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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.

Aston Martin's lifeline buys carmaker time as SUV hits road

Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll and investors have rescued Aston Martin with a 500 million pound cash injection that analysts say will help stabilize the British carmaker whose first sport utility vehicle (SUV) is set to hit the road. Stroll agreed to buy up to 20% of the 107-year-old company and will become executive chairman of James Bond's automaker of choice, which has gone bankrupt seven times in its checkered history. A consortium led by Stroll will invest 182 million pounds($239 million), whilst major existing shareholders - primarily Italian and Kuwaiti private equity groups - will be part of a rights issue to raise 318 million pounds. "It likely gives them enough liquidity to tide them over for a couple of years," said Charles Coldicott, Redburn equity research analyst. Outgoing chairwoman Penny Hughes, who will be replaced by Stroll, spelt out the degree of trouble the firm has been in after core sales fell last year. "The difficult trading performance in 2019 resulted in severe pressure on liquidity which has left the company with no alternative but to seek substantial additional equity financing," she said. "Without this the balance sheet is not robust enough to support the operations of the group." Now Aston will need to turn the financial lifeline into part of a sustainable plan as it delays investment in electric vehicles and cuts its operating costs. A key future milestone includes around 1 billion pounds worth of debt due to mature in 2022. The company also suffers from lower gross margins than rival Ferrari, according to analysts at Jefferies, who have said scaling up is just as important as extra capital. Key to the company's success is its first foray into the lucrative SUV market, a late entrant compared to many rivals such as Volkswagen-owned Bentley and BMW's Rolls-Royce. Aston has built a new factory in Wales to make the model, known as the DBX, which it hopes will attract more women to the brand and some buyers to purchase both it and a vehicle from its traditional line-up. With the DBX model not due to roll off the production line until the second quarter of this year, the firm has taken the cost with only some of the benefit so far. Based in central England, Aston said earlier this month that it already had around 1,800 orders for the car which will retail for 158,000 pounds in Britain, a "materially better" rate than for any previous models.

Aston Martin GT8 is lightest and most powerful V8 Vantage ever

Aston Martin has revealed the upcoming GT8 variant, a race-inspired limited edition much like the earlier GT12. Only 150 will be built – 50 more than the 12-cylinder sibling. And like the GT12, none of those will be coming to North America, either. The car has already been offered to select customers, with a sketch depicting the car but without finalized photos, as the manufacturer wanted to keep the car under wraps until the unveiling. As the GT12 uses the six-liter V12 engine, the GT8 is based on the Vantage V8 and uses a 4.7-liter powerplant with 446 horsepower, a slight hike from the regular car's output. The bodywork has been made out of carbon fiber, granting it the title of being the lightest and most powerful V8 Vantage built. According to Aston Martin, all the bodywork is race-bred and not just there for show. Aston's Director of Special Projects and Motorsport, David King says that Aston Martin has "long desired to create a road car that truly reflects our racing activity at Le Mans", and that the GT8 achieves that. View 13 Photos Regarding the choice of transmission, the GT8 follows in the footsteps of the GT12 – either a six-speed manual or the seven-speed Sportshift II paddle-shift, whichever seems to suit the buyer of the motorsport-themed car. The buyer can also decide on optional weight saving measures, as the roof is also available in carbon fiber and the side and rear windows in polycarbonate. Still, there are A/C and audio systems to make the limited edition car a little more bearable than its racing counterparts. There are three optional "Halo" paint schemes to choose from, combining China Grey with blue, Stratus White with green and Stirling Green with lime detailing, the last of which is seen in these press images. Prices start from GBP165,000 ($233,880) and deliveries commence in late 2016. Related Video: News Source: Aston MartinImage Credit: Aston Martin Aston Martin Coupe Racing Vehicles Special and Limited Editions Supercars Videos vantage v8