Best Family SUV 2022: Comfort and convenience

We’ve selected the highest-grade versions of the eight models lining up for carsales’ Best Family SUV 2022 to allow each brand to showcase the best they have to offer in this super-competitive segment.

There have been significant price increases for numerous makes and models over the past year, including some of the SUVs on test here.

But in overall terms, our contenders still occupy a similar price band to last year’s Best Family SUV mega-test – from just over $60,000 to a tick over $75,000, before on-road costs are added.

This is still a substantial wedge of money for any family to stump up, nudging ever closer to the luxury brands that are also well represented in this segment.

So buyers will want to see their money well spent.

A seven-seat layout is a condition of entry for Best Family SUV, however it’s worth noting that some models offer different seating options, which in turn impacts on their specification level.

The Hyundai Palisade, for example, is available at no extra cost as an eight-seater, while the Mazda CX-8 and Mazda CX-9 are available in premium LE grade, but these only come as six-seaters.

Good rear seating versatility is offered with all eight SUVs on test, with each including fore/aft sliding second-row adjustment and easy access to the third row seat via a tilt/slide function accessed from the rear doors.

Small, thoughtful touches that make each of these large wagons easier to live with include keyless entry, push-button engine start/stop and dusk-sensing automatic headlights that also automatically dip their high beams for oncoming vehicles.

Side mirrors are all heated for those frosty mornings and all have power-folding capability.

Juggling shopping and kids is made a little easier with all having a powered tailgate with gesture control, while ambient interior lighting, which adds a premium feel and can assist visibility in the cabin, is fitted across the board.

You get the luxury of leather seat trim in every model on test here – Nappa leather is specified for all but the Skoda Kodiaq RS, Toyota Kluger Grande and Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace R-Line. While Toyota and Skoda don’t specify what leather they use, the Kodiaq is noted as having perforated leather seat facings. Meanwhile, the Tiguan Allspace features Vienna leather.

Each of the models represented offer front seat power adjustment with driver’s seat memory settings, and all also offer heated front seats.

From here on, these eight SUVs are more diverse in their comfort and convenience offerings.

Both the Skoda Kodiaq RS and Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace R-Line feature more heavily bolstered sports seats for the front occupants.

Rear privacy glass has become a relatively common feature on many vehicles, but the two Mazda models on test – the CX-8 Asaki and CX-9 Azami – miss out.

The Mazda CX-9 does not have roof rails either, something all other wagons here provide, while the two Mazdas, the Skoda and the Volkswagen specify a temporary-use spare wheel instead of a full-size alloy spare wheel found everywhere else.

All models except for the Volkswagen, Skoda and the Toyota feature a heated steering wheel. None of the SUVs here have the luxury of a power-adjustable steering column, but all do at least offer manual adjustment for both reach and rake.

Fully digital instrument displays are fast becoming expected items on high-grade model variants, but only half of our eight contenders come with this feature – the Hyundai Santa Fe Highlander, Kia Sorento GT-Line and the two Volkswagen Group models (Kodiaq RS and Tiguan Allspace R-Line).

That said, the VW and Skoda are the only two SUVs here that miss out on a standard head-up display, although it’s available as an option in the Allspace R-Line.

Ventilated front seats also feature in models except the Skoda and Volkswagen, while heated second-row outboard seats are a standard fixture in all but the Volkswagen and the Toyota. Only the Hyundai Palisade Highlander provides a ventilation feature in the second row, for the outer occupant positions.

All models bar the Kia Sorento GT-Line offer adjustment for climate-control settings in the second row, although all include second-row face-level air vents.

The third row can be a hot place to sit in the middle of summer without adequate ventilation, but third-row face-level vents are only found on four models – the two Hyundais, the Kia and the Toyota.

Meanwhile, only the Santa Fe and Sorento provide fan control in the third row.

Park assist is a great feature that appears in the Santa Fe, Sorento, Kodiaq and Tiguan Allspace. The Santa Fe and Sorento can also be slowly moved/parked using the remote key fob from outside the vehicle, although without steering movement. (Note that this feature cannot be used legally in Western Australia.)

There’s only one family SUV among our finalists that doesn’t come standard with a sunroof – the Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace, for which a panoramic roof is an option.

For the rest, most of them are fitted with large panoramic sunroofs, the exceptions being the two Mazdas which have a regular-size tilt/slide glass panel.

Toyota also specifies a regular tilt/slide sunroof in place of the standard fixed-glass panoramic roof when the rear entertainment system (with its ceiling-mounted Blue-ray/DVD player) option is ticked.

The Santa Fe and Sorento have the additional convenience of front passenger seat power switches positioned such that the adjustment can be made from the driver’s seat, while power-fold/slide second-row seats are fitted to the two Hyundai models as well as the Kia.

Unique features include the Tiguan Allspace’s second-row folding picnic tables while the Kodiaq comes with a folding umbrella (with dedicated storage), door edge protectors and two rear tablet holders.

Best Family SUV 2022 contenders:
Hyundai Palisade Highlander 2.2D
Hyundai Santa Fe Highlander 2.2D
Kia Sorento GT-Line HEV AWD
Mazda CX-8 Asaki 2.2D
Mazda CX-9 Azami 2.5T AWD
Skoda Kodiaq RS
Toyota Kluger Grande Hybrid
Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace 162TSI R-Line