Almost all newer SUVs can be had with loads of different advanced driver assistance systems such as park assist, lane change assist, lane keep assist, automated cruise control, and so on. These features have become synonymous with modern SUVs, but they are not available as standard for the most part.
If you want a smaller SUV which does offer park assist and is affordable, the VW T-Cross, Jeep Compass, Ford Puma, and the Renault Captur are the ones to get. If you want a luxury SUV with loads of assistance systems the Audi Q5/Q3, Mercedes GLA/GLC, and the BMW X1/X3 are the best ones to consider.
As far as mid-size SUVs are concerned, there are loads of great options to choose from, and all of them also offer park assistance. At the more affordable spectrum stands the Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorento, and the Toyota Highlander.
If you want a more luxurious option, the Audi Q7, BMW X5, Range Rover, Mercedes GLE, and the Volvo XC90 are by far the most popular ones. Full-size flagship SUV options consist out of the Mercedes GLS, BMW X7, or the more affordable Kia Telluride, GMC Yukon/Chevy Tahoe/Chevy Suburban.
Best small SUVs with park assist
Small SUVs and crossovers are probably the two most popular car segments right now and it’s easy to see why because they offer the perfect middle ground between sedans and full-on SUVs. Thanks to such a bump in popularity, these segments are absolutely swarming with amazing options.
And one of the most popular ones that also offers park assist is the VW T-Cross. This small SUV/Crossover packs quite a punch as it is available with almost all the options you can get on the most expensive VW models which also include lots of driver assistance programs such as park assist and parking cameras.
If you want a more American version of the T-Cross, the Ford Puma is the one to consider. This crossover looks and feels like a raised-up Fiesta and that was Ford’s original intention. The Puma offers loads of safety and assistance programs which also include parking assistance.
But if you want a luxury compact SUV, choosing between Mercedes, BMW and Audi is the way to go. All three of these brands offer extremely competitive small SUVs, but the BMW X1 seems to be the best value for money.
Best mid-size SUVs with park assist
Mid-size SUVs are the middle ground between overly inflated and hard to maneuver full-size SUV behemoths and crossovers which are not all that SUV-ish. Whether it be that you want a mid-size SUV from the beginning, or you just want to upgrade, rest assured that finding the perfect mid-size SUV is rather tricky.
It’s tricky thanks to an abundance of options, but if you want a more affordable, but equally approachable mid-size SUV with all of the right technology and safety equipment, go for the Hyundai Santa Fe, Toyota Highlander, or the Kia Sorento. All three of these have earned quite a following from a large mid-size SUV customer base.
The Audi Q7 is also an incredibly popular mid-size SUV, the same story goes for the Mercedes GLE and the BMW X5. No other SUV can match these three besides the Volvo XC90. You can get all four of these with loads of advanced driver assistance programs which can in some cases park the car by itself completely.
If you want the very top end without reaching into eye-watering price categories, the Range Rover is and will always be one of the most iconic SUVs ever to be built. As far as iconic status is considered though, even the Range Rover can’t match the Mercedes Benz G-Class.
Best full-size SUVs with park assist
Full-size SUVs are built for large families or for people who just enjoy driving the largest vehicles on the road. These full-size behemoths usually offer the very top end of the equipment list while still retaining the off-road capability. If you pair that with increased levels of road presence, nothing can match a full-size SUV.
And the undisputed kings of the US continent are the Chevy Tahoe, GMC Yukon or Chevy Suburban as all three of these try to encompass a certain niche for optimal market coverage. And all the assistance systems are fitted to every single one of these which is to be expected considering the size.
But the US market is also taken over by the relatively new Kia Telluride. This SUV promises to offer luxury levels without luxury-level prices, and it seems like Kia has indeed delivered. And frankly, there is no better value-oriented full-size SUV option right now than the Kia Telluride.
The BMW X7 and the Mercedes GLS are both the very top-end SUVs from both manufacturers, and the BMW X7 is a way better option. The Mercedes GLS is the same as the Mercedes GLE, especially from the interior, and that’s not something you’d expect from an S-Class on stilts.
FAQ Section
How necessary is park-assist?
The answer to this question relies on the car and the person in question. If you are driving a full-size flagship SUV, these systems make a lot more sense as a full-size SUV is sometimes extremely hard to navigate and park properly.
If you lack sufficient confidence while parking, these systems can also help you a lot, especially with parallel parking. These systems are now so advanced that they can virtually park the cars completely autonomously.
How reliable is park-assist?
You can never fully rely on systems such as these because you are the one at fault no matter what happens. Always pay attention to what the systems are doing and always try to predict what will happen next.
But these systems have proven to be sufficiently reliable as they do decrease the amounts of wheel curbing and the time it takes to park a car. As these technologies progress, we are likely going to see systems becoming more and more reliable.
Can a car park itself completely?
There are different stages of park assist. The most basic one will steer the car for you, and you have to control the gas and the brake pedal. More advanced systems can even control acceleration and deceleration for you.
The very top-end systems can park themselves completely, and you don’t have to do a thing. Some manufacturers like Mercedes and Tesla have developed systems that can find, park and exit a designated park space without the need for a driver.
