No longer the preserve of adventurers SUV’s (Sports Utility Vehicles) are a hugely popular option for UK drivers.
Enough space for the kids, dogs and enough gadgets to keep a modern driver happy, the SUV is a hugely popular class of car when it comes to the leasing needs of LittleGreenCar’s customers. For more on leasing take a look at our Personal Car Leasing and Business Car Leasing pages.
We’ve put together a preview of exactly what an SUV is and what to look out for when looking to lease one of these vehicles.
What is an SUV?
SUV stands for “Sports Utility Vehicle.”
Think the Landrover Discovery, the Range Rover Evoque, the Volkswagen Touraeg, the Jaguar F-Pace and the Volvo XC90.
Generally, an SUV will have:
- A high roof
- Four-wheel drive
- Is raised above the ground
- The option of having 7-seats
- Plenty of interior space
SUV’s have four-wheel drive, a high driving position and bags of space in the boot – originally so that off road use was no effort and scaling rocks or hard terrain didn’t break a sweat and space ensured that bales of hay were carried with ease.
With the increased popularity of SUVs as ‘town’ vehicles, drivers benefit from all of these options too and the SUV has become very popular with families.
Where do Crossover's fit in?
You might have also heard the term ‘Crossover’ – vehicles like the BMW X1 and Nissan Juke fit into this category and aren’t strictly SUVs the difference being that SUVs are generally built with mechanical parts that are specifically designed for rugged use which can make the cars heavy and is why SUVs are often not the most fuel-efficient vehicles. A Crossover is not build for ‘off road use’ and therefore generally lighter and more fuel efficient. (We’ll be exploring Crossovers next in our series of guides so watch this space!)
What to look for when leasing an SUV
If you’re after space, style and comfort then an SUV is a great choice but here’s a few things to consider before your sign that leasing deal.
- Consider your space requirements – as with all class of car SUV’s vary in their space. The Volkswagen Tiguan and the Range Rover Evoque are on the smaller side, perfect for a family but not the biggest on the market. On the other hand, the BMW X5, Volkswagen Touraeg and Landrover Discovery are BIG!
- Is fuel efficiency important to you? If so some of the larger SUVs on the market might not be for you. Manufacturers have cottoned on to the desire for these vehicles but not the love of running costs and some good economical options include the Peugeot 3008, the Honda CRV, the Ford Kuga and the Lexus NX.
- Do you want to drive off road? If your SUV has four-wheel drive, then it shouldn't get stuck in a muddy field that's fairly flat, and you've got a better chance of keeping it moving on snow and icy roads. However, if you need to drive up a slippery slope, or cross rough terrain that's covered in jagged rocks, ruts and steep angles, then you're more likely to require an SUV that's been designed with some off-roading in mind. For example, the large overhangs on the Audi Q7 help to boost interior and boot space, making it a better family car, but would reduce its effectiveness on a mountain expedition
- Do you want seven seats? Some SUVs, including the Kia Sorento, Volvo XC90 and Audi Q7 come with seven seats as standard but others, including the Nissan X-Trail, and Hyundai Santa Fe offer them either as optional extras or on certain models only. Of course, there’s also the option of a traditional people carrier- do your research into the best 7-seat option for you and your budget.
- Where do you do your driving? The sheer size of SUVs can make them tricky to manoeuvre on village roads and some people dread a multi-storey car park! As good looking as these cars might be, we’d recommend you consider how practical an SUV will be for day-to-day use.
Top 10 SUVs on the market
According Car Buyer the top SUVs on the market right now are:
- Skoda Kodiaq SUV
- Audi Q7
- Landrover Discovery Sport
- Volvo XC90
- Landrover Range Rover Sport
- BMW X3
How much will leasing an SUV cost?
We’ve used an example of a current leasing offer available from LittleGreenCarLeasing on the Range Rover Evoque 2.0 TD4 SE 5dr Auto
For a personal lease including maintenance contract (which ensures no nasty surprises with maintenance costs during your lease period) based on 8,000 miles a year and a 9 months up front and then a further 47 months the monthly cost is £446.17
Road fund licence (road tax) is included and you won’t need to worry about an MOT on your fully maintained new lease car.
Your up front costs will be £4,015.53 (this includes the industry standard £199.00 admin fee).
This car is pretty economical giving you 55.4mpg so your fuel costs won’t cost the earth – remember to shop around when refuelling, don’t just go to your local garage, does your nearest supermarket offer fuel? You might be surprised at the price difference!
You will have to insure yourself and of course prices vary based on age, location so we recommend you do your research before committing to any lease car.
Take a look at this deal here but remember our deals are constantly being updated so these prices are correct at the time of publishing but subject to change.