The crossover market has grown beyond recognition over the past few years. SUVs now make up a third of all the new cars that hit the road in a year, and as manufacturers clamour for a slice of that huge pie, customers are rewarded with more options than ever before. Pretty much every car maker, it seems, has joined the crossover race, and the sheer number of models means there’s something for everyone.
Whether you’re looking for sportiness, luxury or even off-road capability, there’s something for you. With that in mind, and after a 2020 that’s left us all desperate to get out of the house and do some exploring, there has never been a better time to get out and lease a new crossover.
Mazda CX-30
Car lease price: from £193.58 per month*
Arguably the best driver’s car of any crossover currently available, the CX-30 might be more hatchback than SUV, but it’s still practical. The boot is roomy and the build quality is surprisingly solid, while the mild-hybrid engines offer good fuel economy. But the real appeal is in the way the little Mazda drives, with stellar handling, a supple ride and great manual gearboxes. If you want something more practical than a small hatchback, but you aren’t sure about a crossover’s raised height, try one of these.
Mazda CX-30 need to knows:
- Lease Car Category: Crossover/Small SUV
- Select’s Car Review Score: 3.6 out of 5**
- Boot size: 430 litres
- Engine Options: Petrol, Petrol Plug-In Hybrid
- NCAP Safety Rating: 5 stars
Renault Captur E-Tech
Car lease price: from £317.65 per month
Ever since it was first introduced, the RenaultCaptur has earned rave reviews from the motoring press. A mature driving experience, stylish image and good practicality made it an instant success, and the recipe has remained more or less unchanged ever since. Now, however, the latest-generation Captur comes with a new E-Tech plug-in hybrid variant, adding an eco-friendly string to the crossover’s bow. An all-electric range of up to 30 miles and 34g/km CO2 emissions will make this a hit with company car drivers.
Renault Captur E-Tech need to knows:
- Lease Car Category: Crossover/Small SUV
- Select’s Car Review Score: TBC
- Boot size: 379 litres
- Engine Options: Petrol Plug-In Hybrid
- NCAP Safety Rating: 5 stars***
Peugeot e-2008
Car lease price: from £271.65 per month
Once upon a time, the 2008 was a mundane little crossover that completely failed to stand out in any way whatsoever. Now, though, the 2008 is a glorious thing to behold, and the interior tech matches the futuristic design. It’s fitting, therefore, that you can get an electric e-2008 version that will do just over 200 miles on a full charge. If ever there was a reason to go electric, this might just be it.
Peugeot e-2008 need to knows:
- Lease Car Category: Crossover/Small SUV
- Select’s Car Review Score: 3.8 out of 5
- Boot size: 360 litres
- Engine Options: Electric
- NCAP Safety Rating: 4 stars
Lexus UX 300e
Car lease price: from £278.36 per month
By and large, electric luxury SUVs are enormous beasts of burden, but the new Lexus UX 300e has shown us cars can be small, luxurious and eco-friendly. With a range of around 200 miles and a 0-62mph time of around seven seconds, the electric UX is faster and cheaper to run than its hybrid-powered siblings. It’s a proper premium vehicle, too, and it comes jam packed with equipment, making the UX a genuine alternative to the established brands. And if you aren’t ready to go electric, you can always have the hybrid version.
Lexus UX need to knows:
- Lease Car Category: Crossover/Small SUV
- Select’s Car Review Score: 3.3 out of 5
- Boot size: 438 litres
- Engine Options: Self Charging Hybrid, Electric
- NCAP Safety Rating: 5 stars
Volkswagen T-Roc
Car lease price: from £248.39 per month
Volkswagen might have been a little late to the crossover SUV party, but they might have brought the best cake. The T-Roc is a versatile and stylish SUV with a great driving position. Our experts called it a "Golf on stilts" and that's certainly no bad thing to be a like-for-like emulation of one of the most reliable and practical vehicles you can lease today. Engine wise, there's a lot of choice here including the 1.0 TSI which tops the charts for affordability and efficiency on the road with an average of around 53 miles to the gallon out and about.
VW T-Roc need to knows:
- Lease Car Category: Crossover/Small SUV
- Select’s Car Review Score: 4.1 out of 5
- Boot size: 445 litres
- Engine Options: Diesel, Petrol
- NCAP Safety Rating: 5 stars
Mercedes-Benz GLA
Car lease price: from £338.27 per month
Completely refreshed just last year, the GLA has become a little less utilitarian and a lot more high-tech. You get new screens, new features and a cabin that now feels as premium as the Mercedes-Benz badge suggests it should. With the new, seven-seat GLB tasked with providing practicality, the GLA is free to be the stylish crossover we always wanted it to be. Consider the beautifully judged chassis, surprising practicality and versatile engine range, and you’ve got one of the very best luxury crossovers.
Mercedes GLA need to knows:
- Lease Car Category: Crossover/Small SUV
- Select’s Car Review Score: 3.6 out of 5
- Boot size: 435 litres
- Engine Options: Diesel, Petrol, Petrol Plug-In Hybrid
- NCAP Safety Rating: 5 stars
Nissan Juke
Car lease price: from £161.99 per month
When the Nissan Juke first launched, it looked like it had already been mauled in the lions’ den. The, erm, bold styling won as many customers as it alienated, though, and the car was a success despite its fairly average abilities. Now, though, it’s been updated to make it look less like a Martian caught up in an industrial accident. The mechanical bits have been revamped, too, so there’s a much more competent car underneath the grown-up bodywork.
Nissan Juke need to knows:
- Lease Car Category: Crossover/Small SUV
- Select’s Car Review Score: 3.7 out of 5
- Boot size: 422 litres
- Engine Options: Petrol
- NCAP Safety Rating: 5 stars
**Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the scores of the UK’s top five leading independent car website reviews
***Safety score given to the Renault Captur by EuroNCAP. Individual models E-Tech have not been tested.
