SUVs or Sports Utility Vehicles used to be few in number and only driven by those with a requirement to go off the beaten track.

Today, supermarket car parks are full of models classified as SUVs but not all are capable of off-roading. They may sit slightly higher from the ground than a conventional car but owners cannot tackle anything more challenging than a raised kerb.

The multinational automotive marketplace CarGurus has just released data from its Car Body Type Study.

It found the number of new SUVs now on the market has grown by 430 per cent since 2000.

The boost in popularity of the SUV has had a major impact on demand for other body styles such as saloons, coupes, estate cars and convertibles.

CarGurus discovered all of the 15 most popular brands on sale in the UK offer at least one SUV, with an average of five per manufacturer. Fewer than half of these brands offered an SUV between 2000 and 2004.

It was also identified new car buyers can chose from 159 SUVs, compared with just 30 in 2000.

CarGurus UK editorial director Chris Knapman said: “The growth of the SUV market over the past two decades has been exponential.

“Consumers are now spoilt for choice as they increasingly turn away from other car body types that once dominated the roads. In parallel, in the used market buyers are also able to choose from a wider selection of second-hand SUVs than ever before.

“There is almost certain to be a model to suit individual needs and budgets.”

Seven models in the 2023 UK top 10 sales charts were classified as SUVs, including the Ford Puma and Nissan Qashqai in first and second place respectively.