Coming soon: large and luxury SUVs
Don't buy a new car until you've read this – our ultimate guide to the new models coming in 2022...
Large and luxury SUVs
BMW XM
On sale Late 2022
If big is beautiful, the new BMW XM has the potential to be a supermodel. Not only is it absolutely massive, at just over 5.1m long, but it will also be the most expensive and most powerful BMW SUV you can buy.
Although the concept car’s looks are likely to be toned down for production, the XM will still be angular and imposing, with thin LED headlights and a front grille so large that it might as well have its own postcode.
Like the concept, the production XM will be a plug-in hybrid that is understood to combine a thumping V8 petrol engine with two electric motors. Together, the system produces a whopping 740bhp, as well as 737lb ft of torque.
In electric-only mode, the XM promises up to 50 miles of driving on a full charge. That compares with the official range of up to 54 miles already offered by the BMW X5 xDrive45e, our favourite plug-in hybrid SUV
There’s no word on CO2 emissions or fuel consumption yet, but you can expect to spend a lot of time at petrol stations if you don’t top up the battery on a regular basis. Drivers will be able to prioritise electric or engine power through selectable modes inside the car.
Speaking of the interior, you’ll find dual digital screens to take care of instruments and infotainment, with the latter able to be controlled by touch, voice or a physical dial between the front seats. The latter means the system will be easier to use on the move than the purely touchscreen-based set-ups of rivals.
Audi Q9
On sale Autumn
Audi’s largest and most expensive SUV will rival the BMW X7 and Mercedes GLS and is expected to cost around £120,000. To justify that price tag, the Q9 will offer palatial comfort for up to seven people, as well as a boot large enough to hold the proverbial kitchen sink. Engine options will include a 239bhp 2.0-litre petrol and at least one plug-in hybrid variant.
Dacia Bigster
On sale Late 2022
With an expected price of around £20,000, the Bigster should comfortably be the cheapest large SUV you can buy when it goes on sale in late 2022. The seven-seater will be offered both as a hybrid and as a bi-fuel model that can run on either petrol or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). The hybrid will feature a 1.6-litre petrol engine and two electric motors.
Land Rover Defender 130
On sale Autumn
The largest Defender to date will offer seating for up to eight people, but while it will be just as capable off road as its smaller siblings, it will also have a focus on luxury. Expect high-end materials to feature inside, with prices starting at around £70,000.
Volvo XC90
On sale Late 2022
The third generation of Volvo’s largest SUV will be offered with the choice of mild hybrid petrol engines, plug-in hybrid power and also as a fully electric car. The latter will comfortably take you farther than the 262 miles today’s Volvo XC40 Recharge can manage and, as with any XC90, will offer seating for seven inside. It will also feature the latest assistance and safety kit.
Read our full review of the current Volvo XC90 >>
Aston Martin DBX Coupé
On sale Summer
Aston Martin’s first SUV has already impressed us with its playful handling and family-friendly interior, and in the summer it will gain a svelte coupé sibling. Expect the same thunderous 4.0-litre V8 engine to provide power, and a price tag approaching £180,000.
Read our full Aston Martin DBX review >>
Range Rover
On sale Spring
The looks of the new Range Rover are the automotive equivalent of a mullet: familiar from the front but shockingly different from the back. The only difference is that here the combination works, at least to our eyes.
Despite this radical rear end restyle, the new car retains the handy split tailgate that has always been part of the Range Rover recipe, with the lower section folding down to give you a platform to perch on. What’s more, as with the outgoing model, two body lengths are available, so you can have rear leg room that’s limo-like or merely generous.
Both versions can be specified with a three-person rear bench or two individually adjustable rear seats. You can also order the longer Range Rover as a seven-seater – the first time this has been possible.
The quality of the materials inside the car impress, with pretty much every surface trimmed in wood, metal or leather. That is, of course, unless you specify the optional vegan interior, in which case the latter is swapped for ‘premium’ textiles.
Regardless of which version you go for, four-wheel steering is standard to improve both low-speed manoeuvrability and high-speed stability. All Range Rovers also get a system that uses sat-nav data to prime the car’s suspension for corners.
Initially, buyers will be able to choose from 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, and a 4.4-litre petrol V8. However, a plug-in hybrid that offers up to 64 miles of zero-emissions running will join the line-up shortly after launch, while a fully electric version will follow in 2024.
Read our full review of the current Range Rover >>
Nissan X-Trail
On sale Summer
Featuring the same imposing design as the latest Nissan Qashqai and Nissan Juke, the X-Trail will offer space for seven people on board, plus the option of electric power. In this form, it will use the same range extender set-up as the upcoming Qashqai e-Power, with a 1.5-litre petrol engine acting as a generator for at least one electric motor.
Read our full review of the current Nissan X-Trail >>
Mazda CX-5
On sale Spring
The facelifted CX-5 large SUV will have a new focus on comfort, thanks to revised suspension that’s said to offer better ride comfort and less noise. Safety kit has also been enhanced, now including adaptive cruise control with lane-keeping assistance. A new driving mode selector allows buyers to tailor the CX-5’s systems for different surfaces.
Ineos Grenadier
On sale Spring
If you want your SUV to be able to tackle any terrain, the Grenadier might appeal to you. Based on the old Land Rover Defender, it’s a hardcore off-roader that’s powered by six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines sourced from BMW. Priced from around £40,000, the Grenadier promises to be able to tow up to 3500kg and carry 1000kg.
Maserati Grecale
On sale Late 2022
Maserati’s second SUV model (after the larger Maserati Levante) shares much of its underpinnings with the Alfa Romeo Stelvio but is expected to use the brand’s own 2.0-litre turbo and 3.0-litre V6 petrol engines. A fully electric version will follow. The Porsche Macan rival promises class-leading handling and practicality, with prices likely to start at around £50,000.
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Best luxury SUVs 2022
The best luxury SUVs are as practical as they are classy and as desirable as they are relaxing to drive. Here we count down the top 10 – and reveal the one to avoid
