These are the 20 Fastest SUVs in the World Right Now

Faster and bigger is always better, right? It’s all we seem to care about these days. And SUVs seem to be created exactly to fit this desire. At least in the recent years, because it wasn’t so long ago that SUVs were slow and lumpish.

But those days are gone now, and SUVs have evolved to be part potent sport machines, part utility vehicles. With splashes of luxury here and there. More and more actually, if you think that the cheapest of these SUVs here starts at around $80.000.

Nowadays, the newest SUVs can compete with even some of the fastest supercars in the world, which is quite a feat. But we have technology to thank for that, with advances in weight reduction and increasingly performant drivetrains. So say goodbye to the lumbering SUVs of the past and come meet the fastest SUVs in the world right now.

And by fast we mean the time it takes to get from zero to sixty miles per hour, occasionally to sixty two miles per hour, when the former data isn’t available. Let’s take a closer look at these powerful SUVs:

20. BMW X3, X4, X5, X6 M Competition

The M Competition version of the BMW X series, the X3, X4, X5, and X6, all make it to this list since they’re capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 miles per hour in no more than 3.7 seconds. The 0 to 62 mph acceleration time is 3.8 seconds.

The lighter BMW X3 comes with turbocharged inline four and inline six engines, capable of over 500 horsepower. The X4 brings a turbocharged 3.0 inline six at a cost of a little over $80.000.

The more high performance variants, the X5 and its coupe brother, the BMW X6 M, come with twin turbocharged 4.4 liter V8s capable of 617 horsepower and pushing the cars to the same acceleration of 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds, but the prices rise with the same acceleration to newer levels.

All four models reach a top speed of 177 mph.

19. Audi RS Q8

The Audi RS Q8 is another German beast that can do 0 to 60 in 3.7 seconds, but it’s a little more capable than the BMWs above when it comes to the top speed, reaching an impressive 190 mph. With a starting price of just a little below $120.000, your wallet will have to be a beast in itself to be able to handle this car.

Motorization brings a twin turbocharged 4.0 liter V8 front and center, capable of unleashing all its 591 horsepower whenever you need them. And when it comes to looks, it’s not ugly at all. It looks like a bigger, meaner supercar.

18. Porsche Cayenne Turbo

The Porsche Cayenne comes in several variants, and the base Cayenne Turbo comes powered by a twin turbocharged 4.0 liter V8, the same engine that’s on the other, but with different variations.

When it comes to acceleration, the base Cayenne Turbo proves to be an able car, reaching 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds, and to 62 mph, in 3.9 seconds. If that’s not enough to make you happy, we don’t know what is.

Maybe the price of $135.500 will. Or the 541 horsepower, 567 pound-feet of torque, or the max speed of 177 mph. Anyway, it won’t disappoint you at all.

17. Maserati Levante Trofeo

If you long for something more exotic, the Maserati Levante Trofeo is a good choice. Powered by a 3.8 liter 580 horsepower V8 built by Ferrari, the Levante Trofeo will sure keep your inner race driver happy. The power is delivered to the wheels through an eight speed ZF automatic transmission, pushing the Levante Trofeo from 0 to 60 in only 3.7 seconds.

As the most expensive variants of the Levante, at $156.200, the Trofeo means business. Its top speed reaches a good 187 mph, or around 300 km/h, which is the speed barrier most people look to exceed with a sports car.

16. Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio

The Alfa Romeo Stelvio comes in two motorization variants, but the Quadrifoglio is what we’re looking for here. It’s equipped with a very capable twin turbocharged 2.9 liter V6. How capable, you ask? Well, 505 horsepower capable, and that’s not all.

The Stelvio Quadrifoglio can spring from 0 to 60 mph in only 3.6 seconds, and it takes another fifth of a second to get those 2 extra miles on its speedo. Its top speed isn’t a joke either, hitting 176 mph.

To be able to cope with the power upgrades, Alfa Romeo need to make some other modifications over the standard Stelvio, and those come in the form of bigger brakes and improved suspension. The transmission is an eight speed auto.

And when you think everything costs only $84.560, it makes you wonder. Why not?

15. Porsche Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid

The Porsche Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid combines the powerful twin turbo 4.0 liter V8 available on all the Cayenne variants with a 136 horsepower electric motor, ending up with a total of 670 horsies available to play.

And that is more than enough to send this beast from stillness to 60 mph in just 3.6 seconds. Top speed is just shy of that 300 km/h mark, at 183 mph, or 294.5 km/h, but that should be enough for any SUV enthusiast.

14. Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S

Another hybrid, this time from Mercedes-AMG, is their new GLE 63 S, a 600 horsepower beauty capable of making the 0 to 62 mph run in just 3.8 seconds. That would mean approximately 3.6 seconds for 60 mph.

It comes equipped with a 4.0 liter twin turbo V8 with 603 horsepower, but the additional hybrid system called EQ Boost will add an extra 21.

13. BMW iX M60

Moving into full EV territory, BMW has come up with the iX M60, a full electric beast capable of rushing from 0 to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds, proving to all EV unbelievers that it’s actually possible. The change is already here and happening.

What makes the BMW iX M60 so powerful is a pair of electric motors that generate a total of 610 horsepower and 811 pound-feet of torque, all of it available instantly.

The top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph, but what most of us are curious about anyway is the autonomy, which is decent at 575 km, or 357 miles. Especially when you think of all that power.

12. Mercedes-AMG GLC & GLC Coupe 63 S

Two other brothers of the GLE 63 S, the Mercedes-AMG GLC & GLC Coupe 63 S, also show signs of being super powered two ton beasts, with the same unnecessary abilities of running from 0 to 62 mph in 3.8 seconds, thanks to that V8 and 503 horsepower.

11. Ford Mustang Mach-E GT

The American muscle car icon couldn’t just stand on the side and watch the others flex their muscles, couldn’t it? But the Ford Mustang Mach-E GT shows a very different kind of muscles than what we’ve been used to from such a legendary name.

It’s equipped with two electric motors that generate a good enough 480 horsepower together. And a whooping 600 pound-feet of torque. What all that means is the new and eco conscious Mustang reaches 0 to 60 mph in only 3.5 seconds.

If only the top speed of 124 mph would have been higher. But maybe it doesn’t matter all that much, because that’s not what an SUV is for. Or is it?

10. Kia EV6 GT

The Kia EV6 GT got into top ten, ahead of the Mustang Mach-E GT above, and that only because it’s got a higher top speed, reaching 162 mph. Sprinting from 0 to 60 is done in the same 3.5 seconds as the Mustang.

The EV6 GT is a 576 horsepower crossover that gets its power from dual electric motors straight to all its four wheels. And it’s incredibly handsome too. And cheap, compared to others in the group, with the base model starting at $40.900.

9. Tesla Model Y Performance

Following on Model 3 Performance’s footsteps, the Tesla Model Y Performance rises to the same level of fame after it received the same powertrain. The dual motors are capable of pushing Model Y Performance on a sprint from 0 to 60 mph in only 3.5 seconds.

While there’s no exact power output, estimates rise to around 480 horsepower combined for the two electric motors. Top speed is limited to 155 mph, and we’re sure it could go faster. Overall, it’s on par with the Mustang and the Kia above. And it costs around $68.000.

8. Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat

The Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat is a beast compared to other SUVs around, but does surprisingly well when it comes to acceleration. Zero to sixty in 3.5 seconds, but it’s what’s behind that acceleration that impresses the most.

The Durango SRT Hellcat is powered by a 710 horsepower 6.2 liter supercharged Hellcat V8, capable of 645 pound-feet of torque.

Top speed is also impressive for an SUV this size, reaching 180 mph. But when you put it to work, it really shows what it was made for, as it’s capable of towing up to 8,700 pounds, or 4 tons.

No matter if you like it or hate it, this is one fast beast.

7. Lamborghini Urus

Powered by a 4.0 liter twin turbo V8, the base Lamborghini Urus is a wild animal, one capable of flatting out at 190 mph, and do a 0 to 60 mph run in 3.5 seconds.

The Lamborghini tuned engine produces a whooping 650 horsepower, power that’s transmitted to the wheels via an eight speed automatic transmission. The other things that make it a true Lamborghini, besides the incredible specs, are the looks and the price tag of $200.000.

6. Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk

Probably a surprise to many, but the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is among the fastest SUVs on the market right now, with only 3.4 seconds for acceleration from 0 to 60 mph.

That feat is made possible by the 6.2 liter supercharged HEMI V8 borrowed from the Dodge Challenger Hellcat. And the throaty sound it makes is just exceptional. Just mind the fuel gauge, as it’s dropping fast.

And with a top speed of 190 mph, it’s on par with the Lamborghini Urus above, which is something not many car brands can boast with.

5. Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT

The fastest Porsche Cayenne in the lineup is the Turbo GT variant, with a slightly tweaked twin turbocharged 4.0 liter V8 under the hood. The differences are achieved via a new software map for the engine, producing 631 horsepower, almost 100 over the base Turbo model.

It’s lighter than the hybrid variant, which has 40 more horsepower available, so the GT makes the 0 to 60 mph run half a second faster than his eco friendly brother, at only 3.1 seconds.

Top speed is also slightly higher than the hybrid version, at 186 mph.

4. Lamborghini Urus Performante

With 657 horsepower under its sporty, aggressive hood, the Lamborghini Urus Performante has already shattered the record for the fastest SUV to complete the legendary hill climb at Pikes Peak.

It only wins 16 extra horsies over the base Urus, but those are just enough to go from 0 to 62 mph in 3.3 seconds, so just a tad faster than its standard brother. The 0 to 60 mph run will surely be even faster, so we’d say around 3.1 seconds, which is why it takes this place.

3. Aston Martin DBX707

Hitting a crazy 193 mph top speed, the Aston Martin DBX707 is undoubtedly in the same league with legendary sportscars.

The 697 horsepower twin turbocharged 4.0 liter V8 does a great job of getting the DBX707 at sixty miles per hour in as little as 3.1 seconds. With those performance figures, you can’t even tell this is a luxury SUV. 

2. Ferrari Purosangue

Ferrari taking a spot on a list of SUVs and crossovers? Weird, isn’t it? The Italians at Ferrari swear that the Purosangue is nothing but a sports car. A sports car with four doors and four seats, the first one that Ferrari ever built.

So what’s going on here? The Purosangue looks like a family car but has all the “bad” manners of a sports car. By bad we mean a 6.5 liter naturally aspirated V12 under the hood producing an enormous 715 horsepower and 528 pound-feet of torque, and the ability to make the 0 to 62 mph run in only 3.3 seconds.

Then count in the low profile tires, 22 inch rims on the front and 23 on the back, ceramic brakes, independent rear wheel steering, and the incredibly quick steering, and you’ve got yourself quite an SUV, or something similar.

1. Tesla Model X Plaid

Tesla is already ahead of the competition with its fully electric models, but there’s much more to them than meets the eye. The Tesla Model X Plaid, is the fastest car in the world if you judge by acceleration alone, able to go from 0 to 60 mph in a jaw-dropping 2.5 seconds. And that’s the official figure only. Some unofficial claims show it might be even faster than that.

If you go further, you’ll find out that the tri motor setup of this SUV makes over 1,000 horsepower, making it able of towing 5,000 pounds. The top speed lacks a bit, reaching only 163 mph, but it’s enough for most people’s needs, especially since the price isn’t too high either at around $145.000.

Conclusion

The fastest cars in the world can be measured by several metrics, and a zero to sixty mph run is one of them.

The raw acceleration of these SUVs show that the battle for reaching the ultimate speed isn’t only between lightweight supercars anymore, and that the latest advancements in technology make SUVs worthy contenders also.