Have you got the desire and budget for a big and spectacularly fast SUV? In today’s British car market there are new SUV models available which offer both luxurious cabins and hugely impressive performance figures.
In this guide we pick out five of the most appealing fast SUVs you can buy new right now. None of these entries are going to win awards for affordability or efficiency anytime soon, but they do boast the sort of performance figures that can upstage even a lot of modern, lightweight sports cars. Here’s out top 5 best and fastest SUVs.
Porsche Cayenne Turbo S
The range-topping spec in the Cayenne range, the Turbo S, is priced at around £118,500 and boasts immense grunt from its twin-turbo 4.8-litre V8 petrol engine.
Producing a total of 562bhp, the Cayenne Turbo S can keep up with the majority of modern day supercars with its 0-62mph sprint time of 4.1 seconds. That sprint time is over half a second quicker than a Jaguar F-TYPE V6 S Coupe.
It’s not just its straight line speed which is impressive about this car, however. Using an eight-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive, the Turbo S features torque vectoring which does a good job of managing cornering at speed and another feature that Porsche calls active chassis control.
All of this and more results in a car which for its sheer size has very little body roll and loads of grip. Since it tops the Cayenne range, the Turbo S also comes with plenty of luxury trim and gadgets as standard.
There’s no getting away from the fact that the price and CO2 output of 267g/km means this car is very pricey. But if it’s a fast SUV you’re after, then few are as spectacular yet clever as the Cayenne Turbo S, making it one of the best fast SUV’s available to buy.
Range Rover Sport 5.0 V8 Supercharged
Featuring for the Autobiography Dynamic and SVR specs, the Range Rover Sport with its 5.0-litre supercharged V8 petrol unit is one of the most exciting and fastest SUVs around.
This luxury cruiser is already pretty nippy when using the smaller and cheaper V6 diesel with 288bhp or the 334bhp V8 diesel, but if you’re keen for more oomph, then the supercharged V8 should more than satisfy. It produces 503bhp for the Autobiography Dynamic trim (priced at nearly £83,000) and an even more eye-popping 542bhp for the SVR spec (priced at around £93,500). Both versions utilise an ultra-smooth eight-speed automatic transmission.
With 503bhp on tap, the Range Rover Sport will cover the 0-62mph sprint in five seconds, while the SVR version takes just 4.5 seconds. Classy, fast, very versatile off the road and impressively manoeuvrable on the road (considering its height and weight), the supercharged Range Rover Sport is virtually everything you could ask from a luxury SUV. It certainly is one of the best fast SUV’s that money can buy.
BMW X5 M
Priced from a little over £90k, the BMW X5 M carries over the sharp handling and plentiful kit line-up already offered by the premium SUV. Unsuprisingly, the main party piece of the X5 M is the engine – a 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 petrol that delivers an impressive 547bhp.
Utilising a six-speed automatic gearbox, the X5 M covers the 0-62mph sprint in a mere 4.2 seconds. Like other X5 models, the M version offers lots of grip through both low and high speed corners. SUV buyers looking for a fast car with an enthusiasts-focused set-up should be pleased with what they find here from the X5 M. If you are looking for one of the fastest SUV’s, then the BMW X5 M may be for you.
Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG
The G-Class is one of the most enduring models Mercedes has ever built and also generally one of the most easily recognisable SUVs in the world. The AMG version of the G-Class is an intriguing choice for fast SUV buyers that want something that feels really unique in terms of style and character.
The G63 AMG has the design and components to act as a rugged off-road trekker, but it’s also capable of delivering ferocious pace when on the road. Under the bonnet is a 5.5-litre V8 petrol unit with over 530bhp, mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission and featuring stop-start engine technology. It’ll cover the 0-62mph sprint in under 5.5 seconds.
Even with stop-start, the G63 AMG is still thirsty for petrol, and with prices set at about £130,000, this is one of the more costly but fastest SUV's. However, its undeniably fast pace and old-school style gives it a stand-out, unique appeal.
Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT
If you’re eyeing up a more unique and relatively more affordable choice of fast SUV which overlooks the established European brands, then the Grand Cherokee SRT8 could well be worth a look. It’s priced from around £64,000.
Using a massive 6.4-litre V8 and an eight-speed automatic gearbox, the Cherokee SRT produces 470bhp. That’s enough to give this big American SUV a 0-62mph sprint time of just five seconds and a top speed of 160mph.
Unlike the rest of the Grand Cherokee range, the SRT is designed for road use only and drivers will need to pay extra attention to the use of the throttle pedal. It’s steering is not as sporty as other fast SUVs either. Nevertheless, the Grand Cherokee has the sort of pace that should impress those looking for a more original SUV choice that really stands out on the road.
