Every year, our Car Confections Team gets behind the wheels of hundreds of cars, from every size and price point, to make reviews for the channel. Today, we will be sharing our Best Luxury Flagship Three-Row SUVs for 2025, all of which we have spent extensive time with. We have hand-crafted segment specific scores, to help tailor them for each unique buyer. For an in-depth video about each, be sure to check out each linked video, as well as our full rankings at the bottom of this article!
Scoring Criteria
From reading thousands of comments our viewers have left on our channel; we developed a list of the most important categories for shoppers looking for a Luxury Flagship Three-Row SUV.
We have spent countless hours testing out each of these models, driving them over all types of terrain, testing the technology, sampling the space, and living with them. We then took the time to craft these rankings based off our experience into the following criteria categories.
#7: Lexus LX
The Lexus LX has been a long-standing offering within this segment, priding itself on ruggedness and capability. And, for 2025, it has even added a new hybrid model, which is a rarity for this segment. While this “go-anywhere” Flagship SUVs has its perks, Lexus makes this model more for foreign markets, so it has its downsides here stateside. The LX is lacking in terms of overall tech, space, and offering of things like an air suspension. With only a 12.3-inch Display in the center, it’s certainly one of the smallest in the segment. Adding its downfalls, the LX is also quite expensive, almost matching the Cadillac Escalade.
#6: Jeep Grand Wagoneer
The Jeep Grand Wagoneer is still one of the newest entrants to this segment, but this Flagship “Jeep” with no Jeep branding makes its mark. As its boxy shape would suggest, the Grand Wagoneer excels in terms of overall space, and it pairs well with its very powerful Hurricane I-6 powertrain. And while this model recently underwent some attractive price reductions, the Grand Wagoneer still struggles in offering competitive luxury and technology within this segment. Jeep also recently took a dive in Reliability ratings, making it more on par with German Luxury brands.
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#5: INfiniti QX80
The Infiniti QX80 made a huge splash in the Flagship 3-Row Segment this year with a very radical and bold redesign! Not only did the QX80 make strides in terms of style, but it has also greatly increased its overall tech and luxury, making it far better than its previous generation. It is also the best driving body-on-frame SUV in this segment, thanks to its Dynamic Digital Suspension. While the QX80 has stepped up its game, we wish it would up its refinement even more in terms of luxury and powertrain refinement to be more competitive within this tough segment.
#4: Lincoln Navigator
Another redesigned model making a splash in this segment is the all-new Lincoln Navigator! While the Navigator used to take the Escalade head-on, its lost ground in recent years, so we were excited to test out this new and bold model. In many ways, we were very impressed with the elevated luxury experience this Navigator offers, which combines well with its spacious cargo hold. Additionally, the Navigator poses some of the best value in the segment, allowing all trims to offer executive seating in the second-row areas for less than $3,000. However, Lincoln is still lacking with no air suspension and higher quality materials to score any higher within this countdown.
#3: Mercedes GLS
While most Flagship SUVs on US roads are body-on-frame, there are two very strong German competitors with high-performing body-on-frame options in this segment, starting with this Mercedes GLS. In typical Merc fashion, the GLS scores high in terms of overall luxury, and has been spoiling driver and passengers for many years now. It also scores well with technology and safety, making this a very easy SUV to drive. The unibody platform may be more comfortable on the road, but it unfortunately doesn’t serve it in terms of overall space. Mercedes as a brand also struggles with resale and reliability.
#2: BMW X7
The second German offering in this segment is also one of the newer ones, with the BMW X7. While a young option, BMW scores very well with this luxury three row, especially in terms of overall luxury. No matter which of its diverse powertrains you choose, the X7 provides top notch luxury, at the best value proposition in the segment. It is also the most fun to toss down a backroad, due to its size. However, that will conversely hurt its score in the cargo department. For those who don’t want a behemoth to drive, the X7 provides a great balance.
#1: Cadillac Escalade
While our number one spot may not come as a surprise to many, the Cadillac Escalade continues to rule the segment as our top Flagship 3-Row this year. Even before its 2025 refresh, the Escalade impressed, and Caddy has built upon that even more this year. With some of the finest interior materials, combined with a cabin wide 55-inch screen, the Escalade proves that materials don’t have to be sacrificed with more tech. Space continues to be a strong-suit as well, with passengers and cargo having plenty of space in both wheelbase models. The Escalade score highly in almost every category… except for one. While this package isn’t too good to be true, you will have to pay for the best in terms of MSRP, and its resale value won’t recoup much of that later on.
Scoring Chart
We understand that buyers value different categories, which is why the chart below is a great tool to check out! This chart allows you to sort this competitive segment by category, to help choose your personal winner. If top tier reliability is your most important trait, then this tool can help you find the best!
| CABIN MATERIALS | LUXURY FEATURES | TECHNOLOGY | POWERTRAINS & CAPABILITY | DRIVE EXPERIENCE | CARGO SPACE | 2ND & 3RD ROWS | ACTIVE SAFETY | RELIABILITY & RESALE | VALUE FOR $110,000 | TOTAL (out of 50) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cadillac Escalade | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 41 |
| BMW X7 | 5 | 4.5 | 3 | 4.5 | 5 | 2.5 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 40.5 |
| Mercedes GLS | 5 | 4.5 | 3 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 1.5 | 4 | 37 |
| Lincoln Navigator | 3 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3 | 2.5 | 4.5 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 4.5 | 36.5 |
| Infiniti QX80 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 4 | 4.5 | 2.5 | 4 | 36 |
| Jeep Grand Wagoneer | 3.5 | 2.5 | 2 | 4 | 3.5 | 4 | 4 | 4.5 | 1.5 | 4 | 33.5 |
| Lexus LX | 3 | 3.5 | 2.5 | 3.5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4.5 | 2 | 28 |
Close Calls for a Highly Competitive segment!
As you can see, the point values over these categories create many close calls, so you really can’t go wrong with any of these choices. As far as our personal picks, Mason and Josh lean towards the sportier BMW X7, while Drew would choose the tried-and-true Cadillac Escalade.
Thank you for checking out our expert picks for the Best Luxury Three-Row Flagship SUVs of 2025! Let us know in the comments which one you would choose and be sure to check out the associated video, as well as our individual reviews for each vehicle. We hope this helps in your journey to purchase a new vehicle!
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