specific make or model, where do you start? Well, right here, as it happens – with the Wheels Best Large SUVs.
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Large SUV is the third and latest segment of our Wheels Best series, following Best Small SUVs and Best Utes.
Our Wheels Best series has a simple aim: to comprehensively cover any given vehicle segment with multiple comparisons that can help new-car buyers with varying needs and wants.
It (almost) goes without saying that family practicality is high on the priority list for large-SUV shoppers, and we have several comparisons catering to specific spending budgets – up to $50,000, $60,000, and $80,000.
For buyers focused purely on the budget, we also have Best Value comparisons that crunch the numbers on running costs.
Our Best Large SUVs coverage also extends to off-roading, hybrids, and luxury. Just looking for a consummate all-rounder? We complete our segment picks with an overall winner.
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With a plethora of SUVs in existence, you may wonder what exactly qualifies as a large SUV.
It’s certainly not based on pricing, but rather size, so we’ve opted for a starting length of 4.7 metres (with medium SUVs considered between 4.5 and 4.7 metres). We didn’t set a maximum length, but only the odd model in our coverage exceeds five metres.
This approach created one interesting scenario: it meant we ignored the official (and hitherto traditional) ‘medium SUV’ classification for the Honda CR-V. With the new, sixth generation growing by 65mm, it pushed it past our Large SUV dimensional criterion by just four millimetres.
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It also makes some sense within its own line-up, as Honda now has a completely new entry in the medium-SUV segment with the ZR-V.
We also included the Skoda Kodiaq, which falls a single millimetre short of the 4.7m mark but is widely considered a large SUV.
Other fascinating newbies we cover include the Mazda CX-90, the Japanese brand’s new premium large-SUV play. To test both its mainstream and luxury credentials, a base CX-90 was placed in the Best Under $80K sub-category and a flagship grade in the Best Luxury sub-category.
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There’s also a new-generation Jeep Grand Cherokee in the mix, along with an all-new Lexus RX.
Kia’s first-ever EV9 large electric SUV arrived too late for testing, and a generally limited pool prompted us to hold a Best Electric Large SUV category for 2024.
Some manufacturers have more than one representative: the Kluger and Prado from Toyota, and the Santa Fe and Palisade from Hyundai (as well as the GV80 from its luxury off-shoot Genesis). However, as they serve different purposes and price points, no two models from one maker feature in the same comparison.
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Our Wheels Best series covers all large SUVs you can buy right now, so how long a car has been on sale is irrelevant. If it’s good enough…
So, which are the best large SUVs you can buy?
Read on for the most comprehensive comparison guide you’ll find to the world of large sports utility vehicles.
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