Best Midsize Performance SUVs

For 2025, Audi fills in a notable gap in its electric vehicle lineup with the all-new Q6 e-tron. It's a compact SUV, which is somewhat rare among luxury EVs. While the Q6 is an excellent choice for most drivers, those who desire more performance and excitement have their own variant: the 2025 Audi SQ6 e-tron. Both models sit between the smaller Q4 e-tron and the larger Q8 e-tron, but the SQ6 makes a stout 483 horsepower compared to the Q6's 422 hp, and its sporty suspension is tuned for athletic cornering. In the next year or so, a raucous RSQ6 e-tron is expected with even more performance.

Among the new SQ6 e-tron's few rivals, there is one that was developed alongside it. The new Porsche Macan Electric shares a lot of the Audi's underpinnings but costs quite a bit more and offers more sporty variants. The Genesis Electrified GV70 offers decent performance, but doesn't match the Germans when it comes to luxury and refinement. Other competitors are larger and pricier alternatives: the BMW iX and Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV.

At least for now, the Audi SQ6 e-tron enjoys an advantageous position among luxury EVs. It returns a respectable amount of range, charges quicker than almost anything else, and is suitably practical for everyday use.

The Ford Explorer has been around for more than 30 years, and Ford says it has sold more than 8 million of these family-sized SUVs. Now in its sixth generation, the 2025 Explorer gets a major refresh with new styling, an upgraded cabin, and advanced technology.

The Explorer battles in one of the most competitive vehicle segments in the U.S.: the three-row SUV. The Explorer's strong rivals include the Chevrolet Traverse, Honda Pilot, Kia Telluride, Toyota Grand Highlander, and Jeep Grand Cherokee L. In 2023, the popular Ford outsold almost all of its competition, and there's every reason to believe that success will continue with the updated 2025 Explorer.

With seating for up to seven passengers and plenty of cargo space, the Explorer provides a high level of comfort and utility. Four trims are offered: Active, ST-Line, ST, and Platinum, all well equipped with a long list of standard features. Four-wheel drive is available on all versions, and Ford offers the Explorer with a choice of two powerful engines, including a 400-horsepower EcoBoost turbocharged V6.

Ford's infotainment system is greatly improved, with a new Google-based operating system. It integrates popular features such as Google Maps and Google Assistant, and is displayed on a standard 13.2-inch touchscreen. The Explorer also comes with the latest advanced driver-assist features and, for the first time, is available with Ford's BlueCruise hands-free driving system.

Acura’s first all-electric SUV, the 2024 ZDX is a competent and comfortable luxury crossover. Powering the ZDX is a 102 kWh battery that’s paired with one or two electric motors. With the single-motor setup, the ZDX optimizes range, offering an EPA-estimated 313 miles between charges. With the dual-motor configuration and in the high-performance Type S trim, the ZDX offers less range but much more power, faster acceleration, and a more dynamic driving experience. It’s the most powerful SUV Acura has ever produced. With sleek, modern styling, lots of room on the inside, and a comfortable ride, the ZDX has a lot to offer.

The ZDX has a quiet cabin and is enjoyable to drive, but its rivals have a significant advantage in some areas. The ZDX is pretty large, which means it easily holds five adults. But rival EV SUVs, such as the Kia EV9, have similar exterior dimensions and provide three rows of seating. Then there’s the issue of luxury, where the ZDX isn’t quite a class leader. Cabin materials, even on the top-trim ZDX Type S, are a bit underwhelming. There’s plenty of modern tech and a long list of standard safety features, but competitors like the BMW iX and Genesis Electrified GV70 feel a bit more upscale inside. Finally, range, especially on the high-performance Type S model, is below what we’d want in a big family SUV like the ZDX. None of these issues are deal-breakers, though, and we’d still advise shoppers to take a close look at the 2024 Acura ZDX.

The 2024 Audi SQ8 e-tron sits near the very top of the electric SUV market. It’s the performance version of the Audi Q8 e-tron, and with a starting price just over $90,000 this SUV guarantees a level of exclusivity. The nearly 500-horsepower five-passenger EV comes in either a standard SUV body style or a more coupe-like Sportback model. How do you spot an SQ8 e-tron compared to the regular Q8 e-tron? Look for the slightly flared-out bodywork covering distinctive wheels and wider tires. The SQ8 e-tron looks muscular and performance-oriented, and has a number of significant upgrades over the standard model.

Most of that work is in the chassis. Audi has retuned the suspension with thicker sway bars and firmer dampers. They’ve made the steering more responsive, as well. But the biggest change is the addition of a second electric motor on the rear axle. When combined with the single front axle motor, it allows this three-motor Audi to instantly send power and torque to the wheels in need. The SQ8 e-tron also has an additional 94 hp and 228 pound-feet of torque over the standard Q8 e-tron. These upgrades help this large and heavy EV tackle sweeping roads and tight corners with the athleticism of a much smaller vehicle. The brake regen system, which helps charge the battery as you slow down, isn’t as aggressive as in some other EVs. For example there’s no “one-pedal” drive mode in which drag from the regen system lets the driver cruise around town, rarely touching the brake pedal. The driver can amp up the regen temporarily by pulling on one of the steering wheel-mounted paddles.

The SQ8 e-tron cabin is fitted with beautiful textured carbon accents, rich-looking (and comfortable) quilted Valcona leather sport seats, and a sport steering wheel.

The SQ8 e-tron has few true rivals. The Tesla Model X Plaid, which costs just over $94,000, offers longer range and way more speed but is less comfortable and luxurious. The new Mercedes-Benz AMG EQS SUV delivers more power, speed, and range, but at more than $140,000, it's almost in another league.

There’s no getting around the polarizing design of the BMW XM — you’ll either love or hate it. This bold SUV looks like nothing else on the road, which is fitting because there’s never been a BMW like the XM. Take the “X” from BMW’s line of SUVs and the “M” from its high-performance variants, add an incredibly powerful engine and plug-in hybrid system with EV range, and you have one of the most unique vehicles on the road today.

The XM is highlighted by its almost cartoonish proportions. It boasts flaring kidney grille nostrils and massive 23-inch wheels in a squat package punctuated by vertically stacked quad exhaust tips at the rear. The XM is longer than the more conventional BMW X5 midsize SUV, but the X5 boasts significantly more cargo capacity. That means the XM is larger, more powerful, and much more expensive but far less practical.

So, what's the point of the BMW XM? It's all about the power. The plug-in hybrid powertrain, which marries a twin-turbocharged V8 engine with a 25.7-kWh battery and electric motor, churns out a staggering 644 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque. In the more exclusive XM Label models, these numbers are ramped up to a mind-blowing 738 hp and 738 lb-ft. This makes the BMW XM an incredibly fast SUV, capable of sprinting from 0-60 mph in just 3.7 seconds.

There are other plug-in hybrid luxury SUVs on the market, but none this brash. Other exotic performance SUVs are available, but none with a plug-in system and EV range. That makes the BMW XM an odd duck, but no one will accuse it of being boring. The BMW XM stands out from the crowd in a class that includes competition from Maserati, Lamborghini, and Aston Martin. That’s no small feat.

Those seeking the ultimate in luxury and driving performance have several options in the SUV segment, giving them extra utility over a sports sedan. The Audi RS Q8 embodies this wisdom, a superlative midsize crossover that does nothing in half measures. Packing a 631-horsepower V8, the RS Q8 accelerates like a supercar. It meets the asphalt with thick tires and a clever air suspension that can switch from pothole-absorbing comfort to racetrack-stiff at the touch of a button. Meanwhile, passengers will want for nothing, with a large cabin packed with lovely materials, premium technology, and enough sporty accents to inspire a quick detour through the hills.

There are other super-SUVs with formidable power and six-figure price tags, such as the BMW X5 M, Mercedes-Benz AMG GLE 63 S, and Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT. The RS Q8 can match its rivals in power, comfort, and utility, but it stands out from the pack by not standing out. With a subdued exterior design, the RS Q8 flies under the radar, making it the right choice for enthusiasts who don't want to draw any more attention than the RS Q8's lively exhaust note already brings.

And Audi has another secret ace up its sleeve. Sharing its platform and twin-turbo engine with the Lamborghini Urus, the RS Q8 offers most of the Italian's exotic performance at a $100,000 discount.

Buying a high-performance luxury SUV comes with a pretty robust set of expectations. You expect the SUV to be comfortable, well-equipped, powerful, and stylish. It has to be plush and enjoyable on long highway trips, but also exciting when you bury the throttle. Thankfully, the 2025 Audi SQ8 is all that and more. The SQ8 is a large, two-row SUV that slots in Audi’s lineup between the less-powerful Q8 and the more-powerful RS Q8. It offers an excellent combination of power and performance paired with a plush cabin and a long list of standard features.

Inside, the SQ8 feels every bit as well-equipped as rivals like the BMW X5 M60i and the Porsche Cayenne S. Under the hood is a twin-turbocharged V8 that puts out 500 horsepower, more than enough to get the SQ8 moving in a hurry. Audi estimates it will go from zero to 60 mph in just 4.0 seconds. Make no mistake, that’s a very fast time for something as big as the SQ8, but its straight-line performance does feel a bit muted compared to boisterous rivals like the Maserati Levante. There are some drawbacks with the SQ8, like its high starting price and its lack of visceral driving feedback, but those are minor issues on an otherwise excellent performance luxury SUV.

A large three-row SUV, the Dodge Durango offers big power from optional V8 powertrains and impressive towing capability across the range. The Durango is, however, a bit dated by class standards. It isn’t as refined as many rivals and its fuel economy leaves quite a bit to be desired.

Under the hood, the Dodge Durango comes standard with a stout V6. And while we expect new powertrains to become available soon, there’s an optional 5.7-liter V8 and supercharged 6.2-liter Hellcat V8 available for maximum power. The 5.7-liter V8 is a standout on its own, especially among the other three-row SUVs, most of which have switched to mostly V6 and turbocharged four-cylinder engines. Meanwhile, the supercharged Hellcat engine provides an astonishing 710 horsepower, turning the Durango into a certified all-wheel-drive muscle car with three rows of seating.

With both the 5.7-liter V8 and the Hellcat engine, the Durango is capable of towing as much as 8,700 pounds, a class-leading number. Even the V6 can tow as much as 6,200 pounds, which should be more than enough for a small trailer. Unfortunately, that means that the Durango has subpar fuel economy ratings, even when compared to V6-powered rivals. What’s more, the Durango falls behind the competition when it comes to interior refinement, available driver aids, and cargo space. Rivals like the Kia Telluride, Honda Pilot, and Chevrolet Traverse all offer more cargo space and more modern interiors. Buyers should also take a close look at the Subaru Ascent for its impressive standard safety aids paired with off-road capability.