If you want performance, practicality — and a high driving position — the sports SUVs in our top 10 should be on your shortlist. We also reveal the models we'd avoid...Sports SUV buyers have an especially tough brief for their new car to fulfill – they want something that's family friendly and also fun to drive. That's hard to do, because getting something large and comfortable enough to be used as family transport inherently would make it slower and more cumbersome, right? Not necessarily. We count down the top picks, starting at 10 and making our way to the best sports SUV. 10: Audi SQ5This performance of the Audi Q5 family SUV gets a 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine which is endowed with mild hybrid technology – designed to improve both your performance and your fuel economy. This means the SQ5 can sprint up to 100km/h in just 4.5 seconds – a marginally faster than the rival BMW X3 M50 can manage, and quite a bit faster than the Mercedes-AMG GLC 43. While the SQ5 will have you smiling as your speed increases, though, its brake response might make you sick, because it comes to a stop rather abruptly – and if you don't know it's coming, for example if you're a passenger, then the effect can be a bit sudden. Elsewhere, the SQ5 feels quick to turn into bends, and but a lack of steering feel means that it's not as easy to place the big Audi where you want compared to the rival BMW or Mercedes. As you'd expect, the SQ5's interior is largely the same as that of the regular Q5, and that means it feels premium enough and that there's a decent amount of space to stretch out in. Tall people will find that they have plenty of room, even if they're sat behind equally tall people in the front. This performance of the Audi Q5 family SUV gets a 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine which is endowed with mild hybrid technology – designed to improve both your performance and your fuel economy. This means the SQ5 can sprint up to 100km/h in just 4.5 seconds – a marginally faster than the rival BMW X3 M50 can manage, and quite a bit faster than the Mercedes-AMG GLC 43. While the SQ5 will have you smiling as your speed increases, though, its brake response might make you sick, because it comes to a stop rather abruptly – and if you don't know it's coming, for example if you're a passenger, then the effect can be a bit sudden. Elsewhere, the SQ5 feels quick to turn into bends, and but a lack of steering feel means that it's not as easy to place the big Audi where you want compared to the rival BMW or Mercedes. As you'd expect, the SQ5's interior is largely the same as that of the regular Q5, and that means it feels premium enough and that there's a decent amount of space to stretch out in. Tall people will find that they have plenty of room, even if they're sat behind equally tall people in the front. 9: Porsche Macan ElectricWhile purists might hate the idea of a Porsche being fully electric, we'd argue that spending time behind the wheel of the Porsche Macan Electric would lift their fears. No matter which version you go for, you'll get a 95kWh (usable capacity) battery, but range depends on which version you go for – our recommended Turbo model can take you around 300 miles in real-world conditions. The Turbo is also the most powerful choice, with two motors delivering a combined 630bhp, allowing it to get to 100km/h in just 3.3seconds. Not only is the Macan Electric fast, but it's also agile – its steering is noticeably better than rivals, offering quick responses and good feedback. And despite weighing an extra 350kg over the regular Porsche Macan, the Macan Electric manages to feel keener to change direction. That's especially true if you go for the optional four-wheel steering setup, which tightens maneuverability at low speeds. 8: Cupra FormentorThe Cupra Formentor has the performance to keep up with some seriously sporty rivals, such as the BMW X2 M35i. If you go for that engine, you'll get a 310bhp 2.0-litre petrol engine under the bonnet, which helps the car achieve a 0-100km/h time of just 4.9 seconds. Through corners, the Formentor is fun. What's more, there's plenty of grip, due to the wider tyres that come with the top trim version. Mind you, it doesn't thrill in the way that the very best sports SUVs can. And ultimately, your money is likely better spent on one of the lesser versions, which still feel quick enough but won't cost you as much to run. Inside, the Formentor is relatively well finished, featuring perforated leather and contrast stitching. 7: Audi SQ8When the Audi SQ8’s 500bhp 4.0-litre turbocharged V8 petrol engine roars into life, you immediately know you’re in for a special experience. Not only does it sound good, it also offers hefty performance; 0-100km/h takes just 4.1seconds. Despite its performance focus, the ride is comfortable, and the air suspension smooths out potholes well. That performance does come at a cost, though, with the SQ8 managing just 20mpg even if you drive it gently. Although it's not as roomy as its seven-seat sibling, the Audi SQ7, it’ll fit three passengers in the rear easily, and they won't feel too hemmed in, even if they are tall. 6: Audi RS Q8Like the cheaper SQ8, it has a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 petrol engine with a rumbling exhaust note. But this RS model pumps out 592bhp, making it even quicker than its sibling, with a 0-100km/h time of just 3.8 seconds. The eight-speed automatic gearbox can be slow to react if you floor the accelerator, but it works well if you’re a little gentler, and the engine has so much torque that it thrusts you back into your seat anyway. 5: Alfa Romeo Stelvio QuadrifoglioThe Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio has all the ingredients to make a cracking sports SUV. For one thing, it has a four-wheel drive system developed by Maserati, and for another, its 512bhp 2.9-litre V6 petrol engine was taken from Ferrari. That engine is certainly powerful. The Stelvio Quadrifoglio can sprint to 100km/h from a standing start in a sports car-baiting 3.8 seconds and keep going to a top speed of 283km/h. You'd think that kind of power would be accompanied by an explosive soundtrack, but sadly the engine only sounds snarly once you turn on race mode. For a big SUV, the Stelvio Quadrifoglio doesn't feel like it weighs a lot. Indeed, thanks to direct steering and the added agility of its four-wheel drive system, it feels planted as you weave it along a country road. Ride comfort isn’t as good as in the Porsche Macan, but the firm suspension set-up is by no means harsh. Interior quality feels old compared to both the Macan and the Audi SQ5, but there is enough room for four average-sized adults – alongside a decent amount of luggage. 4.Ferrari PurosangueWhether or not you consider the Ferrari Purosangue to be an SUV or not comes down to personal preference, but there's no arguing with its outright pace. Under the long bonnet you'll find what is undoubtedly the car's heart – a 6.5-litre V12 petrol engine. It makes 715bhp, will happily rev beyond 8000rpm before changing gear, and delivers the kind of sound which will have you prodding the accelerator pedal at every opportunity. As you'd expect, it delivers rocket levels of acceleration, but we've also been impressed by how well wind and road noise are kept quiet – it's every bit as isolated and refined as you'd want a Ferrari SUV to be. The sporty driving position places you low down inside the car, and you're surrounded by mostly plush materials. The issue is the infotainment system, which is laggy and isn't as easy to get along with as the systems in rivals. Adults of average size will just about squeeze into the Purosangue's rear seats, and we managed to fit five carry-on suitcases into the boot – enough for a weekend away, at least. 3: Porsche MacanAbove everything else, sports SUVs must deliver fun – and the Porsche Macan does so in spades. You can have a V6-engined version in S or GTS trim, but our top choice is the Macan T, has more than enough power from its 261bhp 2.0-litre petrol engine. Like the Cayenne, the Macan T’s handling really helps it stand out. It’s the most agile model in its line-up, because it's lighter than the larger-engined S and GTS. There’s also not a lot of body lean, and you get lots of feedback through the steering. The Macan feels more cramped than both the Audi Q5 and BMW X3, though, and safety provisions are lacking because most systems are optional extras. 2: Aston Martin DBXOffering an immersive and interactive driving experience, in a luxurious package, the Aston Martin DBX is a better all-round choice than the rival Bentley Bentayga or Lamborghini Urus. Powered by a mighty 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 petrol engine, the DBX 707 – our favorite version can sprint from 0-100km/h in a stunning, supercar-rivalling 3.3 seconds. That's mighty impressive for a car that weighs 2200 kg. Perhaps the best thing about the DBX, though, is that it's agile with a comfortable ride. Inside, you'll find a comfortable driving position which places you high above the road, and easy physical climate controls which mean you don't have to rely on the touchscreen for every operation.1: Porsche Cayenne Coupé SValue may be in the eye of the beholder, but we'd make the case that despite costing as much as it does, the Porsche Cayenne Coupé is a terrific value for buyers. And that's because, in the context of the sports SUV class, it out-performs significantly more expensive rivals such as the Aston Martin DBX and Lamborghini Urus in almost every area. All versions of the Cayenne Coupé feel better to drive than anything weighing this much has any right to. Indeed, it’s almost entirely absent of body roll, meaning you can carry more speed through corners – and that’s made better if you go for the optional adaptive air suspension. With this fitted, the Cayenne Coupé has a ride which feels as comfortable as that of a luxury car. That luxury feeling extends to the Cayenne Coupé's cabin, where you'll find upmarket materials on every surface, as well as a superb 12.3in infotainment system that's easy to get along with. You don't need to go for the most expensive version of the Cayenne Coupé to get the most out of it. Indeed, it's the second run of the ladder, the S model, which is our pick. This gets you a rumbling 468bhp V8 petrol engine, and the ability to hit 100km/h from a standing start in just 4.7seconds. The noise is also sublime, and for that reason alone we think the S is worth the upgrade over the V6 petrol engine fitted to base Cayennes.