Best Luxury SUVs of 2026 | Top Luxury Crossovers Rated | CarBuzzThe modern luxury SUV needs to have all the pampering attributes of an upscale sedan but also accommodate more cargo and occupants. Along with the latest infotainment systems and driver aids, these vehicles must be built from fine materials and effortlessly do away with the stress of commuting. In our luxury SUV rankings, the competitors that stand out combine absolute refinement with the latest technologies, smooth powertrains, and upmarket materials.The top-rated luxury SUVs on the market offer spacious seating and a large, versatile trunk, as well as a plush ride. These are the key aspects that set them apart from the average sedan and help them stand out as some of the best luxury SUVs of 2026.Vehicles are assigned a BuzzScore in relation to their direct segment competitors, and as such, vehicles in this list, while similarly scored, do not necessarily compete directly against one another. Find out more about how the BuzzScore ratings work here. These lists are continuously updated with the latest BuzzScores and vehicles as they become available. Lincoln Navigator The highest rated luxury SUV, with a BuzzScore of 8.9 out of 10, is the Lincoln Navigator. This full-size family SUV rides on the same chassis as the Ford Expedition, so it's more than big enough to fit adults in every row. Sizing aside, it also touts one of the most luxurious interiors at any price point. There are three trims to choose from, with the Premiere starting at $91,995, the Reserve costs $101,995, and the Black Label starts at $119,525. Some standard luxury features include tri-zone climate control, heated and ventilated front seats, heated second-row seats, and more."Lincoln calls the new Navigator a "spa on wheels," and with massage seats in the first and second rows as well as Digital Scents that waft through the air vents, it's hard not to agree with that billing. There's even a new Rejuvenation mode that reclines the seat, and plays a calming video on the massive screens. This is one of Lincoln's best interiors ever, and one of the most luxurious cabins at any price."- Jared Rosenholtz, Editor-At-Large, CarBuzz Mercedes-Benz Maybach GLS These luxury SUV rankings wouldn't be complete without the Mercedes-Benz Maybach GLS SUV. This is easily the most luxurious, plushest, relaxing model we'll talk about today. That said, it's surprisingly not the most expensive on this list. The Maybach GLS has a single variant - the GLS 600 4Matic - which starts at $180,000. It's powered by a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 mild hybrid that makes 550 horsepower and 568 lb-ft of torque. It comes with about every luxury feature you could ask for, too. Some highlights include heated, ventilated, and massaging front and rear seats, heated and cooled front and rear cupholders, the Executive Climate System, and more."Riding in the back seat of a Maybach GLS is not dissimilar from sitting in first class on a trans-continental flight. The GLS's traditional seven-seat layout is dropped in favor of a less practical but more comfortable four-seat configuration with a center console splitting the rear seats. For no cost, a five-seat layout with a rear bench is also available. We'd highly recommend keeping the four-seat option..."- Jared Rosenholtz, Editor-At-Large, CarBuzz BMW X5 M For a sportier luxury experience, the best luxury SUV from BMW is the X5 M. This variant takes everything you know and love about the regular X5 SUV, and upgrades it with better suspension, a more powerful engine, and plenty of comfort features inside. While you could settle for the X5 M60i, the true X5 M Competition comes with more power for $131,000 before destination. It's powered by a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 that makes 617 horsepower, which lets the model sprint to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds. As for standard features, this BMW has Extended Merino leather upholstery, heated front seats, armrests, and steering wheel, and more."BMW M cars often deliver harsh ride comfort in the name of performance, but the X5 M Competition still provides reasonable comfort. The big wheels do transmit road imperfections, but if you leave the suspension in its comfort mode, the X5 M doesn't beat up its occupants."- Jared Rosenholtz, Editor-At-Large, CarBuzz Porsche Cayenne Porsche sells multiple luxury SUV models, with each model offering numerous trims and variants. Our model of choice is the classic Cayenne. It's available in versions like the Turbo, GTS, a coupe body style, a hybrid powertrain, an electric variant, etc., but the regular Cayenne is a great entrance into the world of Porsche. This trim starts at $89,900 before destination. Under the hood is a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 that makes 348 hp and 368 lb-ft of torque. As for luxury features, the Cayenne's base model comes with a surround-view camera, a heated steering wheel, 20-inch wheels, and more."The ride is smooth, but the chassis is reactive and keeps the Cayenne stable for when you take the long and winding way home from work on a Friday. It's fast, but it's also a consummate cruiser, even on recently deteriorated roads from the recent heavy rains in California. The steering is just as well tuned as the suspension, which is fantastic at low speeds and when pushing the Cayenne through the corners."- Ian Wright, Senior Road Tester, CarBuzz Acura MDX As Honda's luxury brand, Acura has a lot to prove. It manages to combine Honda's practicality and dependability with high-end materials, better styling, and, in some cases, higher performance. The MDX is Acura's most luxurious SUV. Buyers can choose among five regular trims that get power to either the front wheels or all four via a 3.5-liter V6 that makes 290 hp, or the Type S Advance trim with a 3.0-liter turbo V6 that makes 355 hp. The base model starts at $51,800, and the Type S starts at $75,850. Some standard features include heated front seats, a multi-functional second row with a removable center seat, tri-zone climate control, and more."When it comes to a smooth ride, the MDX Type S excels due to its adaptive air suspension. In standard drive mode, it floats along dealing with the worst road surfaces so you don't get distracted. Under braking and acceleration, it leans forward and back more than your average German premium car, but it gives the MDX an old-school SUV feel."- Ian Wright, Senior Road Tester, CarBuzz Aston Martin DBX S For those with especially deep pockets, the Aston Martin DBX S is more expensive than all the other luxury SUVs on this list. It might just be worth it to the right person, though, since AM offers a sporty driving experience wrapped in a premium interior and sleek styling. We drove one, and our road tester found it easy to reach illegal speeds with ease. You'll have to spend at least $270,500 before options that can just as easily send it another six figures higher. It's powered by a 4.0L twin-turbo V8 that makes 717 hp and 664 lb-ft of torque, which launches it to 60 mph in 3.1 seconds. Leather and Alcantara are everywhere, highlighting its luxury."The DBX S is as full of Aston Martin spirit as it is build quality, style, performance, and luxury. It has the power, ride quality, and luxury of a grand tourer, the utility of a family crossover, and the back road attitude and ability of a track car. Like the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT or Lamborghini Urus SE, it defies the expectations of what an SUV can be. Albeit at one hell of a price and with more style and personality."- Ian Wright, Senior Road Tester, CarBuzz Infiniti QX80 Another full-size model to rank among the best luxury SUVs is the Infiniti QX80. Infiniti recently discontinued its smaller models to push upmarket with the QX60 and this body-on-frame family-hauler. This model is built on the same platform as the Nissan Armada, which is available with an off-road variant. However, the QX80 leaves rugged off-road capability on the back burner in favor of the most luxurious cabin and driving experience the brand can muster. Plus, Infiniti even made a sporty Nismo variant. The standard base model starts at $83,750, and gets powered by a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 that makes 450 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque."The base Pure trim rides on basic steel springs, while every other trim level benefits from Dynamic Digital Suspension, which includes four-corner air suspension. Infiniti tuned the air springs to be soft and cushy, almost to a detriment. Hitting speed bumps and dips and an angle can throw the QX80 into a bounce, which can be expected from a truck-based body-on-frame SUV."- Jared Rosenholtz, Editor-At-Large, CarBuzz Genesis GV80 Hyundai's luxury brand, Genesis, makes some seriously impressive premium models for their price points. The GV80 is available in either a standard SUV body style, or a coupe version with a sloped roof in the back. The regular SUV is what we're after. This GV80 starts at $57,700 before destination and options, but can be as expensive as the 3.5T Prestige Black AWD for $83,250 before destination and options. Power comes from either a 2.5L turbo I4 that makes 300 hp, or a 3.5L turbo V6 with 375 hp. Standard features in the base model include leatherette upholstery, heated front seats, a 27-inch OLED instrument cluster and navigation system, and more."The GV80 delivers an incredibly comfortable ride, especially for those up front. The available 16-way power driver’s seat, which includes power side bolsters and cushion extension, was superb. It also features something called Ergo Motion. Activated with the press of a button on the side of the seat cushion, it activates a program that's sort of like a massage, but specifically designed to reduce road weariness."- Nicole Wakelin, CarBuzz Cadillac Escalade The quintessential American luxury SUV that comes to our minds before almost anything else is the Cadillac Escalade. It might earn a lower score than the Lincoln we mentioned at the top of this article, but many buyers can agree that the Escalade is as good as a Cadillac gets. There are other variants on sale now, including an all-electric model and the V-Series trim. The standard version is good enough for us, though. It starts at $91,100, which is enough to buy a 6.2-liter naturally-aspirated V8 that makes 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. Standard features include a 55-inch digital display for the gauge cluster and infotainment system, a 21-speaker sound system, Super Cruise driver assistance, and more."The Escalade is an enormous vehicle, but it handles more athletically than you might expect. That's mainly down to the Escalade's optional Magnetic Ride Control adaptive dampers (Premium Luxury and up), which buff out road imperfections. The Premium Luxury Platinum and Sport Platinum trims add more comfort with Air Ride Adaptive Suspension, which helps this big bruiser float around corners."- Jared Rosenholtz, Editor-At-Large, CarBuzz Audi Q8 The last luxury SUV to earn a place on our list with its BuzzScore of 8.0 out of 10 is the Audi Q8. This two-row model is built on the same platform as the three-row Q7, but includes a sloped roof and sportier experience. We feel as though the platform is better accustomed to the Q8, anyway. This German luxury SUV starts at $75,600. It's powered by a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 that makes 335 hp and 369 lb-ft (enough to tow 7,700 pounds). Heated front seats, two touchscreens for the infotainment and climate controls, and more are standard in the base model."We hope to drive a model without the adaptive air suspension at some point for comparison, but the optional system is excellent - Audi's suspension setups are some of the best in the business, in our opinion. It soaks up bumps beautifully, and with the cabin's sound dampening in effect, it makes it easy to find yourself thinking you're meeting the speed limit but are, in fact, some miles per hour over."- Ian Wright, Senior Road Tester, CarBuzz What It Takes To Top The Luxury SUV Rankings When seeking a top luxury SUV, some elements matter more than in other segments. For instance, a five-star SUV shouldn’t have rough cabin finishes, while this can be forgiven in a rugged truck. Similarly, a comfortable ride and minimal road noise should be priorities. These cruisers tend to have a higher starting price when you compare them to most mainstream models, so attention to detail in design and the implementation of technology is expected. Here’s a summary of what makes a top-notch luxury SUV: Build quality and materials: Rattles and squeaks aren’t acceptable at this level. For the money you’re paying, you should be getting soft-touch plastics (at the very least), loads of leather or other high-quality materials, and a solid thunk when you shut the door. Ride refinement: A true high-end sport utility vehicle must soak up bumps and ruts long before they reach the cabin, while maintaining its composure at highway speeds. Features: Digital instrument displays, crisp-sounding audio, and driver aids such as adaptive cruise control are some of the technologies that are befitting of a premium product. Space and seating: Any good automobile in this segment should prioritize spaciousness and a practical, easy-to-use trunk. Thoughtful storage compartments also make life easier. Power: It won’t help carrying you about in luxury if you can’t actually get moving, so these vehicles must have a powerful engine under the hood that makes for effortless acceleration and overtaking. What To Consider Before Buying A Top-Rated Luxury SUV The best luxury SUV will differ for each shopper, depending on your needs and preferences. However, this class is generally distinguished by attractive styling, a smartly laid-out interior, sophisticated road manners, and high-end infotainment systems. As soon as you progress from the non-premium end of the market, the price does see a sharp increase, though. These are some of the pros and cons to bear in mind if you’re shopping for a lux SUV: Pros Comfort of a car with the added versatility of a crossover Tasteful interior appointments New tech advancements Badge appeal of the world’s most revered brands Cons Starting price is much higher than other, regular SUVs May be thirstier, as top-end models usually have powerful engines More equipment means more complex maintenance and related costs Sources: Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Porsche, Acura, Aston Martin, Genesis, Infiniti, Cadillac, Audi
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