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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.

2020 Lexus GS 350 F Sport Black Line Special Edition makes two cases for itself

The new 2020 Lexus GS 350 Black Line Special Edition brings a dark edge to the brand's mid-size luxury sedan. This offering follows in the tire tracks of the Black Line in the Lexus NX and IS ranges—the cosmetic package appeared first on the NX300, then the IS 300 F Sport, then the IS 350 F Sport over the past couple of years. The enhancements are available on the rear- and all-wheel-drive GS sedans, but will be offered only with two exterior colors, either Utlra White or Caviar, the latter being a rich dark brown. Visual changes outside include gloss black F Sport grille inserts, gloss black mirror caps, and a gloss-black decklid spoiler. The RWD version gets gloss black F Sport wheels with orange brake calipers, while the AWD model does without the flashy stoppers. Output of the 3.5-liter V6 doesn't change from 311 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque.  Inside, the black leather interior sees contrasting textures in Alcantara on the instrument panel, console, and armrest, and carbon fiber trim on the doors, instrument panel, and center console. Rioja Red panels provide contrast as does red stitching on the doors, steering wheel, seats, and center console. The special edition GS gets accessories as well: a two-piece Lexus Black Line Zero Halliburton luggage set. Starting with Zero Halliburton's Edge Lightweight Collection, the 22-inch Continental Carry-on and 26-inch Medium Travel Case feature linings embroidered with Intersect by Lexus spindle grille art, interior compression panels with a Lexus embossed leather logo badge, and chrome badges laser-etched with "Zero Halliburton for Lexus" outside. Naturally, they come in black. There will only be 200 of the special edition GS sedans produced, available starting this summer. Prices won't come until closer to the on-sale date, but the same package on the IS added about $5,000 to the price, and Zero Halliburton charges $1,000 for the luggage. With the rear-wheel-drive GS 350 F Sport starting at $53,785, we think $60,000 is a likely price tag.    

2016 Lexus GS 200t First Drive

Last year, Lexus rolled out an ad for its GS that featured several luxury rivals swinging on pendulums, with a hypnotic voiceover that derides the BMW 5 Series' standard four-cylinder engine. The ad then asks viewers to, "Open your eyes to the six-cylinder, eight-speed Lexus GS." Oh, how times have changed. Consider the facelifted Lexus GS 200t and its four-cylinder turbocharged engine an admission that maybe the Germans are on to something. It's good to see Lexus getting with the times, but after a drive in Southern California, we find the first turbocharged GS comes up short in a lot of ways. This is the same engine Lexus uses in the NX, IS, and RC with 200t designations. The 2.0-liter four-cylinder uses a twin-scroll turbo, direct injection, and Toyota's most advanced continuously variable valve timing to produce 241 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. That's 70 horsepower short of the GS 350's 3.5-liter V6. But torque is down only 22 fewer lb-ft, and the 200t's broad peak torque, from 1,650 to 4,400 rpm, promises ample usable power. The 200t offers little reward for the slower acceleration. As for that previously-mocked BMW 5 series, the Lexus has nearly identical output. But a 7.0-second 0-60 time is nearly a full second slower than the BMW's claim for the 528i, a car that weighs practically the same as the Lexus. Fuel economy is another head-scratcher. Lexus estimates the GS 200t F Sport returns just 20 miles per gallon in the city and 30 mpg on the highway, three and four mpg less than the 5er. This brand-new 2.0-liter turbo is hardly more efficient than the three-year-old GS 350. The V6 model nets 19 mpg city and 28 mpg on the highway, and is 1.3 seconds quicker to 60 mph. A smaller engine almost always means sacrificing performance for economy, but based on the figures the 200t offers little reward for the slower acceleration. At least the 200t is better from behind the wheel than on paper. We weren't that impressed by the low-end grunt of Lexus' 2.0-liter turbo when we drove it in the NX, but different gearing in the GS means snappier off-the-line behavior. Once the turbo catches up you're well into the heart of the torque curve, and the GS feels quicker than a seven-second jog to 60 mph. Mid-range punch is the engine's most endearing quality. Passing moves are easy and entertaining, even when you're already traveling at or above freeway speeds. Unfortunately, the engine gasps above 4,400 rpm.