9 Fastest SUVs On The Planet

When brands like Land Rover and Jeep helped to popularize the sport utility vehicle over half a century ago with models like the Land Rover Series I and original Wagoneer, these rugged vehicles had one thing in common: they weren't associated with speed in any way. The original Land Rover Series I, for instance, ran out of puff before it reached 60 mph. How things have changed since then.

Aston Martin has just revealed the DBX707, a venomous SUV that blew us away when we drove it in Italy recently. Capable of a top speed of 193 mph, it's the fastest SUV in the world at the moment, if not the quickest off the mark. But there are several performance SUVs nipping at the DBX707's heels. Despite curb weights of around 5,000 pounds and aerodynamics that suffer due to their sheer size, these SUVs are astonishingly fast when speed limits don't apply and the road is long and straight.

This list starts with a few SUVs that will touch the 180-mph mark and two of them are from the Stellantis family. Although it's no longer on sale, you could still pick up a nearly new Trackhawk if you're lucky. Under the hood is a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 producing 707 horsepower and 645 lb-ft of torque. It'll reach 60 mph in 3.5 seconds and clear the quarter-mile in 11.6, all while making an animalistic roar that is music to the ears of anyone fearing the EV era. If restricted to city driving, the Trackhawk returns just 11 mpg. It's also not the most athletic SUV on this list, but like many fast Dodge models, the Trackhawk's lack of all-around capability doesn't mean it isn't insanely fun.

The Durango SRT Hellcat is one of just two vehicles on this list that can seat seven occupants. No seven-seater should be this fast, but the Durango SRT Hellcat's top speed of 180 mph is no printing error. It shares the Trackhawk's 6.2-liter supercharged V8 with the same torque but more power at 710 hp. It's a tenth of a second quicker than the Jeep across the quarter-mile. Sadly, this manic family SUV was only available for the 2021 model year but it represents everything we love about Dodge: crazy power, class-leading straight-line performance, and a brash design that will make your elderly neighbors shake their heads gravely in disapproval.

Alpina has always done things its own way, and we hope the performance brand doesn't lose its individuality now that BMW has acquired it. Unlike BMW's own M cars, Alpinas tend to be more docile and less ostentatious, but that's why so many people adore them. But there is one performance-related advantage to buying an Alpina: a higher top speed. Whereas most BMWs are limited to a top speed of 130 mph, including the X7 M50i, the XB7 will only call it quits at 180 mph. That's even quicker than the M8 Coupe unless you equip the M8 with performance tires and an increased top-speed limiter. The XB7's 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 makes 612 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque, and it'll reach 60 mph in only four seconds. The facelift for 2023 is a little more powerful but still tops out at the same point.

The first SUV to exceed the 180-mph mark is also the only hybrid on this list. With the aid of an electric motor, the Porsche's 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 makes 670 hp and 663 lb-ft. The 0-60 time is a scant 3.6 seconds with the Sport Chrono Package. Along with other high-end automakers like Ferrari and Lamborghini, Porsche has turned to hybridization to enhance performance, not necessarily to chase better gas mileage. Without the V8 in action, the top speed drops by exactly 100 mph. Still, it's quite remarkable that one of the fastest SUVs in the world can cruise at 83 mph in almost complete silence and without using a drop of fuel.

Porsche makes another version of the Cayenne that is even faster than the Turbo S E-Hybrid. Called the Turbo GT, it's available only in the Cayenne Coupe body style. The 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 generates 631 hp and 626 lb-ft, enough for the Turbo GT to top out at 186 mph. At 3.1 seconds to 60, it's also the joint-quickest SUV (quick refers to acceleration while fast is in reference to top speed) on this list up to that point. The quarter-mile sprint of 11.6 seconds matches the more powerful Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk exactly, but it's the Turbo GT that set a Nurburgring lap record.

We have a few issues with the Levante Trofeo. It has a rock-hard ride, parts of the interior are shared with much cheaper models from the Stellantis stable, and it costs a lot more than some similar German SUVs. And, although it's not the quickest-accelerating SUV here - it's a full second slower than the Cayenne Turbo GT to 60 mph - the Trofeo is dramatically fast at the top end. Courtesy of its 3.8-liter twin-turbo Ferrari-derived V8 engine, the Trofeo will eventually reach 187 mph. That's what 580 hp and 538 lb-ft will do for you, and it sounds wonderful when used in anger too.

The idea of a (second) Lamborghini SUV once seemed ludicrous but the Urus has a habit of silencing any doubters once they get behind the wheel. It uses a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine shared with some Audi models, but in the Urus, the full 641 hp and 627 lb-ft are unleashed. Lamborghini has somehow managed to engineer an athletic SUV too - the Urus is a riot through the corners with sharp steering and shocking balance for something so large and heavy. On a straight road, it'll reach 189.5 mph.

The Bentley Bentayga Speed is not only the most comfortable vehicle on this list but it's very nearly the fastest. A mighty 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12 engine mostly operates in the background but its 626 hp and 664 lb-ft are not to be taken lightly. Flat out, the Bentayga Speed will reach 190 mph, just about edging ahead of the Urus. When we drove the Bentayga, we found that the throttle required a lot of pressure to get access to the SUV's full power, but it was designed like this to make progress as smooth as possible. While the Dodge and Jeep at the start of this list are all unrestrained noise as they work their way up to their top speeds, the Bentayga Speed is a much more relaxing way to break the law.

Saudi Arabia is home to the longest straight road in the world according to Guinness World Records. This stretch of Highway 10 is 149 miles long. If you could somehow find a way to close it off and line up the DBX707 alongside any other SUV on this list, it's the Aston Martin that will eventually get its nose in front thanks to its 193-mph top speed. The smooth Autobahn is probably a safer bet, though. At 3.1 seconds to 60 mph, the DBX707 also matches the Cayenne Turbo GT for the quickest acceleration. The 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 makes 697 hp and 663 lb-ft, and it's paired to a new nine-speed wet clutch transmission. Even though electric SUVs like the Tesla Model X Plaid are quicker off the mark, EVs run out of puff at higher speeds and the DBX707 will eventually pass it. As things stand now, the Aston is the fastest SUV in the world.