How Does ACOTY Define This Class?

A premium SUV needs to be priced mid-to-upper table in Singapore’s market, and should be from brands well known for their premium offerings. Pretty straightforward.

Meet The Contenders

The first two contenders represent the UK. They are the Range Rover Velar (left) and Land Rover Defender (right).

The next three contestants are from Germany. Hailing from Stuttgart are the Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 Coupe (left) and Porsche Cayenne Coupe (right), and flying Bavaria’s flag is the BMW X5 xDrive40i.

The final two entrants are from parent company Stellantis. Epitomizing Italy is the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Veloce (left) and championing the USA is the Jeep Grand Cherokee (right).

The Range Rover Velar looks gorgeous while still remaining the ever-classy Brit. Now with a slight tech upgrade, classic Range Rover look and feel on the inside and a smooth and comfortable ride, this is the SUV for those who want the Range Rover experience without the astronomical price tag.

Never did we imagine that a Land Rover Defender 110 would be considered a premium SUV, but here we are. It’s got the tech, features and ride comfort to fulfil the ‘premium’ brief, but also keeps with the rough and rugged theme expected of a Defender. Plus it’s very practical and definitely an SUV that will stand out (literally) in a carpark full of other more humdrum SUVs.

Which then brings us to the Mercedes-Benz GLC 300, whose appearance here is pretty much obligatory. It’s quite practical, with sufficient tech and premium materials and feel on the inside, along with ride comfort that’ll please the family. Plus, you get to tell everyone that you drive a swooping swanky Merc.

The Porsche Cayenne Coupe is the most expensive of this group, but looks and feels every bit a Porsche. With sufficient tech on the inside, good quality materials that look and feel the part and ride comfort that will satisfy the family, the Cayenne Coupe can also take off with urgency and dance around corners should the mood dictate so.

The BMW X5 is arguably the most practical SUV of the group. It is a pleasure to drive and be driven in. The interior is suitably tech-infused and lined with upmarket materials that will no doubt be pleasing to its occupants. And, not only is it comfortable, but can also go and corner as a Bimmer should.

However, if one wants to rekindle the fire within their soul, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Veloce is the premium SUV to own. It’s got lots of Italian flair and charm, handling that will surprise many other cars, and performance to match. But it’s also practical and will transport the family around in unmistakable Italian sportiness.

Remember the earlier mention about the BMW X5 arguably being the most practical SUV of the group? Well here’s the argument, in the form of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. This is one YUUUUGE SUV folks, because ‘MURICA!

It looks imposing, and can seat seven. Drop the rear two rows of seats and the carrying capacity approaches that of a full-sized van. However, tech-infusion, plentiful features and soft suspension means this behemoth of an SUV is a really plush place to be in.

You can see why our final decision was made really difficult.

AutoApp Car Of The Year Best Premium SUV
Porsche Cayenne Coupe

The winner with 322 points is the Porsche Cayenne Coupe. As far as premium SUVs go, the Cayenne Coupe has the right mix of practicality, comfort and performance. Plus, it’s a Porsche.

More on the scoring categories used to derive points here.

Congratulations to the Porsche Cayenne Coupe for winning the AutoApp Car of the Year 2025 Best Premium 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?

Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) are a perennial favourite among buyers not just in Singapore but worldwide. On the premium side of things, SUVs that qualify for this category need to be sold in the 50th or higher price percentiles.

Meet The Contenders

We tested five premium SUVs this year. Three come from parent group Stellantis, of which two hail from the land of the free aka ‘MURICA and the third is an obligatory Italian without which a premium round-up wouldn’t be served justice. One hails from the United Kingdom while the other comes from South Korea and proudly represents Asia.

They are the Jeep Wrangler Sahara (top left), Jeep Grand Cherokee (top right), Maserati Grecale (middle), Land Rover Defender 90 (bottom left) and Hyundai Palisade (bottom right).

Kicking things off with one-half of the ‘MURICAN siblings, the Jeep Wrangler Sahara is so endearing in how it’s raw and unabashedly off-road worthy. That it wears these credentials on its sleeve is what makes it so appealing.

Some may call it a dinosaur in this day and age but boy can this Jeep turn heads and get tongues wagging. That it can also mimic a mountain goat at will is a bonus.

By comparison, its sibling the Jeep Grand Cherokee feels like a Rolls-Royce Cullinan beside it. Trimmed in suitably upmarket upholstery and looking appropriately dapper, it’s also big. B-I-G-G.

You get a lot of car for the money here. It may not be highly technological, but can hold its own in a sea of Continental offerings. Plus it’s brisk.

The Maserati Grecale is the most sporty on-road premium SUV of the bunch. Being the latest offering from Maserati, the Grecale’s interior takes a significant step upwards in terms of premium feel, which some may call swish.

It’s got enough gizmos to keep a technophile happy and a longer wheelbase than its Stellantis-sister SUV Alfa Romeo Stelvio means that rear occupants will be that much more comfortable. Plus it handles well in the twisties.

Where the Jeep Wrangler was unabashedly off-road-y, the Land Rover Defender 90 brings some upmarket flair to the go-anywhere genre. It looks absolutely baller while remaining conservatively styled in a nod to its heritage, and is industrially comfortable on the inside.

Wherever it goes, it turns heads, and can also mimic a mountain goat when the terrain gets rough.

Which then brings us to the most sensible contender here – the Hyundai Palisade. Its palatial-sounding name is not by accident, for the Palisade has taken the three-row SUV world by storm from the time it was introduced.

This mild refresh for 2023 brings a more polished look to the outside and a redesigned dash and infotainment system on the inside. You get a lot of standard-fit kit for the moolah here, and it’s also smooth, quiet and reasonably quick for the all-important family haulage duties.

So many great choices, and yet, there can only be one winner. Decisions, decisions…

AutoApp Car Of The Year Best Premium SUV
Hyundai Palisade

The winner is the Hyundai Palisade with 347 points. No surprise here, that the winner is also the most competent SUV on test in this segment. Its practicality and comfort, combined with value-proposition is why the Palisade scored the win.

More on the scoring categories used to derive points here.

Congratulations to the Hyundai Palisade for winning the AutoApp Car of the Year 2024 Best Premium SUV!

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