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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.

Lexus planning second flagship alongside LS sedan

Lexus is planning to launch another flagship to slot alongside the LS sedan, but we don't know if it will be a coupe or a crossover. The coupe has been the persistent rumor. Lexus showed the two-door LF-LC concept in 2012 and a production model could borrow its underpinnings from the LS sedan. It's tipped to wear the letters LC or to revive the SC nameplate. The previous SC launched in 1991 as a fixed-roof coupe and offered inline-six or V8 engines. It was replaced in 2001 with the SC430 that had a V8 and a folding hardtop. While the coupe idea may seem like the leading candidate, the company's ambiguity is leading to speculation that the new flagship could adopt a different body-style altogether. "We need a flagship," Lexus general manager Jeff Bracken told Reuters. "It doesn't have to be a sedan." "In addition to the LS, there could be another flagship in our lineup," Bracken said. "We'll define what it is in January." The comments suggest something will be revealed at the Detroit auto show and could open the door to a new flagship SUV or crossover. That position is currently held by the LX 570, which is closely based on the Toyota Land Cruiser. However, sales of the LX have been less than stellar. From the 14,000-plus units Lexus sold of the original LX 470 when it launched in the US back in 2000, annual sales have dropped to just over 4,000 the last few years. Mercedes regularly sells over 25,000 of its GL-Class crossovers each year in the US alone. Last year Audi sold 18,000 Q7s here despite its imminent replacement. Land Rover sold nearly 13,000 Range Rovers last year and another 18,000 Range Rover Sports. Meanwhile, Cadillac typically sells between 20,000 and 30,000 Escalades every year, down from the 50,000-60,000 it sold a decade ago. A facelift is due for the LX that ought to spike sales a little, but Lexus will need more than a refresh to catch up with those rivals. In the meantime, it reportedly plans to roll out a three-row variant of the new RX before its lifespan is over. "We don't want to wait for a next generation" to give the RX the added seating capacity many customers are demanding, said Bracken. Related Video:

Lexus really put the spindle grille on its imaginary 'Men in Black' jet

There is a large constituency of people who do not like — hate, even — Lexus' signature spindle grille. But Lexus likes it, A LOT. So much so, that the company included the spindle design into its newest conceptual design study, the Lexus QZ 618 Galactic Enforcer Jet that will appear in "Men in Black: International." The two official trailers for the upcoming MIB reboot revealed that Lexus had a hand in the films. In the second, we even see a Lexus RC F transforming into an aircraft, a call back to Will Smith's and Tommy Lee Jones' flying car in the original. But this is the first full look at the fictional vehicle, which will be used by Tessa Thompson and Chris Hemsworth. Lexus had some fun with this and put out a press release detailing all of the Galactic Enforcer Jet's features. Lexus says it wears Umbra Black, the darkest black in the entire universe, and uses Hybrid Transformer Technology. Its Quasar Power Source2 Technology was secured through a secret alien knowledge swap and uses power from the closest Active Galactic Nucleus3 for universal travel. The propulsion system is named after Black Hole TON 618. The stats on this machine are pretty impressive. It gets 122 millennia per gallon, does zero to 60 in 0.0000000000001 nanoseconds, and has light-speed-matching capabilities. Drivers sit in intergalactically sourced and ethically spawned Adorian leather and have the choice of three drive modes: EcoDrive, SportDrive, and QuantumDrive. Further convenience and safety features include Amazon Alexa (which understands seven trillion alien languages), infinite scaling technology, gamma ray headlamps, an Inter-Galactic Positioning System, transforming seats with a 31-point safety harness, and the Lexus Safety System + with force field technology. In regards to styling, the jet has the Enforcer Package and can be ordered in six other colors. Check out the jet in action in "Men in Black: International" on June 14. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.