The Premium SUV segment features some of the most sophisticated and luxurious cars in the new vehicle market. This category of the Cars.co.za Consumer Awards has been dominated by German luxury brands, but in the 2023/24 #CarsAwards, it had a surprise winner… The all-electric BMW iX defeated its traditional ICE rivals!
Premium SUVs may primarily appeal for irrational and emotional reasons such as design and status, but at their core, they are some of the most sophisticated and capable vehicles on the market. Apart from sheer desirability, the 2024 Best Premium SUV must be spacious, have a high-tech all-wheel drivetrain, a powerful engine and a luxuriously trimmed cabin (let alone with a prestigious badge on the grille).
The Best Premium SUV category
This category is guided by eligibility factors and pillars of success.
Eligibility factors include a list price between R1 300 000 and R1 800 000 at the time of semi-finalist voting (September 1, 2023). It must be a large SUV of the BMW X5/Mercedes GLE category (coupe-inspired variants are also considered). It goes without saying that all-wheel-drive capability is a must.
Pillars of success for this category include powertrain technology, luxury, brand strength, design and quality appeal, driving dynamics, as well as space and practicality.
2024 Best Premium SUV: CarsAwards WINNER
BMW iX xDrive40
For the first time, an all-electric model was selected as a finalist in a category that’s not focused on EVs, and it won! The new BMW iX has been quite the revelation, with its polarising design, impressive levels of tech and superb build quality. Because the iX is based on a dedicated electric-vehicle platform – not that of a conventionally engined model – it’s very spacious, too!
Find a BMW iX for sale on Cars.co.za
RUNNER-UP: BMW X5 xDrive30d M Sport
The recently revised BMW X5 makes yet another appearance in one of the most established categories of the CarsAwards, but it’s easy to understand why this vehicle is an almost permanent fixture… With a potent 3.0-litre inline-6 turbodiesel powerplant that balances impressive on-road performance with good fuel economy, the xDrive30d M Sport also offers generous passenger room and cargo-carrying capacity.
Find a BMW X5 for sale on Cars.co.za
RUNNER-UP: Land Rover Defender 110 D250 SE County
Although it’s a far cry from its utilitarian progenitor, the new Defender is a kingpin in Jaguar Land Rover’s stable. In terms of sheer versatility, it blows the opposition away – that’s why there’s a waiting list for the Landy. The Defender 110 blends luxury, practicality and off-road ability in an eye-catching package and the D250 SE County derivative is powered by a 3.0-litre inline-6 turbodiesel that makes 183 kW/570 Nm.
Read a Land Rover Defender review
Find a Land Rover Defender for sale on Cars.co.za
More about the #CarsAwards
The winners of the 2023/24 Cars.co.za Consumer Awards , sponsored by Absa (as well as the recipient of the prestigious Brand of the Year title) were named on 29 February 2024.
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