Large SUVs can offer the comfort and prestige of a traditional luxury saloon, but with the potential to venture off-road. You also get a commanding driving position and enough space for passengers and luggage to rival a boutique hotel room.
Almost every upmarket car brand offers an SUV of some description in 2026. Love ’em or hate ’em, these high-riding heavyweights are here to stay. Even McLaren is rumoured to have one in development.
We’ve pulled together a list of the best new luxury SUVs on sale right now. From Aston Martin to Volvo, our choices are presented in alphabetical order – rather than order of preference.
Aston Martin DBX707 and DBX S
Developed from scratch, the DBX was a big gamble for a small company like Aston Martin. Thankfully, the St Athan-built DBX was the best thing to come out of Wales since the Manic Street Preachers.
Following a substantial update in 2024, the ‘standard’ DBX was dropped, leaving just the DBX707 with its thumping 707hp 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8. Aston Martin gave the DBX its own infotainment system, too – instantly solving the original model’s major shortcoming.
The DBX707 was joined last year by the DBX S, which brings less weight and even more power – plus exclusive options such as magnesium wheels. Aston Martin has also scored a major win by becoming the first car manufacturer to use Apple CarPlay Ultra infotainment software: now available in the DBX.
Of the DBX S, we said: ‘It deftly combines long-distance comfort with lucid feedback and taut body control. Whatever kind of road we threw at it, from motorways to mountain passes, the DBX S exuded confidence and capability. Despite its size and heft, it’s a car that relishes being driven with enthusiasm.’
Read our Aston Martin DBX707 review and DBX S review
Audi RS Q8
The RS Q8 is the combustion-powered SUV flagship in Audi’s range – and the hottest example of the Q8 SUV coupe. A close relative of the Lamborghini Urus, the RS Q8 serves up 600hp and handling that seems to defy the laws of physics.
In Performance specification, the RS Q8 is also one of the most powerful road-going Audis ever created. Its bombastic twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 delivers 640hp. Even the most extreme version of the R8 supercar made do with ‘just’ 620hp.
We said: ‘With launch control engaged, the all-wheel-drive RS Q8 Performance will slingshot itself from 0-62mph in just 3.6 seconds. And it will keep ramming through its eight automatic ratios until a 174mph maximum. Experiencing the RS Q8 Performance at full throttle is truly visceral, your brain struggling to equate such aggressive acceleration with a high-riding SUV body. Or indeed the NASCAR-like soundtrack coming from the upgraded sports exhaust.’
Read our Audi RS Q8 Performance review
Bentley Bentayga
A few eyebrows were raised when Bentley launched an SUV back in 2015, but the Bentayga was a critic-silencing class act. It remains so following updates in 2020 and at the end of 2023. The latest tweaks improved the climate control, introduced a new ‘A’ trim level and updated the driver assistance systems.
The Bentayga offers a choice of V8 petrol and V6 hybrid powertrains, along with the option of an Extended Wheelbase (EWB) version – pictured above – which provides even more luxury for rear-seat passengers. The Barbie-spec paint job? That’s optional.
We said: ‘Bentley’s powerful active anti-roll system is standard, and clever tweaks to the torque vectoring system make it feel snappier and more like a hot hatchback through bends. Cornering isn’t something that comes naturally to heavy and high-riding SUVs, but the Bentayga S shows what can be done with a bit of nous.’
Read our Bentley Bentayga S review and Bentayga EWB review
BMW X7
The X7 is a 7 Series saloon on stilts: a full-size SUV for buyers who demand more luxury than a BMW X5 can deliver. It’s the first time BMW has offered a genuine Range Rover rival, and it sure ain’t subtle. Prices start from £92,000, but you’ll pay almost £120,000 for the 530hp M60i xDrive version.
Still, it’s more affordable than the Bentayga, albeit without the extra layer of opulence. Seven seats come as standard, while the optional six-seat layout (£660) creates more room for passengers in the second row. The X7 is now something of a rarity on our list, still being offered with the option of a 352hp xDrive40d diesel engine.
We said: ‘The X7 is the antithesis of a compact crossover. It’s an unashamedly big, bold SUV that has much in common with the tech-laden BMW 7 Series.’
Lamborghini Urus SE
The idea of a Lamborghini SUV isn’t a new one. Car enthusiasts of a certain age will remember the ‘Rambo Lambo’ LM002 of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Despite this, the appearance of the Urus caused a major stir amongst Lamborghini fans. Yet the performance SUV has been a massive success for the Italian marque.
Lamborghini describes the Urus as a ‘Super Sport Utility Vehicle’, prioritising epic speed and acceleration. The latest Urus SE comes with a 611hp version of the 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 shared with the Audi RS Q8, but adds a hybrid electric motor for incredible outputs of 800hp and 701lb ft of torque.
Experiencing the Urus SE alongside the company’s supercars at the Lamborghini World Finals event, we discovered this high-riding performance SUV is more than capable of holding its own.
We said: ‘With the electric motor all but eliminating turbo lag, plus all-wheel drive and a quick-witted eight-speed auto transmission, the Urus gathers speed like a runaway train. The small matter of 800hp – more than twice the power of the Countach LP500 S on my childhood bedroom wall – obviously helps here, too. When driven with brio, giving chase to a hard-charging Revuelto, it feels absolutely ballistic.’
Read our Lamborghini Urus SE review
Land Rover Defender Octa
When it comes to upsetting brand purists, forget about a Lamborghini SUV. Instead, consider the challenge faced by Land Rover in creating a new version of the iconic Defender.
Yes, the modern Defender is an entirely different proposition to the original, adding the kind of luxury that Land Rover’s classic 4×4 might only have dreamed of. Despite this upmarket makeover, however, the reborn Defender still offers serious off-road capability, along with tremendous performance in 635hp V8 Octa guise.
With advanced ‘6D Dynamics’ air suspension, the unstoppable Octa lets you live out your dreams of competing in the Dakar rally. Albeit doing so in leather-lined luxury, with seats that offer six different massage programmes.
We said: ‘We have seen super SUVs before, of course, but nothing that rivals the Octa for sheer breadth of capability. You might argue that only a small percentage of owners will drive this car anywhere near its limits, particularly in the UK – and you’d be right. But the bombastic Defender Octa rides roughshod over dull logic. It’s impossible not to enjoy it.’
Read our Land Rover Defender review and Defender Octa review
Porsche Cayenne
The Porsche Cayenne is credited with saving the German manufacturer from bankruptcy, with three generations of the luxury SUV ensuring sports cars such as the 911 can continue to be made. Far more than just a necessary evil, however, the Cayenne is a hugely accomplished Porsche in its own right.
Hybridisation has become a key part of the modern Cayenne experience, delivering a combination of speed and efficiency well suited to everyday use. In E-Hybrid form, the Cayenne delivers 470hp and 479lb ft of torque, with an electric-only range in excess of 45 miles.
Add to this a high-quality interior packed with technology, plus generous space for passengers and their luggage, and the Porsche manages to tick every box on the luxury SUV list. Even its looks have improved with time.
It’s worth adding that Porsche recently launched the battery-powered Cayenne Electric, too. You can read our preview here and our full review is due soon.
We said: ‘Used as a family wagon, the Cayenne is as comfortable and practical as you’d hope. You can cruise around in near-silent electric mode, enjoying the relaxed ride, luxurious interior and effortless electric torque. Communicative steering, crisp throttle response and taut body control are there as subtle reminders that you’re driving a Porsche, but the E-Hybrid doesn’t shout about its sportiness.’
Read our Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid review
Range Rover
The Range Rover has been the luxury SUV of choice since 1970. Although the latest incarnation is a world away from the wipe-clean and hose-down spec of the original, the Range Rover retains its unrivalled off-road capability and peerless image.
The latest, fifth-generation Range Rover is available with seven seats for the first time, plus a choice of petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid powertrains (with a fully electric version coming soon). It still feels like the benchmark against which other luxury SUVs are judged.
We said: ‘How does it drive? Oh, like a Range Rover: impeccably. The serenity and sense of wellbeing is all-encompassing. It’s not uncannily silent, like an electric car, but the background hum of the super-smooth engine merely seems to enhance the experience. A bit like the vibration-free noise of a car in the movies, when they are driving on a green screen.’
Rolls-Royce Cullinan
The Rolls-Royce Cullinan stands head and shoulders above other SUVs when it comes to luxury. Or indeed price. Costing close to £400,000 in Black Badge specification, the updated Cullinan Series II is reassuringly more expensive than alternatives such as the Bentley Bentayga or Range Rover.
The Series II makeover brings a number of cosmetic changes for the high-riding Rolls, including a reshaped and illuminated ‘Pantheon’ front grille. Inside, Rolls-Royce has given the Cullinan a new full-width, glass-fronted dashboard, along with a pleasing array of traditional switches and dials.
Black Badge specification sees the Cullinan’s 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 massaged to deliver 600hp and 664lb ft of torque. Even with a kerb weight in excess of 2,700kg, it can accelerate from 0-62mph in 5.2 seconds.
We said: ‘If you want a super SUV to rival the Aston Martin DBX707 or Ferrari Purosangue, this isn’t it. Engaging Low mode gives the Cullinan a little extra attitude, but it’s still a calming experience rather than a shot of automotive adrenalin.’
Read our Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series II Black Badge review
Volkswagen Touareg
If the inclusion of a Volkswagen on this list seems a little odd, hear us out. The Touareg is based on the same platform as the Audi Q7, Bentley Bentayga, Lamborghini Urus and Porsche Cayenne, so it feels like a cut-price ticket into the world of posh SUVs. Prices range from £70,000 to £80,000.
For that, you get four-wheel-drive, an eight-speed transmission, an interior that feels a cut above its mainstream rivals and a choice of 3.0-litre V6 diesel or plug-in hybrid powertrains. Granted, it can’t match the other cars on this list in terms of opulence and a sense of occasion, but many will appreciate the understated styling. It’s also huge, with seating for five adults and a massive boot.
Your time to buy a Touareg is limited, though. The less luxurious Tayron will replace it as Volkswagen’s flagship SUV later this year.
We said: ‘The Touareg isn’t that most modern of oxymorons, a sporty SUV, and it’s all the better for that. Instead, it majors on calm, easygoing comfort. The light steering lacks feel and the ride on standard steel springs felt slightly firm over low-speed holes and humps (we’re told the optional air suspension improves matters). Still, the VW comports itself well for a 2,443kg SUV, dispatching long distances with minimal fuss.’
Read our Volkswagen Touareg review
Volvo XC90
The XC90 was first launched in 2015, so it’s a credit to Volvo that this current version – fresh from a facelift in 2025 – still ranks among the best luxury SUVs. The range is now limited to two engines: 250hp B5 petrol and 406hp T8 plug-in hybrid. We tested the latter, which is capable of 43 miles on electric power alone. It’s effortlessly relaxing to drive.
Inside, the Volvo combines tasteful Scandinavian style with enough space for seven people to sit comfortably. Its infotainment system has obviously been upgraded since 2015, and now features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity.
We said: ‘The XC90 remains capable of seamlessly slipping into everyday duties. The level of space on offer, along with its comfort and refinement, are effective ways to cocoon yourself from the madness of modern life.’
READ MORE:
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