Luxury cars not only need to have attractive designs and powerful performance, but also need to be flexible, safe, modern, and most importantly, comfortable for users.
The “Car of the Year” evaluation results are based on multiple criteria, and not all cars with good sales numbers in the market are chosen as the most popular and highest-rated models in terms of quality. Therefore, which car will be crowned as the “Car of the Year 2023” in the mid-size luxury SUV segment is still an unknown. Here are some candidates from brands like Mercedes, Porsche, and Land Rover.
Porsche Cayenne
Before the Porsche Cayenne was launched in 2002, almost no sports or luxury car brand had the intention of introducing a high-performance SUV. Porsche was the “pioneer” with the Cayenne line, revolutionizing the sports SUV segment worldwide.
Currently, the Porsche Cayenne has developed to its 3rd generation with significant innovations in terms of interior, exterior, number of versions, and performance. In the mid-life facelift version introduced in Vietnam in September 2023, the exterior of the luxury SUV model remains almost unchanged, but the interior has taken a big leap forward.
Accordingly, the 2024 facelift version of the Porsche Cayenne brings freshness to the dashboard and center console layout. The gear lever is placed on the dashboard, behind the steering wheel to improve space. The steering wheel is newly designed, resembling the 911 model of the same household, integrating many modern buttons and the Drive Mode dial to change driving modes. Next are 3 screens with the option of a 10.9-inch passenger display. The speedometer is a 12.6-inch curved screen.
The power of the 2024 Porsche Cayenne comes from three different engine options. The standard version is equipped with a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine, producing 348 horsepower and 500 Nm of torque. Meanwhile, the twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine will replace the previous V6 engine on the Cayenne S model, with a maximum power of 467 horsepower and a torque of 600 Nm.
The Turbo GT version is the most powerful model of the Cayenne line, also equipped with a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine, but increased to 649 horsepower, allowing the car to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.3 seconds and reach a top speed of 305 km/h.
Range Rover Sport
With a comprehensive update, the new-generation Range Rover Sport 2023 truly surprises with its all-around experience, both in terms of sporty and sharp speed and the famous off-road features of Land Rover.
The design of the new-generation Range Rover Sport still carries the style of a British aristocrat, refined but not too flashy. The front grille and front bumper have been redesigned with more straight lines. The side still retains the decisive straight lines that create a traditional and agile appearance.
The interior does not have many changes. It still has massage seats, 22-way power-adjustable seats, air filtration, 19-speaker Meridian 800W sound system, active noise neutralization technology, a 13.7-inch digital instrument cluster placed next to a 13.1-inch or curved 14-inch center screen, or Amazon Alexa personal assistant.
The biggest difference in the new Range Rover Sport is the switch to the MLA-Flex chassis, which increases the wheelbase length of the 2023 Range Rover Sport by 54mm, up to 2,977mm, making it more comfortable for rear passengers.
The Range Rover Sport is equipped with a P360 6-cylinder engine with a capacity of 3.0L, producing 355 horsepower and maximum torque of 500Nm. The top-of-the-line First Edition version uses a P400 3.0L engine, producing 394 horsepower and a torque of 550Nm.
Mercedes EQE
Unlike the EQB and EQS SUV models, the exterior of the Mercedes-Benz EQE 500 4Matic with the Electric Art package stands out in the Vietnamese market. The front of the car features a black painted grille with 3D decorative patterns. The lighting system is Digital Light with adjustable beam angle and automatic adjustment of light and dark.
Similarly, the interior of the Mercedes-Benz EQE 500 4Matic also has the Electric Art package. The center is equipped with a 12.8-inch screen, and there is a 12.3-inch screen behind the steering wheel. In the options list, the German brand allows customers to upgrade to the super-large Hyperscreen with a total size of up to 56 inches. The car has a Burmester 3D 15-speaker sound system with 710W of power.
In terms of performance, the Mercedes-Benz EQE 500 4Matic is equipped with two electric motors at the front and rear, producing a total power of 402 horsepower and a maximum torque of 858 Nm, combined with a 4Matic all-wheel drive system. The car only takes 4.9 seconds to accelerate from 0-100 km/h.
Mercedes EQS
The Mercedes EQS SUV is considered the electric version of the EQS sedan. The EQS follows the gentle and characteristic design style of the German brand. The body surfaces are all rounded without sharp corners. The grille is closed, covered in 3D-style three-pointed star logos. The version sold in Vietnam is equipped with the AMG Line package, so it has a sporty front and rear bumper.
The EQS SUV cabin is filled with leather and wood. Just like the low-floor version, the high-floor EQS has a total of 5 screens in the car. The cabin is equipped with the MBUX Hyperscreen entertainment screen with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel, a 17.7-inch OLED touch screen central infotainment display, and a 12.3-inch OLED touch screen front passenger information display. The second-row seats also have two separate entertainment screens with a size of 11.6 inches.
The range of amenities on the Mercedes EQS SUV is diverse, such as 5-zone automatic climate control with an air filtration system, front seats with air conditioning, massage, interior ambient lighting, panoramic sunroof, multi-layer acoustic glass, and UV protection.
The Mercedes EQS SUV is equipped with two electric motors at the front and rear, with a total power of 330 kW (443 horsepower) and maximum torque of 828 Nm. It has 4Matic all-wheel drive. The car has a rear-wheel steering function of 10 degrees, accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 5.2 seconds, and has an average power consumption of 199-242 Wh/km.
The 5th generation Lexus RX has a completely new design. Compared to the previous generation, the RX 2023 is larger, with a 60mm longer wheelbase.
The exterior of the Lexus RX 2023 retains the company’s design philosophy with a low-placed grille and monochrome body color patterns. The multi-link rear suspension system has been upgraded to provide smoother operation.
In terms of the interior, the cabin is steeped in Tazuna philosophy. This philosophy is inspired by horse riding control to enhance the connection between people and cars, creating joy in driving. The combination of Tazuna philosophy with a spacious interior, premium materials, and meticulously handcrafted details that are the essence of Lexus creates a unique characteristic that only this brand can achieve.
The Lexus RX 2023 features a cabin overflowing with technology, highlighted by the new-generation Lexus Interface infotainment system, with a 9.8-inch touch screen on the standard version or a 14-inch screen on the higher-end versions. This screen supports cloud-based navigation system, virtual assistant function, and software updates via WiFi.
In terms of engines, the Lexus RX 350 versions use a new 2.4L 4-cylinder turbocharged engine, producing 275 horsepower and a maximum torque of 429 Nm, stronger than the previous V6 3.5L engine by about 20 horsepower and 68 Nm. It is accompanied by an 8-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive or full-time four-wheel drive.
Meanwhile, the RX 500h F Sport version will use a hybrid powertrain consisting of a 2.4L I4 engine combined with an electric motor, with a total output of 367 horsepower, a torque of 550 Nm, and a 4-wheel DIRECT4 drive system. This high-end version can have rear-wheel steering and high-performance brakes.
TT (Tuoitrethudo)
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