What is the Best Midsize Luxury SUV?

A midsize luxury SUV is ideal for buyers who need a vehicle with extra passenger and cargo space but who also don’t want to forgo upgraded options and high-end interior and trims. Midsize luxury SUVs are offered by Lexus, Audi, Acura, Infiniti, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and other manufacturers.

These vehicles range in price from the upper 30s to more than $100K. What is the best midsize luxury SUV? When buyers aren’t sure which model to choose, check out the rankings according to safety, price (luxury features) and fuel efficiency, too.

Best Midsize Luxury SUV by Safety Rating

Many midsize luxury SUV models received a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. This is the best rating offered. The models that were outstanding for safety include:

• 2022 Acura MDX

• 2022 Acura RDX

• 2022 Audi Q5

• 2022 Audi Q5 Sportback

• 2022 Cadillac XT6

• 2022 Genesis GV70

• 2022 Genesis GV80

• 2022 Hyundai Nexo

• 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class

• 2022 Tesla Model Y

• 2022 Volvo XC60

• 2022 Volvo XC60 Recharge

• 2022 Volvo XC90

• 2022 Volvo XC90 Recharge

The options for safe midsize luxury SUVs are extensive. There are many more models that received a Top Safety Pick rating, which also is a top safety honor.

Buyers can’t go wrong with any of the above models. Given that there are so many choices for luxury SUVs, how can buyers whittle down their best option?

Most luxury buyers will likely have a larger budget. The luxury buyer might not be focused on finding the least expensive luxury option. Instead, they might want the model that offers the most luxury for the price. What vehicle among the safest options offers the best features?

The Most Luxurious Luxury Midsize SUV

Kelley Blue Book ranked the best luxury midsize SUVs. KBB chose the Genesis GV70 as their top pick. The GV70 is among the models that received a Top Safety Pick+ rating. How much is the GV70, and what are the standard options?

The Genesis GV70 has a base MSRP of $41,500. The price is high, but not the highest of all the models on the market. However, the GV70 was named as MotorTrend’s SUV of the Year for 2022. The model is catching the eye of many auto experts.

The GV70 offers decent fuel efficiency; it gets 22 MPG in the city and 28 MPG on the highway. It offers numerous standard features including advanced safety systems, artificial leather interior, power and heated front seats, heated back seats, fingerprint authentication system, and more.

Is the GV70 the most luxurious on the market? Probably not. With such a reasonable base price and featuring artificial leather seats instead of genuine leather, there are many more higher-end midsize SUVs available. Those who want the most luxurious, though, might need to toss out any budget restrictions (if any exist).

Topping the luxury market is a familiar name in the market of semi-couture vehicles: Lamborghini. The Lamborghini Urus is priced at more than $200,000.

Lamborghini notes that the Urus is part sports car, and the SUV can hit 190 MPH. It accelerates from 0 to 62 in 3.6 seconds. With such a high price tag, buyers won’t be disappointed in the features.

The interior includes leather or Alcantara, wood, aluminum and/or carbon-fiber finishes and many exclusive features to enhance safety and drivetime enjoyment. The Urus includes two touchscreens that feature voice commands and three HD displays. There are 21 speakers throughout the vehicle.

Not only is the Lamborghini Urus the most luxurious choice on the market, but it also boasts the name of the manufacturer that is synonymous with elite automobiles. The Urus exudes wealth, prestige and opulence.

What is the Best Luxury Midsize SUV for Fuel Efficiency?

Driving a luxury SUV might showcase status and wealth, but those who opt for these higher-priced vehicles aren’t necessarily focused on displaying any prestige. Some buyers might simply enjoy the amenities and high-end design of these automobiles.

When searching for the best luxury SUV, buyers might focus less on features and more on fuel efficiency or the vehicle’s environmental impact. What is the best midsize luxury SUV for fuel efficiency?

The most fuel efficient or energy-efficient vehicles are powered by electricity. These vehicles don’t have a tailpipe, because they don’t need one. Electric models are eco-friendly and don’t pollute the air with harmful emissions.

For buyers who have the space for a powerful charger at home, these vehicles also are cheaper to operate. The most energy-efficient luxury midsize SUV is the Tesla Model Y.

Tesla is known for manufacturing electric models with long ranges. However, Lucid beats Tesla in range stats; the Lucid Air offers an estimated range of 520 miles. For midsize SUVs, though, Tesla offers the longest range.

The Model Y offers an estimated range of 330 miles and offers a third row of space. In total, the Model Y has space for seven.

However, there is another option beyond electric: hydrogen. The new Nissan Nexo is a hydrogen-powered luxury midsize SUV and is uniquely energy efficient. The Nexo offers an estimated range of 380 miles and is priced at $59,435. While the Nexo has a longer range than the Model Y, since it is powered by hydrogen, the model is in its own unique category.  There is one catch, though. The Nissan Nexo is only available at certain Nissan dealerships in California.

For buyers who aren’t interested in electric models and who don’t live in California, Volvo offers hybrid options for its XC60 and XC90 models. The hybrid XC60 and XC90 hybrid offer up to 35 MPG. The XC60 has space for five, while the XC90 offers space for seven. The XC90 also is among the least expensive to maintain.

The Best Midsize Luxury SUV for Dependability

Some vehicles are known for driving hundreds of thousands of miles before they finally reach the end of the road. Others, though, constantly need repairs. A dependable vehicle offers reliability, and, when ranking the most dependable vehicles, J.D. Power also asks drivers about the driving experience and the resale value.

Dependability is measured when a vehicle is three years old. This is the period of time when the car depreciates the most, and it also might be a long enough duration for buyers to more accurately assess the car’s mechanics and features.

The 2018 Lexus GX received J.D. Power’s dependability award for midsize premium SUVs. The 2018 Cadillac XT5 came in second, and the 2018 Lexus RX ranked third. Buyers who want more data related to a model’s dependability can review the scores of the different models. However, the Lexus GX was the winner for the past several years.

Use Carzing to Find the Best Midsize Luxury SUV

Buyers can use Carzing to find the best midsize luxury SUV. Search by body type or make/model. Carzing will show all the available options.

Choose to view new or used models or refine the results to view only the latest models of premium SUVs. When buyers find their favorite model, they also can use Carzing to get pre-qualified for financing. Carzing will show all the available loan options; buyers can print out a voucher with their preferred option and present it to a participating dealership.

Carzing makes the car search simple. Buyers have the power to find the SUV that ranks top in safety, that offers the best fuel efficiency or that offers the most luxurious features and options.