10 Best Luxury SUVs for a Family

2019 Lincoln Nautilus Burgundy Black Label Parked Front Quarter ・ Photo by Lincoln

Transportation for your family is a critical decision, with several distinct values to meet. First, safety must be assured with the latest in technology and design factors. Next, you’re looking for a vehicle that offers comfort and convenience, with the connectivity your family needs to meet the requirements of life. Finally, a luxury SUV must provide a compelling value proposition to earn your loyalty.

To help you evaluate the competing propositions, here are 10 of our favorite luxury SUV offerings oriented toward families of all sizes who demand the finest in luxury, as well as the safest and most advanced vehicles on the road. Each of these vehicles is an acquisition you can be proud to park in your own driveway.

2019 Acura MDX

The 2019 Acura MDX offers well-balanced performance, your choice of luxury features, and a very good safety package. In the world of luxury suvs, the midsize Acura suv is a go-to choice for its value and features. Every trim level of the MDX comes with a comfortable, well-designed leather interior for six or seven passengers, and more than 90 cubic feet of cargo space.

Advanced safety also is standard on the MDX, including a multi-view backup camera, collision mitigation braking system, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assistance, and a road departure mitigation system. Available driver assistance features include blind spot information, surround view camera, front and rear parking sensors, and rear cross traffic monitoring. The MDX comes with your choice of front-wheel drive or Acura’s Super Handling All-Wheel Drive.

Photo by Acura

2019 BMW X5

BMW is a market leader in luxury suvs, and the 2019 BMW X5 is the heart of BMW’s lineup. This midsize SUV offers BMW’s legendary performance as well as a luxury interior with every modern feature included. BMW’s 3.0-liter TwinPower turbocharged engine will rocket the X5 to 60 mph in just 5.3 seconds. Yet the X5 will still carry up to 72.3 cubic feet of cargo, or up to seven passengers.

In the cockpit, BMW equips the X5 with dual 12.3-inch display screens and an optional head-up display for driver information and infotainment control. BMW’s Active Driving Assistant is standard on all X5 models, delivering active blind spot detection, forward collision warning and mitigation, lane departure warning, speed limit monitoring, and rear cross traffic alerts.

Photo by BMW

2019 Buick Enclave

The 2019 Buick Enclave ranks among the leading luxury midsize crossovers on the market because of its excellent feature list and value for your dollar. Larger crossovers are all about capacity, and the Enclave offers a motion-controlled liftgate to access 23.6 cubic feet of cargo capacity behind the third row seats. That expands to 58 cubic feet behind the second row, and the Enclave offers a huge 97.6 cubic feet of cargo capacity behind the front seats.

The Enclave’s cabin is comfortable, with heated and ventilated seats. Buick provides easy-to-use infotainment through an 8-inch touchscreen paired with a Bose 10-speaker sound system. Buick’s IntelliLink operating system includes GPS navigation and options for teen driver controls, as well as support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Photo by Buick

2019 Cadillac XT5

If you want to stand out from the crowd, the 2019 Cadillac XT5 is a bold statement. This midsize crossover announces its presence with a prominent grille, boomerang-shaped headlights, 20-inch wheels, and strong angular lines that define today’s Cadillac image. The XT5 commands respect and suggests performance.

Starting from the most basic trim, the XT5 comes with an 8-speaker Bose audio system that would be an added cost option on any other brand. The base trim also includes zone climate control, power liftgate, and keyless access. Moving up the trim line adds features like heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, and Cadillac’s Ultraview panoramic sunroof. On your test drive, be sure to ask about the safety alert seats that vibrate in response to potential hazards.

Photo by General Motors

2019 GMC Yukon

If you want an old-fashioned body-on-frame SUV, there aren’t many options left. The 2019 GMC Yukon is bucking that trend, and it’s a favorite of full-size SUV buyers. In the top Denali trim, you can get a 6.2-liter V8 engine paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. With this engine package, the Yukon can tow up to 7,900 pounds when equipped with four-wheel drive, or 8,100 pounds in the rear-drive version.

When it comes to luxury, Denali is the last word. Buyers enjoy real wood trim and interior work that is both dignified and timeless. Tech features include an 8-inch touchscreen display plus a head-up display on the windshield. Be sure to ask about the Denali Ultimate package, which includes automatic running boards and critical safety features like adaptive cruise control with forward emergency braking.

Photo by GMC

2019 Jaguar F-Pace

Jaguar has been making performance cars for almost 100 years, and the 2019 Jaguar F-Pace is heir to that tradition. This midsize crossover combines Jaguar’s legendary performance and handling with a fully modern and completely luxurious interior. The exterior design of the F-Pace is compelling, with a sleek, muscular stance that resembles the brand’s eponymous cat.

The promise of the looks is fulfilled in the driving experience. The F-Pace is a sure-footed sports car on the road, and it’s a mountain goat on the trail. The F-Pace draws on All Terrain Progress Control technology inherited from Land Rover to move confidently at all times. One unique available feature is the Activity Key, which is a waterproof bracelet that duplicates the standard key functions.

Photo by Jaguar

2019 Land Rover Discovery

The full-size 2019 Land Rover Discovery is a tremendous value because you get almost everything you’d find in the more expensive Range Rover line, but at a more affordable price point. Of course, Discovery comes with Land Rover’s legendary four-wheel drive technology, plus an available air suspension that will raise the vehicle by three inches for off-road use.

Inside the Discovery, you’ll find three rows of stadium-style seating. Each row is higher as you go back, which allows everyone to see out the windshield and reduces carsickness. Families also enjoy heated leather upholstery in all three rows, and a great sound and entertainment system including second-row video screens.

Photo by Land Rover

2019 Lincoln Nautilus

Lincoln is a luxury touchstone, and the 2019 Lincoln Nautilus is the brand’s latest midsize offering. The Nautilus is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, or a twin-turbo 2.7-liter V6. Both engines are paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. You can choose front-wheel or all-wheel drive depending on your family’s needs, but Lincoln’s classic take on luxury comes standard.

Every Nautilus comes with Lincoln’s Co-Pilot 360 package, which includes every advanced driver assistance and safety feature available today, including self-parking technology. Leading the Nautilus lineup is the exclusive Black Label trim. This is a premier luxury program with a top-tier vehicle, a pre-paid maintenance plan, complimentary meals at gourmet restaurants, a travel plan, and a mobile showroom experience that brings the Nautilus to your home for your consideration.

Photo by Lincoln

2019 Mercedes-Benz GLE

Mercedes-Benz defines luxury, and the 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLE is the most technologically advanced SUV on the market today. The GLE is available with a variety of driver assistance features, including lane change, emergency braking, evasive steering, active blind spot, and left-turn assistance. The Mercedes Distronic adaptive cruise control system will automatically obey posted speed limit signs, and help steer the GLE around basic curves.

The GLE offers a configurable head-up display on the windshield and two 12.3-inch screens on the dash. The Mercedes-Benz User eXperience (MBUX) implements 40 new functions, including gesture control. Just wave your hands in front of the screen to control the infotainment, or say “Hey Mercedes” to converse with the MBUX in English, German, or Mandarin Chinese.  

Photo by Mercedes-Benz

2019 Volvo XC90

Scandinavian design is the foundation of luxury in the 2019 Volvo XC90. That same design also makes the XC90 one of the safest and technically advanced vehicles available to protect your family. Volvo delivers the XC90 Inscription with a 12.3-inch touch screen display, controlling the optional Bowers and Wilkins premium sound system. Navigation and a heads-up display on the windshield also are optional, as is a 360-degree camera system.

With the most comfortable and well-designed seats on the market today, the Volvo XC90 Inscription can carry seven passengers in complete comfort. Open-grain wood trim conveys authentic quality, while soft-touch surfaces through the XC90 ensure that everything you see or touch is pleasing to your senses. On your test drive, be sure to ask about Volvo’s unique 400-hp hybrid drivetrain.

Photo by Volvo