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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.

The 2017 Porsche 911 RSR goes mid-engine, purists be damned

Porsche unveiled its World Endurance Championship and IMSA WeatherTech Championship competitor with the 2017 911 RSR. And this 911 is different from the rest, as the 4.0-liter flat-six engine powering this beast is in front of the rear axle, not behind it. That's right, this 24 Hours of Le Mans competitor ditches the iconic rear-engine layout. Porsche isn't talking specifics on how exactly things are arranged back there. The engine is new, now based on the 991 911's block instead of the previous Mezger motor that's been used for years. The transmission design is new as well – it would have to be to accommodate the new location relative to the engine. The racecar has been engineered to meet the LM-GTE class, where it will go up against other mid-engine cars like the Ford GT and Ferrari 488 GTE. Moving the engine to the middle has given Porsche the ability to fit the 911 RSR with massive bits of aero, like the humongous rear diffuser that looks like it would be more at home on a machine of war. The only thing that can compete with the diffuser for size is the top-mounted rear wing, which shares a similar design to the one found on the 919 Hybrid. Going back to the engine, the direct-injected boxer motor, depending on the size of the restrictor, generates as much as 510 horsepower and sends all of its fury to the rear wheels. The engine is paired to a six-speed sequential gearbox, which drivers can employ through paddles on the steering wheel. The new engine doesn't have a lot of weight to push around as the 911 RSR, as required by regulations, weighs 2,740 pounds. Speaking of weight, the engine layout isn't the only change for the 911 RSR. For 2017, the car ditches its steel body for one that's made out of carbon fiber. The body attaches to the chassis via quick-release fasteners, making the vehicle easier to service as exterior elements can be removed with minimal effort. The racecar also gets a radar-based collision system – aptly named the "Collision Avoid System" – which is meant to limit the 911 RSR's encounters with faster LMP prototypes. Only time will tell if the new layout and aerodynamic components help the 911 RSR beat its competition. But there will be plenty of opportunities to see the racecar in action as Porsche plans to run the 911 RSR in 19 races during the 2017 season, the first of which will take place at the IMSA opener on January 28th at Daytona, where the racecar will make its track day debut.

Jaguar F-Pace vs. Porsche Macan | Performance luxury crossover comparison

TRANSCRIPT: The luxury performance crossover. 10 years ago, the list of examples was only a few vehicles deep but today it seems like every luxury car company makes at least one of these. This specific example is a 2018 Jaguar F-Pace S and it happens to be Autoblog 's newest long-term test vehicle. And here's the thing: It's really great to drive. Welcome to the Jaguar F-Pace S. Under the hood we have a supercharged 3.0-liter V6 that makes 380 horsepower and 332 pound feet of torque, which pulls the F-Pace from 0 to 60 in just 5.1 seconds. That's a pretty sizable upgrade from the base model's 247 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque. The engine is paired to an eight speed automatic transmission that responds pretty quickly to the paddles when in sport mode. There are three driving modes to choose from: You have dynamic, normal and eco. Even though the F-Pace name sounds like the F-Type, aside from the powertrain, they really aren't related. It's named that because it's based on the rear-wheel-drive Jag XF, just like the E-Pace is on the XE and the J-Pace will end up being based off of the XJ. Even though the F-Pace is all-wheel drive compared to the rear-wheel XF, it is a rear-bias system, which means it belongs exactly where we are right now, on twisty, turny back roads. This is a Jaguar, which means it sounds good but it looks even better. In my opinion, this is the best looking SUV on the market today. The Caesium Blue is a new color in the U.S. for this model year and we opted to get the black package, which includes black side vents, a black grill and roof rails. This is a $70,000 luxury crossover and the materials, they're okay. The plastics, I don't know, they kind of feel cheap even with the luxury interior upgrade package. The 10-inch touch screen is pretty big, in a good way. And while the surround sound isn't the best that I've heard, it's perfectly serviceable, especially since all I want to hear is this engine. For $70,000, this is what you get: A beautiful SUV that performs incredibly on the road. But what if you want more? This Macan costs over $96,000, which is almost $30,000 more than the F-Pace S. If you wanted to, you could buy a base Cayenne and a base F-Pace for that kind of money. But with that price comes more power, thanks to this Macan Turbo's performance pack. 60 more horsepower and 90 more pound-feet of torque than the F-Pace S bringing the total to 440 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque.