5 Luxury SUVs That Take Regular Gas

With gasoline prices as high as they are these days, it makes perfect sense to take it easy on your wallet by purchasing a luxury SUV that is able to run on regular gas. The only major difference between regular and premium gas is the latter's higher octane rating. If you own a vehicle whose manufacturer requires the use of premium at all times, you should follow that advice. But if you don't drive a vehicle that requires it, there's no point in paying for premium gas if you don't need it.

Yes, there are other carmakers who recommend, but do not require, premium fuel. Two of these vehicles were tested by Consumer Reports and found to have no performance differences whatsoever when run on regular gas as opposed to premium. So unless you hear your engine pinging from too-low octane when you run it on regular, you should be good to go. That being said, there are currently plenty of SUVs in the luxury category that will run just fine on regular. They range from small to large, and are made by manufacturers located in a variety of countries around the world. Let's check some of them out. 

The Audi Q3 is a subcompact SUV, the smallest that Audi sells in the U.S. The 2026 Audi Q3 is powered by a 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 255 horsepower on its recommended fuel, unleaded regular. It is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that sends its power to all four wheels. Standard equipment includes LED headlights and taillights, adaptive cruise control, 18" alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof, leather seating with heated front seats, three-zone automatic climate control, and shift paddles. Our review of the 2026 Audi Q3 found that it was better than it needs to be, delivering a strong feeling of budget-level luxury.

Performance testing of the 2026 Audi Q3 by Car and Driver revealed that it could manage the 0-60 mph run in 5.3 seconds, with a quarter-mile time of 14.1 seconds at 95 mph. Skidpad roadholding was measured at 0.84g. The Audi Q3's EPA-estimated fuel economy comes in at 22 MPG city and 29 MPG highway. Cargo capacity is 25 cu. ft. behind the second row, expanding to 50 cu. ft. with the second row folded.

Pricing for the 2026 Audi Q3 starts at $44,995 including destination charges. For that price, you get a white exterior, the only color of the nine available shades that does not carry an extra charge of $595. You also have a choice of three interior colors — black, beige, or brown. Optional items include 19-inch and 20-inch wheel upgrades, an infotainment package, a technology package, a driver assistance package, and a black optic package, which range from $750 to $1,800 each in additional cost. 

The Lexus UX300h is the Japanese automaker's counterpart to the Audi Q3. It is a subcompact SUV, but instead of the Q3's turbo, the Lexus UX is a regular gas-driven hybrid. It contains the same powerplant setup as its cousin the Toyota Prius, producing a combined gasoline and electric-motivated 196 horsepower that flows through a CVT before being sent to either the front wheels or all four,with the AWD option. Standard equipment on the Lexus UX300h consists of items like dual-zone climate control, eight-way power front seats, a leather-trimmed steering wheel and shift knob, 18-inch alloy wheels with run-flat tires, Bi-LED headlights and LED taillights, six-speaker premium sound, an 8.0-inch touchscreen display, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and drive mode select. Our review of the Lexus UX300h revealed that this hybrid crossover packs a driving surprise thanks to its outstanding handling characteristics.

Car and Driver put the Lexus UX300h through its paces and got a 0-60 mph time of 7.7 seconds and a  quarter-mile of 15.8 seconds at 90 mph, with roadholding on the skidpad of 0.79g. EPA-estimated fuel economy for the Lexus UX300h is 45 MPG city and 41 MPG highway. The hybrid's cargo capacity measures out at 17 cu. ft. behind the second row, opening up to 43.5 cu. ft with that row folded. 

Pricing for the 2026 Lexus UX300h starts at $38,550 including destination charges. The 2026 UX300h comes in eight different trims, if you count the AWD variants. From the base FWD trim listed above, you can go up to $48,450 for the UX300h F Sport Handling AWD.

The Lincoln Corsair is slightly larger than the two we looked at previously, fitting into the two-row compact SUV category. The Corsair is happy to run on 87 octane unleaded regular gasoline, according to its owner's manual. In addition to a conventional ICE model, the Corsair is also available as a plug-in hybrid version. The traditional combustion variant is powered by a 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes 250 horsepower. It is connected to an eight-speed automatic transmission that sends its power to either the front wheels or all four when the AWD box is checked. Standard Lincoln Corsair gear on the base Premiere trim includes 18-inch alloy wheels, a power liftgate, nine-speaker premium audio system, LED headlights and taillights, dual-zone temperature control, heated front seats, a 13.2-inch center display, and remote start. Our review of the Lincoln Corsair showed that it was not a Hot Rod Lincoln; we called it perfectly serviceable, though there were better options out there.

The Lincoln Corsair had its performance tested by Car and Driver, with the publication generating a 0-60 mph time of 6.1 seconds and a quarter-mile of 14.7 seconds at 93 mph. The Corsair also scored 0.83g on the skidpad. Cargo capacity comes out to 28 cu. ft. behind the second row, while folding that down created a total of 58 cu. ft. of space. The Corsair's EPA-estimated fuel economy is 21 MPG city and 28 MPG highway.

2026 Lincoln Corsair pricing begins at $42,305 with destination charges, in any no-cost exterior color as long as it's metallic black. Six other colors will cost you $750 each. The plug-in hybrid version starts at $54,935.

The 2026 Buick Enclave is a three-row midsized SUV that is fine with a diet of regular unleaded gas. The Enclave is propelled by a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine making 328 horsepower, channeled through an eight-speed automatic transmission before making its way to either the front wheels or all four, if you select the all-wheel drive option. The Buick Enclave's base Preferred trim comes with a list of standard equipment that includes 20-inch alloy wheels, Bose premium audio, power liftgate, a heated steering wheel, powered and heated front seats, remote start, ambient lighting, tri-zone automatic climate control, wireless phone charging, and adaptive cruise control. Our review of the Buick Enclave appreciated it for being comfy, uncomplicated, and well-equipped.

When tested for performance by Car and Driver, the Buick Enclave laid down a 0-60 mph time of 6.8 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 15.1 seconds at 95 mph. Skidpad roadholding came out to 0.83g. The Enclave's cargo capacity was measured at 23 cu. ft. behind the third row, growing to 57 cu. ft. with the third row folded and a maximum of 98 cu. ft. with the second row folded. Its EPA-estimated fuel economy is 20 MPG city and 27 MPG highway.

Pricing for the Buick Enclave Preferred FWD starts at $48,395 including destination charges, in the single no-extra-cost color of white. Add $2,000 for all-wheel drive and $495 to $1,095 more for other colors. Buick Enclave pricing tops out with the Avenir FWD trim at $61,995, which includes front-seat lumbar massage, a panoramic sunroof, and 22-inch wheels.

As to whether the 2026 Cadillac XT5, a two-row midsized SUV, can run on regular, the answer is — yes and no. While the base engine, a 2.0-liter turbocharged four, must be fed premium fuel, the larger 3.6-liter V6 is content with sipping regular gas. Another benefit of the V6 is its 310 horsepower, 75 more than the four-cylinder has. Both XT5 engines are mated to a nine-speed transmission, with the choice of either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The downside of selecting the V6 is that you must upgrade to the mid-level Premium Luxury FWD trim, representing a significant price increase over the entry-level Luxury FWD. But you do get a higher level of standard equipment along with the V6, including leather seating, 20-inch alloy wheels, 14-speaker Bose audio system, a panoramic power sunroof, and a head-up display. On a negative note, however, we found the Cadillac XT5 to be one of the used luxury SUVs you should avoid based on reliability findings from Consumer Reports.

Performance testing by Car and Driver of the Cadillac XT5 with the V6 and AWD produced a 0-60 mph time of 6.1 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 14.6 seconds at 96 mph. It also pulled a 0.87g reading on the skidpad. Cargo capacity is 30 cu. ft. behind the second row, increasing to 63 cu. ft. with the second row folded. EPA-estimated fuel economy is 18 MPG city and 25 MPG highway.

Pricing for the V6-equipped 2026 Cadillac XT5 FWD comes in at $61,470, a significant increase over the four-cylinder entry-level version. That's a lot of regular gas before you reach break-even. 

Our list of 2026 luxury SUVs that can run on regular gas was collected from a variety of internet-based sources that included authoritative publications as well as manufacturer-provided information. Performance statistics, some cargo capacities, and EPA fuel economy estimates were provided by Car and Driver. Pricing information and lists of standard equipment were collected from manufacturer websites for those specific vehicles.