We all have heard, some time or the other, about this special section of 4-wheel vehicles that are capable of taking you places where conventional 4-wheelers can’t. Yes, we are talking about the versatile sport utility vehicles (SUVs). To call them versatile is not part of any gimmick, but with so many features all under one hood, what else can you call them. Now that we have already started to discuss features, let’s have a better idea about all that there is that actually makes a difference. Some of the features that are a prerequisite for being termed as an SUV are as follows: All-wheel drive, high ground clearance, high seating position, high capacity engine, longer wheelbase – all this with a heavy bulky road presence. The main reason to drive any SUV is to feel the power under your peddle. It’s like you hit the gas and the vehicle comes alive with a roar underneath a rocket pick-up.
Until now, it was just about the SUVs in the traditional world of cars. How about we take it up a notch on the conventional SUV front, i.e. the luxury SUVs. When you prefix luxury with anything, it supposedly becomes one of the costliest and showcases some of the better or upgraded versions of the pre-set features that makes all of us look beyond the obvious.
Some of the best SUVs in the luxury line-up are:
Mercedes-Benz G-Class
Photo credit- medvedsky_kz – stock.adobe.com
Priced at ₹1.72 crore and goes upto ₹2.55 crore, ex-showroom, this luxury SUV from the house of Mercedes is a work of brilliance, not just in the terms of how beautiful the make is but all the configurations that are inherent in the vehicle itself. The intuitive, cutting-edge controls in the G-Class ensure that nothing will distract you from the delights on offer – such as the active multicontour seats, inflatable air chambers and seat climate control. The vehicle offers the ultimate delight in seating comfort as well as excellent lateral support in bends, courtesy of the dynamic function. The DNA of an off-road vehicle provides it with an iconic, robust and virtually indestructible road presence. As ever, the superior off-road performance defines the G-Class. The starting point of G-Class, which is the G-Class G 350d 4MATIC, has an engine putting out 282 bhp @3400 rpm and 600 Nm @1200 rpm of max power and max torque respectively – this obviously increases once you go up the variants available for you by Mercedes.
After having an illustrious idea about the comfort part and power, how about some safety highlights: multibeam led, adaptive highbeam assist plus, blind spot assist, parking package with 360° camera, active brake assist, attention assist and a pre-safe® system – All these cumulatively bring out the best-in-class performance which one expects regardlessly.
Jeep Wrangler
Photo credit- Ben Burger – stock.adobe.com
Priced at ₹56.35 lakhs, ex-showroom, the Jeep Wrangler could be stated as the pinnacle of the luxury off-road vehicles out there. It is one of the best cars from Jeep when it comes to off-road performance. The massive 2.0L turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine produces 268 horsepower with 400 Nm of torque at 3000 rpm and is equipped with an engine start-stop button along with an 8-speed automatic transmission. This engine could take you from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds. The mild-hybrid system and cylinder on demand technology, which deactivates four cylinders at part load with low and medium engine speeds, can help save fuel. All of these add to the already impressive make of this American engineering. With impressive driving dynamics, this vehicle from Jeep is sure to rule the roads and go beyond when needed.
The one feature that makes Wrangler a true off-road vehicle is the all new wash-out interior features. The one-way drain valves in the floor help to let the water flow out but not back in. It is one of the simplest features and yet impressive. All you need to do is remove the carpet and you can wash out the interior with a hose. Everything else can be matched with other machines out there, but you know what it feels like to have the interior mud flooded if you go on a crazy off-road track.
Toyota Land Cruiser
Photo credit- Mike Mareen– stock.adobe.com
Priced at ₹1.50 crore, ex-showroom, this beautifully crafted vehicular brilliance is sure to take your breath away the moment you step into it. The luxury craftsmanship is done with such ease that the whole idea of bringing together a machine that oozes out perfection in every bit becomes a reality. The new Land Cruiser is available with a newly developed 3.5-liter V6 twin-turbo engine, with a maximum output of 305 kW and a maximum torque of 650 Nm. Another unique attribute of this luxury SUV from the Japanese manufacturers is the all-new Multi-Terrain Select that provides support in road conditions in which it is easy to get stuck due to the wheel spin or it is easy to lose speed due to a lack of drive torque. Drivers can select from one of these six modes – auto, dirt, sand, mud, deep snow, and rock – and the system delivers guaranteed off-road performance through the automatic and integrated control of drive torque, suspension and brake hydraulics.
A single dial is used to select drive mode, multi-terrain, down hill assist control and crawl control. The dial is optimally positioned so that it can be operated while viewing the monitor. The all-terrain vehicle from Toyota is such a delight to drive and looks even better when you are just staring at it with awe.
Land Rover Defender
Photo credit- Andrey Armyagov– stock.adobe.com
At ₹80.72 lakh, ex-showroom, the Land Rover Defender comes with multiple engines for overseas markets, but for India, it gets a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that produces 296bhp and 400 Nm of torque, with power being sent to all four wheels via an 8-speed automatic gearbox. It has come with Land Rover’s terrain response all-wheel drive system. The 90 model will do 0-100 in a claimed 8.0 seconds while the 110 model will manage the same in 8.1 seconds – making both, in the case of a SUV, pretty impressive. The cabin is a perfect blend of minimalist design details while also being solidly built and well screwed together. From the front, it retains its predecessor’s bench-style front seats, which means that accommodating even up to six occupants on the short-wheelbase model shouldn’t be an issue. The SUV’s reinforced chassis will ensure that it will carry about 900kgs of luggage, perfect for a weekend getaway into the wild. The overall silhouette of a proper, no-nonsense old school SUV in modern times is what you get when you opt for a Land Rover Defender.
In this new age of adventure-driven ideologies all around us, these luxury SUVs are capable of giving you the best of both worlds. Be it the plush ride feel on the highways and city roads or the wild nature of the off-road capabilities, these SUVs can help you reach places you wouldn’t have imagined otherwise, in addition to the ultimate luxury surfacing all around you.