How Does ACOTY Define This Class?

Every Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) that qualifies for this category needs to be powered and propelled solely by electricity from battery packs, and sold with a Category B Certificate of Entitlement (Cat B COE).

Meet The Contenders

Starting off the first of two SUVs from the German giant Mercedes-Benz is the EQS SUV. This is the ultimate luxury cruiser from the marque, with all of the bells and whistles you can think of in a premium vehicle cocoon.

If the EQS SUV is not to your liking, its EQE SUV sibling might do justice for you. Even though it is a “step down” from the EQS SUV, the EQE SUV is still a formidable luxury machine.

Another German fighter is the Audi SQ8 e-tron. This triple motor behemoth trumps most things on the roads, and it still comes with a large cabin and premium appointments for the discerning businessman. Simply lovely.

If Swedish sensibleness is more of your thing, look no further than the Polestar 4. This new-age coupe SUV does away with the rear glass panel entirely, producing a serene cabin bubble for rear occupants.

Rounding out the list is a new and surprising contender: the new Lotus Eletre. Lotus was in dire straits for a good decade or so, but support from parent company Geely has given it new life, and the British marque has since produced some absolutely spectacular cars.

Tough fight, and there’s no clear winner. But…

AutoApp Car Of The Year Best Luxury SUV EV
Lotus Eletre

The Lotus Eletre bags it with 377 points. It’s sleek, futuristic styling and host of standard features gave it enough edge over the competition.

More on the scoring categories used to derive points here.

Congratulations to the Lotus Eletre for winning the AutoApp Car of the Year 2025 Best Luxury SUV EV!

Read more automotive news at AutoApp, or check out our latest videos on Ignition Labs TV and on TikTok!

How Does ACOTY Define This Class?

A luxury SUV is a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) offered as the creme de la creme of a top-shelf brand’s line-up. Pretty straightforward.

Meet The Contenders

Representing the UK and Italy are the Range Rover PHEV (left) and Lamborghini Urus S (right) respectively.

The Range Rover PHEV represents UK’s definitive regal motoring experience in an SUV body shape. With go-anywhere underpinnings, classy upmarket interiors and a ride comfort that will cosset you in the lap of luxury, it’s no wonder then that the British royal family has long had a penchant for Range Rovers.

The Lamborghini Urus S has a different take on luxury SUV-ery. This thing is mental in the way it picks up and goes, as expected of a modern day Lamborghini, with an angry bellow from the exhaust. And it looks the (angry) part too!

But it can also settle into a soft, cossetting ride which is expected of a luxo SUV. Throw in exquisite materials and a wonderful driving position and it’s not hard to see why the Urus S is worthy of your million-plus dollars.

Both are sound, but one was crowned.

AutoApp Car Of The Year Best Luxury SUV
Range Rover PHEV

The winner with 345 points is the Range Rover PHEV. It’s hard to look past the Rangie when it comes to the luxury factor, which it has in oodles.

More on the scoring categories used to derive points here.

Congratulations to the Range Rover PHEV for winning the AutoApp Car of the Year 2025 Best Luxury SUV!

Read more automotive news at AutoApp, or check out our latest videos on Ignition Labs TV and on TikTok!

How Does ACOTY Define This Class?

This is pretty straightforward. Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) that qualify for this category need to be their respective manufacturers’ flagship models and be priced close to the 90th price percentile.

Meet The Contenders

Four luxury SUVs were reviewed this year – three German, and one Italian.

Clockwise from the top left, representing Ingolstadt are the Audi SQ7 and SQ8. Flying the flag for neighbouring Italy is the Maserati Levante GT. And back across the border representing Stuttgart is the Porsche Cayenne.

Starting with the SQ siblings, what differentiates the Audi SQ7 and SQ8 is body style, with the former being a traditional SUV while the latter has a more raked Sportback style, and their respective ability to seat seven and five.

Otherwise, they’re virtually identical underneath. The same 500hp twin-turbo four-litre V8 powers both via Audi’s famed Quattro all-wheel drive system. They both come with adaptive air suspension and are supremely comfortable cruisers. We liked how well-appointed they are and how clean Audi’s design language is, with nothing out of place.

If there’s something the Italians usually execute well, it’s design. And so it is here with the Maserati Levante. Feeling like an Italian business suit, the Levante seats five comfortably and has enough luggage space to cart everyone’s Samsonite suitcases around.

Comfy on a cruise and competent in the bends, there is much to like about this luxury Italian SUV.

When Porsche first introduced the Cayenne, purists went mental. However, time has proven this decision correct. Where the first-generation Cayenne had mechanical off-road gubbins to make it a proper Range Rover rival, the later generations dropped this in favour of sharper streetability.

The Cayenne’s three-chamber air suspension is superbly comfortable while allowing this large SUV to drop smaller sedans in the twisties. It has enough kit on the inside to fulfil the needs of modern-day connectivity. Plus, it’s a Porsche. In the luxury segment, brand cachet is important, and the Cayenne delivers in oodles.

These four luxury SUVs made the work of the judging panel that much more difficult. But there was one clear winner.

AutoApp Car Of The Year Best Luxury SUV
Audi SQ7

The Audi SQ7 won convincingly with 355 points because, although both it and the SQ8 are well-appointed and desirable, it is the more practical of the two while priced more attractively. Despite this being the luxury segment, price and practicality do matter, and the SQ7 represents the better-value buy.

More on the scoring categories used to derive points here.

Congratulations to the Audi SQ7 for winning the AutoApp Car of the Year 2024 Best Luxury SUV!

Read more automotive news at AutoApp, or check out our latest videos on Ignition Labs TV!