![]() But as rarified as its price may be, the Bentayga is a big seller for Bentley and a vehicle that can actually be used as a competent daily driver, both on road and off. The updated visuals may be controversial, but they can’t detract from the X7’s cutting edge and the impeccable driving dynamics.īy far the priciest vehicle on this list with a starting price above $200,000, the Bentley Bentayga is a genuine luxury item, not a frilly pretender, and it shows in the execution. (Call us old-fashioned, but we’ll take out BMWs with one of their trademark silky inline six-cylinders as long as they make them.) BMW says details on the tuned-up Alpina XB7 will be out later this year, but we do know that it will use a tuned version of the 4.4-liter V8 making 630 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. The xDrive40i uses an inline six-cylinder with 375 hp and 398 pound-feet of torque, whereas the M60i’s twin-turbo V8 cranks out 523hp and 553 lb-ft. gets two basic powertrains: the X7 xDrive40i and the X7 M60i fettled by its M Sport division. Though Europe still gets diesels, the U.S. (It’s based on a stretched version of the X5 whose rear seat is tiny.) It also brings a prettier interior, new technology and updated mild-hybrid engines. Refreshed for 2023, the big BMW SUV adopts the front-end styling of the brand-new 7 Series and a useable third row. Introduced stateside for the 2018 model year, the X7 delivered right out of the gate with typical BMW trappings and style. The X7 is a spring chicken compared to some of the nameplates on the list that go back decades. The Escalade is plush, but the segment thrives on one-upmanship, and its competitors are quickly striving to outshine Cadillac’s largest SUV, so even in this rarified segment you’ll want to shop around. An available augmented reality-enabled navigation uses live street views with directional indicators to create a truly surreal feeling, and an AKG audio system builds resonant sound with 19 speakers to start and ramps up to a notable 36 speakers at the top of the range. ![]() ![]() Regardless of the powertrain, the Escalade’s interior impresses with a trio of screens that combine to form 38 inches of screen area. There’s also a new 682 hp Escalade V variant for the truly power-hungry. The 6.2-liter V8 gasoline engine is no slouch, cranking out 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque. The good news is, however, tempered by the high cost of diesel. Now in its fifth generation, the Escalade is powered by a 6.2-liter V8 or a turbodiesel inline-six that delivers an impressive for a land-yacht 23 combined mpg (27 highway!). Though the two sold in equal measure at the start, the Escalade pulled a lead around 2009 and hasn’t relinquished it yet. The Escalade, on the other hand, came out of the gate loud and proud in 1998 alongside its now longtime nemesis, the Lincoln Navigator. Though the Ranger Rover beat it to market, it remained a vehicular apparition in the U.S. The Cadillac Escalade is in some ways archetype for the domestic luxury-laden beast. An adaptive, height-adjustable air suspension affords off-road adventure and helps keep things on an even keel on the pavement. This year a 434-horsepower plug-in hybrid (with 48 miles of electric range) joines the line.Īll engines are mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The big V8 belts out 523 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque. Two engine options are on tap, a 3.0-liter inline six (with a turbocharger, supercharger and mild-hybrid assist) that produces 395 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque and a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8. The real treat is inside, where upper-crust versions especially deliver luxury and features on virtual par with Bentley or Rolls-Royce SUVs, but for vastly less money. The body is streamlined and sumptuous, and the first-ever long-wheelbase versions seat up to seven passengers. It was redesigned for 2022 and takes design, poshness and performance to lofty new heights. While it still maintains those pretensions, the last few generations have evolved into remarkably well-rounded luxury SUVs with all the luxury trappings-leather, wood and metal interior bits-you’d expect from the brand. Born of agricultural roots, the Ranger Rover transcended its past to arrive at a station representing not just the well-to-do but the well-to-do with a specific interest in horses, fox hunting, bird hunting and, apparently, picnicking elegantly after completing said activities. Despite the onslaught of competition, the Range Rover remains the SUV status symbol of choice.
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