These Are the Most Fun-to-Drive SUVs for 2024 and 2025
Historically, it was always tough to find a car with both an engaging driving experience and a highly practical nature. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Now that the performance SUV market has grown so vast, there are plenty to choices for drivers who need space for kids and cargo but aren’t content with a boring ride. We’ve compiled the best SUVs and crossovers at a wide variety of price points that don’t sacrifice fun behind the wheel, listed here in order of preference.
More Car Rankings: Best Fun-to-Drive Family Cars | Best SUVs | Best 3-Row SUVs | Best Small SUVs | Best Luxury Subcompact SUVs
2025 Porsche Macan
Base price: $64,895
The Macan isn’t a 911, but it feels like a real Porsche from behind the wheel. In an impressive feat, Porsche created the Macan by adapting the Audi Q5 SUV's platform and making significant changes to the powertrains and chassis tuning. The result is a crossover with a driving experience rivaling the best sports sedans. The Macan features Porsche’s signature nimble handling, responsive acceleration, and overall competence on the road. It's sharp, engaging, and just plain fun.
We Review the Macan T and Prove It's a Performance Car
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N
Base price: $67,495
Only recently have electric vehicles embraced driving fun, and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is one of the best examples of the breed. Its dual-motor powertrain puts out 641 horsepower, and it features all-wheel drive and an aggressive driving character that set this high-performance variant apart from the standard Ioniq 5. To cap it all off, an assortment of customizable drive modes, a simulated gearshift mechanism, and synthetic engine sounds keep you connected to a truly delightful machine.
It's the Best Sports EV We've Ever Driven
2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio
Base price: $89,465
Charismatic, athletic, and energetic, the Stelvio Quadrifoglio pushes the boundaries of how much bite can be packed into an SUV body. A 505-hp twin-turbo V-6 paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission delivers aggressive power to all four wheels, while hyper-sensitive steering and Alfa’s brake-by-wire system add an element of striking, if temperamental, performance. The Quadrifoglio badge will be discontinued in North America following the 2024 model year, so get it while you still can.
Driving It Over a Swiss Mountain Pass Is Thrilling
2025 Porsche Cayenne
Base price: $86,695
As a big sibling to our top-pick Macan, the Cayenne is a trailblazer in the performance SUV market. When it arrived in the early 2000s, it was one of the first SUVs to come from an established sports-car brand, and it's maintained its sterling reputation since then. A variety of powertrain options and performance packages gives buyers plenty of choices, and all share luxe features, sophisticated handling, and impressive acceleration. We like the new-for-2025 GTS model, which comes with an assortment of exciting additions including a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8, interior and exterior aesthetic enhancements, and suspension upgrades.
More Info on the 2025 GTS and Its V-8
2025 Lamborghini Urus
Base price: $262,631
For those looking for excess in their super-SUV, the Urus is the answer. It combines blistering speed, an assortment of customizable drive settings, a hefty curb weight, a steep sticker price, surprising agility, and Lamborghini's signature aggressive demeanor. For 2025, the plug-in-hybrid Urus SE model adds a 192-hp electric motor to the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 for a staggering total of 789 horsepower and 701 lb-ft of torque.
The New Hybrid Is a Tire-Smoking Monster
2024 Kia EV6 GT
Base price: $62,975
The Kia EV6 GT delighted Road and Track editors in our 2024 PEVOTY test, leading to its crowning as our under-$100,000 Performance EV of the Year. As the range-topping performance model, the EV6 GT boasts 576 horsepower from a dual-motor powertrain, selectable regenerative-braking and drive modes, and confident handling that’s ready for anything—including our long-term evaluation.
It Won Our Performance EV of the Year Award
2025 Acura MDX Type S
Base price: $76,600
As one of our favorite mid-size luxury crossovers, the MDX is fresh off a mid-cycle update and is as good to drive as ever. Its nimble handling gives it an edge over other three-row competitors. While the base model is surprisingly sporty on its own, the Type S offers a boost in performance, adding a turbocharged 355-hp 3.0-liter V-6 and an air suspension. The Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive (SH-AWD) system provides torque-vectoring capabilities and is offered in both the base model and the Type S.
We Drive the Updated 2025 Model
2025 Mazda CX-50
Base price: $31,720
You won't find another mainstream compact crossover with fun-to-drive chops like the CX-50. Not only is it stylish and practical like its peers, the CX-50 is also responsive behind the wheel and is far less boring to drive than rivals from Hyundai, Toyota, and many others. Its steering is communicative, and the optional turbocharged version of the 2.5-liter four-cylinder available in the higher trims gives it plenty of pep in its step.
The CX-50 Is a Crossover That's Actually Fun to Drive
BMW X5 M Competition
Base price: $125,975
BMW’s M badge comes with the promise of thrilling performance, and the X5 M upholds that reputation. The hugely powerful 617-hp twin-turbo V-8 combines with a sophisticated all-wheel-drive system, adaptive dampers, and adjustable settings for the steering, suspension, and brakes. On top of all that, the elegantly outfitted interior has plenty of room for cargo and passengers.
Is It a Better Wagon than the New M5 Touring Will Be?
2025 Mini Countryman
Base price: $39,895
Mini’s largest offering retains the brand’s signature charm—and, in the 2025 model, adds better-than-ever performance. There’s plenty of customization opportunities, with three available variants, lots color and trim choices, and an array of selectable drive modes. We tested the S and JCW variants and found that while the JCW’s extra horsepower boost is nice in theory, the softer ride in the S is better suited to the character of the Countryman.
Why the Countryman Is the Best It's Ever Been
2024 Ford Bronco
Base price: $41,525
The much-anticipated revival of the Bronco offers off-road capabilities, SUV utility, and retro good looks that have earned it interest from new buyers and old fans alike. While lots of trim levels are available, including the high-performance Raptor, the Bronco spirit isn’t dependent on fancy add-ons. Even the base-level Big Bend model is a good time on its own. The Bronco's off-road abilities are a big influence on the fun factor, but it’s still got refined steering and happy handling that make for a solid daily driver.
Review: Less Bronco Is Best Bronco
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