We'd venture a guess there's at least one SUV on your new car shopping list. Why else would you be here to explore the best SUVs, after all? Indeed, the days of the family sedan's supremacy appear over because SUVs are so darn flexible, spacious and just a better fit than a sedan for so many drivers.
With that said, it can mean choosing the right SUV for you can be a little daunting, to say the least. That's where we come in. We've driven just about every SUV and crossover on the market, from small to big, from inexpensive to opulent. These are our recommendations for the categories that most buyers will find themselves in and we've even made sure to include hybrids and electrics for folks looking ahead even further.
Hyundai
Folks on the tiny-house bandwagon are sure to love the Hyundai Venue, which is basically the tiny house of SUVs for sale today.
The 2021 Hyundai Venue may have a small footprint, but it's big on value. Its 1.6-Liter inline-4 produces 121 horsepower and 113 pound-feet of torque, which is enough to make this little guy feel quite zippy, and the standard continuously variable transmission keeps things nice and smooth. It's efficient as heck, too, achieving up to 30 miles per gallon city and 33 mpg highway, according to EPA estimates.
Style is a high priority in the Venue, whether it's the funky-fresh exterior or the sensible-yet-interesting interior. The Denim trim leans on a surprisingly cool blue interior motif, if you want to spend a bit more change. Tech takes center stage here, too, thanks to an 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, in addition to safety systems like Automatic Emergency Braking and lane-keeping assist.
2020 Hyundai Venue Denim is what more small cars should be like
See all photosJon Wong/Roadshow
If you want something a little bigger than the Venue, Mazda's sharp CX-30 is a newcomer to the compact SUV space, but it builds on Mazda's recent SUV excellence.
The CX-30's coupe-like roofline gives this small SUV some major character. That quasi-luxurious angle is best exemplified inside, where higher trims feel positively posh, with soft touch points and a surprising amount of soft leather. Combine that with a no-nonsense layout that keeps distraction to a minimum, and you've got quite the comfortable place to spend a commute.
There's some bite to match the CX-30's bark, as well. Standard equipment includes an 8.8-inch infotainment screen and a whole host of safety systems, including adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking and lane-keeping assist. Under the hood is a 2.5-liter I4 producing an ample 186 hp and 186 lb-ft, with front-wheel drive standard and all-wheel drive available for a bit more money. The FWD models are efficient, too, with a rating of 33 mpg highway and 25 mpg city.
Craig Cole/Roadshow
The Kia Telluride blew us away when it first launched. More than a year later, it still stands as a seriously impressive midsize SUV that isn't afraid to get fancy.
Despite a low starting price of around $32,000, the Telluride can be kitted out with luxury trimmings including Nappa leather, ventilated seats and power-folding rear rows. The Telluride offers three rows of seating, so big families don't need to opt for a car that won't fit in the garage. An 8-inch infotainment system is standard, but higher trims get a more impressive 10.3-inch display with both touch and physical controls. It's a darned comfortable ride, too.
It's not the most fuel-efficient SUV out there, with its 291-hp V6 offering up 20 mpg city and 26 mpg highway with front-wheel drive, although adding AWD only lowers those figures by 1 or 2. But for a vehicle that'll carry the whole family and tow 5,000 pounds, it's still a solid value in the midsize SUV space.
Read our 2021 Kia Telluride review.
Nick Miotke/Roadshow
Body-on-frame SUVs still exist, they're just harder to find, and these truck-based utes are generally quite large. But if you need to haul a whole lot of stuff, whether it's people or cargo, the new-for-2021 Chevy Tahoe is ready to stand and deliver.
The Tahoe was massively refined for 2021, thanks to a new independent rear suspension that takes the ride from truck-ish to plush. That revised rear end also helped maximize space in the redesign, with 66% more cargo space behind the third row (now 25.5 cubic feet) and third-row seats that get an extra 10 inches of legroom. It's practically a Brooklyn studio apartment in here, and for a lot less than you'd pay for real estate in NYC, with prices starting around $50,000.
Families will appreciate… well, just about everything the Tahoe offers. There are a thousand places to store things, there are USB ports available in every row and up to nine cameras can provide a detailed view around the vehicle for pitch-perfect parking. Proper safety systems have finally reached this segment, as well, with the Tahoe packing standard stuff like automatic emergency braking, parking sensors and blind-spot monitoring.
Read our 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe preview.
Steven Ewing/Roadshow
Whether or not you agree that Mercedes-Benz needed a compact luxury SUV to slot between the tiny GLA-Class and the slightly larger GLC-Class, one thing is for certain: The car that landed in that position is good, and it might be better than either of the others.
The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLB250 is a plucky little compact luxury SUV that takes the boxier shape of the hulking three-row GLS-Class and adapts it to a smaller build. Not only is it an attractive shape, there's function behind that form, with its taller roof providing an airier experience for those inside. Heck, Mercedes-Benz even offers a third row in here -- not that you can fit anything larger than a child back there.
The GLB250's 2.0-liter turbocharged I4 produces an ample 221 hp and 258 lb-ft, with both FWD and AWD variants achieving 30-plus mpg on the highway. There's a great amount of standard tech inside, with two 7-inch screens hanging out even on the base model, although you can option a pair of 10.3-inchers for a little extra flash. The displays run Mercedes-Benz's MBUX infotainment software, which is among our favorites for its natural-language processing and straightforward (but not feature-light) layout.
2020 Mercedes-Benz GLB250 brings big style to a small package
See all photosAndrew Krok/Roadshow
The first luxury SUV from Hyundai's Genesis offshoot is a stunner that prioritizes luxury over sporting pretension in a way that few vehicles do in 2021.
The 2021 Genesis GV80 looks like nothing else on the road, thanks to Genesis' sharp brand style that features split headlights and taillights with a big ol' shiny grille up front. Its fastback-style roofline doesn't impugn on second-row space, and there's still a commendable amount of storage space on offer, with the option to convert some of it to a fold-down third row.
Luxury is the name of the game in the GV80, with an available 3.5-liter V6 that scoots to the tune of 375 hp and 391 lb-ft. It doesn't have air suspension, but the ride quality is still soft and comfortable for long stretches of time on the highway. The interior is old-school fancy, with a focus on soft edges and high-quality leather surfaces. Genesis' tech is impressive, too, especially its 14.5-inch infotainment display, which looks posher than what the Germans are currently offering up.
Read our 2021 Genesis GV80 review.
Tim Stevens/Roadshow
If you thought the Cadillac Escalade was just a tarted-up Tahoe with some extra leather, you'd be wrong. Well, you'd have been right up until 2021, but now, Cadillac's large-and-in-charge hauler stands on its own as a seriously impressive tech showcase on wheels.
Cadillac absolutely nailed the 2021 Escalade. A new independent rear suspension has vastly improved the ride while also enhancing interior capacities for both people and parcels. Its new face is imposing in the best kind of way, while the inside has dramatically ramped up in quality, sporting a unique layout that feels whatever the opposite of corporate is.
The dashboard is sure to wow you the most, thanks to its three OLED panels that combine to offer 38 inches of screen, stretching from the driver's eyes practically to the passenger. GM's infotainment system is a peach, too, and the hands-off Super Cruise system should help relieve the strain of hours-long road trips. V8 engines typically live under the hood, but a 3.0-liter diesel I6 will be available for those wanting a little extra efficiency.
Read our 2021 Cadillac Escalade review.
Steven Ewing/Roadshow
When it comes to performance SUVs, it's hard to top Porsche, and its compact Macan makes for quite the engaging experience.
The 2021 Porsche Macan's GTS trim best exemplifies Porsche's on-road mantra. The chassis is balanced, it steers like a sports car and it will make some of the most glorious noise you'll hear in a sport ute. It may not have the on-paper wow factor of the 434-hp Turbo variant, but the GTS' 2.9-liter, twin-turbo V6 is no slouch with 375 hp and 383 lb-ft. It'll hustle all day long and keep asking for more.
Traditional Porsche style exists throughout the interior, whether it's the gauge cluster with its massive central tachometer or the panoply of controls that live on either side of the gear lever. Porsche's Communication Management software resides on a 10.9-inch touchscreen, and it's one of our favorite systems thanks to a no-nonsense layout with quick access to all the usual menus. Porsche's love of optional packages means you can tailor the Macan GTS in ways that few other automakers can match.
Andrew Krok/Roadshow
See? I told you Porsche has a lock on sporty SUVs.
The 2021 Porsche Cayenne GTS is the Macan GTS' bigger brother. Available in long-roof and "coupe" body styles, the Cayenne GTS is all about driving purity, and it shows. Its 453-hp, 4.0-liter V8 engine offers an impressive amount of motive force with the sound profile to match, and its suspension offers agility that few competitors can match. Throw in some add-ons like all-wheel steering and active anti-roll bars, and you've basically got a sports car on stilts, albeit mild ones, since the Cayenne GTS sits pretty low to the ground.
Even though Porsche loves to charge you for things that might come standard with other OEMs, the Cayenne GTS has an impressive amount of tech that comes baked into its $110,000-plus price tag. A 12.3-inch display runs the PCM infotainment system, with four USB-C ports on offer for juicing up, in addition to wireless Apple CarPlay and a Wi-Fi hotspot. But you might be having too much fun in the corners to even notice that stuff.
Read our 2021 Porsche Cayenne preview.
Mercedes-Benz
The 2021 Mercedes-AMG GLS63 is a three-row SUV with 600 hp. Yep.
If you want to take the entire family to a speed that might let you escape low Earth orbit, the GLS63 is happy to oblige. Its 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V8 puts out an impressive 603 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque, and with a 0-to-60 time almost in the 3-second range, it builds speed in a way that borders on supernatural. But comfort remains a top priority, and its ride quality is smooth enough to make the miles melt away on a longer road trip.
Mercedes always puts luxury at the forefront, and the GLS63 is no exception. Its interior is one of my favorites, with a simple layout that relies on lots of soft leather and warm wood-trim complements. All three rows are comfortable, but the front buckets get the most love with options like massaging ventilated seats and enough storage space for most, but probably not all of your Birkins.
Read our 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLS review.
Emme Hall/Roadshow
Our review of the Toyota Highlander Hybrid refers to it as "astonishingly efficient," and it's true.
Toyota knows hybrids, and it shows. In front-wheel-drive guise, the Highlander Hybrid's powertrain offers 36 mpg city and 35 mpg highway, which is impressive for a three-row SUV with a starting price just under $40,000. Its 2.5-liter I4 gas engine pairs with a duo of electric motor-generators for a net 243 hp, which means it's not exactly a slouch, either.
The Highlander is very much a utilitarian choice, but Toyota's latest variant brings some style into the equation, too, with a clever dashboard layout that both looks futuristic and offers up some unique storage spaces for driver and passengers alike. Sure, the third row is a little small, but if you only ever transport pets or kids back there, it's more than enough. Safety systems abound, too, with adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition and lane-keeping assist all coming standard.
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