Which Luxury SUV Should You Hire in South Africa?

For many local and international travellers, luxury SUV hire is the best way to get around South Africa. Whether you’re sticking to city streets or heading into the countryside, luxury SUVs give you the perfect combination of comfort and capability.

Drive South Africa offers a range of luxury SUV hire options. Your toughest decision will be selecting your preferred wheels. So, will you go for power, handling prowess, or curb appeal? We’ve put together a list of four top options for you to choose from. Read on to learn more.

Audi Q8 45TDI quattro: The Sensible Choice

The Audi Q8 45TDI quattro in Cape Town, South Africa

What happens when you combine head-turning angles, frugal fuel consumption, and a quattro four-wheel drive system? You get the Audi Q8 45TDI quattro. It’s the flagship of Audi’s SUV range, boasting a solid balance of power, modern amenities, and all-round driving experience.

The interior looks like something out of a sci-fi movie. Instead of dozens of knobs, the high-quality touch-screen interface allows you to adjust everything from climate control to Apple CarPlay. It’s supremely comfortable, too, easily seating the driver and four passengers without compromising on space.

Especially in the city, on-street parking can make SUV hire a challenge. Thankfully, the Q8 features a park distance control (PDC) system with 360° cameras, making parallel parking incredibly straightforward.

However, it’s when you leave the city that this SUV really gets going. With 183 kW of power, it’s got the oomph to match its aggressive looks. Pair that with Audi’s formidable quattro all-wheel drive system, and you’ve got an SUV hire option that can eat up tarmac and country roads alike.

BMW X5 M Competition: SUV Hire on Steroids

An action shot of the BMW X5 M Competition driving along a road.

Luxury SUVs aren’t the heavy, sluggish behemoths that they once were. In fact, manufacturers now offer dedicated high-performance models and BMW’s X5 M Competition is arguably the finest example around.

It uses the same biturbo V8 engine found in several other high-performance Bimmers, so it’s rapid. How fast, you ask? Well, despite weighing more than two tonnes, it can rocket from 0 – 100 km/h in just 3.8 seconds.

That makes it the obvious SUV hire choice for performance enthusiasts who don’t want to compromise on interior comfort and ride height. It’s both fun and easy to drive, and despite its mammoth wheels, permanent all-wheel drive means you’ll have no issues navigating less-travelled roads.

Sure, it’s an outrageous machine, but this wolf in sheep’s clothing might be the most fun you can have in any luxury SUV.

Land Rover Defender 110 D250 SE: SUV Hire for Serious Off-Roading

A Land Rover Defender 110 D250 SE in the Namib Desert

Any list of luxury SUVs would be incomplete without at least one Land Rover. The latest generation of Defender might not look like its iconic predecessor, but it certainly does its name justice.

While other luxury SUV manufacturers narrow their focus to performance and ride comfort, the Defender has one purpose: to conquer all roads, anywhere. If you plan to hire a luxury SUV for safari adventures in Kruger National Park, this is the vehicle for you.

Having said that, it’s a major step up from the old model in terms of luxury. Air suspension makes it ideal for long road trips, while the 10 inch touchscreen infotainment system serves as your perfect guide to city streets.

Mercedes-AMG G63: The Mighty G Wagon

A Mercedes-AMG G63 makes its way through the city

When it comes to the flashiest, most imposing luxury SUVs around, the incomparable Mercedes-AMG G63 is in a class of its own. Affectionately known as the G Wagon, Merc’s boxy SUV is a staple of high society in South Africa and beyond.

If you’ve ever encountered one of these monsters, you’ll know that you hear it before you see it. Its grumbly, twin-turbocharged V8 engine is obscenely loud – but that’s the point. Simply put, it’s the pinnacle of luxury SUV hire in South Africa.

The G63’s imposing, industrial exterior contrasts with its plush interior. Luxurious leather seats pair well with adaptive suspension, so despite being built like a brick, it’s a genuinely comfortable SUV. 

One of the G63’s most recognisable features is its side-mounted twin exhausts. However, it still boasts respectable ride height and four-wheel drive, making it a highly capable on countryside roads, too.

Luxury SUV Hire in South Africa

The luxurious, modern interior of the Mercedes-AMG G63

You’re certainly spoiled for choice when it comes to luxury SUV hire in South Africa. Whether you’re planning to leave the city or not, you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for with Drive South Africa.

We have South African luxury car hire branches in Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Durban, including the airports in these cities. We can even deliver luxury vehicles to other destinations in South Africa for a nominal fee.

Take a look at our full range of luxury cars for hire here.

Image credits: Audi South Africa, Mercedes-Benz South Africa, BMW South Africa, Jaguar Land Rover South Africa