There was once a time when opting for an SUV meant resigning to the fact you wouldn’t be going too much faster than 65 miles per hour. To do so would invite, shall we say, unpredictable driving characteristics. To say that is no longer the case is quite an understatement.
The latest crop of SUVs and crossovers are faster and have more performance cred than ever. For one, many are based on sedan or wagon platforms, yielding the ability to push the limits of acceleration and cornering.
Paired with smaller, more potent turbocharged four-cylinder and six-cylinder engines, there is a growing number of SUVs that deliver all the everyday versatility you’d expect, but with performance that will come at a surprise. Now, you won’t want to go off-roading
The Audi Q5 has two rows of spacious seating, agile handling, and strong safety scores. The SQ5 ramps up the performance end of things with a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 that makes 354 horsepower.
Power is put to Quattro all-wheel drive, allowing it to get from zero to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds, on its way to an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph. Quattro all-wheel drive and large brakes allow the SQ5 to corner extremely well.
With the BMW X5, you could get a six-cylinder gas engine, six-cylinder diesel engine, or a V8. But the X5 M utilizes a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 that makes 567 horsepower, sent to all-wheel drive.
The X5 M will go zero to 60 mph in 4.0 seconds and hit a top speed limited to 160 mph. It also has features like Dynamic Damper Control and a sport-tuned traction control system, all to get the 5,260-pound SUV to corner like a svelte sportscar.
The F-Pace, in its rookie model year, is Jaguar’s first-ever SUV and is already considered a resounding masterstroke. Among its nimble lineup, the F-Pace S features a supercharged 3.0-liter V6 that delivers 380 horsepower.
While that might not seem like a lot of power, its curb weight of around 4,000 pounds is trim for this crowd. That helps the F-Pace shoot from zero to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds and hit a top speed that is electronically limited to 155 mph.
Conventions in automotive traditions are being smashed left and right, and one indicator is that Alfa Romeo, the company responsible for the 4C mid-engine sportscar and Giulia performance sedan, has built a small, road-going SUV.
Behind the Alfa Romeo Stelvio’s iconic grille is a Ferrari-developed 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine. It makes an incredible 505 horsepower, sent to all four wheels. That four-wheel grip allows it to get from zero to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds. It can hit a top speed of 177 mph.
Jeep might be known for hill-conquering SUVs like the Wrangler and Grand Cherokee, but the latter has a wild side, in the form of the SRT variant. This model comes with a 6.4-liter supercharged Hemi V8, making 475 horsepower.
With exceptionally wide tires pushed to all four corners, and power sent to all four wheels, the Grand Cherokee SRT can claw up to 60 mph from a standstill in just 4.4 seconds. It will even hit a top speed electronically limited to 160 mph.
Like the Grand Cherokee, the Land Rover was once known only for its off-road prowess. But it's evolved into a luxury brand, and is now evolving into a performance/luxury brand. This has been a casual evolution, until the quantum leap that is the Land Rover Range Rover Sport SVR.
A 5.0-liter supercharged V8 delivers 550 horsepower to all four wheels. It will go zero to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds and hit a top speed limited to 162 mph. Oh, and the exhaust note is the stuff of legend.
Like Alfa Romeo and Jaguar, Maserati has shrugged off its historical norms and created its first-ever SUV. As one might expect from a Maserati, it delivers impressive performance and luxury, with the Levante. The Levante S, however, is the high-performance model to go for.
A 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 resides behind the instantly recognizable scalloped grille and trident logo. It makes 424 horsepower, and will hit zero to 60 in just 5 seconds on its way to a top speed of 164 mph.
Mercedes-Benz offers a variety of high performance SUVs and crossovers, and (save for the GLA, which is barely an SUV) the fastest one is the MercedesAMG GLE63 S, which does zero to 60 in 4.2 seconds and has a top speed limited to 160 mph.
It accomplishes this with a twin turbocharged 5.5-liter V8, hammering out 585 horsepower. And in spite of all this performance, it is a spacious, luxurious, and versatile SUV, with more than 80 cubic feet of cargo space.
When the Mercedes-Benz M-Class and BMW X5 arrived in the late 1990s, the potential for performance SUVs became apparent. But it really accelerated with the Porsche Cayenne. The second generation of this sporty SUV has evolved to new heights with the Cayenne Turbo S.
Like the Turbo, the Turbo S features a 4.8-liter twin-turbocharged V8, but this version makes 570 horsepower, can hit zero to 60 in 3.8 seconds, and will get up to a top track speed of 176 mph (unlimited). And with Porsche Active Suspension Management and other high-tech chassis features, the Cayenne can corner as well as any sportscar out there.
We’d be remiss in mentioning the Cayenne without also including its younger sibling, the Macan. This compact SUV has a very luxurious cabin, but the grip and handling you’d sooner expect from a Porsche Boxster.
The Turbo model features a 3.6-liter twin-turbocharged V6. With the optional Performance Package, it makes 440 horsepower. Sending power to all four wheels, it will do zero to 60 in 4.2 seconds and hit a top track speed of 169 mph (unlimited).
To explore other great SUV options, check out our compact, midsize, and large SUVs. Then, when you’re ready to buy, use our Best Price Program to get the best deal on your new car purchase.
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Do You Have a Need for Speed?
There was once a time when opting for an SUV meant resigning to the fact you wouldn’t be going too much faster than 65 miles per hour. To do so would invite, shall we say, unpredictable driving characteristics. To say that is no longer the case is quite an understatement.
The latest crop of SUVs and crossovers are faster and have more performance cred than ever. For one, many are based on sedan or wagon platforms, yielding the ability to push the limits of acceleration and cornering.
Paired with smaller, more potent turbocharged four-cylinder and six-cylinder engines, there is a growing number of SUVs that deliver all the everyday versatility you’d expect, but with performance that will come at a surprise. Now, you won’t want to go off-roading