Ranking the Design of 9 High-End Full-Size SUV & CUVs in 2024

Today, I rank 9 high-end SUV and CUVs on the market in 2024 in terms of their exterior and interior styling. By “high-end”, I mean luxury models with at least 8 cylinders. Full-size vehicles measure over 5.1 meters in length.

At the bottom of the list, I have the facelifted X167 Mercedes AMG GLS 63. Essentially an elongated GLE, the GLS 63 actually appears less busy on the outside, thanks to its larger canvas to stretch those “character lines”. This results in an acceptable, albeit bland, profile. While non-AMG GLS of this generation has an exceptionally ugly grille, the AMG version uses vertical slats that balances the ungainly vehicle better. The car’s tailgate is also decent, if not a little small compared to the rear end.

Inside, the GLS 63 is no different than the GLE 63. Its cabin is dominated by a wide-bezel display surrounded by plastic trim pieces. This interior is busy and inelegant; it raises the driver’s blood pressure, but not in a good way.

In the 8th place, I have the Audi SQ7, which is nearing the end of its production run. It looks like an Audi A3 that has taken too many trips to the pie shop. The bulbous exterior is “broken up” with strong character lines and bulged wheel arches that already look retro, though not in a good way. The SQ7’s front fascia is dominated by black plastic with brick-shaped holes and looks as appealing as a brick. This exterior is in my opinion the worst on this list.

Inside, things are looking up. The slightly older cabin design actually attempts to integrate the displays into the dashboard and center console. It is not as busy as the GLS, and the dashboard is left reasonably clean.

In the 7th place, I have the facelifted Rolls-Royce Cullinan. While the original Cullinan always had a stately profile and rear end, the facelift, also called Series II, ruined the front and rear designs with squinty headlamps and taillamps. The front fascia is further degraded by its weird-looking daytime running lights and the lower air intakes.

Inside, the cabin is well-appointed and industry-leading in material quality and personalization. However, from a pure design perspective, the center console-dashboard area is not well arranged: Its two center air vents are out of line with the side vents and makes the center console unnecessarily busy. Underneath, the climate controls also appear out of place. While the Cullinan successfully integrates its digital displays into the dashboard, the rest is too messy for a vehicle that is supposed to be elegant.

In the 6th place, I have the Cadillac Escalade-V. Being the largest vehicle on this list and the only true SUV, the Escalade-V makes no attempt to hide its massive size. Instead, Cadillac chose to emphasize it with a square shape and near-vertical front end. It is a brutish, aggressive look. This truck is somewhat blander on the side and towards the rear, leaving something on the table in the exterior design.

Inside, the Escalade-V is surprisingly luxurious and well-appointed for an American truck. It has first-class seating for the first two rows, and the driver is treated with controls and displays that are not only ergonomic but also aesthetically pleasing.

In the 5th place, I have the facelifted Bentley Beytayga. The original Bentayga received much mockery for its bulbous look. Bentley took note and to some extent addressed this issue with a sharper exterior in the facelift. This includes a tighter, more vertical fascia with oval quad headlamps in the front as well as a more interesting tailgate with oval tail lamps in the back. These changes make the car rather handsome and interesting.

Inside, the Bentayga comes with a well-executed digital display setup. Compared to the Cullinan, its air vents and climate controls are better integrated, and the two sides of the dashboard are well balanced with leather-wrapped curves.

In the 4th place, I have the facelifted G07 BMW X7 M60i and the Alpina XB7. Personally, I am a big fan of BMW’s new front end design language with squinty headlamps + huge nostrils + giant mouth. Each vehicle is an angry animal, and the X7 is probably an angry moose that is charging at the slow car occupying the left lane. Running towards the rear, the X7 maintains an upright stance that is appreciably sportier than the GLS and even the Bentayga. Its one weak area is the rear, which is less interesting than the Bentayga but still more coherent than the Cullinan.

Inside, things are not as rosy. The X7’s cabin is dominated by a tack-on display just like every other BMW. In fact, interior design has long been a weak point of BMW’s larger cars, which always look and feel too much like lower-end models.

In the third place, I have the Lamborghini Urus. While some might say it is just an RS Q8 in drag, the Urus is bolder in every aspect. In true Lamborghini fashion, it intends to evoke emotions through conspicuity and outrageousness. Every line is sharper and more exaggerated, even at the expense of proportions at times. In my opinion, it is less beautiful than the RS Q8, but it is undeniably more unforgettable.

Inside, the Urus, like other modern Lamborghinis, resembles a fighter jet. It has a superb transplantation of the infotainment system also found in Audi, Porsche, and Bentley of its generation. The four air vents give the cabin a sense of balance, which is echoed by the center controls and the cup holders in their symmetry.

In the second place, I have the new Range Rover, the benchmark of this segment. While it may not carry the badge panache of Bentley or Rolls-Royce, the Range Rover is decidedly classier and more elegant. It has smooth curves that give the car a sophisticated look. Land Rover has endowed the car with a slightly sloping roofline that echoes with the up-swung rear bumper to hint at the vehicle’s sporting potential.

Inside, the Range Rover is equally minimalist. It has quite possibly the best digital display setup of the segment. While some functions may not be as readily accessible as it is with buttons, the car offers a sense of comfort and tranquility to compensate for usability. It lowers the driver’s blood pressure in a good way.

Topping this list is the BMW XM. Understandably, this is highly controversial, just like the car. If one were to examine each design element of the XM in detail, they would be offended by the out-of-proportion, strange shapes in questionable material and color choices. However, when we look at the XM in its entirety, it is like an impressionist painting of a villain’s vehicle in a dystopian future. Because every detail of it is weird, it is coherent and outstanding in totality. Some may suggest that this is a car for the nouveau riche, but the level of confidence that it demands of the owner means it is actually a trendsetter’s car. In fact, BMW could have named it the X8 but probably chose the XM name to position it as a competitor to the Urus.

Inside, the XM is available with some outlandish color combinations and interior lighting. While it is not much different than an X7 in driver controls, these weird colors and gadgets add to the design’s coherence.