13 Of The Loudest SUVs Ever Made

As the automotive industry continues to grow and evolve, we've seen many trends come and go. One that is here to stay, whether you like it or not, is the ever-present sports utility vehicle, or SUV. The purpose of an SUV is to do it all. The ultimate daily car should be comfortable, spacious, practical, reliable, good-looking, ergonomic, fun, and the list goes on. One thing that some SUVs seem to have forgotten however, is the S. What happened to the sports aspect? Sure, it's great when you can fit the whole family plus the dog and luggage into one car, but where's the fun?

For many car enthusiasts, there's nothing more fun than a car with a good sound. There are still many loud cars out there, but the SUV segment seems to be lacking in the sonic department. A 2024 Honda Passport, for instance, can only huff out 59 decibels before its lungs reach capacity. That may not be a dealbreaker for most SUV customers, but for those who want a car with a little more sonorous spirit, there are still some out there. Here are 13 of the loudest SUVs ever made.

In 2020, Genesis debuted the GV70 as the second SUV in the company's lineup. Now, in 2025, the GV70 has received its latest update, and although it's not the most athletic car Genesis makes, it still produces a respectable sports-car noise. As a member of the luxury sector, Genesis's competitors are automakers like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi, all brands that have years of experience and hundreds of models under their belts. Originating as a luxury offshoot of Hyundai and breaking off as a standalone brand in 2015, Genesis is relatively new, and it has to stand tall and confident to prove it belongs.

Its exciting styling is part of what has helped Genesis stand apart. The front grille of the G70 is large and eye-catching in a way that commands attention rather than demanding it, and the swooping roofline gives the car a coupe-esque silhouette that indicates a readiness for speed. That sporty side of the GV70 is further realized by its engine. The entry-level trims receive a solid 300-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder, and higher trims receive the sportier, 375-horsepower twin-turbo V6. Back outside under the twin lined tail lights, there are a pair of chrome exhaust tips which, on the V6 models, produce 67 decibels in the cabin.

The Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio takes us up a notch in terms of price, performance, and sound. Alfa Romeo is Italy's sweetheart. A certain Enzo Ferrari once worked as a test driver for Alfa Romeo, until he left to create his own racing team under his own name. Later, a man called Ferruccio Lamborghini once got into an argument with Mr. Ferrari, whom he accused of using the same clutch plate in his sports cars as Mr. Lamborghini did in his tractors. The argument led to Mr. Lamborghini creating his own sports car company, which a man named Horacio Pagani would one day leave after his ideas of a carbon fiber future for the company were shut down. Trace it all back, and Alfa Romeo is Italy's true sweetheart, birthing three legendary Italian automaker marques.

The Stelvio, Alfa's SUV, may have strayed from the brand's race car origins, but the Quadrifoglio, the highest trim Stelvio, hasn't forgotten its heritage. Quadrifoglio is Italian for "four-leaf clover," and this good luck symbol has been worn on the highest performing Alfa Romeos since it was first seen in 1923 on Ugo Sivocci's Targa Florio-winning Alfa Romeo RL. The 2019 Stelvio Quadrifoglio preserves this past with high speeds and loud sounds. At the Stelvio Quadrifoglio's center is a twin-turbo V6, a fantastic engine, although it has been discontinued, churning out 503 horsepower and hitting 60 mph in just 3.3 seconds. Along the way, you'll be serenaded by the car's maximum 76 decibel growl.

Although James Bond always seems to prefer Aston Martin's two-door offerings, the Aston Martin DBX is there should he ever wish to carry some extra gadgets in his luggage. The DBX first saw light in 2020 as part of Aston Martin's Second Century Plan. To stay relevant and to stay afloat, Aston had to expand its flavor palate, and in the modern automotive market, there's no better way to do that than with an SUV. 

Despite the SUV silhouette being new for the brand, the DBX looks unquestionably Aston Martin. The taillights are reminiscent of the newer Vantages, the side profile is like a muscled-up Rapide, and the front grille is just as eager for a headwind as the DBS Superleggera's. The DBX's 4.0-liter V8 propels the DBX to 60 mph in just under 4 seconds, with the car maxing out at a blistering 181 miles per hour. The DBX is also the first Aston Martin to feature an AWD drivetrain to deliver all 542 of its horses, although the system maintains a rear-wheel bias to preserve some more athletic driving dynamics. The result of this performance is a wild, 83 decibel soundtrack that upholds the DBX as a proper Aston. Now, for those who want even more, Aston Martin has made the DBX 707.

Audi has been producing SUVs for a long time, dating back to the 2005 introduction of the Q7. Since then, Audi expanded its SUV lineup to cover all purposes and price points. One of those was the Audi Q8. Launched in 2018, the Q8 served as the halo car of the Audi SUV lineup. Then, in 2019, Audi gave it the RS treatment. Audi RS (RennSport or "racing sport" in German) cars are at the top of the food chain within the Audi performance hierarchy, and by proxy, the sound hierarchy.

Thanks to the VW Group's willingness to share parts across its range of automakers, the RS Q8 shares some of its organs and abilities with its Italian cousin, the Lamborghini Urus. In the 2025 RS Q8 Performance, the benefits of these shared components are vast. The twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 produces a whopping 631 horsepower, which shoots this SUV to 60 mph in a short 3.1 seconds. At full tilt, the 2025 RS Q8 Performance can race to 190 mph, a speed yesterday's SUVs could only clock in their deepest dreams. Accompanying you at every number on the speedometer is an 85-decibel howl, courtesy of Audi's classic oval RS exhaust pipes.

It's almost instinctual to come up with a Mustang, Camaro, or a Hellcat when thinking of loud American cars, and though these examples certainly know how to cause a commotion, we can't forget about our big American SUVs. One such example is the 2023 Cadillac Escalade V. The Escalade is the quintessential red, white, and blue people-carrier. This gargantuan thing stands at 6 feet 3 inches tall, seats seven people, and has enough interior space to host a cookout. Then, there's the V edition. It's almost senseless for a car this big to even consider 0-60 times and cornering angles, and yet thanks to the engineers behind Cadillac's V-Series, here we are.

The 2023 Escalade V tips the scales at over 6,200 lbs, meaning any chance of sportiness can only come from an exquisitely hefty engine. Luckily, that's exactly what the Escalade V gets. Under the hood is a massive 6.2-liter V8 pumping out 682 American horsepower and 653 lb-ft of torque. Anyone behind you will see a pair of towering, vertical taillights, and four rectangular exhaust tips that allow this big V8 to roar up to 85 decibels of debauchery.

Jaguar's main entry in the SUV sector is the F-Type's big brother, the F-Pace. Debuting in 2016, the F-Pace has been around for a while now and has received some major updates during its lifespan. One such update is the SVR trim as seen on the 2021 model. SVR stands for Special Vehicle Ratings, and Jaguar models that receive the SVR treatment are buffed up with performance upgrades across the board, meant for customers who want a more sports-oriented driving experience.

The 2021 F-Pace SVR proudly relies on a 5-liter supercharged V8 that produces 550 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque, along with a lot of noise. The SVR's looks reflect this car's eagerness for speed. The hood bulges slightly down the middle to fit the big powerplant, the front fenders feature large vents that seem to indicate movement even when the car is still, and the headlights glare down the road with intense fervor. You might hear the SVR before you see it, however, because this Jag growls up to 87 decibels.

The 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Velar SV Autobiography Dynamic Edition features a version of the same supercharged 5-liter V8 seen in the F-Pace SVR, albeit with a much longer model name. The Velar SV's full title is so long, in fact, that you can reach 60 mph from a standstill (in 3.8 seconds) before you can say it. Unlike some other brands on this list, Land Rover has a long history of building SUVs, and that lengthy experience shows in the Range Rover Velar SV's performance and looks.

Outside, the SV upholds the sleek silhouette of the regular Velar with some added darkened trim and colorful brake calipers. The Velar SV tops out at a claimed 170 miles per hour, offering style on the outside and comfort on the inside, despite its sloped, coupe-style roofline. Although the inside is a leather cocoon of luxury, sealing passengers off from the outside world, the Velar SV does not carry over that understated ethos to the outside. Instead, the big V8 growls an 89-decibel warning to any rival sports car that thinks it means business.

The Porsche 911 is the last word in sports cars, and since the Cayenne's introduction in 2002, it has seemingly become the 911s equivalent in the SUV segment. Porsche has had over 20 years of experience building the Cayenne, and now, it seems to have reached its final form. The Cayenne Turbo GT is the highest trim of Cayenne you can get your hands on, and the engineers at Stuttgart have thrown everything they've got at it to make it the performance SUV to end all performance SUVs.

The Cayenne GT's twin-turbo V8 produces 650 horsepower, which can launch the Turbo GT to 60 mph in under 4 seconds. All that acceleration needs equally capable stopping power, which is no problem for the Turbo GT's carbon ceramic brakes, which can bring it from 100 mph to a full stop in just 302 feet. The Cayenne Turbo GT has also visited the Nürburgring for a lap time, successfully completing the course in 7 minutes and 34 seconds. Of course, a car this fast and an engine this powerful needs to come with a good soundtrack and here, the Turbo GT finds no issues as it belts out 89 decibels of V8 grunt.

The first of two Bimmers on this list, the 2025 BMW X6 M is no slouch when it comes to performance and sound. Although the M comes after the number rather than before it, the X6 M is still an M car through and through. It costs a pretty penny starting at $109,595, but that big sum of cash gets you 617 horsepower, and a whole lot of car. The X6 M can blast to 60 in under 4 seconds and will top out at 155 mph unless customers choose to spec the M Driver's Package (there's also the X6 M Competition, which pushes the envelope even further), in which case the top speed is extended to 177 mph.

The X6 M is a prime example of an ongoing design trend we've seen in the modern industry, where cars can't seem to decide if they're an SUV or a coupe. The X6 M is tall and formidable, with a swooping roofline that unfortunately bites into some headroom and cargo space. It's almost as if the X6 M is ashamed of its true nature, trying to hide its identity under a metal corset that squeezes it into a more desirable shape. One thing it should not be ashamed of, however, is the sound coming from its quad-exhaust pipes, which issue 92 decibels of raging German music. It might just be enough to forgive it for its looks.

On the topic of looks and BMWs, the BMW XM comes in as our next entry on this list. There are many peculiar aspects to the XM, and between its design and history, it has become a talking point for what BMW is today. The XM was meant to be the top-of-the-line example for BMW's M cars. M cars are all about performance, and choosing an SUV rather than a sedan or a coupe to be the M car to end all M cars didn't sit right with a lot of folks. Beyond that, the XM is a victim of modern BMW design language, and as a top-of-the-line model, the designers didn't go easy. Its face features an enlarged kidney grill and split headlights. The side profile is its least audacious angle, and the back features an easter egg to the old M1 with two printed BMW logos on the upper corners of the rear window.

Also at the back are four exhaust pipes, two stacked on top of each other on each side to manage the remaining air once the XM is done with it. Under the hood is a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 that pairs with a 19.2-kWh lithium-ion battery via the car's hybrid system. The result of this marriage is 644 horsepower fed through an eight-speed automatic gearbox. When tapping into that horsepower, drivers will hear the clean but powerful 92 decibel song.

Back in America, the geniuses, or madmen depending on your viewpoint, at Dodge decided that its SUV needed the Hellcat treatment. If you're a muscle car purist but need some extra room, the Durango Hellcat is your answer. The Durango Hellcat received the now-legendary 6.2-liter supercharged V8 as seen in the Dodge Charger and Challenger Hellcat variants. As always, the Hellcat engine produces 710 horsepower to shoot you forward, leaving only fire in your tracks. The Durango Hellcat can reach 60 mph in just 3.6 seconds, and if you can find a driver equally as mad as the car's engineers, you can reach 180 mph flat-out.

This performance doesn't come cheap, however, with the Durango Hellcat starting at $82,490. The exterior design keeps Dodge's character intact, but the interior is lacking massively in terms of modernity and general quality when compared to other offerings in its sector. Sure, the center console looks like it was just unfrozen from the year 2012, and yes, it would be outclassed on the track by a Cayenne, but what it lacks in rational benefits, it makes up for in emotional effect. You just can't get engines like this anymore, nor can you find something to match its 95-decibel V8 growl and supercharger whine.

The oldest car on this list, the Lamborghini LM002 is the blueprint for what many performance SUVs want to be today. Many people think of the Urus as the first Lamborghini to branch away from its two-door supercar fixation, but Lamborghini had already experimented outside the box almost 40 years ago. If Gianni Versace were commissioned to design the Humvee, this is what it would look like. If the Empire ever visited Earth, Darth Vader would pick up an LM002 as his daily driver before the Death Star did its business. It's poised for action, and each line on the silhouette and bodywork creates a series of polygons that are somehow both sharp and boxy.

Although it may not be a Lamborghini in the classic sense, it certainly is one in spirit. So, under the hood is a massive V12, of course. A 5.2-liter V12, to be exact, and one that produces 444 horsepower, a figure we might yawn at today, but one that was impressive for its time. Though you may not be ripping on the track, this car still comes with a fantastic soundtrack. Whether you're jumping across the hills, cutting through jungles, or devouring a dirt road, the LM002's 97 decibel roar will accompany you the whole way through.

Alright, this one is a bit of a cheat entry, but it's simply too fun not to mention. The 1994 Renault Espace is just about as boring as a car can get. It was a slow minivan, and average in all respects. It is the antonym of excitement and the enemy of speed until one special edition got a small upgrade. To celebrate the Espace's 10th birthday, Renault decided to strip the car empty (so much for practicality) and stuff its Formula One engine from the FW15C inside. They made no major modifications to the engine, and suddenly, this French minivan was one of the coolest cars in the world.

In order not to implode upon pressing the pedal or turning a corner, the Espace F1 underwent some major plastic surgery to withstand the sheer strength of its new powerplant. The car was lowered and gained a spoiler along with some new side skirts, and although most of the inside was stripped out to save weight and make room for the 789 horsepower, 3.5-liter V10, they still managed to fit two racing seats in the back for passengers. This ridiculous French concept car hit 62 mph in 2.8 seconds, and produced an astounding 100 decibel shriek from there and beyond.