​​The Five Most Comfortable Luxury SUVs for a Long Road Trip According to Topspeed.com​

TopSpeed.com published an article listing its picks for the most comfortable SUVs for a long road trip. It divided the list into five luxury and five non-luxury models. Last month, an Alderman Automotive blog post covered the non-luxury models. This month, we follow up with TopSpeed.com’s list of luxury models.  

Comfort comes more easily to these luxury models, as their higher price often goes toward improved interior materials, more sound deadening, features like heated, ventilated, and sometimes even massaging seats, and, occasionally, a more sophisticated suspension to keep the outside world a little further away. The SUV shopper doesn’t care how easy it is; they just want to see that the premium cost is worth it in terms of comfort and quality. It frequently is, which is why we try to keep the Alderman Automotive inventory well-stocked with luxury SUVs.  

Lexus TX 

First up is the newest SUV offering from Toyota’s premium brand.  The Grand Highlander was included in the first post, and this is the Lexus take on the same platform.  Lexus prides itself on providing room for adults in all three rows.  And while the third row’s 33.5 inches of legroom is no match for the second row’s 37.2 inches, it can seat adults, particularly since you have two other rows to fit your tallest passengers. 

Seating surfaces range from convincing NuLux artificial leather to sime-aniline real leather, and even the second-row captain’s chairs can be heated or ventilated. Also available on high trims is a remarkable 21-speaker Mark Levinson PurePlay Surround Sound system. The TX 500h model is a hybrid that provides additional power and increases city mpg by six to 27, just under the 28 highway rating. 

Genesis GV80 

Genesis is the newest non-electric luxury brand on the scene and the first and only luxury brand from Korea. Genesis has quickly made clear that Koreans understand luxury as well as anyone else, and the GV80 is strong proof of that. The model has an upscale design inside and out that is unmistakably its own. Heated and ventilated second-row captain’s chairs are standard across the model line, and upper models include Nappa leather, a suede headliner, and an 18-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system that will impress anyone. 

The GV 80 is primarily a 5-row SUV, though a third row is optionally available. Lyndon Bell said of the GV80’s comfort: “It’s no exaggeration to say the GV80’s passenger compartment is—if not exactly Bentley-like—certainly Bentley-adjacent. The quality and aesthetic of Genesis’ interior accommodations are definitely a cut above the price asked.” 

Volvo XC90 

Before SUVs took over the world, Volvo was the best-known maker of luxury wagons. They arguably weren’t even a full luxury brand then, but upscale neighborhoods were flooded with them. When it came to making SUVs, Volvo didn’t miss a beat, and its flagship was the three-row XC90. It has been in its second and current design for over a decade, so it won’t be hard to find a pre-owned model that is much like what is currently on display in Volvo showrooms.  

The interior clearly shows its Scandinavian roots, looking like an automotive version of an Architecture Digest feature. The seats were designed by orthopedists and feel like it. And the people who made “Swedish Massage” a thing have applied their know-how to a ten-point massage function on higher models.  

TopSpeed editor William Clavey says, “Every surface feels rich and expensive. Even the Bowers & Wilkins speaker grilles and central tweeter were massaged. They look and feel like something straight out of a boutique audio retailer. The build quality is superb, showing that Volvo’s still got it.” 

BMW X7 

The X7 is BMW’s flagship SUV, designed to bring the luxury and sophistication of the 7-Series sedan into a 3-row SUV package. As expected, it features rich materials throughout, including quilted leather seats, metal and carbon fiber trim, and ambient lighting. The second-row seats are only heated, not ventilated, but the front cupholders can be heated or cooled on demand. Like the GV80, the third-row seats are best left for children, but cargo space is vast when they are folded. Like all these 3-row SUVs, it is a bit large to deliver the sport-sedan handling the brand is known for, but it is quite comfortable and has quite the presence externally. 

Mercedes-Benz GLS 

Like the X7 above it, the GLS’s mission is to bring the iconic luxury of the Benz S-Class sedan to a long-roof model. Everyone can be comfortable, with even third-row passengers getting 34.6 inches of legroom and 38.9 inches of headroom. The dash is a case study in combining dual-screen technology with old-world craftsmanship and high-end materials. The range-topping GLS 580 is equipped with five climate-control zones, the only model we can think of with that feature. The Burmester® 3D audio system is just as amazing as you expect.  

These are Topspeed.com’s picks for the most comfortable luxury brand SUVs for long road trips. Look for these and close rivals that may be just as right for you in the Alderman Automotive inventory, and come for a test drive to see which you find the most comfortable.