It has been generally believed that sedans and sports cars are better for speed and agility, given their more aerodynamic bodies and lower centers of gravity. But as Americans shift away from passenger cars and toward SUVs, some specialty automakers that once would have only sold sports cars are having to adjust lineups or risk being left behind. And mainstream manufacturers are willing to take risks they would not have a decade or so ago.
Here is a list of sport utility vehicles that can still hold their own on the track.
Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk
The Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is an SUV with a 707-horsepower engine. For reference, that is the same number of horses found under the hood of the Dodge Charger and Challenger Hellcats. It can go 0-60 miles per hour in 3.5 seconds and has a top speed of 180 mph. And it is considered a luxury SUV. There is also a Grand Cherokee SRT that is a bit less expensive, at a starting price of $67,495, that will still rocket from 0-60 mph in 4.3 seconds.
Starting price: $86,000
Ford Edge ST
The mid-sized 2019 Edge ST will be the first Ford SUV to be sold with Ford’s high-performance ST trim option when it is released later this year. The vehicle comes with a 2.7-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine with 335 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque. Ford has not yet said how fast the car can accelerate from 0-60 mph or what its top speed is.
Starting price: Not released
BMW X5 M
Range Rover Sport SVR
The Range Rover Sport SVR has a supercharged 5.0-liter 575 horsepower V8 engine. It delivers 516 lb-ft and can travel from 0-60mph in 4.3 seconds.
Starting price: $113,600
Mercedes AMG G63
It may not look like it with its boxy shape, but the 2019 Mercedes AMG G63 can go 0-60mph in 4.4 seconds. (The 2018 version does it in 5.3 seconds.) It has a 577 hp 4.0-liter V8 biturbo engine.
Starting price: Not released (2018 model starts at $142,800)
Maserati Levante-Trofeo
Maserati’s SUV is the Levante. There are currently two versions for sale. The base model, and the the faster of the two, is the Levante S, which can go from 0-60 in 5 seconds. Maserati recently unveiled the Levante-Trofeo, a version with even more power, and a top speed of about 186 mph. That is set to debut in fall 2018.
Starting price: Not released
2019 Bentley Bentayga
For the consumer happy to spend nearly a quarter of a million dollars on a family car, there are several vehicles in the Bentayga range. The eponymous model is the fastest, going from 0-60 in 4 seconds. The car is outfitted with all of the comforts one would expect from a Bentley.
Starting price: Not released
Tesla Model X P100D
The P100D’s electric powertrain gives it absurdly quick acceleration: 0-60 mph in 2.9 seconds. It has a top speed of 155 mph, and, because this is an electric, a range of 289 miles on a single charge.
Starting price: $140,000
Lamborghini Urus
As with many performance car brands, the idea of a Lamborghini SUV may infuriate purists, but demand for the vehicle has been pretty strong, the company said.
The engine twin-turbo-charged 641 horsepower V8 engine that goes 0-60 mph in 3.6 seconds. And it is better on rougher terrain than its Lamborghini stablemates.
Starting price: $200,000
Porsche Cayenne
Porsche’s first foray into SUVs is the Cayenne. There are several versions of the vehicle, the highest performance variant being the upcoming 2019 Cayenne Turbo. It has a 550 horsepower engine, will go 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds and hit a top speed of 177 mph.
Starting price: $65,700
Porsche Macan
More of a crossover than a true SUV, the Macan does not have the full capability of the Cayenne. But the S trim comes with 475 horsepower and go 0-60 in 5.2 seconds.
Starting price: $47,800
