Range Rover review – comfy and luxurious, but not perfect
Best luxury SUVs to buy in 2025
With high driving positions, all the tech and lavish interiors, these SUVs are as fashionable as they are functional
Proudly sitting atop the automotive opulence food chain are luxury SUVs. A far cry from the original four-wheel drive farmyard workhorses of the last century, these 4x4s are just as happy cruising through trendy neighbourhoods as they are ploughing through muddy fields. With their high driving positions, cosseting cabins and advanced technology, luxury SUVs provide everything you need to feel like royalty on the road.
We can thank the original Range Rover from 1970 for kickstarting the luxury SUV trend, as it was one of the first 4x4s to combine off-road ability with a plush interior. Ever since, manufacturers have continued to throw more leather and more technology into their off-roaders, resulting in today’s expansive – and expensive – crop of luxury SUVs.
Today, the SUV is the most fashionable bodystyle, whether your budget is £20,000 or £200,000. Where saloons were once the pinnacle of luxurious motoring, high-riding SUVs have since become the new standard, although the Mercedes S-Class and BMW 7 Series are still popular choices for those wealthy enough to employ a chauffeur.
That’s why there are now so many luxury SUVs on sale – depending on the exact definition, we could have filled this list twice. Alongside models from established manufacturers, many high-end brands have unexpectedly burst onto the SUV scene; a decade ago you’d have never imagined SUVs like the Lamborghini Urus, Rolls-Royce Cullinan and Aston Martin DBX. Even Ferrari offers an SUV now in the form of the Purosangue. With their price tags often straying towards half a million pounds, we’ve left out these models for our list, instead focusing mainly on models that cost under six figures.
These SUVs offer the very best in cutting-edge automotive technology. They’ve got the newest powertrains, the latest connectivity and state-of-the-art driving assistance. All offer their occupants unparalleled comfort and cocoon them from the outside world. Many of these SUVs have room for seven, too, so you can bring all your family or staff along with you.
The best luxury SUVs in 2025
Make sure to check out our guides to the best luxury cars and best luxury small cars on sale, but keep reading to take in our rundown of the best luxury SUVs to buy now.
- Priced from around £104,000
Some say that the original is always the best, and the Range Rover is perhaps one of the clearest examples of this. Over the last 50 years the iconic model from Land Rover has evolved from an utilitarian workhorse into a classy, yet capable luxury SUV – a segment that it practically invented. This means that Range Rover drivers can traverse the most rugged terrains, all while being cocooned in the car’s sumptuous and tech-filled interior.
According to Range Rover, the latest model adopts a ‘reductive modernist’ design, which is a fancy way of saying it's an evolution of the previous version, essentially removing or concealing any unnecessary clutter, such as the window seals. Buyers can choose from a ‘range’ (pun intended) of powertrains, including a plug-in hybrid model with up-to 70 miles of electric range; this almost makes the Range Rover seem economical, ignoring the £100,000 base price, that is.
With bags of space, a surprisingly impressive turn of speed, and, of course, a comfortable and tech-laden interior, the Range Rover remains the best luxury SUV on the market. Unfortunately, car thieves seem to agree, so be warned about sky-high insurance costs…
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Find the latest new and used Range Rover deals on our sister site Auto Express
- Priced from around £75,000
Public reception of BMW’s latest design direction hasn’t been overtly kind, and the brand’s first ground-up electric car, the iX, is certainly one of its most controversial. With an oversized kidney grille and unusual proportions, this is certainly not the prettiest car to come from the Munich-based brand. Thankfully, drivers will spend most of their time sitting inside the iX, where they can enjoy its stunning interior.
The inside of the BMW iX strikes a perfect balance between elegance and avant-garde design, with a huge ‘floating’ infotainment system setup, plus luxurious crystal buttons and controls. Despite being a new-fangled electric car, the iX drives just as well as any combustion-engined BMW; its low centre of gravity provided by the battery packs means that this SUV feels a lot more nimble than its two-and-a-half tonne weight may suggest.
An update in early 2025 brought some serious upgrades under the skin for the iX. Entry-level cars get a new 95kWh battery for 374 miles of range, while top-spec models can travel up to 426 miles on a charge – some of the most impressive figures in its class.
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Find the latest new and used BMW iX deals on our sister site Auto Express
- Priced from around £75,000
You’d be forgiven for thinking that the Range Rover Sport is simply a smaller, cut-price version of the regular Ranger Rover, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Sure, it might not be quite as imposing from the outside, but it’s practically as luxurious on the inside, with a stunning cabin and impeccable refinement. It’s still pretty expensive, although it does look like a bit of a bargain next to its bigger sibling.
It’s also the better of the two cars to drive, but don’t be fooled by its name. The Range Rover Sport might be the most athletic SUV in the brand’s lineup, but it’s no featherweight sports car. Luxury is still at the forefront of the experience, with a quiet cabin and comfortable ride, but there’s still a reassuring level of body control through the corners. The diesel engine options make the most sense for a car like this, thanks to their swathes of low-down grunt. There is always the SV version, though, which gets a 626bhp V8 and trick suspension to turn it into a serious supercar in SUV clothing.
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Find the latest new and used Range Rover Sport deals on our sister site Auto Express
- Priced from around £61,000
The Q6 e-tron is an all-new model for Audi, sitting between the Q5 and Q7 SUVs. The difference, however, is that the Q6 is electric only, coming with the brand’s latest EV tech and a range of up to 392 miles. Despite the cutting-edge underpinnings, the Q6 e-tron still packs all of Audi’s typical strengths – a classy cabin, a refined drive and top-notch build quality – making it one of the best electric luxury SUVs around.
If the BMW iX looks a bit too polarising for you, the Q6 e-tron could win you over with its more traditional SUV styling – it’s a fair chunk cheaper, too. We’d argue it’s not quite as good to drive, though, feeling a bit more remote from behind the wheel. But if luxury is your priority, then that shouldn't put you off – the Q6 e-tron has a stunning interior, featuring a bank of crisp screens and upmarket materials. It’s even pretty practical, with spacious rear seats and a generous boot.
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Find the latest new and used Audi Q6 e-tron deals on our sister site Auto Express
- Priced from around £108,000
Often overshadowed by the flashy yet impractical G-Wagon, the GLS is the Mercedes SUV for those who want more space but a similarly imposing exterior. Billed as the ‘S-Class of SUVs’, the GLS takes several features from its limousine sibling. Everywhere you look it is adorned in the highest-quality materials, while the centre of the dashboard is dominated by Merc’s slick dual-screen MBUX infotainment system. Of course, if this isn’t quite luxurious enough, Mercedes also offers a Maybach model with even more opulence.
If you can’t quite stretch to the £204,000 GLS Maybach 600, there is a choice of three engines: a 3.0-litre six-cylinder diesel in the GLS 450d, a 3.0-litre petrol in the GLS 450, or a muscular 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 in the Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 model. Most buyers will opt for one of the 3.0-litre models – both have plenty of grunt and mild hybrid assistance to improve refinement. Unfortunately, there’s no plug-in hybrid version available, which means you’ll be spending plenty of time (and money) at the pumps.
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Find the latest new and used Mercedes GLS deals on our sister site Auto Express
- Priced from around £96,000
Volvo has long been the upmarket car brand for those not wanting to shout about it, and the EX90 SUV still fits that bill. Sure, it’s a giant electric SUV, but its clean, Scandinavian looks offer a bit more restraint than something like a Range Rover. It doesn’t come cheap, though – the EX90 is nearly as expensive as a Range Rover, although more affordable models are expected to arrive in the future.
Volvo takes a minimalist approach when it comes to interior design, yet the EX90 still feels special enough to warrant the price tag. Material quality is superb, with wool and leather upholstery, while the seats themselves are very comfortable. The same is true for the rear seats, helped by the fact that the EX90 is a wide car. There’s even a third row of seats, although these are best suited for children.
On the move, refinement is just as impressive as you’d expect from a £100,000 electric SUV. There’s little in the way of road or wind noise, and the adaptive suspension soaks up bumps without trouble. The big, 22-inch alloy wheels do have a tendency to transmit some vibrations through to the cabin, but the overall experience is one of top-notch comfort.
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Find the latest new and used Volvo EX90 deals on our sister site Auto Express
- Priced from around £85,000
It’s fair to say that Lotus’s latest creation, the 2.5-tonne electric Eletre SUV, has little in common with its back catalogue of lightweight sports cars, besides the yellow badge on the nose. While the British brand is known best for cars such as the Elise and the new Emira, the Eletre propels it into the world of luxury SUVs for the first time. That may sound like heresy for some, but the Eletre is an undeniably impressive debut for the new, electric era of Lotus.
To win over luxury-car buyers, your SUV needs a suitably posh interior, and the Eletre undoubtedly delivers on that front. It’s a truly transformational car for Lotus, providing the build quality, premium materials and technology to match the best of this class. There’s seating for five – four with the pricier Executive configuration – and the boot is bigger than many rivals, too.
Cabin refinement is further improved by the smoothness and quietness of its electric underpinnings, plus it shifts like a stabbed rat should you decide to put your foot down. The suspension is remarkably smooth, yet the Eletre will attack a B-road with impressive agility and accurate steering. Maybe there is some old-school Lotus in there after all.
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Find the latest new and used Lotus deals on our sister site Auto Express
- Priced from around £92,000
The X7 may be the one of the largest models in the BMW range, but it still channels the brand’s values of making premium cars that are focused on the driver. Essentially an SUV version of the 7 Series luxury saloon, the X7 is loaded with the latest technology and high-quality trim. Three rows of seats are fitted as standard in the X7, and, like its rivals, the middle three-seat bench can be swapped for two individual seats that make it feel more like a private jet than a bulky SUV.
BMW facelifted the X7 in early 2022, reaffirming the SUV’s already-contentious design. This mid-life update included a revised split headlight design as well as an illuminated kidney grille. On the inside, the X7 now gets the electric iX’s curved, ‘floating’ infotainment system as well as a more minimalist dashboard design. Yet, rather strangely, there is still no plug-in hybrid version available, with the X7’s model range simply receiving minor efficiency enhancements in the form of mild-hybrid assistance.
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Find the latest new and used BMW X7 deals on our sister site Auto Express
- Priced from around £64,000
A long-standing favourite of family car buyers, the latest Volvo XC90 has solidified its position as a fully-fledged luxury SUV. It’s been around a while, but its unwavering popularity shows just how right Volvo got the balance between practicality, style and luxury. It can still handle all your family duties, thanks to its spacious interior and enormous boot, while a facelift in 2024 brought some welcome tech improvements and some classy styling updates.
One of the key reasons you’d buy a luxury SUV is refinement, and the XC90 nails this department. Unlike some rivals, it’s not pretending to be a sports car, with its supple suspension and quiet cabin giving a sense of isolation from the outside world. Like the EX90 above, material quality is a real highlight, even if the interior design is beginning to feel a bit dated. The updated infotainment screen does make a difference here, though.
You only have two engine choices for the XC90 these days. Gone are the old diesel units – instead, you have a mild hybrid petrol with 247bhp or a plug-in hybrid with a much more potent 449bhp. The latter never feels truly rapid, but its smooth nature fits the luxurious ethos of the XC90.
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Find the latest new and used Volvo XC90 deals on our sister site Auto Express
- Priced from around £70,000
The Polestar 3 is an equally-stylish Swedish SUV that offers similar luxury to its Volvo relatives. Under the skin, it uses the same electric platform as the EX90, but it sports a more expressive, futuristic style that will appeal to buyers looking to make a statement. On the inside, things are fairly minimalist, but quality can’t be faulted. Touches like the soft headliner, supple faux leather and sculptural Bowers and Wilkins speakers give the Polestar a real air of luxury.
There’s more to the Polestar 3 than just style, though. It’s one of the longest-range electric cars you can buy, thanks to its big 107kWh battery and aerodynamic bodywork. There’s up to 438 miles of range on offer in the single-motor model, but you can trade range for performance with one of the dual-motor models, instead. That said, none of the Polestar 3 variants feel particularly sporty from behind the wheel, despite what the brand will tell you. The suspension is soft and cossetting in its most comfortable setting, but there’s still more body control through the corners than in the Q6 e-tron.
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Find the latest new and used Polestar 3 deals on our sister site Auto Express
Best luxury SUVs price and score list
For prices and Carbuyer scores for each of the 10 best luxury SUVs, you can check out the table below.
| Best luxury SUV ranking | Make and model | Priced from | Carbuyer rating (out of 5) |
| 1 | Range Rover | £104,000 | 4.5 |
| 2 | BMW iX | £75,000 | 4.4 |
| 3 | Range Rover Sport | £75,000 | 4.4 |
| 4 | Audi Q6 e-tron | £61,000 | 4.3 |
| 5 | Mercedes GLS | £108,000 | 4.3 |
| 6 | Volvo EX90 | £96,000 | 4.2 |
| 7 | Lotus Eletre | £85,000 | 4.2 |
| 8 | BMW X7 | £92,000 | 4.2 |
| 9 | Volvo XC90 | £64,000 | 4.1 |
| 10 | Polestar 3 | £70,000 | 4 |
Read our guide to the best mid-size SUVs on sale today…
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