Gone are the days when ‘performance’ was limited to the low-slung, two-door supercars from the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini, and McLaren. Every segment today offers performance vehicles; be it hatches, pickup trucks, or SUVs. The folks at Throttle House decided to test out three of the best mid-size performance SUVs that you can buy today and here’s how they fare against each other.

How Are They Spec’d?

The Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S is powered by a 4.0-liter, V-8 twin-turbo engine that dishes out 603 horses and 627 pound-feet of torque. Power is sent to the wheels through a nine-speed automatic gearbox. The big SUV takes just 3.7 seconds to sprint to 60 mph from a standstill.

In the standard form, the Audi RS Q8 comes with a 4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V-8 engine that churns out 591 horses and 590 pound-feet of torque.} It mated to an eight-speed Triptronic transmission. It features Audi’s Quattro permanent all-wheel-drive system and even comes with torque vectoring, RS-specific damper tuning, and an all-wheel steering system. It takes 3.8 seconds to hit the 62 mph mark from a standstill. Top speed is limited to 189 mph.

As for the BMW X5M Competition, it comes with a 4.4-liter, V-8 twin-turbo mill that dishes out 617 ponies and 553 pound-feet of twist. Power is transferred to the wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox. It takes just 3.7 seconds to touch the 60 mph mark from a standstill.

Is There Anything Bad About Them?

They conducted a test and found out that no matter how soft you take it or drive it in the Comfort model, they are performance vehicles at the end of the day. The Audi is the most refined, followed by the Bimmer, and the Mercedes is the rawest with road noise creeping in and the rear passengers being jostled.

Conclusion

Throttle House touches on a lot of topics and it is worth watching. Which SUV would you pick as your daily driver? The Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S, or the Audi RS Q8, or the BMW X5M Competition? Let us know in the comments section below.