There comes a point in many automotive enthusiast's life where they're faced with the decision of purchasing a new vehicle that could not only fill the needs of their family but also provide some extra fun once you get on the gas pedal.
Luckily, the motoring landscape exists in such a way today where it is entirely possible to purchase a full-sized family hauler that could stand toe-to-toe with a supercar, or even leave one in its rearview mirror. Compiled below is a list of the most iconic full-sized vehicles on the market today that pack a serious punch on the road while still maintaining all the creature comforts and safety any family vehicle would need.
10 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT Trackhawk
The current highest evolution of Jeep's ambitious plan to create a supercar in a full-sized SUV is the Trackhawk. The mad scientists in Jeep's development labs decided that the SRT trim was simply not enough power for the Grand Cherokee, so they decided to then stuff a Hellcat engine under the hood and give the otherwise unassuming family hauler the capacity to outrun most sports cars on the road. Seven hundred plus horsepower screams out of the supercharged V8 that packs so much torque, it literally delayed the production of the final vehicle because engineers couldn't figure out how to harness it all correctly in such a big platform.
9 BMW X5M
The X5M takes another normally unassuming (although luxuriously equipped) SUV, the X5, and puts it through the rigors and modifications of the prestigious BMW M division, known for creating some of the most prolific racing cars of the 20th and 21st Centuries.
A whopping 567 horsepower is sent to all four wheels from a massive 4.4 liter V8 and is controlled by such advance tech and comfort/safety features that it can make race track work feel like a lofty Sunday drive.
8 Dodge Durango SRT
The next high-speed family hauler is a deviation of the Grand Cherokee SRT previously mentioned. When Jeep announced the Trackhawk trim of the Grand Cherokee, its brother company Dodge subsequently unveiled the new SRT trim of the Durango, offering the 400 plus horsepower of the large American V8 in the company's largest platform, with three rows and loads of tech to keep everyone occupied, along with SRT lap timers and other race goodies for the driver, the Durango SRT is a solid balance of power, usability, and in this particular class, affordability as well.
7 Audi Q8 S Line
Perhaps the slowest of the fast SUVs, but arguably the nicest equipped, the Audi Q8 S Line model allows for plenty of comfortable seating and class-leading interior appointments.
The turbocharged V6 may come up short at only 335 horsepower, but rest assured it is still no slouch. With S-Line add ons such as the sport adaptive suspension the car is nimble despite its size and rides through most daily circumstances with ease.
6 Ford F-150 Raptor
The only pick-up on the list, the Raptor joins this category when equipped in its crew cab configuration, making it a comfortable five seater with massive storage space.
The Raptor is designed for the dunes, and that off-road prowess can be felt every minute driving it, not to mention its fully programmable suspension, transmission, and steering input based on the terrain around you. Take all of these rugged accolades and combine them with a potent twin-turbo V6 producing almost 500 horsepower and you have the formula for a long lasting fun ride.
5 Porsche Cayenne Turbo
The Porsche Cayenne Turbo marries two solid elements of the driving experience into one, the speed and legendary nature of Porsche's PDK transmission and engine configuration, with the size and comfort needed to make any ride a breeze.
The Turbo trim of the Cayenne sees a noticeable power bump over the base Cayenne, loaded up with nearly 550 horsepower the Turbo uses effortlessly thanks again to that buttery smooth PDK.
4 Mercedes AMG GLS 63 4Matic
Normally when thinking of big Mercedes trucks, the mind goes to the G Class, or perhaps even the Escort, but the three-row SUV that tops out the large AMG offerings is the GLS 63. A twin-turbo V8 produces a whopping 577 horsepower that hauls the massive ride with eight occupants in it through any and all conditions. The usability and speed of the GLS make it the sure bet for anyone who needs a ridiculously fast 8 seater.
3 Range Rover Sport SVR
The fastest Range Rover offering takes the sleek looks of the new generation Rovers and stuffs 575 horsepower under the hood for a British luxury SUV so refined, yet hellishly loud when fully accelerated that it would wake the dead. The SVR trim favors speed and is the best selection for a luxury three-row SUV that would be able to reach such speeds aside from the GLS 63.
2 Tesla Model X P100D
New tech meets old school thrills in the fastest electric SUV on the planet. With acceleration so violent it could cause whiplash, the Tesla Model X in "ludicrous" mode is precisely that, ludicrous.
The craziest aspect of the vehicle, however, is that it does all of this silently and effortlessly. No ground shaking exhaust, no tire screeches, no noticeably violent gear shifts, which are all aspects associated with heavy acceleration. No, the Tesla manages to speed past supercars a quarter of its size with even less apparent effort then these dedicated racing machines and to top it off, buyers get winged rear doors. Seriously what is cooler than winged rear doors in a 762 horsepower electric SUV?
1 Lamborghini Urus
The final and most recent entry to the super fast SUV market comes from the manufacturer known most for its prowess on a race track, not so much for hauling groceries. However, Lamborghini has proven with the Urus that it is capable of making a comfortable family sized vehicle that does not sacrifice the iconic Lamborghini racing DNA that the brand embodies.
Six-hundred-fourty-one Italian horsepower bellow out of the quad piped V8 beast that is equally comfortable on the track as it would be taking a weekend shopping trip with the kids.