What is the best, large, family SUV in South Africa?

Asking this question is a bit like asking which Hollywood actor is the best or most attractive, as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right?

Well, we've driven plenty of large SUVs here at AutoTrader, and we are happy to list a few that we thought were (and still are) excellent. But it doesn't mean that the others not on this list are not, so please keep that in mind.

So without further ado, here is a list of large, locally available SUVs that we thought were rather good!

 

Toyota Land Cruiser 300 

Toyota hits all the right notes with the Land Cruiser 300, a large, opulent, pure-bred off-roader with fierce bundu-bashing credentials. Pricing starts from R1 458 900 for the 3.3D GX-R model. Lawrence attended the Land Cruiser 300 launch, and I know he reckons it's SA's best large family SUV. Read his first drive impression, namely the Land Cruiser 300 First Drive - Stately behemoth, here.

Also consider: Volkswagen Touareg (the new one's launching soon!), the Lexus LX, Land Rover Discovery, and Nissan Patrol.

 

Land Rover Defender 130

Since this article first appeared, I have had the pleasure of spending a week with this magnificent beast, and you can read our Defender 130 Review here.

The Land Rover Defender 130 is the biggest model in the lineup and seats eight adults in absolute comfort and cool British retro style, with a myriad of clever off-road tech on board. There was nothing I didn't like about the car, as Land Rover thought of absolutely everything. 

The now-discontinued First Edition model was priced at just over R2.5 million, but you didn't need to spend megabucks to get this model; should you have unlimited funds and you want a limited edition model, then the new Land Rover Defender 130 V8 Carpathian Edition is priced at R3 009 400. Fortunately, we are quite happy to recommend the entry-level Defender 130 D300 X-Dynamic HSE, which is a way more affordable R1 935 500. - Ané Albertse, AutoTrader

 

Audi Q7

Ingolstadt brings its cutting-edge seven-seater to the party in the shape of the sleek Q7 with its multi-screen, spaceship-like cockpit. Sean reviews the Audi Q7 45 TDI quattro S Line, here and I attended the launch in the Western Cape; read my driving impression of the Audi Q7 here.

Pricing starts at R 1 539 800 for the 45TDI quattro model.

Also consider: BWM X7, Mercedes-Benz GLS

 

Volvo XC90

Lovers of minimalist design, Swedish luxury, and ultra-effective semi-autonomous tech will swoon over the plush XC90, still one of my personal favourites in the segment. Chad reviews the XC90 T8 Twin Engine AWD R-Design, here.

The Volvo XC90 lineup kicks off at R1 352 900 for the XC90 B5 AWD Essential model.

 

Hyundai Palisade

Hyundai brings glamour and comfort with its new American-looking Palisade, available as a seven- or eight-seater, with specs galore, a frugal engine, and a reasonable amount of off-road ability and four-wheel-drive (sans low-transfer case). 

Since this article was first published, the Palisade has enjoyed a facelift.  You can read our road-trip review of the enhanced Palisade here.

The Palisade 2.2D 4WD Elite retails for R1 144 500, whether you pick the 7 or 8-seater.

Also consider: Kia Sorento

 

Buying used?

I attended the launch of the Palisade when it first launched in SA. You can read my first drive impression here: Hyundai Palisade, Large and in charge, and Sean Nurse reviewed the seven-seater model here: Hyundai Palisade 2.2D 4WD Elite 7-seater review.

Read 5 new SUVs you should take for a test drive to learn more about the Palisade's cousin from Kia, the Sorento.

 

Ford Everest

The (four-wheel-drive) Everest's party trick is its user-friendly 4WD Terrain Management system that basically does the thinking for you, turning a complete novice into a 4x4 warrior on snow, mud, grass, dirt, gravel, sand, and rock!  But there are many other reasons why families love the Everest—it's a real people-pleaser. (The image above is the flagship V6 Platinum model.)

Read the Ford Everest Wildtrak & XLT (2023) First Drive Review - Everest range expands offering more choice.

 

Buying used?

Lawrence reviews the 2021 Ford Everest 2.0 SiT 4WD XLT Sport, here.

Also consider: The Mitsubishi Pajero Sport and Toyota Fortuner are both big on comfort features and are well-known for their off-road prowess, and the Toyota Prado is hugely popular too, for a variety of reasons.

 

Verdict: Which large SUV is the best?

That absolute choice is not ours to make unless we're doing a full-on large SUV shootout, pitting the latest models against each other on location, and assessing them based on a diverse range of criteria. As a result, we listed the ones that we drove that stood out over the last couple of years.

And in the end, most of it comes down to budget and personal taste. Those who love BMW will undoubtedly say the X7 and Mercedes-Benz fans will list the GLS as their dream SUV, and people who love the great outdoors will certainly opt for a Land Cruiser or Land Rover over a BMW 7 Series any day of the week. And, while the Toyota Fortuner and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport are both excellent vehicles in their own right, those who love the Ford brand will probably say they prefer the Everest over its counterparts. 

As for me, personally, the Land Rover Defender 130 is my favourite!