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Best luxury SUVs of 2022 and 2023

Once upon a time, the idea of a luxury SUV meant a Range Rover, and even that was pretty agricultural by modern standards. Then Jeep Grand Cherokees and Ford Explorers started offering fancy, range-topping versions followed soon by Lexus, BMW and Mercedes dipping their toes in the water. And then the floodgates opened. Today, there is a staggering number of luxury SUVs available in every shape, size and price point. There are electric luxury SUVs like the Tesla Model X and Jaguar I-Pace, as well as gas-swilling, high-performance SUVs like the BMW X5 M and Cadillac Escalade V. Sports car makers Porsche, Aston Martin and Lamborghini have even dived in.  But of this great many, which are the best luxury SUVs? We sat down, scoured our reviews, took some votes, had some discussions and came up with the luxury SUVs we view as the best. They are listed alphabetically within the six segments listed below.  Best Subcompact Luxury SUV   |   Best Compact Luxury SUV   |   Best Midsize Luxury SUV (Two-Row) Best Midsize Luxury SUV (Three-Row)   |   Best Flagship Luxury SUV (Two-Row)   |   Best Flagship Luxury SUV (Three-Row)  Best subcompact luxury SUVs Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class Why it stands out: Outstanding space and versatility; legit luxury interior; amusing GLB 35 versionCould be better: Overwhelming and confusing tech interface Most subcompact luxury SUVs are a dubious value, with cramped interiors of marginal quality and unrefined driving dynamics. You'd be much better off paying less money for a loaded, non-luxury compact SUV. The Mercedes GLB is different, though. Its boxy design provides space few other subcompact SUV can match (luxury or otherwise), while its cabin design and feature content are in keeping with pricier Mercedes models. The quality's not exactly up to GLC standards, nor is driving refinement, but the difference is appropriate for how much you're saving and still perfectly acceptable. There's nothing dubious about buying a GLB.     Volvo XC40 Why it stands out: More features for the money; spacious and versatile interior; distinctive design; electric versionCould be better: Fuel-efficient base engine only available with FWD Most subcompact luxury models feel a bit like cheap knockoffs of their bigger, pricier brand mates. The XC40, by contrast, is a break from the Volvo norm in a good way.

2016 Lexus RC 200t Quick Spin

Cars like the BMW 4 Series, Cadillac ATS coupe, and Audi A5 exist not as volume cars, but as aspirational products designed to draw in the young and the young at heart. The humble four-cylinder turbo, offered in each car listed above, provides an accessible point of entry for lifestyle buyers that want the statement of a sporty coupe without the eagerness, fuel inefficiency, or cost of a big six-cylinder engine. Now, Lexus is throwing its hat in the ring with a turbocharged version of its polarizing RC coupe. We took the new RC 200t out for a day on the winding roads of the Pines to Palms Highway near Palm Springs, CA, and found that while Lexus' new engine will draw new customers, they probably won't like what they find. Driving Notes The RC joins the IS, GS, and NX as members of Lexus' four-cylinder turbo clan. There's 241 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque on offer here, numbers that compare favorably with the BMW 428i (240 hp and 260 lb-ft) and Audi A5 (220 hp and 258 lb-ft). None of that matters, though, because the turbocharged RC is easily the slowest car in its class. You'll struggle to keep pace with stuff like the Hyundai Veloster Turbo. The RC 200t somehow takes 7.3 seconds to get to 60 miles per hour. That's a second slower than the A5, and over half a second slower than the 4 Series or Cadillac ATS. You can't drive a car that looks as wild as this and take that long to get to 60. Blame it on the RC's 3,737-pound weight. Lexus only saved 11 pounds by switching out a 3.5-liter V6 for the 2.0-liter turbo. The BMW and Cadillac both weigh well under 3,500 pounds. Even the RC's four-door fraternal twin, the IS 200t, is 150 pounds lighter (and only takes 6.9 seconds to get to 60). The RC needs a diet, plain and simple. If Lexus truly wants to compete against the Germans and Cadillac, a snappier transmission is in order. Like the GS we talked about yesterday, the Aisin eight-speed is fine on upshifts – it's still not as fast as the 4 Series' ZF eight-speed auto – but it suffers when it's time to change down. Around town, it's less of a problem, but on the twisty mountain roads outside of Palm Springs and on the freeways, the RC's gearbox kept tripping over itself. We'd love to see what the 2.0-liter turbo engine could do in a lighter car, because it's a real charmer. The broad 1,650-to-4,400-rpm torque peak gives drivers a lot of space to play, although the RC does feel flat-footed as you crest 5,000 rpm.

Lexus ES gets a tech-focused mid-cycle update for the 2022 model year

Lexus traveled to the 2021 edition of the Shanghai Auto Show to unveil the updated ES. Scheduled to launch as a 2022 model, the sedan ushers in a long list of handling, comfort, and technology improvements. Most of the major changes are found in the cabin, where the ES finally receives a touchscreen-based infotainment system. Entry-level models ship with an 8.0-inch screen, while upmarket versions receive a 12.3-inch display. Both are positioned 4.3 inches closer to the front passengers; it was easier to move the screen than to give buyers longer arms. The touchpad-like remote interface located on the center console, next to the gear selector, remains. Lexus also updated the technology motorists can't see but regularly rely on. The Lexus Safety System+ 2.5 suite of electronic driving aids comes standard across the line-up, and improvements to the camera and the millimeter-wave radar increase the pre-collision system's response range. Intersection Turning Assist, which can detect if the driver is about to turn in front of an oncoming car or a pedestrian, joins the roster of safety systems. Also new are Emergency Steering Assist, Curve Speed Reduction, and a function that automatically increases the car's speed if the driver is about to pass a slower car. Lexus points out it made its Lane Tracing Assist feature smoother, too. Although the ES has traditionally leaned towards the comfort side of the luxury sedan scale, Lexus made small but meaningful tweaks to improve handling with the help of Toyota president Akio Toyoda, an enthusiast who regularly races a Supra. Engineers fitted a new rear suspension brace to increase torsional rigidity and stability, while the non-hybrid model's brake master cylinder and brake booster were redesigned to provide a more linear feel. Every ES gets a bigger brake pedal, and hybrids benefit from improved pedal feel, according to the company. Subtle exterior revisions, such as a redesigned grille and new-look headlights, set the 2022 ES apart from the outgoing 2021 model. New paint colors and additional wheel designs round out the list of major exterior updates. Lexus added a hybrid F Sport model to the portfolio. Called ES 300h F Sport, it gains a mesh grille with a dark frame, a spoiler on the trunk lid, 19-inch wheels, and an array of sporty-looking interior accents. Motorists who want a bit of go with their show can order the optional Dynamic Handling Package (DHP) available only on the V6-powered ES 350 F Sport.