10 most powerful SUVs in SA in 2026
We’ve rounded up the ten most powerful SUVs available in South Africa as of February 2026. View the list below. 10. Land Rover Defender 110 Octa – 467 kW Image: Peet Mocke Starting off the list is the Land Rover Defender Octa, which was one of the most powerful vehicles CAR magazine tested in 2025 . The apex Defender, which we evaluated for a road test in our November 2025 issue, employs a BMW-derived 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 producing 467 kW. Power is transferred to all four corners via an eight-speed self-shifter. 9. Audi RS Q8 quattro performance – 471 kW Image: Peet Mocke The Audi RS Q8 quattro performance, which we tested in the September 2025 issue of CAR magazine, was one of the fastest-accelerating vehicles CAR magazine tested in 2025 . The pinnacle Q8 is powered by a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 producing 471 kW, sent to the road via Audi’s quattro all-wheel-drive system – the latter mated with an eight-speed automatic gearbox. 8. Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680 ...
