Luxury SUVs are trending, and then comes the need for performance. Many manufacturers offer the luxury of quality cabin space and the rugged practicality of an SUV matched with insane performance under the hood. There is the Audi Q7 and Volvo XC90, both of which are due for an update; there is the 2023 facelifted Range Rover Velar, but what’s fresh out of the assembly line microwave is the 2023 BMW X5 xDrive 40i M Sport and the Mercedes Benz GLE 450 4Matic.
They are also the two most sought-after and complete luxury SUVs in this space and are segment leaders. We threw the respective brands and their enthusiastic versions in the ring to see who would be the ultimate winner. The game’s rules were divided into six rounds, and the one with the maximum knockout punches takes the crown of the Ultimate 5-seater luxury SUV priced a little over a crore Indian moolah.
ROUND 1
DESIGN
The 2023 Mercedes Benz GLE 450 design is nostalgic and might remind you of the original ML launched in 1997, especially from this rear quarter part of the car. The new multibeam headlamps get a new DRL signature, giving it a striking persona. The GLE 450 and 450d AMG Line kit is standard, which includes the starry grille and the more aggressive bumpers with a wheel size of 20 inches. The other variants’ grilles are a different design.
Bu hikaye BBC TopGear India dergisinin January 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye BBC TopGear India dergisinin January 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Mi5 SILENT, POSH AND LETHAL!
With its reimagined design language, BMW has done what it does best-divided opinion with the kind of fervour usually reserved for debates about pineapple on pizza.
A VIRAL ESCAPE
The last time I visited Hampi in Karnataka was back in 2021, just as the world began to shake off the COVID-19 travel bans.
FROM UNDERDOG TO CHAMPION
Thierry Neuville's Journey to WRC Glory
Max Verstappen: FOUR-TIME CHAMP UNDER THE VEGAS LIGHTS
From dominance to resilience, Verstappen cements his legacy while Mercedes shines in Sin
VOLKSWAGEN VIRTUS GT PLUS SPORT: SEXY+SPORT
Volkswagen has a knack for keeping their loyal and enthusiastic customers grinning from ear to ear. The German manufacturer has almost become synonymous with build quality, safety and performance.
BE GE AND XEV 9E Sexy and Ballsy!
Starting a review can be quite a challenge, especially when it's hard to pinpoint the flaws!
CAPTURING THE ESSENCE
Chilly, cold mornings and Mumbai is a rare combination that we seldom see in this part of our beautiful country.
BATTLE OF TWO GOLIATHS
When Luxury Meets Performance, Who Takes the Crown?
THE E-MPV THAT DARES TO DREAM BIG
The MPV market, dominated for aeons by Toyota's Innova, has always felt like a rather predictable place. It's the type of vehicle you buy not out of passion but practicality-like a pair of orthopaedic shoes.
IMPRACTICAL YET IRRESISTIBLE
Exactly ten years ago, I took my first international trip. It was to Bahrain, a country of endless desert and skyscrapers, where my aunt and uncle lived. Among their friends and neighbours, one particular gentleman, upon learning I was a budding petrolhead, took an entire day off work to take me around the city’s showrooms to see some “normal” Middle East traffic.