10 V8

Jun 05, 2023

Built for durability, luxury, or some mixture of both, the SUV's most trustworthy companion is the V8. Here are 5 we trust, and 5 that break down.

SUVs are a generally unbearable topic for the true enthusiasts of motor vehicles. At some point in time, the cunning execs at some of the greatest manufacturers on earth settled on a formula to make SUVs bearable.

By taking differently aspirated variations of the tried and true V8 to add some undeniable character to a package whose off-road credentials are barely used to their fullest. Here are 10 V8-powered SUVs to last you a lifetime.

Manufacturer

Mercedes-AMG

Years

2015/2024

Configuration

V8 TT

Displacement

4.0-Liter

Power

456 - 740 hp

Torque

443 - 664 lb-ft

Fuel

Gasoline

Notable Applications

G63, AMG GT

Every G-Class since 2015 (regardless of more recent decades facelift) uses the M177 class of V8 BiTurbo engines. The aluminum powerhouse is configured as a 'hot V'—a type of turbocharger housing that stuffs glorified air compressors between the two cylinder banks. Why is that important? Here's a quick science lesson: turbochargers rely on an engine's exhaust gasses to spool up the turbines and compress new air. Hot air is fast, while cold air is slow. If you want your turbos to spool up faster, a hair over the reactor core is the best place to put 'em.

RELATED: Evolution Of The HEMI V8 From The Classic Era To Modern Powerhouses

Manufacturer

BMW

Years

2015 - 2019

Configuration

V8 TT

Displacement

4.4-Liter

Power

575 hp

Torque

553 lb-ft

Fuel

Gasoline

Notable Applications

X5 M, X6 M

Never before had BMW's M Performance department warranted a bespoke engine for its SUV range until 2015. Both the X5M And X6M Coupe received a specialized version of BMW M's flagship engine—the high-revving 4.4-liter S63B44T V8. Replace the 'S' with the 'N', and you have the X5M's donor engine, which, like Mercedes' M177, incorporates a 'hot-V' design for more effective turbocharging efficiency. In fact, the similarities with the G-Class power plant don't end there—modern twin-turbo V8s are painfully similar. Both are 90-degree aluminum V8s with direct injection, dual overhead cams, and VVT. But the BMW isn't shaped like a house, which means it can actually use all the muscle to overcome things like drag.

Considering the engine is borrowed or at least shared among the M's range of all-out V8s, BMW is putting one giant gold egg in every basket. While that may be an industry norm, it's a litmus test for a good motor. The N63, the engine on which the S63 was built, has had a myriad of failings and recalls related to its fuel injectors, vacuum pumps, and PCV lines. Consensus on the performance-oriented S63 surmises that since 2016 the issues from its predecessor have been addressed.

RELATED: Here's Why The Mercedes-AMG G63 Is An Overhyped SUV

Manufacturer

Jeep

Years

2005 - 2010

Configuration

N/A V8

Displacement

5.7-Liter

Power

325 hp

Torque

389 lb-ft

Fuel

Gasoline

Notable Applications

Gen 3 Grand Cherokee

When the news hit that Jeep was subtly phasing out the HEMI V8 for its latest class of Grand Cherokees Cranking up a 5.7-liter HEMI V8 a couple of years ago, it came with a silent prayer. Please, Lord, don't possess that old girl with the woes of the dreaded 'HEMI tick'. The prayers weren't really answered back then, but rejoice in the changes of time. Until the drop, the rounded hemispherical design was the standard at Dodge until 2021 for its burly exhaust note, smooth power delivery, and troves of torque. Reworked models had no complaints other than from their tight-fisted neighbors barking at them to keep the noise down.

Manufacturer

Toyota

Years

2006 - Present

Configuration

N/A V8

Displacement

4.6-Liter

Power

322 hp

Torque

339 lb-ft

Fuel

Gasoline

Notable Applications

Lexus GX 460, Toyota Tundra

Lexus' GX flies under the radar despite categorical domination as one of the most reliable SUVs in its segment. While much of its parts are shared with the Toyota 4Runner, the incremental modifications in refined luxury set the GX 460 apart from much of the competition. You may be wondering, "It's still $60,000 for a dressed-up Toyota, why wouldn't I go for a BMW instead?" The answer is quite simple: an X5 is like Bill Gates in hiking boots, while the GX 460 is champion rock climber Alex Honnold in a three-piece suit. Both can pull off the luxe appeal, but only one can face reality without tearing itself apart.

The 4.6-liter 1UR-FE is an intentionally unsophisticated V8. It lacks direct fuel injection—nothing short of a modern-day irregularity. Why? Because, while fuel injection satiates the need to save every MPG, it compromises on the combustion event at low speeds and can cause a buildup of contaminants around the valves. Plus, Lexus' greatest asset is its shared parts with Toyota. Servicing is cheap and parts are available in relative abundance.

Manufacturer

Audi

Years

2020 - 2024

Configuration

V8 TT

Displacement

4.4-Liter

Power

500 hp

Torque

567 lb-ft

Fuel

Gasoline

Notable Applications

SQ8

The power plant is a detuned version of the RSQ8's 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 to command 500 horsepower and 567 lb-ft of torque. Rather sportingly, the engine is configured as a hot vee where the turbos are integrated within the cylinder banks rather than flanking either side externally. But why's that good? Wouldn't the turbo's just get superheated into oblivion? Yes, they would, and while a turbocharger's job is to compress and supercool the air that passes through it, it needs that air to come in quickly. And heat at the end of the day is an expression of excited, fast-moving particles of energy. The quicker they move, the more efficient the turbochargers spool up.

Manufacturer

Nissan

Years

2017-Present

Configuration

V8

Displacement

5.6-Liter

Power

390 hp

Torque

395 lb-ft

Fuel

Gasoline

Notable Applications

Nissan Patrol, Nissan Armada

In America, we call it the Armada, in the Middle East it's the enigmatic evolution of Nissan's most cherished SUV—or in English, the Patrol. Since 2021, the Y62 generation has undergone its first refresh since the initial redesign was unveiled in 2017. Newer, sharper LED daytime running lights take share both front and rear for a commanding road presence with a lick more refinement. It's still a barge though, and as a result, it's packing a beast under the hood. The 5.6-liter V8 relies on the dependability of natural aspiration in situations of trepidation rather than the standardized turbo situation.

While the car is largely a reliable machine, we recommend going into a VK56DE with some sort of warranty package. Across the United States and abroad, Nissan offers a lifetime warranty on a consortium of products in an effort to bring value to its customers. Hanging around some of the Nissan forums will shine light on early-stage engine knocking that could develop into complete engine failure. Reports of engine knocking while corroborated are rare and as long as you've got a warranty on hand, Nissan will replace the motor free of charge.

Manufacturer

Mercedes

Years

2002 - 2009

Configuration

V8

Displacement

6.0-Liter

Power

316 hp

Torque

415 lb-ft

Fuel

Gasoline

Notable Applications

H2

The contender for the ugliest SUV was the DBX until two things happened. One everyone got used to the design and figured it wasn't that bad, and two the XM was unveiled. Historically, you'd be thrown out of the pub for using the words Aston Martin and reliable in the same sentence unless the latter was prefixed by 'un'. But since Mercedes's gobbling up of Aston shares in 2020 to almost ten percent, the British have left ground-up engine design to their latest shareholders. And so, if we peel away the massive facial grilles and check out the power plant on the DBX, it's an even sportier variant of the M177 Bi-Turbo discussed in the earlier G-500—which has yet to sustain any major issues or recalls.

Manufacturer

Toyota

Years

1998 - 2005

Configuration

N/A V8

Displacement

4.7-Liter

Power

271 hp

Torque

315 lb-ft

Fuel

Gasoline

Notable Applications

J100 Land Cruiser

When was the last time Toyota made a bad car? Not a boring car—there's been a few there—but a complete hunk of mechanical garbage? Practically never. To succeed the eight-year stint of the Land Cruiser's move from boxy to curvy in the J80, Toyota unveiled the J100: a beefed-up SUV designed to shrug off a ballistic missile on its way to get some milk. Most of its changes came from the lessons of their T100 pickup and the needs of the North American market. Where the J80 came with varying configurations of a half dozen cylinders, the J100 finally offered a competitive 4.7-liter V8 to guzzle up gas as part of the new-fangled American appetite.

A hallmark of the '90s was an over-fortification of its engine blocks; meaning cars like the J100 are eager to try uranium fission in its chambers. It's still a 20-year-old car though and is subject to wear. Predominantly, the J100s 2UZ-FE suffers from manifold cracking and issues with its timing belt, though these faults generally crop up on cars with low maintenance records or extremely high mileage.

Manufacturer

GM

Years

2015 - Present

Configuration

Supercharged V8

Displacement

6.2-Liter

Power

682 hp

Torque

653 lb-ft

Fuel

Gasoline

Notable Applications

Corvette Z06, Escalade V

If the G63 is a home, the Cadillac Escalade is a suburb. To put it in context, the Escalade's 6000-pound stature is akin to a baby hippo riding the back of a baby blue whale—or you know 333 cans of beer in a cooler. To manage all that heft, a standard Escalade of similar weight, uses a naturally aspirated V8 displacing 6.2 liters and buttery smooth torque. In V trim, the Escalade comes with an LT4, which mirrors the basic engines' displacement with one glaring exception: a slurping Eaton supercharger more commonly found in the previous Corvette's Z06 platform.

RELATED: Here's What We Just Learned About GM's New 6.6-Liter L8T V8 Crate Engine

Manufacturer

BMW

Years

1983 - 1986

Configuration

V8

Displacement

3.5-Liter

Power

158 - 340 hp

Torque

210 - 350 lb-ft

Fuel

Gasoline

Notable Applications

Land Rover Defender 90

Anybody who's ever owned a Land Rover 90 will tell you—it hurts so good. It's a completely debilitating machine that strains your wallet, spine, mental health, and your willingness to continue owning it. And yet few ever let it go. Now we know Land Rover is an oddball to throw in the sphere of reliability. Many of the newer cars have consistently ranked as the most unreliable SUVs toeing the line between opulent status and utter garbage. The mid-'80s Defender is stupidly dependable from its axles up to its 3.5-liter V8. The numbers aren't crazy by any means, but they'll get you where you need to go even if you drove it on Mars. No oxygen who?

The Series II failed mostly by silly oversights such as scummy gasket design that led to oil leaks. It's the type of antique to scoff at its prissy 21st re-imagination, chuckle under its breath, and talk about what cars could handle back in its day. The whole guise of an unreliable mid-eighties SUV stems mainly from its inability to turn the radio on.

Ali is an ex-finance man turned automotive journalist, who has been penning enthusiast car reviews in his magazine and publications like DriveTribe since late 2020. Having spent most of his life in Dubai, his exotic escapades have found him behind the wheel of nearly every performance benchmark under the sun. With a predilection for all things with three pedals and a stick, Ali derives meaning in writing about cars —and watches — that make everyday machines feel like they're more than metal.