Volvo
Compact luxury SUVs are to this decade what Hansel was to the fictional fashion world in 2000: so hot right now. As sport-utilities have become the de facto choice of vehicle for a vast swath of the world’s new car buyers, the two-row luxury crossover has become a new status symbol, too. Buyers who, a generation ago, might have opted for a BMW 3 Series or Audi A4 are now frequently choosing those cars’ high-riding equivalents.
And who can blame them? Modern crossovers are, by and large, nearly as efficient, comfortable, and easy to drive as their conventional sedan counterparts — but they come with the added perks of easier entry and the confidence in knowing you can hop curbs and handle rough roads more easily. It’s no wonder just about every automaker under the sun seems to be in the market — especially in luxury. Here, then, are the 16 best luxury compact SUVs you can buy right now.
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Best Overall: BMW X3
Image Credit: Uwe Fischer Much like the 3 Series sedans that have long defined the compact luxury sedan category, BMW’s X3 and X4 set the standard for compact luxury crossovers. BMW’s often-polarizing design language is at its best here, whether on the traditional two-box form of the X3 or the swoopier “coupe” body of the X4. It drives with the verve and fun that we’ve come to expect from the brand without sacrificing comfort, both in terms of offering ample space for the class and luxurious features and finishes. Plus, if your inner Ricky Bobby is calling, the 473-hp X3 M and X4 M versions can put many true sports cars to shame in a straight line and on a track.
In production since: 2003
Top powertrain option: Turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six (X3 M / X4 M)
Power: 473 horsepower and 457 lb-ft of torque
Zero to 60 mph: 3/9 seconds
Top speed: 155 mph
Price: $46,900+ -
Best for Off-Roaders: Land Rover Defender 90
Image Credit: Land Rover The odds are good, if you know cars, you know the Land Rover Defender. The current Defender may have little in common with the legendary 20th-century version from a mechanical point of view, but it still excels at the same task: going just about anywhere. Its off-road prowess ranks near the top for new stock SUVs, aided by a host of tech old (low-range four-wheel-drive) and new (360-degree cameras) alike. But the new version goes about it in far greater comfort, making it better suited for those times you’re on-road … which, let’s face it, is most of the time.
In production since: 1983 or 2019, depending who you ask
Top powertrain option: Supercharged 5.0-liter V8
Power: 518 horsepower and 461 lb-ft
Zero to 60 mph: 4.9 seconds
Top Speed: 149 mph
Price: $56,400+ -
Best Looking: Alfa Romeo Stelvio
Image Credit: Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeos have long been adored for their looks, and the brand’s first SUV, the Stelvio, does an admirable job of continuing that trend. From its handsomely owl-like face to its taut haunches and raked rear roofline, this compact crossover looks quick standing still. Also helping matters is that it is quick — especially in Quadrifoglio guise, where it packs a twin-turn V6 made with the help of the brand’s corporate cousins over at Ferrari. Still, even the base 280-hp four-cylinder is fun to toss about, thanks to lively steering, a playful suspension and giant paddle shifters that make switching gears a joy.
In production since: 2016
Top powertrain option: Twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 (Stelvio Quadrifoglio)
Power: 505 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque
Zero to 60 mph: 3.6 seconds
Top speed: 176 mph
Price: $45,950+ -
Best for Buyers Who Wanted a Sports Car: Porsche Macan
Image Credit: Porsche Porsche’s reputation for making all its cars fun to drive is unblemished by this small SUV. If anything, it’s burnished by how exciting and involving this compact SUV is from behind the wheel. From the base model all the way to the sportiest GTS trim, the Macan’s perfectly dialed-in steering, nimble handling, and back-road-ready suspension make hurling it down your favorite stretch of pavement a blast. A new generation that forgoes gasoline power in favor of batteries and electric motors arrives in 2024, but if you’re not ready to make the leap both to SUVs and EVs, no worries; here in the U.S., the gas-powered Macan will live on for some time.
In production since: 2014
Top powertrain option: Turbocharged 2.9-liter V6 / Front and rear axle electric motors
Power: 434 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque (gas) / 631 horsepower and 833 lb-ft (electric)
Zero to 60 mph: 4.1 seconds (gas) / 3.1 seconds (electric)
Top speed: 169 mph (gas) / 161 mph (electric)
Range: TBA (electric)
Price: $62,900+ -
Best for the Badge-Conscious: Mercedes-Benz GLC
Image Credit: Mercedes-Benz Few brands — automotive or otherwise — can claim the recognition and cred of Mercedes-Benz. Its iconic logo has graced some of the most famous cars in history, and remains a signature on many of the best vehicles on sale today. Don’t let that get you thinking the Three-Pointed Star on the grille is doing all the work for the GLC-Class, though; behind it lies a thoroughly modern luxury machine, replete with an elegant interior and enough technology to impress to boot.
In production since: 2015
Top powertrain option: Turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four
Power: 416 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque
Zero to 60 mph: 4.7 seconds
Top speed: 155 mph
Price: $47,450+ -
Best for Comfortable Seats: Lincoln Corsair
Image Credit: Lincoln As Lincoln’s entry-level vehicle, the Corsair is meant to be the gateway to the features, functions, and fashion of a lineup that stretches all the way up to the super-elegant Navigator. One such feature: the brand’s Perfect Position front seats. Unlike typical buckets that adjust four, six, or eight ways, these leather thrones — optional on the Reserve and Grand Touring trims — can be adjusted in 24 ways, all the way down to different angles for each thigh. On top of that, the seats also offer heating, cooling, and massage functions — the latter offering five different programs, each with three levels of intensity. If you can’t get comfortable in the Corsair’s first row, make an appointment with a chiropractor.
In production since: 2020
Top powertrain option: Turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four / 2.5-liter inline four and electric motor
Power: 250 horsepower and 275 lb-ft of torque / 266 horsepower (torque not listed for hybrid)
Zero to 60 mph: 6.1 seconds (gas) / 7.0 seconds (plug-in hybrid)
Top speed: 121 mph
Price: $38,990+ -
Best for Flying Under the Radar: Audi Q5
Image Credit: Audi In a world full of look-at-me SUVs, the understated Q5 family stands out by not standing out. Audi’s design language has gone largely unchanged for over a decade — no bad thing, considering how handsome most of the company’s cars are — but even if the Q5 hadn’t gained ubiquity over many years of sales success, its simple, clean lines mean it won’t draw attention the way many more edgy, angular SUVs do. Sometimes, going about in anonymity is good … especially if you opt for either the SQ5 or Q5 plug-in hybrid, both of which pack enough power to blow away last decade’s muscle cars from a stoplight.
In production since: 2008
Top powertrain option: Turbocharged 2.0-liter inline four and electric motor (Q5 PHEV) / Turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 (SQ5)
Power: 362 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque (PHEV) / 349 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque (SQ5)
Zero to 60 mph: 5.0 seconds (PHEV) / 4.7 seconds (SQ5)
Top speed: 130 mph (PHEV) / 155 mph (SQ5)
Price: $45,300+ -
Best for EV Buyers Who Don’t Want Drastic Change: Audi Q4 E-Tron
Image Credit: Audi There are plenty of electric car buyers out there who very much want to broadcast their choice, opting for EVs that wear their uniqueness on their sleeves in everything from design to technology to the way they drive. The Q4 E-Tron is very much not that. Effectively a more stylish, upscale version of the VW ID.4, it not only looks much like any other member of Audi’s SUV family, but it drives fairly conventionally, as well — apart from need a plug instead of a gas pump — and offers no surprises inside, but rather, simple Audi design. Think of it as an easy way to dip your toe into the EV pond.
In production since: 2021
Top powertrain option: Front and rear axle electric motors
Power: 355 horsepower and 339 lb-ft of torque
Zero to 60 mph: 5.0 seconds
Top speed: 99 mph
Range: 258 miles
Price: $55,200+ -
Best for Not Compromising: Volvo XC60
Image Credit: Volvo Maybe you want safety, but your life partner wants performance. Or perhaps you want luxury, but your partner wants efficiency. The beauty of the Volvo XC60 in Recharge plug-in hybrid form is that, well, you don’t have to decide. The combined grunt of its turbocharged engine and electric motors delivers power figures more in line with a sports car than a typical crossover, yet with its 18.80-kWh battery charged, it can travel more than 30 miles on electricity alone at more than 80 mph. And should your particular compromises not require quite so much power, well, the regular non-PHEV XC60 also promises Scandinavian style, sybaritic delights, and the same impressive levels of safety for $11,000 less.
In production since: 2008
Top powertrain option: Turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four and electric motor
Power: 455 horsepower and 523 lb-ft of torque
Zero to 60 mph: 4.5 seconds
Top speed: 112 mph
Price: $46,900+ -
Best for Exotic Car Fans: Maserati Grecale
Image Credit: Maserati Known for decades primarily as a purveyor of borderline exotica, Maserati has spent the last few years going mainstream — at least, by comparison. The Grecale, new last year, is the clearest proof of that push yet. It may be compact and high-riding, but one look and it’s clear that it’s related to the likes of far pricier Masers like the MC20, Quattroporte and GranTurismo. And this little SUV will blow away many a classic Maserati — or other exotic car you idolized in your youth — off the line or in the curves, at least if you opt for the top-shelf Grecale Trofeo version.
In production since: 2023
Top powertrain option: Twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6
Power: 523 horsepower and 457 lb-ft of torque
Zero to 60 mph: 3.8 seconds
Top speed: 177 mph
Price: $69,900+ -
Best for Bentley Fans on a Budget: Genesis GV70
Image Credit: Genesis In its brief existence, the Genesis lineup has already become renowned for both elegant design and class-leading luxury. The GV70, like its GV80 big brother, boasts the sort of stately looks that would seem at home on a Bentley — no surprise, given that Genesis designer Luc Donckerwolke used to work there —Interior materials that punch above their weight and a choice of a 300-hp turbo four, a 375-hp turbo V6 and a 429-hp all-electric version, this compact crossover feels like a six-figure ride at half the price.
In production since: 2020
Top powertrain option: Twin-turbocharged V6 / Front and rear axle electric motors
Power: 375 horsepower and 391 lb-ft of torque / 483 horsepower and 516 lb-ft
Zero to 60 mph: 4.9 seconds / 3.8 seconds
Top speed: 150 mph
Range: 236 miles (EV)
Price: $45,150+ -
Best for Powertrain Options: Lexus NX
Image Credit: Lexus The NX is appealing on several levels — edgy design and Toyota reliability not the least among them — but perhaps one of its biggest advantages is the sheer number of powertrains it offers. There are no fewer than four, stretching from the base model’s conventional inline-four to the mainstream NX 350’s turbo four to the mild hybrid NX 350h before finally capping out with the plug-in hybrid NX 350h+. Whether you value efficiency, performance, or both, there’s an NX for you.
In production since: 2014
Top powertrain option: 2.5-liter inline four engine and electric motor
Power: 304 horsepower (torque not listed)
Zero to 60 mph: 5.6 seconds
Top speed: 130 mph
Price: $41,765+ -
Best for Traditionalists: Cadillac XT5
Image Credit: Cadillac When it comes to American luxury, there’s still one name that stands above the rest: Cadillac. Now, granted, the XT5 may not have the grandeur of an Escalade or the brutal performance of a CT5-V Blackwing, but that hasn’t stopped it from becoming the brand’s best-selling car in the U.S. It’s comfortable, good-looking, easy to drive and easy to live with — and you’ll never need to worry about people mistaking it for any luxury car made in Europe, not with that iconic badge on the grille.
In production since: 2015
Top powertrain option: 3.6-liter V6
Power: 310 horsepower, 271 lb-ft of torque
Zero to 60 mph: 6.1 seconds
Top speed: 130 mph
Price: $45,290+ -
Best for Muscle Car Fans: Jaguar F-PACE
Image Credit: Jaguar The F-Pace was Jaguar’s first SUV, and it’s growing a little long in the fang; it’s been around nearly a decade at this point, and even periodic refreshes haven’t been able to keep it at the head of the pack. However, it still has at least one standout feature: in SVR form, it packs a supercharged V8 engine spitting out 567 horses. One blip of the throttle, and you’ll forget all about the milquetoast motors that power other compact crossovers; the F-Pace’s V8 has the same sound and fury that defines great muscle cars like the Shelby GT500, Camaro ZL1, and Challenger Hellcat. If you’ve always wanted a supercharged muscle machine but you need a back seat and all-wheel-drive … this Jag’s for you.
In production since: 2016
Top powertrain option: Supercharged 5.0-liter V8
Power: 567 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque
Zero to 60 mph: 3.8 seconds
Top speed: 178 mph
Price: $58,275+ -
Best for Audio Lovers: Acura RDX
Image Credit: Acura Acura’s smallest crossover, the RDX, features plenty of unique features, like the brand’s torque-vectoring Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive and an infotainment system with controls like a laptop trackpad. But its most desirable feature is the optional 710-watt ELS Studio 3D audio system, tailor-made for the car by Grammy-winning producer Elliot Scheiner and packing 16 speakers to make this compact crossover feel like Carnegie Hall. It’s so impressive that you’ll find yourself seeking out the RDX instead of your Sonos system the next time your favorite artist drops an album.
In production since: 2006
Top powertrain option: Turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four
Power: 272 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque
Zero to 60 mph: 6.2 seconds
Top speed: 112 mph
Price: $44,350+ -
Best for Engineering Enthusiasts: Infiniti QX50
Image Credit: INFINITI The QX50 and QX55 might not look like the sort of vehicles you’d expect to find cutting-edge powertrain technology. After all, at a glance, they seem like fairly ordinary luxury crossovers — two rows of seats, lots of leather trim, generically attractive design that looks right at home in the school pick-up line. Beneath the hood, however, lies what Infiniti calls “VC-Turbo” tech, which lets these Infinitis do something other cars can’t — adjust their engine’s compression ratio on the move, prioritizing efficiency when needed and power when desired. It’s the sort of feature gear heads geek out over … even if they don’t think twice about the rest of the car.
In production since: 2013
Top powertrain option: Turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four
Power: 268 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque
Zero to 60 mph: 6.3 seconds
Top speed: 137 mph
Price: $41,000+
