Heaviest cars on sale

At the opposite end of the size and weight scale from the lightweight city runabouts and track-day fliers, you have the heaviest cars on the market. As you’ve probably guessed, these are overwhelmingly large models with a luxury ethos. The size of these machines, their opulent, technology-laden interiors and, often, their large battery packs mean that hefty kerb weight figures are unavoidable.

The Mercedes EQS SUV tips the scales at 2,810kg with its electric powertrain built around a 108kWh battery - that’s six Caterham Sevens or three Suzuki Swifts. Electric cars don’t have a monopoly on big kerb weights though, and neither do SUVs. The imposing Rolls-Royce Phantom luxury saloon looks every gram of its 2,745kg kerb weight and a big part of that figure will be the purring V12 petrol engine under the bonnet.

SUVs as a whole do get branded as being unnecessarily big and heavy, and some at the very top end of the market probably are exactly that. It's worth remembering, though, that SUVs come in all sizes and weights and our list of the lightest cars on sale even includes a couple. 

The models in our list below are all UK cars but everything’s bigger in America and our largest, heaviest machines are made to look decidedly puny next to the biggest American market trucks. In their largest forms, petrol pick-up trucks such as the Chevrolet Silverado, Ram 3500 and Ford’s F450 all pass the 3,000kg kerb weight mark with the Ford actually knocking on the door of 4,000kg in Super Duty Crew Cab guise. Rivian’s RT1 electric truck weighs 3,870kg and GMC’s mighty Hummer EV tops the lot with a bridge-bending 4,111kg kerb weight.

In the UK, drivers who passed their test after the start of 1997 can only drive vehicles with gross vehicle weights up to 3,500kg. None of the UK cars below have gross vehicles weights beyond the 3,500kg barrier but If you’re looking at these kerb weights with an eye on efficiency, it’s worth remembering that loading up with a full complement of passengers and luggage can see a cars total weight extend well beyond its kerb weight and efficiency dip accordingly. 

Here’s our list of some of the heaviest cars on sale in the UK…

1. Mercedes EQS SUV - 2,810kg
2. Mercedes-Maybach GLS - 2,785kg
3. Range Rover PHEV LWB - 2,770kg
4. Rolls-Royce Phantom - 2,745kg
5. Volvo EX90 Performance Ultra - 2,743kg
6. BMW XM Red label - 2,710kg
7. Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 - 2,700kg
8. Rolls-Royce Cullinan Black Badge - 2,660kg
9. Audi SQ8 e-tron Sportback - 2,650kg
10. BMW X7 xDrive M60i - 2,600kg
11. Mercedes G 63 - 2,560kg
12. Bentley Flying Spur LWB - 2,525kg

Now take a look at the lightest cars on sale...