Luxury SUVs

The luxury SUV is the big daddy, the monster truck of the SUV. It's the biggest, nicest and or course, most luxurious model on the SUV market. It's also the most expensive. This is not really the SUV you want to take off road into the mountains, unless you have to.

We have several to recommend, but this is something of a special and limited market, as the expense of these cars make some manufacturers balk at entering the market. Since they are expensive, you might want to hunt around for a good deal, or consider a used model.

Cadillac Escalade

Avg. Paid:$61,066 - $84,301
MSRP: $63,160 - $87,345
Invoice: $59,055 - $81,668
MPG: 14 City / 18 Hwy

The 2011 Cadillac Escalade is for buyers who like to be noticed, and are willing to pay to be noticed.

The Cadillac Escalade has a powerful V8, nearly over-the-top styling and a luxurious passenger cabin. A smaller crossover would give you just as much seating capacity, and some competitors would give you more genteel styling, but nothing else gives you the full on panache of an Escalade.

"There are luxury SUVs and then there's the 2011 Cadillac Escalade. There are full-size SUVs and then there's the Escalade," says Edmunds. "You could buy any number of big, luxurious vehicles instead, but there's just no true substitute for Cadillac's celebration of power, brashness and wheels in a package so large the Amish could stick one in a river to power a grain mill."

Pricewise, the Escalade falls in the middle of its class. For the money, you get a strong list of standard features and performance capabilities that reflect the Escalade's truck-based construction. The Escalade is best for people who want comfort, style, power and towing abilities, but no one would blame you if you bought one just because it looks so dang good.

Infiniti QX56

Avg. Paid:$57,279 - $60,429
MSRP: $57,850 - $60,950
Invoice: $53,386 - $56,241
MPG: 14 City / 20 Hwy

The Infiniti QX56 is all new for 2011, and reviewers say it's finally competitive. Motor Trend asks, "Is there a better SUV in this category? Perhaps not."

The changes to the Infiniti QX56 for 2011 start on the outside. Reviewers are happy to see that the angular, styling is gone, and a more subdued look has taken its place. Inside, there's standard seating for seven (though seating for eight is a no-cost option) in a cabin that reviewers compare to that of a luxury private jet. Since it's an Infiniti, the QX56 comes loaded with high-tech standard features, as well as some innovative available safety features, like Intelligent Cruise Control.

Some reviewers complain that the high-tech safety systems that warn drivers of impending collisions or when the QX56 has wandered out of its lane are intrusive and encourage drivers to be passive. However, buyers who pilot large SUVs in traffic on a day-to-day basis may feel differently.

Mercedes Benz GL

Avg. Paid:$54,860 - $75,500
MSRP: $59,950 - $82,850
Invoice: $55,754 - $77,050
MPG: 13 City / 17 Hwy

The Mercedes-Benz GL-Class is for drivers who have a lot of passengers but aren't willing to sacrifice a luxury driving experience to carry them all.

While other Luxury Large SUVs offer burly off-road capabilities and loads of bling, the 2010 Mercedes Benz GL Class offers just what a luxury large SUV should: luxury, and plenty of it. While others in the class have more room or more powerful engines, few can match the total package of comfort and driving experience the GL provides. Despite a smaller engine than many competitors, the base model still earns excellent reviews, with nearly all noting that it drives more like a luxury sedan than a bulky SUV. Another plus is the GL's excellent fuel economy, which is among the best in this class.

However, if you're looking to be coddled while you venture off the beaten path, the GL isn't the best choice. It's a car-based crossover, not a truck-based SUV. While it seats just as many passengers as a truck-based SUV, it's not meant to tackle rough off-road terrain. It also can't tow as much as some competitors.

Land Rover Range Rover

Avg. Paid:$72,789 - $87,325
MSRP: $78,425 - $94,275
Invoice: $71,367 - $85,790
MPG: 12 City / 18 Hwy

Land Rovers have always been vehicles with a large dose of luxury cachet. For 2010, updates to the Land Rover Range Rover have made the company's flagship model more powerful, more capable and more luxurious. The changes have been so well-received that it's tough to find a reviewer who has anything remotely negative to say about the Rover.

Range Rover built its reputation on remote trails, and the 2010 Range Rover continues to astound reviewers with its rugged capabilities. What's more astounding is that, unlike other off-road SUVs, the Range Rover has very good on-road performance as well. Two new engines -- one of which makes over 500 horsepower -- give the Range Rover the power it needs in any situation. Handling and braking are so good that the Range Rover is as at home on the freeway or in the city as it is on rock-strewn trails. Inside, reviewers say the cabin lives up to the Range Rover's nearly $80,000 price tag.

Toyota Land Cruiser

Avg. Paid:$65,704 - $65,704
MSRP: $68,020 - $68,020
Invoice: $60,877 - $60,877
MPG: 13 City / 18 Hwy

The 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser is one of the best off-roaders money can buy, and has the on-road manners to make it a capable family-hauler as well.

Since 1951, the Land Cruiser has been one of the most capable off-road vehicles in the world. "At a time when every manufacturer is trying to create a light-duty carlike crossover, the Land Cruiser continues to stay true to its 53-year history in America as a tough, all-terrain sport-utility vehicle," recalls Edmunds. "But to blend into the dance of stylish crossovers in the marketplace, the Land Cruiser has packaged its go-anywhere capability within a well-appointed shell."

Today, the 2011 Land Cruiser stands as Toyota's most expensive offering, starting out at $68,020. Despite the high price tag, Four Wheeler says "We have every indication the Land Cruiser exemplifies Toyota's highest build- quality standards."

Reviewers say that its cargo space is subpar for the class and the third row seats are only tolerable for children, but they love nearly everything else about the 2011 Land Cruiser. It gets 13 mpg in the city and 18 on the highway, average within its class. With gas prices predicted to hit five dollars by 2012, this alone might be enough to scare off consumers. However, if you can stomach the $68,020 starting price and dismal fuel economy, reviewers say you will be delighted with the Land Cruiser. Its 5.7-liter V8 engine gives it more hustle than reviewers expect. Reviewers like the 2011 Land Cruiser's composed on-road performance, saying it drives well for such a large, tall SUV. Finally, no one can forget the Land Cruiser's off-roading prowess, augmented by hill start assist, dynamic suspension, an 8,200-pound towing capacity, and Crawl Control (sort of like cruise control for boulder-crawling).

The Toyota Land Cruiser includes seven seats and has up to 81.7 cubic feet of cargo space, a low number within the class of luxury large SUVs. In most cases, the Land Cruiser will be an ideal family vehicle, as long as consumers don't need the third row for frequently transporting adults.

Lincoln Navigator

The 2011 Lincoln Navigator gives buyers comfortable seats in all three rows, practical cargo space and a long list of high-tech standard features, but an underpowered engine leaves reviewers wanting more.

In a competitive class, the 2011 Lincoln Navigator is simply passed by its rivals. The Navigator is a good choice among Luxury Large SUVs, but offerings from Infiniti, Mercedes, Lexus and Cadillac are just better. Edmunds points out that "The Mercedes GL-Class offers better handling and a more prestigious image, while the Cadillac Escalade and Infiniti QX56 boast much more powerful V8 engines."