Best luxury SUVs 2021

Despite its rugged image, the latest Defender fully deserves the title of luxury SUV. It can seat up to seven in its high-quality interior, it comes loaded with standard kit and it's capable of tacking both long motorway journeys and mountain passes with equal ability. What's more, because the Defender is predicted to hold onto its value extremely well, you should get more of your money back when you come to sell than you would in most rivals.

The second Land Rover to make the list is the Range Rover Sport, which is based on the full-sized Range Rover. It’s no surprise, then, that it’s a fantastic car for covering long distances, with a smooth engine and a relaxed ride. What's more, its interior is luxurious and generously equipped, and there's the option of seven seats.

Despite sitting at the top of Audi's now extensive SUV range, the Q8 is a fraction smaller than the Q7, its raison d'etre being its outlandish style and presence, a corollary of its sloping roofline, wider stance and massive and purposeful front grille. Yes, the Q8 is expensive, but it's also beautifully made, wonderfully refined and boasts an opulent and spacious interior.   

Some rivals are more practical and better to drive, but the Mercedes GLE has a dazzling interior and, on air suspension, is a comfortable cruiser. Go for the 400d and you also get one of the best diesel engines around: it blends effortless performance with good fuel economy, and is both smooth and quiet, even under hard acceleration.

The latest version of Volvo's XC90 is enjoyable to drive and much smarter than its predecessor inside, yet it remains every bit as practical, with flexible seating and a huge boot. Only average refinement and a slightly unsettled ride stop it making the top four here.

The latest Discovery is more practical than any of its rivals, but it’s also great to drive and even pretty good value for money and slow to depreciate. Much like its predecessor, the all-new Discovery is a whopping great seven-seater. It also has lots of ingenious storage spaces, including two gloveboxes and a hidden compartment behind the dashboard air-con control panel.

BMW's original X5 was one of the first road-focused 4x4s, and this latest model sticks closely to that car's winning formula, with decent practicality and sharper handling than most rivals. On the inside, there’s a commanding driving position, plenty of space for five and large boot. The optional third-row seats are cramped, though.

Big, bold, comfortable, and with a luxurious interior – the X7 is a very worthy recent addition to BMW’s lineup and the luxury SUV class. It's also one of the most practical cars in the class; even six-footers will have plenty of space in the third row, while the boot is enormous when those seats are folded away.

With prices starting at around £45,000, the Velar bridges the gap between the cheapest Range Rover, the Evoque and the Range Rover Sport. It’s the most road-biased Range Rover ever, even though it’s still incredibly capable in the rough stuff. Just bear in mind that you have to step up from the base model to S trim to get sat-nav, a properly punchy stereo, a rear-view camera and leather rather than cloth seats.

Audi's flagship 4x4 is the best luxury SUV you can buy. It's relaxing to drive, comfortable to sit in and pleasantly efficient to run, while its interior is plush enough to compete with models that cost twice as much. As if all that weren't enough, the Q7 is very practical, offering more than enough space for families and their luggage and seven seats as standard.