10 Most Powerful Cars, Trucks, and SUVs of 2022

Today's automotive thrill rides come in all shapes and sizes, and many are electrified.

Nick Kurczewski | 

Nov 29, 2022 | 6 min read

Lotus

When it comes to automotive bragging rights, nothing beats a towering horsepower figure. No matter if it’s a low-slung sports car or a high-riding luxury SUV, there’s something spine-tingling about pressing an accelerator pedal and feeling like you’ve suddenly taken the first dive on a raucous rollercoaster.

Massive engines or ones bolstered by turbocharging or supercharging used to be requisites for horsepower dominance. But many of today’s most powerful automotive thrill rides aren’t just gas-powered. Electric vehicles like the GMC Hummer EV pickup truck, Tesla Model S sedan, and Rivian R1S SUV are blisteringly quick without using a drop of fuel.

For those who prefer a traditional approach, cars like the mid-engine Lamborghini Aventador and Dodge Challenger coupe deliver tire-smoking horsepower figures without the benefit of electrified powertrains.

Here's a look at 10 of the most powerful cars, trucks, and SUVs on sale in 2022.

Lamborghini

10) 2022 Lamborghini Aventador LP-780 Ultimae

769 Horsepower

Anyone feeling nostalgic and with $500,000 to spare should consider this mid-engine supercar. The Aventador LP-780 Ultimae is the final hurrah of the Italian automaker’s over-the-top, wedge-shaped speed machine that first launched in 2011. Powered by a 769-horsepower, naturally aspirated V12 engine, the Aventador does without supercharging, turbos, or electric motors when getting power to the pavement. All future Lamborghini vehicles will have some form of hybrid/electric assistance, so this makes the Aventador LP-780 Ultimae the last of its breed.

Dodge

9) 2022 Dodge Challenger SRT Jailbreak

807 Horsepower

You know a car is going to be special, not to mention a little alarming, when it’s named after a criminal act. The Dodge Challenger SRT Jailbreak lives up to its badging thanks to the 807-hp, supercharged, 6.2L Hemi V8 that fills its engine bay. That’s correct, this Dodge muscle car has more horsepower than the Lamborghini Aventador, but costs less than one-fifth the price. Keep in mind, the Jailbreak is also available on the full-size Dodge Charger sedan, in case you want room for five, a spacious trunk, and a top speed of 203 mph.

Rivian

8) 2022 Rivian R1S

835 Horsepower

Speaking of combining space with pace, the electric Rivian R1S has a roomy cabin and commanding view of the road, not to mention 835 hp when equipped with its largest-available battery pack. Thanks to its standard all-wheel drive, the Rivian R1S copes with all sorts of weather conditions and can rocket you and six passengers, courtesy of three rows of seating, from zero to 60 mph in 3.0 seconds. With more than 300 miles of range, this powertrain is also available in the Rivian R1T electric pickup.

Ferrari

7) 2022 Ferrari SF90 Stradale

986 Horsepower

The Ferrari SF90 Stradale is equal parts supercar and four-wheeled artwork. Full of flowing curves, the outlandish bodywork hushes any suggestion this Italian sports machine is a plug-in hybrid at heart. A twin-turbo, 4.0L V8 works with a trio of electric motors to deliver a total output of 986 horsepower. Acceleration is ferocious but controllable thanks to this Ferrari’s standard all-wheel drive. Capable of reaching more than 210 mph, the SF90 Stradale can also run approximately 15 miles in whisper-quiet EV mode.

GMC

6) 2022 GMC Hummer EV3X

1,000 Horsepower

The Hummer name returns sharing scale and road presence with the gargantuan SUVs and trucks that last carried this badge a decade ago. But beneath the surface of the GMC Hummer EV lurks an electric powertrain versus the gas-guzzling engines used previously. In top trims, the Hummer EV truck has 1,000 hp and the capability to traverse just about anything this side of a lunar landscape. Packed with off-roading hardware, one of the Hummer’s most unique features is the available “CrabWalk.” This turns the rear wheels in the same direction as the front wheels, thereby allowing the Hummer EV to drive diagonally around potential obstacles.

Tesla

5) 2022 Tesla Model S Plaid

1,020 Horsepower

The Tesla Model S Plaid has the interior room of a luxury sedan coupled with the acceleration of the world’s quickest supercars. With more than 1,020 hp, the Model S Plaid is the swiftest and most expensive version of Tesla’s five-seat, midsize EV. Depending on the chosen wheel size, 19 or 21 inches, the Model S Plaid has anywhere from 348 to 396 miles of range and sprints from zero to 60 mph in just 2 seconds. That’s quicker than cars in this list with seven-digit price tags!

Aston Martin

4) 2022 Aston Martin Valkyrie

1,140 Horsepower

Now we’re getting to entries with prices that resemble the GDPs of small island nations. That’s fitting because the clientele capable of affording the Aston Martin Valkyrie’s estimated $3 million price probably own a private island, or two. The Valkyrie’s 1,140 hp comes courtesy of a 6.5L V12 engine paired with a single electric motor. Inside, the two-passenger cabin has more in common with a fighter jet and, like a Formula 1 race car, all major controls and driving information is positioned on the steering wheel.

Lucid

3) 2022 Lucid Air Sapphire

1,200 Horsepower

As the EV new kid in town, the Lucid Air is taking aim at rivals like the Tesla Model S and Porsche Taycan. With its sleek and futuristic exterior, the Lucid Air looks the part of a 21st- (or even 22nd-) century luxury sedan. In the newly introduced Sapphire trim, the Air’s triple electric motors send more than 1,200 hp to all four wheels, and the company boasts it will hit 60 mph in less than 2 seconds, and 100 mph in less than 4 seconds. Lucid claims the Air Sapphire is the most powerful sedan in the world, but if you can live with just 1,050 horsepower, the Grand Touring variant has 516 miles of range.

Bugatti

2) 2022 Bugatti Chiron Super Sport

1,578 Horsepower

The Bugatti Chiron sits at the pinnacle of the car world thanks to its rarity, horsepower, and speed. Sure, there have been upstart rivals that have challenged the Chiron’s top speed, or the sheer output from its quad-turbocharged, 8.0L, W16 engine. For the record, in the Super Sport version this rings in at 1,578 hp and the top speed is limited (yes, limited!) to 273 mph. All-wheel drive is standard, as are numerous aero aids to keep the Chiron glued to the road. This includes a giant carbon-fiber rear diffuser, along with a rear spoiler that springs upward to add downforce at high speeds.

Lotus

1) 2022 Lotus Evija

1,972 Horsepower

With close to 2,000 hp via its four electric motors, the otherworldly Lotus Evija looks like a spaceship and from the driver’s seat it’ll probably feel like it has about as much power as one, too. This cutting-edge supercar is entirely electric and boasts fast-charge technology that replenishes the battery in less than 20 minutes. The two-passenger Evija will be limited to only 130 examples, and this extreme machine will be available in the U.S. Now here’s the sad news: The multi-million-dollar Evija will not be street-legal here.

Nick Kurczewski

Nick Kurczewski is a freelance automotive journalist based in the New York metro area. With approximately 20 years of experience, he has covered all aspects of the car world, from the pit lane at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, to car shows around the world, and a Zamboni lesson in Lower Manhattan. He’s also adept at providing helpful car advice and steering people towards the ideal car, truck, or SUV for their driving needs.