Nowadays, SUVs are doing things they shouldn’t be doing. Not just carting the kids around but outperforming sports car models, while ‘easily’ setting Nürburgring lap records. All while hardly breaking a sweat. The sheer size, high center of gravity, awkwardness, and dimensions that practicality and utility dictate mean that some models are living in a world where physics is being side-stepped shamelessly.
“Performance” and “SUV” are two concepts that shouldn’t go together, but do. It begs the question that even though you may have grown up with a family and have a mountain of responsibilities, do you have to say goodbye to your performance roots? Here are 10 SUVs that will carry your kids and their lunch while packing a punch, making the school run just that much more exciting:
1
Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat
710 horsepower and 645 lb-ft of torque. That’s plenty of ponies. All of them, as a matter of sincerity. Why though? Well, because Dodge can! The result? 0 to 62 mph in 3.5 seconds, delivered through all-wheel drive, with enough towing capacity for an SUV. You’ll be shutting up sports car drivers while towing the boat and reclaiming time.
With somewhat understated looks, minus the hood scoop that indicates more air is needed for the whining supercharger, this could be mistaken for a regular garden-variety SUV. Dodge should not be doing things like this, but they are, and we need to stand up and bow our heads to the Pirelli P-Zeros that will be sacrificed to the car gods in the process.
2
BMW X3 M
First, you have German engineering meets “Sheer driving pleasure” meets family values meets the Bavaria M division treatment. Then there’s the TwinPower turbo 3-liter straight six producing 473 horsepower from the famed S58 powerplant. The result? A sharpshooter with an 8-speed automatic transmission, capable of transporting passengers around.
Yes, there’s the X-Drive all-wheel drive, but with 100% power dedicated to the rear wheels, so you can get the best of both worlds en route to the 60mph mark, and will arrive at the 62 mph gauge reading in 3.9 seconds. If you’re seeking more, the competition version does it in 0.6 seconds quicker. Psst, that makes it faster than the M3 sedan version. This is one serious wolf in sheep’s clothing with an “M” badge on it.
3
Audi SQ7
Let’s get down to the numbers that count. 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8. 0-60mph in 4.3 seconds. 500 horsepower and 568 pound-feet of torque. Interest piqued yet? Now for the pedigree. Okay, it shares a motor with the Porsche Cayenne Turbo, Bentley Bentayga, and Lamborghini Urus, so consider it a great value for the money.
That’s no shade being thrown at the four-ring machine, which, through its Quattro system, shares a long dynasty of rally racing glory. Think of it as the S1 Quattro that has finally grown up and started a family but still knows how to throw it down, cause a scene, and apologize afterward.
4
Tesla Model Y Performance
Now an established EV option on our list, the world’s best-selling EV SUV, Model Y, offers those seeking more space with not-so-subtle hints of neck-snapping acceleration. A 0-62 mph time of 3.8 seconds is one of the quicker options on this list, featuring lowered suspension, “Go faster” bits, and performance brakes as well as practicality in the after-sales service with replaceable parts like batteries.
If it weren’t for the carbon fiber bits, you’d swear this was just a “normie” variant, but you’d be mistaken. This packs as much punch as you’d need in an EV-based utility option. In the hotly contested EV SUV game, the Model Y is certainly representing that “OG” badge, fending off the new contenders coming for glory.
5
GMC Hummer EV
Forget the party trick of crab walking and extract mode; this is as patriotic an option as you can desire (Insert Eagle Screech). There’s a three-motor electric setup delivering 1,000 horsepower and 11,500 lb-ft of torque, which will rocket you to 62 mph from a standstill in 3.5 seconds, with a range of 315 miles (that’s if your foot isn’t welded to the floor).
Staggering numbers from a road-going SUV that derives its heritage from a brand that has served a nation well. It’s only fitting that the next iteration of the Hummer packs this sort of offering.
6
Hyundai Ioniq 5 N
Hyundai has certainly come a long way since Albert Biermann (ex-BMW M division) joined to spearhead the performance sector of the South Korean brand. What they’ve done well is create fun and exciting cars, and the Ioniq 5N is the EV product of their research and development, expanding on that ethos while serving those seeking electric vehicle pursuits, performance, and, well, more performance.
From the dual motor configuration, you’re getting 650 hp that rockets you to 62 mph in 3.4 seconds. It may seem ludicrous to say that each time, but that is the world we live in. Yes, we like it—a lot. We also like the notion that it can power your home appliances in the event of a power outage. At least the beers won’t get cold.
7
Aston Martin DBX 707
James Bond finally decided to settle down. Well, perhaps not, but arguably one of the prettiest-looking SUVs on the market is the Aston Martin DBX, which reaches the 0-62 mph benchmark in 3.3 seconds, powered by an AMG-derived 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine. It has been tweaked slightly to include extra firepower. Offering 550 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque, it is delivered through the all-wheel drive system.
There’s a somewhat more docile version in the standard DBX, but like in true Bond fashion, why settle for less? As for the Martinis being stirred, our advice is to stay well clear of anything when driving and focus instead on fresh air and concentration.
8
Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio
From the brand that has delivered some of the most achingly gorgeously shaped cars in the history of car art comes the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifolglio. A name that has to be pronounced out loud, accompanied by audacious hand gestures. The Quadrifoglio is a nod to Alfa’s racing heritage, dating back to a time when seatbelts weren’t an option, and men thought it was a good idea to race with leather caps on as protection.
In proper Alfa form, they pack a punch from smaller motors with their twin-turbo V-6 that produces 505 hp that, thanks to the four-wheel-drive configuration, will rocket you to 62mph from a dead stop in 3.3 seconds. Bella!
9
Ford Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition
While everyone’s still collecting themselves off the floor from the Mustang badge going all-electric, we’ll distract you with the power figures of 450 horsepower and 634 lb-ft of torque that, once more, gets this people carrier to the 62 mph figure in 3.5 seconds. While to the faithful, it’s still a shock to the system (No pun intended), it’s certainly taking the Mustang name to an entirely new crowd, and while it may be a challenge to consume, it’s a looker in its own right and dare I point out that it accelerates quicker than the Dark Horse coupe version. Hands up. Don’t shoot. We’re just the messenger.
10
GLC 63 S E PERFORMANCE
Sporting the least number of cylinders with the AMG M139l 2.0-liter inline-four engine, the GLC 63 E Performance, paired up with AMG hybrid technology, pushes a staggering 671 hp and 752 lb-ft of torque. Read that again. “From a 4-cylinder“. Diabolical. The dash to 62 mph is accomplished in a casual 3.4 seconds, despite having no right to do so, but it does.
However, as for the missing V8, though, in a ‘63 Mercedes variant, well, enough debate has been had, and while we miss it, it’s difficult to argue with these types of performance figures in such a compact car package. Just be careful there isn’t a subscription to access that performance.
Manufacturers need an SUV in their lineup as their bread and butter. This we are aware of. If Porsche never had the Cayenne, no doubt they’d be well and truly sunk by now. The same applies to nearly every other mass-producing manufacturer.
Along with that, the age of the performance SUV has truly engulfed us, delivering some special cars along the way. It’s refreshing that this hasn’t stopped the engineering R&D departments from having fun along the way. They’ve meddled with suspension trick bits and hooved monstrously powered engines in their engine bays and fitted time-stopping braking systems, taking the cash cow garden variety versions and turning them into thoroughbred machines. And despite our reservations, the truth is, we are, as a collective, better for it, proving that just because you’ve grown up doesn’t mean you can’t have fun anymore.