Large SUVs undertake a variety of duties in Australia, from family transport to long-distance touring, towing and off-road adventure. Here are the best large SUVs to test drive in 2025 across all budgets and hybrid, EV, petrol and diesel powertrains.
Motoring
The best affordable SUVs in Australia for 2025
Australians buy more SUVs than any other vehicle, so which are the cheapest and most affordable new small, medium, large 7-seater, off-road, hybrid and electric SUVs?
Australian car buyers today favour SUVs above every other type of vehicle in what represents a monumental shift in sentiment that has carmakers clamouring to offer new and more affordable models to meet demand.
More than 700,000 new SUVs were sold Down Under in 2024 and growth is continuing in 2025, covering various sizes and levels of capability that now collectively accounts for 60 per cent of all new vehicle sales – despite a softening market overall.
This is fuelling better budget-oriented SUVs across all major segments: compact, small, medium, large (including seven-seaters) and 4x4 off-roaders, with cheaper new hybrid and battery-electric SUVs increasingly prominent.
Strong competition means new arrivals and price changes are usually never far away (check the manufacturers’ websites for deals), so let’s take a look at the best affordable SUVs in Australia – including hybrids and EVs – based on driveaway pricing in Victoria (current at the time of writing).
Best affordable SUVs in Australia
Recently upgraded for the MY26 model year, the Chery Tiggo 4 Urban shown here is currently the cheapest new SUV in Australia.
Best affordable compact SUVs
Compact SUVs (also known as light SUVs or crossovers) are typically little more than high-riding hatchbacks and are usually only available with front- or rear-wheel drive, leaving 4WD to the bigger brigade. But these ultra-small SUVs are hugely popular and often just as affordable as traditional hatchbacks and small sedans.
1. Chery Tiggo 4 – from $23,990 driveaway
2. Suzuki Ignis – from $24,490 driveaway
3. Hyundai Venue – from $25,990 driveaway
The Hyundai Venue comes highly rated and was named RACV’s best value small and compact SUV for 2024. It also recently received a model year update, as did the Chery Tiggo 4.
More: Australia’s best small and compact SUVs for 2024
Cheapest hybrid and EV compact SUVs
1. Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid – from $36,107 driveaway
2. Hyundai Inster EV – from $44,238.80 driveaway
There are only a few hybrid and EV choices in the compact SUV segment, but the Toyota Yaris Cross and all-new Hyundai Inster are standouts at the budget end. They’re not the cheapest outright, however, with some slightly bigger small SUVs even more affordable (see next section). A hybrid version of the price-leading Chery Tiggo 4 is also due later this year.
More: The cheapest hybrid and PHEV cars in Australia for 2025
The GWM Haval Jolion is currently the most affordable new small SUV and the cheapest new hybrid-powered SUV on the market.
Best affordable small SUVs
Small SUVs are the fastest-growing category in the new vehicle market and second only in outright volume to the top-selling medium SUVs. They are arguably more of a dedicated SUV than light or compact SUVs and, with such intense competition, the affordable options are vast.
1. GWM Haval Jolion – from $24,990 driveaway
2. MG ZS – from $26,990 driveaway
3. Chery Omoda 5 – from $27,990 driveaway
Besides the Chinese brands, the long-serving Mitsubishi ASX (from $28,490 driveaway) remains a popular model and the Kia Seltos (from $32,340 driveaway) is among the outright best in class.
More: Australia’s best, affordable, new first cars for drivers in 2025
Cheapest hybrid and EV small SUVs
1. GWM Haval Jolion Hybrid – from $31,990 driveaway
2. MG ZS Hybrid – from $32,990 driveaway
3. MG S5 EV – from $40,490 driveaway
The Chery Omoda E5 (from $40,527 driveaway) is close to matching the all-new MG S5 (which replaces the previous MG ZS EV) as Australia’s cheapest battery-electric SUV. The Jeep Avenger was also being offered at $40,000 driveaway for a limited time. Around that mark are some best small hybrid SUVs too, including the Honda HR-V Hybrid (from $39,900 driveaway), Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid (from $40,990 driveaway) and class-best Hyundai Kona Hybrid (from $41,017.80 driveaway).
A newcomer to Australia, the battery-electric Geely EX5 is priced from less than $45,000, making it one of the most affordable EVs in the top-selling medium SUV class.
Best affordable medium SUVs
Medium SUVs are the biggest-selling class of vehicle across the entire market, so competition is fierce and some of the cheapest and best-value SUVs are found here.
1. Chery Tiggo 7 – from $29,990 driveaway
2. GWM Haval H6 – from $30,990 driveaway
3. KGM SsangYong Korando – from $31,000 driveaway
There are other highly specified budget-priced medium SUVs around this mark, including the latest MG HS (from $35,888 driveaway) and all-new Jaecoo J7 (from $34,990 driveaway), while the class-leading Kia Sportage starts from $37,406.98 driveaway. The Honda ZR-V (from $37,900 driveaway) is also on our best affordable medium SUV shortlist.
More: Australia’s best medium SUVs of 2024
Cheapest hybrid and EV medium SUVs
1. GWM Haval H6 Hybrid – from $36,990 driveaway
2. BYD Atto 3 EV – from $42,558.45 driveaway
3. Geely EX5 EV – from $44,348 driveaway
A new-generation MG HS Hybrid is due later in 2025, while a range of other affordable hybrids and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are also positioned well below $50K including the BYD Sealion 6 PHEV (from $45,684.45 driveaway), Leapmotor C10 Hybrid (from $45,900 driveaway), Hyundai Tucson Hybrid (from $46,990 driveaway) and Australia’s top-selling SUV across all segments, the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid (from $47,013 driveaway).
The excellent new Hyundai Santa Fe seven-seat large SUV has a bold new design and strikes a bargain in hybrid form, priced from just over $62,000 driveaway.
Best affordable large 7-seat family SUVs
Large SUVs are now a family favourite in Australia, offering a roomy interior that’s often spread across three rows and is comfortable for long-distance touring and towing. Here, 4x4 off-road capability is not necessarily a core remit (see next section) and drivetrains might be either two-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. We’ve nominated seven-seater models at the budget end and, in a segment where diesel dominates, three affordable hybrid options.
1. Chery Tiggo 8 – from $38,990 driveaway
2. Mahindra XUV700 – from $39,990 driveaway
3. Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace – from $39,990 driveaway
Seven-seat versions of the Nissan X-Trail and Mitsubishi Outlander medium SUVs are also affordable options, while the LDV D90 (from $43,147 driveaway) and Isuzu MU-X (from $46,990 driveaway) are among the cheapest of the more rugged ute-based large SUVs available.
More: Australia’s best large SUVs and 7-seaters of 2025
Cheapest hybrid and EV large 7-seat family SUVs
1. Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid – from $62,374.60 driveaway
2. GWM Tank 500 Hybrid – from $64,490 driveaway
3. Toyota Kluger Hybrid – from $68,012 driveaway
Current EV and PHEV options among large seven-seat SUVs will not be affordable for many buyers. These include the Mazda CX-80 PHEV (from $81,235 driveaway) and the Kia EV9 EV (from $106,378.45).
Best affordable 4WD off-road SUVs
If you’re heading off-road, there is a broad mix of affordable harder-core 4WD SUVs across various categories.
1. Suzuki Jimny compact 4-seater – from $34,990 driveaway
2. Mahindra Scorpio large 6-seater – from $41,990 driveaway
3. GWM Tank 300 large 5-seater – from $47,990 driveaway
The LDV D90 large 7-seater SUV is also available in 4WD guise from $51,042 driveaway.
More: The best cars for towing a caravan
Cheapest hybrid and EV 4WD off-road SUVs
1. GWM Tank 300 Hybrid 5-seater – from $55,990 driveaway
2. GWM Tank 500 Hybrid 7-seater – from $64,490 driveaway
Battery-electric SUVs built for hard-core off-road conditions are still in the pipeline for release in Australia. Jeep and Land Rover off-road brands also have hybrid (including PHEV) options on the market, but these do not come cheap.
More: Australia’s best underrated and affordable used cars, SUVs and utes to buy
The information provided is general advice only. Before making any decisions please consider your own circumstances and the Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determinations. For copies, visit racv.com.au. As distributor, RACV Insurance Services Pty Ltd AFS Licence No. 230039 receives commission for each policy sold or renewed. Product(s) issued by Insurance Manufacturers of Australia Pty Ltd ABN 93 004 208 084 AFS Licence No. 227678.
