The biggest car news and reviews, no BS. Our free daily newsletter sends the stories that really matter directly to you, every weekday. You could easily make a case against the 2026 Land Rover Defender Octa as the year’s best SUV.
After all, dozens of domestic and foreign SUVs offer a phenomenal ownership experience. But this is an enthusiast site, gosh darnit, and that’s why we picked the fun, fast, and cool one. The 626-horsepower desert conqueror was measured against a handful of our top-rated SUV standouts—one normie, one luxury, one EV, and one family-focused everyday driver, and a few dozen more throughout the year.
Each of those earned high scores from our staff, but the Landy won out. S. of A.
The Bronco Sport Sasquatch is the distilled essence of that argument. It encroaches so egregiously on the boundary of “real SUV” territory that if I were one of the company’s product planners, I’d have serious concerns about its current “Big Bronco” customers backsliding into the cheaper Sport when it comes time for a replacement. A sale’s a sale, I suppose.
The Bronco Sport Sasquatch package is not watered down relative to its bigger sibling’s, but rather inherits some of its features and upgrades. It also gets 29-inch Goodyear Territory ATs in 295/65R17, unique Bilstein shocks, nearly two-thirds of an inch more suspension travel than you get on the standard Badlands, a 360-degree camera system, and a whole bunch of honest-to-goodness metal body protection. This is an SUV that has its priorities sorted out.
The Alpina XB7 is one of the most endearing vehicles I’ve ever driven, not just because of what it offers but also because of what it doesn’t. It’s an extremely quick luxury SUV that is refreshingly free of misplaced aggression and fluff. Silly would-be carbon shift paddles are replaced with little leather-hidden buttons you may never even notice.
There are no ridiculous Track or Off-Road driving modes that owners will statistically never use—there is, however, an Alpina-only Comfort Plus configuration that lightens up the steering and softens the ride even more. The suspension tuning on the XB7 is a standout feature, with passive fixed dampers that are shockingly well-tuned. Body motions are almost always controlled and fluid.
The Ioniq 9 is unique-looking, with a few bits that crib from market trends or a certain Swedish automaker’s playbook with new twists. It has a blend of a low-riding SUV and a station wagon with a pinch of minivan. Driving the Ioniq 9, you get the sense that its performance was calibrated with a focus on quality rather than quantity.
The Nissan Armada Platinum Reserve is one of the most comfortable vehicles I’ve ever driven, not just because of what it offers but also because of what it doesn’t. It’s an extremely well-rounded SUV that feels like it was made to devour and waft down a highway with effortless power and elegance. Overall, driving the 2025 Armada is more than just good; it’s nearing great, at least on the upper trims.
The Land Rover Defender Octa stands out from its competitors due to its unique blend of performance, comfort, and practicality. Its 626-horsepower engine and advanced suspension system make it a formidable opponent in the SUV market.
