The best luxury SUVs – driven, rated and ranked

Best for: Driving dynamics

The Porsche Cayenne isn't only one of the best SUVs to drive, it's also one of the best luxury SUVs on sale today. 

Does it feel good to have V8 power back and represented more broadly throughout the Cayenne model range than it used to be? It sure does.

Matt Saunders, Road test editor

Still to this day Porsche's best-selling car, the Cayenne is a performance-based powerhouse with a seriously capable line-up of powertrains, ranging from turbo V6 and V8 engines to a plug-in hybrid system.

Beneath the metal, the Cayenne has all the gear to offer a sports car-esque driving experience and few can match its dynamic capabilities. 

The real magic is found inside, where the Cayenne combines quality materials and comfortable seats to give it a genuine luxury edge over its rivals.

Add outstanding ride refinement and it gives away almost nothing to the most comfortable in the class. 

Best for: Cabin isolation

When you think of what a luxury car is, your mind will probably immediately be drawn to the Range Rover – and nobody would blame you.

It feels easily good enough inside for the price Land Rover is asking and its on- and off-road capabilities are outstanding.

Matt Saunders, Road test editor

The Range Rover is still one of the best luxury SUVs money can buy and it's the most refined car on this list, offering unrivalled cabin isolation and ride composure. 

Whether you're a fan of petrol, diesel or electrification, the Range Rover has you covered. A popular choice with fleet buyers will no doubt be the PHEV, which boasts up to 76 miles of electric-only range. 

Our go-to choice of engine is the six-cylinder diesel, which delivers 345bhp and 516lb ft of torque. It's smooth and serenely quiet on the move, which is something luxury car buyers should absolutely love. 

Like many other options on this list, the Range Rover is available with up to seven seats. With five seats in place you get a huge, yawning boot measuring 725 litres.

Best for: Refinement

With a list price a smidge under £200,000 and an options list longer than a Leonard Cohen song, few cars in this list offer the same level of opulence and personalisation as the Bentayga. 

Unlike the Aston Martin DBX S or Lamborghini Urus SE, the Bentayga Speed isn't compromised as an everyday or long-distance luxury car.

Illya Verpraet, Road Tester

When it was first launched in 2015, the bulbous Bentley wasn’t seen as a looker, but it has aged well, with a more curvaceous appearance than the subsequent Lamborghini Urus and Ferrari Purosangue. 

Power can come from either a 449bhp 3.0-litre V6 plug-in hybrid system or a twin-turbo V8 petrol engine that makes 542bhp. The range-topping Bentayga Speed gets even more punch, with a searing 626bhp, 664lb ft V8. 

Perceived interior quality is exceptional, the Bentayga offering superb build quality and refinement.

Opt for the extended-wheelbase (EWB) model if you want the full limo-like experience. 

Best for: Electric performance

Questionable looks aside, the BMW iX is well deserving of its place on this list of the best luxury SUVs. 

You might not like everything that the BMW iX is, but what it does as a luxury EV demands recognition.

Richard Lane, Deputy road test editor

Following its 2025 update, the iX looks far smarter than before and it's also more powerful and efficient than ever. 

In its most efficient specification, drivers can expect 426 miles of range, which makes it one of the longest-legged electric SUVs on sale today. 

Power is equally impressive, with between 402bhp and 659bhp on offer, so shifting all that weight (all 2.5 tonnes of it) is light work. 

Overall, the iX will leave you satisfied if you're eyeing up a luxury SUV with a comfortable ride, opulent materials and an excellent real-world range. 

Best for: Ride and handling

Maranello’s first SUV proved that even the biggest, heaviest and most controversial Ferraris can be instilled with the brand’s classic DNA. 

It’s taut, controlled and agile for a car with an engine this size out the front, and with this kerb weight and this ground clearance. And boy, it’s fast. It has a very honest big-coupé vibe.

Richard Lane, Deputy road test editor

Indeed, the head-turning Purosangue was never on Ferrari’s radar, but models like the Lamborghini Urus and Aston Martin DBX forced its hand. 

With a 715bhp atmospheric V12 engine, clever active dampers and beautifully weighted steering, the Purosangue melds into a seamless whole on a twisty road; it feels like a proper Ferrari on the fly. 

Naturally, it’s extremely expensive to buy, with prices starting at around £310,000 (closer to £400,000 with options), and the fuel economy will make you want to shut your bank account. 

But this is a luxury Ferrari like nothing before it, that’s also brimming with driver appeal. 

Best for: Space

On sale in fourth-generation guise since 2017, the Discovery is a mainstay of the luxury SUV class. 

It won’t be for everyone, but for those who have a use for its Amazon-wide range of abilities, the Discovery is a brilliant and unrivalled product.

Sam Phillips, Staff Writer

It’s easily one of the most practical and upmarket SUVs on sale, with a vast boot and the option of seven seats.

You can have the Discovery only with a 3.0-litre diesel straight six, which isn’t the most parsimonious oil-burner, but does bring a vast well of torque to make towing effortless. 

Sure, it’s not particularly quick or dynamic in its handling, but this isn’t a car for B-road thrills. The Discovery delivers a relaxed, easy-going vibe while isolating its passengers in a materially rich and comfortable environment. 

It may be starting to show its age now, but the Discovery remains one of the most complete cars in the Land Rover line-up. 

Best for: Passenger space

The BMW X7 is the German brand's largest car and a seriously capacious luxury SUV.

The lower 7 Series limousine is probably still the better luxury car in outright terms, but it doesn’t offer the outstanding practicality of the X7.

Kris Culmer, Chief sub-editor

It will seat seven in comfort (although you can opt for six seats instead) and there's a huge level of adjustability and creature comforts, with between 300 and 2001 litres of boot space at its disposal.

Inside it's absolutely rammed full of technology, including BMW's eighth-generation iDrive infotainment system with two huge and domineering curved screens. There's even a rotary dial, although some of the controls are only accessible through the touchscreen. 

Add a 20-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system, USB ports for each row and headrest-mounted tablet holders and you have a luxury SUV to suit the entire family. 

Petrol and diesel powertrains are the order of the day for the X7, but they're all excellent. No matter which you choose, it will hit 0-62mph in less than 6.0sec.

Best for: Sporting feel

Twenty years on from the original version that played a big part in redefining this part of the luxury car market, the X5 recipe remains the same.

It provides a truly soothing and luxurious experience but one that can be very economical to run and even quite engaging. It really is an astoundingly rounded package.

Illya Verpraet, Road Tester

Essentially, BMW hit on a powerfully appealing concept: that of the sporting SUV with as much space, versatility and 4x4 capability as many needed but not enough to dull its dynamic edge.

The latest car is smaller and lower than many of its rivals, with a more saloon-like recumbent driving position. It still offers a sizable boot, plus the option of seven seats.

Overall, it gives little away in luxury ambience, with a rich and expensively finished cabin that’s been improved by the addition of BMW's now-traditional curved screen for the instrument cluster and infotainment.