Crossover SUVs are taking Britain by storm, but what if you are interested in performance too? While many crossovers place the emphasis on style and comfort, there are some offering exciting handling and acceleration.
In this guide we pick out five of the best fast SUV crossovers available to buy new right now.
What is a crossover SUV?
Crossover SUV (sometimes swapped around to SUV crossover) is a term that has grown spectacularly in popularity over the last few years, but what does it actually mean? The term crossover is generally applied to family cars of various sizes which have styling cues which are reminiscent of traditional SUVs or 4x4s, but are best suited for on-the-road driving.
This contrasts with traditional SUVs which are meant to excel at off-road driving. When it comes to fast crossovers, they too have styling cues similar to what you can expect to find on traditional SUVs, like stocky bumpers, protruding wheel arches and underbody protection. But they’ve been specially tuned to offer maximum, nimble pace on the roads.
Our top 5 fast crossovers
Audi RS Q3
Topping the Audi Q3 range, the RS Q3 was one of the earliest arrivals in the niche performance crossover segment. It’s also one of the most appealing, thanks to its distinct exterior looks, smart and high quality cabin and attractive performance figures.
It’s powered by a 335bhp 2.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine, mated with a slick seven-speed automatic transmission and Audi’s trademark Quattro four-wheel drive. The RS Q3 can cover the 0-62mph sprint in just 4.8 seconds, before hitting an electronically-limited top speed of 155mph. The engine in the RS Q3 is exciting to use and owners should also enjoy the raft of luxury gadgets which come as standard.
Priced from just over £45,500, the RS Q3 is certainly one of the dearer crossovers on the market. But it ticks the right boxes if you want something in this market that stands out more and is excitingly fast.
Read our full review of the Audi RS Q3
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Porsche Macan
Significantly smaller than Porsche’s Cayenne SUV, the Macan is a crossover from the maker of some of the world’s best sports cars, giving it great appeal with driving enthusiasts.
Priced between just under £41,000 and a little over £60,000, each spec in the Macan range offers a refined and high quality cabin, sporty handling and nimble performance. All specs come with four-wheel drive and even the entry-level model, which uses a 234bhp 2.0-litre petrol engine, can cover the 0-62mph sprint in just under seven seconds.
If that doesn’t sound exciting enough for you, however, there’s also a 254bhp 3.0-litre V6 diesel, a 336bhp V6 petrol for the Macan S and a exhilarating 394bhp 3.6-litre V6 petrol for the Turbo model. The latter spec gives the Macan a 0-62mph sprint time of just 4.8 seconds.
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Mercedes GLA 45 AMG
The GLA 45 AMG is the range-topping spec of the stylish GLA crossover range priced from around £45,000. It uses a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine boasting 355bhp and linked to a four-wheel drive powertrain with a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Like the RS Q3 and Macan, this car can cover the 0-62mph sprint in a mere 4.8 seconds.
It shares some similarities with Mercedes current hot hatch, the A-Class A 45 AMG, including the same engine. Unsurprisingly it is not quite as sportily set-up as the smaller A 45, or indeed other fast crossovers. However the body kit gives the GLA 45 AMG a sleek, sporty look and the straight-line speed and performance brakes are both likely to impress.
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BMW X4 xDrive30d/xDrive35d
Based on the humungous X6 crossover, the BMW X4 is smaller in size but retains its larger sibling’s distinct coupe profile and sophisticated interior design.
Around the top of the X4 range are the xDrive30d and xDrive35d specs which cost in a region between around £45,000 and £50,000. These use a 3.0-litre diesel mated to a smooth eight-speed automatic transmission. Producing 255bhp for the xDrive30d and 308bhp for the xDrive35d, either version takes less than six seconds to cover the 0-62mph sprint.
The X4 uses four-wheel drive but it can send 100 per cent of the torque to either the front or rear axle almost instantly if the stability control alone can’t retain grip.
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Nissan Juke Nismo RS
Priced from about £22,000, the Juke Nismo RS is not quite as quick but much more affordable compared to the majority of fast crossovers.
Like the standard Juke, the Nismo RS offers a boot useful for shopping trips but there are some new motor sport-inspired features such as the suede sport seats. Under the bonnet is a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine which produces 215bhp in the front-wheel drive/manual version or 211bhp for the four-wheel drive/automatic spec.
The four-wheel drive Juke Nismo RS takes eight seconds to cover the 0-62mph sprint, while for the front-wheel drive version it takes one second less.
If you’re interested in a performance car which is quick but also fairly practical, while standing out from the crowd, then the Juke Nismo RS is worth a close look.