Fast SUVs were niche products until recently. They were mostly confined to premium manufacturers building high-end gas-guzzling large SUVs with a high power output and an equally towering price tag.
That’s often still the case, and you only need to look at the Instagram accounts of Premiership footballers for proof. But there’s now a much greater variety of high-performance SUVs, along with high-horsepower luxury SUVs such as the Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG, the supercharged Range Rovers, the Audi RSQ8 and the Bentley Bentayga.
There are also smaller, sporty SUV crossovers, such as the Audi SQ2 or the more affordable Ford Puma ST. Some mainstream manufacturers are even creating a whole sporty SUV model range, such as the Cupra Formentor, which is available in a variety of versions, including a plug-in hybrid. Most of them won’t go nearly as far off-road as a Jeep or a Land Rover, but they can offer plenty of sporty on-road fun. Below we list some of our favourite fast SUVs.
Best Fast SUVs 2024
- Hyundai Kona N (2021-present)
- Volkswagen Tiguan R (2021-present)
- Porsche Macan (2014-present)
- Aston Martin DBX (2020-present)
- Ford Puma ST (2021-present)
- Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo (2022-present)
- Jaguar F-Pace SVR (2019-present)
- Cupra Formentor (2020-present)
- Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio (2018-present)
- BMW X5 M (2020-present)
Hyundai Kona N (2021-present)
Along with the distinctive grey and light blue paint options, a huge biplane spoiler and chunky exhaust pipes distinguish the Kona N from its more mundane relatives.
It has the same engine as the Hyundai i30 N hot hatchback, and it delivers quite a punch. There’s 276bhp and 289lb ft of torque and, although this small SUV is front-wheel drive only rather than all-wheel drive, it manages to put its power down pretty cleanly and will hit 62mph in a rapid 5.5 seconds.
This is down to its remarkably effective traction control system and electronically controlled limited-slip differential, which Hyundai rather cheesily calls its ‘Corner Carving Differential’. There’s also a setting on the eight-speed automatic gearbox called ‘N Grin Shift’ which calls on the engine to deliver an extra 10bhp for 20 seconds.
If you’re concerned about Hyundai’s authenticity as a performance brand, you can rest easy in the knowledge that the development of its cars was led by a chap called Albert Biermann who, in a previous life, was in charge of BMW’s M performance division.
Volkswagen Tiguan R (2021-present)
The Volkswagen Golf R is one of the most popular hot hatchbacks around, mixing four-wheel-drive grip and 316bhp’s worth of power from its 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine. In the true spirit of ‘if it ain't broke, don’t fix it’, Volkswagen has applied precisely the same formula to its Tiguan SUV.
The results are predictably impressive, as the big VW is a lot more fun than your average family bus. This is partly thanks to the seven-speed DSG dual-clutch gearbox, but also due to a clever rear differential, which can send power to the left or the right rear wheels, for more grip when they need it. It makes the Tiguan R feel secure and planted, but also very agile.
It looks good, too, especially in the R model's signature blue paintwork, with quad exhausts poking out of the rear bumper and attractive 21-inch alloys. We’d question its off-road ability with those wheels, but not its on-road performance.
Porsche Macan (2014-present)
Few brands shout ‘sports car’ as loudly as Porsche, as its history is littered with iconic models, not least of which is the 911. So if you want your performance SUV to be good to drive, a Porsche is a safe bet. Of the various SUVs it produces, the small (for an SUV) Macan feels the sportiest, because it's more agile than the larger Porsche Cayenne and Cayenne Coupe.
In Turbo form, the 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 generates a hearty 434bhp, revs like a sped-up metronome and delivers a wide power band. You can always make the most of the engine’s mid-range punch, or rev it out to its limit – it’s happy to do either.
Yeah, so a Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT or Turbo S E Hybrid might well be a lot faster, but they’re also a lot more expensive. Besides, you won’t feel shortchanged in the Macan. Gun it from a standstill using the car’s in-built Launch Control function and, if it’s equipped with the Sport Chrono pack, it’ll hit 62mph in just 4.3 seconds. Still want that BMW X3?
Porsche Macan Review
Aston Martin DBX (2020-present)
You’d think the sleek, suave styling of Aston Martins would be ill-suited to the tall profile of an SUV, but the reality is very different. The long bonnet, steeply raked windscreen and ducktail rear end is very Aston, and sets the DBX apart from the reams of look-alike boxy SUVs. and although a Ferrari Purosangue is perhaps a little more exotic than the Aston, it’s also significantly more expensive.
Under the bonnet is a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, which also sees service in the Vantage and the DB11 coupes. It’s sourced from Mercedes AMG – the German manufacturer's performance arm – and delivers some serious firepower. There’s 542bhp and 516lb ft of torque driving all four wheels via a nine-speed automatic gearbox, enough to shift it from 0-62mph in 4.5 secs on the way to a top speed of 181mph. And if that's not fast enough for you, the Aston Martin DBX707 turns the power up by 155bhp, giving you 697bhp, 0-62mph in 3.1 seconds and a top speed of 191mph, making it one of the fastest SUVs in the world.
It’ll even have a reasonable go at off-roading, too, leaving you with a multi-talented car that Q would be proud of.
Aston Martin DBX Review
Ford Puma ST (2021-present)
A power output of 197bhp is only just enough to gain entry to the performance car club these days. That said, the Ford Puma ST's 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine – taken from the Fiesta ST – is full of character, peppy, and makes a great noise. It’s enough to get the Puma compact SUV from 0-62mph in 6.7 seconds, which isn’t half bad, because it's a lot heavier than a Fiesta.
The extra size improves the Puma's practicality compared with Ford's hot supermini, yet it’s still a hoot on a country road, with excellent body control and great steering. It’s even fairly economical, with 40mpg fuel economy possible if you drive it with care.
It’s also thousands of pounds cheaper than most other full-size performance SUVs, and you’ll never feel short-changed behind the wheel.
Ford Puma Review
Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo (2022-present)
It’s a bit of a leftfield one, this, and we can already hear the cries of ‘it’s not an SUV’. However, the Taycan CT – Cross Turismo – has a full four-wheel-drive system (not something you can say of all SUVs), rugged body cladding and a higher ride height than the regular Taycan (a grand total of 30mm if you specify the optional off-road package).
As far as we're concerned, it qualifies as an SUV, and it's certainly not short of sporting credentials. In Turbo S form, its electric powertrain generates a gargantuan 751bhp, which means its good for 0-62mph in less than 3.0 seconds – and from 0-100mph in just 6.5. It handles with all the precision and aplomb you expect from a Porsche, too.
Being an electric car, it also has more green credentials than the other models in this list. The range of circa 280 miles isn’t the best around, but it is one of the fastest-charging electric cars available. We reckon it looks a lot cooler than a Tesla Model X Plaid, too, but it is, admittedly, significantly more expensive, less spacious and it doesn't have a third row of seats.
Porsche Taycan Review
Jaguar F-Pace SVR (2019-present)
The regular Jaguar F Pace is already endowed with the best virtues of the manufacturer's cars – agile handling, great body control and a smooth ride, even on the optional 22-inch wheels.
There are lots of little details about the fastest F-Pace that really impress, too: the active exhaust system, for example, is 6.6kg lighter than on other F-Pace models.
But the real pièce de résistance is the 5.0-litre V8 (also seen in the Range Rover Sport SVR), which breathes through a whopping great supercharger and delivers 550bhp. It's monumentally fast, and the engine's bellow sends shivers down your spine – in fact it makes the sort of noise that’d put a Ford Mustang to shame.
Jaguar F-Pace Review
Cupra Formentor (2020-present)
The dramatic lines of the Cupra Formentor’s styling certainly give it a sporty appearance and, in top spec trim, it delivers on its looks, with a 306bhp 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that also sees service in other Volkswagen Group models, such as the VW Golf and the Audi RS3.
The Formentor range is more than a one-trick pony, though. There’s an entry-level 1.5-litre model with 187bhp, plus a plug-in hybrid with 242bhp and the capacity to run for up to 30 miles on electric power alone.
Cupra Formentor Review
Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio (2018-present)
Gorgeous styling, an engine derived from – and developed by – Ferrari and the ability to sprint from 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds. It’s not a combination that screams 'SUV’ on paper, but the range-topping version of Alfa’s first such model pours the heart and soul of an exotic Italian sports car into an SUV body.
The interior quality isn’t up to the standards of Porsche, Audi, BMW or even Jaguar, but you can forgive it with one blip of the throttle. The Stelvio was also provided with some key upgrades in 2020, with improvements focussing on better interior quality and a new and improved infotainment system, leaving you with even fewer reasons not to buy one.
Alfa Romeo Stelvio Review
BMW X5 M (2020-present)
A 2.3-tonne off-roader might not seem the ideal platform for a fast car, but the X5 M counters this with a thumping 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine which, in Competition spec, delivers 616bhp and 553lb ft of torque. That’s enough to haul it to 62mph in 3.8 seconds and 125mph in 13.4 seconds. That’s essentially as fast as a Lamborghini Urus Performante but, at ‘just’ £110,000 or so, it's £50,000-plus cheaper than the Lamborghini. Nigh-on a bargain in performance terms especially given its near-supercar turn of pace in a straight line.
Ordinarily, the X5 M Competitions (or its identically powered X6 M Competition cousin) is limited to a top speed of 155mph, but you can pay to have that increased to 190mph, for pub bragging rights or the odd visit to a derestricted German autobahn.
And when you’re not intent on setting speed records, the X5 M cossets you in one of the finest cabins around, at any price.
BMW X5 Review
Honourable Mentions
The market for fast SUVs is expanding at such a rate that there are a few models that deserve mention but that we haven’t given a full entry. This includes the dual-motor Kia EV6 GT, which is the fastest Kia ever made and deserves praise for its styling and performance. Also worth mentioning – especially if electric motors aren’t your thing – is the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat. Okay, so it’s not available in the UK, but this is a seven-seat family SUV with a supercharged 6.2-litre 700bhp V8, and it’s less than a third of the price of a Ferrari Purosangue...
Finally, there’s the Maserati Levante Trofeo. Pin-up Italian styling and a Ferrari-sourced V8? It’s easy to see the appeal there, isn’t it?