SUV Surge: Over half of all new car models available in 2025 are SUVs

• CarGurus finds that 52% of new models available in 2025 from the U.K.’s top 35 manufacturers¹ are SUVs
• This selection is boosted significantly by new electric vehicles (EVs), which comprise 33% of SUVs available today
• The number of SUV options has increased by 18% year-over-year and has surged by 543% compared to 2000
• Of the 35 manufacturers analysed, all offer at least one SUV variant, compared to just 16 in 2000
• To help shoppers find the best options for their needs, CarGurus has released a guide to the best SUVs available in 2025

The number of new SUV models available to U.K. drivers is at its highest in 25 years, with selection up by 543% since 2000.

Analysis from CarGurus — a leading automotive marketplace in the U.K. to shop, buy, and sell used vehicles — has found that there are now 193 new SUV models available to motorists from the U.K.’s top 35 manufacturers¹, compared to just 30 in 2000 (analysis includes SUVs and crossovers).

Further research from CarGurus revealed that all 35 of the U.K.’s most popular brands¹ now offer at least one SUV in their range, with 57% offering five or more SUV variants (20 out of 35). Considering the top three brands with the greatest number of SUVs, there are 46 different options (18 from Audi, 15 through BMW, and 13 from Mercedes). In 2000, less than half of the manufacturers examined in the study offered an SUV.

The ever-growing popularity of SUVs is reflected in customer demand. According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders², eight of the 10 best-selling cars year-to-date in 2025 are SUVs, with only the Vauxhall Corsa and Volkswagen Golf representing other car categories. Similarly, eight of the top 10 best-selling cars in 2024 were SUVs³, with the Ford Puma, Kia Sportage, Nissan Qashqai, Nissan Juke, and Tesla Model Y making the top five.

The continued rapid rise in this body style has led to an 18% increase in new SUV models in 2025 vs. 2024. Furthermore, of the 193 variations available, 33% are EVs (64).

The CarGurus team also found that traditionally popular body styles have experienced a sharp decline in availability across the top 35 manufacturers studied, with 52% of new cars available today being SUVs (52%). In particular, MPVs are down by over 70% since their peak to 22 models (compared to 75 in 2011-2015), and hatchback options have decreased by 46% over the same period, from 100 variations to just 54.

In light of the sustained popularity of SUVs, new entrants into the U.K. car market are also leading with models in this category. Emerging brands like BYD, GWM, Omoda/Jaecoo, and Leapmotor all included at least one SUV in their launch line-up.

Chris Knapman, CarGurus U.K. Editorial Director, said: “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.”

In addition to its used car inventory, CarGurus.co.uk also hosts a collection of buying guides across various body styles, to help users find the best vehicle for their needs. Relevant guides include the best SUVs in 2025, as well as the best small cars 2025, the best used estate cars, and the best people carrier van-based MPVs.