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No matter what their size and weight, these SUVs pack a punch when it comes to performance, comfort and handling

Looking to buy an SUV? These are the best luxury options available in India

No matter what their size and weight, these SUVs pack a punch when it comes to performance, comfort and handling

It’s no secret that India’s automotive market loves SUVs of every shape and size, including so-called SUVs that are little more than large hatchbacks. A casual drive in everyday traffic will reveal just how many are on our roads, and most automotive firms operating here pack their portfolios with a wide variety of them. For all their space, practicality and road presence, however, SUVs tend to be on the non-sporty side of things because of their size and weight. There are, however, exceptions to this general rule. In the nosebleed section of the automotive market, there are a number of hulking SUVs that combine size and weight with thrilling performance, excellent handling and sybaritic comfort. Here are some of these outliers.

Lamborghini UrusPurists wrung their hands when Lamborghini first announced the Urus because how could a firm associated with the finest supercars build an SUV? Nobody outside of that little circle cared, though. In fact, those who could afford it voted for it with their wallets and quickly made it the best-selling Lamborghini ever. It’s not surprising to see why; to begin with, the Urus looks ferocious. It’s also massively powerful, brutally fast and built to a high standard, even though its cabin isn’t luxurious in the traditional sense. It’s a Lamborghini sports car on stilts, and there’s quite a lot to be said for that.Engine: 4-litre V8, 641 bhp, 850 Nm torqueTop speed: 305 kphPrice: ₹ 3.15 crore onwards, ex-showroom

Lamborghini Urus

Purists wrung their hands when Lamborghini first announced the Urus because how could a firm associated with the finest supercars build an SUV? Nobody outside of that little circle cared, though. In fact, those who could afford it voted for it with their wallets and quickly made it the best-selling Lamborghini ever. It’s not surprising to see why; to begin with, the Urus looks ferocious. It’s also massively powerful, brutally fast and built to a high standard, even though its cabin isn’t luxurious in the traditional sense. It’s a Lamborghini sports car on stilts, and there’s quite a lot to be said for that.

Engine: 4-litre V8, 641 bhp, 850 Nm torque

Top speed: 305 kph

Price: ₹ 3.15 crore onwards, ex-showroom

Bentley BentaygaI should get one thing out of the way–a lot of purist hand-wringing is witnessed whenever a firm known for performance cars makes an SUV, and the Bentayga resulted in something similar. In Bentley’s case, an SUV was a logical move because it’s known for making fast, refined and luxurious cars–an SUV lends itself to all of that. It will not win any beauty contests, to be honest, due to its rather slab-like design. However, what it will do is enfold you in comfort as you cruise effortlessly across continents at a very rapid pace. And a Bentley is a Bentley, at the end of the day.Engine: 4-litre V8, 542 bhp, 770 Nm torqueTop speed: 290 kphPrice: ₹ 4.15 crore onwards, ex-showroom

Bentley Bentayga

I should get one thing out of the way–a lot of purist hand-wringing is witnessed whenever a firm known for performance cars makes an SUV, and the Bentayga resulted in something similar. In Bentley’s case, an SUV was a logical move because it’s known for making fast, refined and luxurious cars–an SUV lends itself to all of that. It will not win any beauty contests, to be honest, due to its rather slab-like design. However, what it will do is enfold you in comfort as you cruise effortlessly across continents at a very rapid pace. And a Bentley is a Bentley, at the end of the day.

Engine: 4-litre V8, 542 bhp, 770 Nm torque

Top speed: 290 kph

Price: ₹ 4.15 crore onwards, ex-showroom

Rolls-Royce CullinanIt would have been very surprising had Rolls-Royce–for long the makers of the ultimate luxury cars–not made an SUV, so no eyebrows were raised when the Cullinan was launched (except among the usual suspects). This isn’t so much a car as it is a small apartment on wheels, and it weighs almost as much. Nobody buys one of these for its cutting-edge design–mainly because there isn’t any–and what they’re selling the farm for is to be cocooned in a level of ostentation that’s hard to top. It’s also very fast, just in case a getaway of some kind is required.Engine: 6.7-litre V12, 563 bhp, 850 Nm torqueTop speed: 250 kphPrice: ₹ 7 crore onwards, ex-showroom

Rolls-Royce Cullinan

It would have been very surprising had Rolls-Royce–for long the makers of the ultimate luxury cars–not made an SUV, so no eyebrows were raised when the Cullinan was launched (except among the usual suspects). This isn’t so much a car as it is a small apartment on wheels, and it weighs almost as much. Nobody buys one of these for its cutting-edge design–mainly because there isn’t any–and what they’re selling the farm for is to be cocooned in a level of ostentation that’s hard to top. It’s also very fast, just in case a getaway of some kind is required.

Engine: 6.7-litre V12, 563 bhp, 850 Nm torque

Top speed: 250 kph

Price: ₹ 7 crore onwards, ex-showroom

Aston Martin DBX 707From being James Bond’s ride of choice (for the most part, anyway) to this leviathan, the storied British brand has it all covered. It makes some of the most visceral sports cars in the world–and arguably the best-sounding ones– and it’s transferred a lot of all that adrenaline to the DBX 707, its uber-hot uber-SUV. This one actually looks rather good, too. The cabin isn’t as swish as some of the other SUVs on this list, but who cares when the engine sounds like impending doom and takes the DBX from 0-100 kph in a blistering 3.1 seconds?Engine: 4-litre V8, 697 bhp, 900 Nm torqueTop speed: 310 kphPrice: ₹ 3.82 crore onwards, ex-showroom

Aston Martin DBX 707

From being James Bond’s ride of choice (for the most part, anyway) to this leviathan, the storied British brand has it all covered. It makes some of the most visceral sports cars in the world–and arguably the best-sounding ones– and it’s transferred a lot of all that adrenaline to the DBX 707, its uber-hot uber-SUV. This one actually looks rather good, too. The cabin isn’t as swish as some of the other SUVs on this list, but who cares when the engine sounds like impending doom and takes the DBX from 0-100 kph in a blistering 3.1 seconds?

Engine: 4-litre V8, 697 bhp, 900 Nm torque

Top speed: 310 kph

Price: ₹ 3.82 crore onwards, ex-showroom

Mercedes-Benz GLS Maybach 600 4MaticThe makers of the “world’s best car” (the Mercedes-Benz S-Class) would not have a complete product line-up without an equally worthy SUV, so here’s the GLS Maybach. While it is stately rather than good-looking, it does have a whole lot of road presence, which is everything at this end of the game. The magic is on the inside, where you’re surrounded by every luxurious feature you could possibly ask for, in true business-class style. The engine is brilliantly refined, and the GLS Maybach wafts along the road rather than driving on it. There are few better ways to announce that you’ve arrived–or departed, as the case may be.Engine: 4-litre V8, 542 bhp, 729 Nm torqueTop speed: 250 kphPrice: ₹ 2.47 crore onwards, ex-showroom

Mercedes-Benz GLS Maybach 600 4Matic

The makers of the “world’s best car” (the Mercedes-Benz S-Class) would not have a complete product line-up without an equally worthy SUV, so here’s the GLS Maybach. While it is stately rather than good-looking, it does have a whole lot of road presence, which is everything at this end of the game. The magic is on the inside, where you’re surrounded by every luxurious feature you could possibly ask for, in true business-class style. The engine is brilliantly refined, and the GLS Maybach wafts along the road rather than driving on it. There are few better ways to announce that you’ve arrived–or departed, as the case may be.

Engine: 4-litre V8, 542 bhp, 729 Nm torque

Top speed: 250 kph

Price: ₹ 2.47 crore onwards, ex-showroom

Audi RS Q8Here’s an interesting one: Lamborghini is owned by Audi, and someone at the decision-making table thought it would be a great idea to put the Urus’ engine in an Audi Q8 and call it the RS Q8. The result? An Audi SUV with a great deal of visual presence and an attitude to match. The engine gets less power than in the Urus, but it’s still more than enough to blow the doors off pretty much anything else on the road. It handles well, too, and has brilliant build quality. Get one in green and thank me later.Engine: 4-litre V8, 591 bhp, 800 Nm torqueTop speed: 250 kphPrice: ₹ 2.19 crore onwards, ex-showroom

Audi RS Q8

Here’s an interesting one: Lamborghini is owned by Audi, and someone at the decision-making table thought it would be a great idea to put the Urus’ engine in an Audi Q8 and call it the RS Q8. The result? An Audi SUV with a great deal of visual presence and an attitude to match. The engine gets less power than in the Urus, but it’s still more than enough to blow the doors off pretty much anything else on the road. It handles well, too, and has brilliant build quality. Get one in green and thank me later.

Engine: 4-litre V8, 591 bhp, 800 Nm torque

Top speed: 250 kph

Price: ₹ 2.19 crore onwards, ex-showroom

Porsche Cayenne TurboPorsche makes the sportiest, best-handling cars on the planet; there is no debate possible here. It was one of the first sports car companies to make an SUV and became the subject of much derision at the time–naturally, the Cayenne became its best-selling vehicle. The engineering geniuses at Porsche have focussed every one of their brain cells on making the Cayenne the sporting SUV, and it shows. The Turbo version is the range-topper, blasting to 100 kph from a standstill in 3.9 seconds and handling like it’s on rails while at it. If pure driving pleasure from your SUV is what you want, look no further.Engine: 4-litre V8, 550 bhp, 770 Nm torqueTop speed: 285 kphPrice: ₹ 1.93 crore onwards, ex-showroom

Porsche Cayenne Turbo

Porsche makes the sportiest, best-handling cars on the planet; there is no debate possible here. It was one of the first sports car companies to make an SUV and became the subject of much derision at the time–naturally, the Cayenne became its best-selling vehicle. The engineering geniuses at Porsche have focussed every one of their brain cells on making the Cayenne the sporting SUV, and it shows. The Turbo version is the range-topper, blasting to 100 kph from a standstill in 3.9 seconds and handling like it’s on rails while at it. If pure driving pleasure from your SUV is what you want, look no further.

Engine: 4-litre V8, 550 bhp, 770 Nm torque

Top speed: 285 kph

Price: ₹ 1.93 crore onwards, ex-showroom

Maserati Levante TrofeoMaseratis are among the most beautiful cars you can possibly own, and even though the Levante looks like a Maserati that plays fast and loose with the carbs, it’s still a striking SUV, especially in a lustrous dark blue. The firm isn’t known for topping the class in the cabin department, and its interior does look and feel a notch below the competition; it’s also a bit down on engine size and power. Size isn’t everything, however (no sniggering at the back, please), and it’s the way the Levante puts everything together that’s so pleasing–it sounds fantastic, stands right out from the crowd and is plenty fast. It is, after all, a cousin of Ferrari.Engine: 3-litre V6, 430 bhp, 580 Nm torqueTop speed: 264 kphPrice: ₹ 2.38 crore onwards, ex-showroom

Maserati Levante Trofeo

Maseratis are among the most beautiful cars you can possibly own, and even though the Levante looks like a Maserati that plays fast and loose with the carbs, it’s still a striking SUV, especially in a lustrous dark blue. The firm isn’t known for topping the class in the cabin department, and its interior does look and feel a notch below the competition; it’s also a bit down on engine size and power. Size isn’t everything, however (no sniggering at the back, please), and it’s the way the Levante puts everything together that’s so pleasing–it sounds fantastic, stands right out from the crowd and is plenty fast. It is, after all, a cousin of Ferrari.

Engine: 3-litre V6, 430 bhp, 580 Nm torque

Top speed: 264 kph

Price: ₹ 2.38 crore onwards, ex-showroom

Ferrari PurosangueThis is a car that isn’t in India as yet–in fact it isn’t anywhere yet–but it will be available here sometime late next year, and when it does, it’ll almost certainly sell out in an instant. The Purosangue (meaning ‘thoroughbred’ in Italian) is Ferrari’s first SUV, and they certainly haven’t held back with it. It looks desirable  with its sensuous lines, and since nothing less than a V12 engine would have made the cut, it’s got a V12. That’s not all–Ferrari has eschewed turbocharging, so the engine is naturally aspirated and should sound absolutely divine. The cabin is of the sporty/sumptuous sort, you can spec it in all manner of ways, and it’s safe to bet that it’ll have true sports car handling. Bellissimo would be an understatement.Engine: 6.6-litre V12, 715 bhp, 715 Nm torqueTop speed: 310 kphPrice (estimated): ₹5 crore onwards, ex-showroom

Ferrari Purosangue

This is a car that isn’t in India as yet–in fact it isn’t anywhere yet–but it will be available here sometime late next year, and when it does, it’ll almost certainly sell out in an instant. The Purosangue (meaning ‘thoroughbred’ in Italian) is Ferrari’s first SUV, and they certainly haven’t held back with it. It looks desirable  with its sensuous lines, and since nothing less than a V12 engine would have made the cut, it’s got a V12. That’s not all–Ferrari has eschewed turbocharging, so the engine is naturally aspirated and should sound absolutely divine. The cabin is of the sporty/sumptuous sort, you can spec it in all manner of ways, and it’s safe to bet that it’ll have true sports car handling. Bellissimo would be an understatement.

Engine: 6.6-litre V12, 715 bhp, 715 Nm torque

Top speed: 310 kph

Price (estimated): ₹5 crore onwards, ex-showroom

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