Best Midsize SUVs of 2023 and 2024

The top-ranked Honda Passport is one of the most versatile midsize SUVs in the market. It exudes athletic qualities but also delivers a comfortable ride, tons of passenger and cargo space, and a good list of standard features. Put this at the top of your list.

The Subaru Outback offers excellent ground clearance and capable all-wheel drive. It's a go-anywhere vehicle with car-like driving qualities on paved roads, making it a more versatile choice than many SUV competitors.

To make the Cross Sport, VW took its successful three-row Atlas SUV, ditched the third-row seating and added a more rakish roofline. It's a roomy and comfortable five-passenger midsize SUV that's also stylish.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee is comfortable and relatively spacious and has class-leading towing and genuine off-road capability. Where it comes up short is value. It doesn't offer as much standard equipment as rivals and is priced well into luxury territory when you check all the boxes.

The Bronco is a highly-capable off-roader that makes minimal sacrifices to on-road drivability. From its character and design to its helpful drive modes and wide availability of its off-road package, the Bronco is a best-buy among its competition for most shoppers.

Toyota resurrects its Venza to once again compete in the midsize SUV segment. Offered solely as a hybrid, it's easily the most efficient choice in the segment, but it's also surprisingly quick. Toyota shot the moon with this one.

The Santa Fe delivers impressive acceleration and fuel efficiency as well as luxurious accommodations at a price that undercuts most of the competition. A spacious cabin and a smooth ride quality are also highlights.

The Toyota 4Runner favors rough terrain — this truck-based SUV has all the hardware you need for off-road adventures. Other choices are more civilized for everyday use and offer superior technology features.

The Blazer isn't the off-road scrambler you may remember from years ago. Today's Blazer is better suited to on-road performance thanks to its sharp handling and comfortable ride. Its small cargo capacity limits its utility, but advanced tech broadens its appeal.

The Nissan Murano is a family-oriented SUV with excellent seats and nice materials, making it a comfortable people mover. Poor visibility, dated-feeling technology, and some quirks in the powertrain keep it from being a top pick.

The Kia Telluride is our top pick for a midsize three-row SUV. Its upscale cabin is quiet, comfortable and thoughtfully designed. It comes packed with standard features and tech, and it even has adult-friendly third-row seating. For the money, there are few more appealing ways to move seven or eight people.

The Hyundai Palisade is putting its competition on notice. Packed with value, comfort, and capability throughout its trim levels, the Palisade is a great pick for a three-row family SUV.

The Grand Highlander is larger than a regular Highlander but also gets a number of tweaks that help make it one of our top recommendations for a midsize three-row SUV. It has one of most adult-friendly third rows you'll find and still scores high for fuel efficiency, comfort and technology. The Grand Highlander is, indeed, pretty grand.

The Mazda CX-90 is undeniably luxurious and outperforms just about everything else in its class with its sharp handling and quick acceleration. Though third-row space and cargo capacity are a bit lacking, the CX-90 is otherwise a highly recommended pick for a three-row SUV.

The latest Honda Pilot is comfortable and plenty spacious for its front and middle-row passengers. But it lags behind class leaders in third-row room and cargo space, and its tech is a half-step behind the curve. Some competitors deliver more bang for your buck.

The Toyota Highlander gets high marks for its superb comfort, responsive acceleration, and above-average fuel economy. But if third-row-seat space is important to you, the Highlander's accommodations can't compete with the top SUVs in this segment.

The Mazda CX-9 is one of the best, and best-looking, three-row crossovers on the road. It's a pleasure to drive and offers a loaded feature list and an upscale interior. Notably, there's less cargo and third-row space than you'll find in some competitors.

The Enclave is a close cousin of the Chevrolet Traverse but slightly dressed up. It's a well-rounded three-row SUV with excellent interior space. But it doesn't strike us as a vehicle people aspire to own, especially not at the asking price.

The Ford Explorer has uncommonly good balance and poise. It's not the roomiest three-row SUV, but its standard infotainment and safety tech offerings are competitive, and the available engines are strong. The Explorer is mainly held back by subpar interior material quality and high pricing.

The Nissan Pathfinder is spacious and pleasant to drive and packed with in-car tech and driver aids, too. The Pathfinder may not be the most exciting choice, but it is great for hauling people and cargo in relative comfort.

As a three-row SUV, the Toyota 4Runner struggles due to its cramped third row seat. But if you need that extra measure of versatility, you could do worse than a three-row 'Runner.

The Dodge Durango does things a little differently, carrying on with an aging but proven formula. Excellent towing capacity, available V8 power and a roomy interior are bundled up with healthy helping of attitude.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee L supplies generous room for passengers and outmatches competitors with its off-road and towing capabilities. But it's also less comfortable than some of its rivals.

The new Mercedes-Benz GLE is a significant step forward from its predecessor and a class leader in several respects. Materials quality and design are second to none, and the excellent MBUX tech interface sets a new industry standard.

The Cayenne is an athlete among luxury SUVs, and its comprehensive lineup ranges from a green-cred plug-in hybrid to a sports-car-beating all-star with a turbo V8. It's an intriguing choice for shoppers whose life circumstances preclude a 911.

If you find the current crop of luxury crossovers overly subdued, the Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe might be the cure. Its fastback profile stands out on the road, and its rapid acceleration will knock your lederhosen off. However, its sleek bodywork reduces passenger and cargo space.

The GV80 offers bucket loads of amenities, enviable ride comfort, and striking design at a price that undercuts the stalwarts from Germany.

The Audi Q8 features muscular styling, solid interior build quality and pleasing handling and performance. Only a few compromises in terms of practicality and ease-of-use keep it from being the overall favorite in the class.

The Lexus RX continues the brand's tradition of expertly built, quiet and comfortable luxury vehicles. With a relatively low starting price and a long list of standard features, the RX represents solid value in the segment but lacks the performance and cargo capacity of some rivals.

The Land Rover Defender packs legitimate off-road capability, provided you pick the right options, and makes no sacrifice in on-road comfort. It's an admirable accomplishment. Overall, we're impressed with this modern interpretation of a classic nameplate.

Similar to other coupe-styled SUVs such as the BMW X6, the Cayenne Coupe has a sportier roofline but has less cargo space and worse visibility compared to a regular Cayenne. All other Cayenne hallmarks remain, however. It's fast, comfortable and well built.

The Range Rover Sport drives a lot like the larger Range Rover. It's available with lots of in-car tech and has more off-road capability than most other SUVs on the road. Unfortunately, the Sport suffers from a lackluster driving experience and a high price tag.

The XT5 is a comfortable, smooth-driving SUV with accessible technology features and a sizable cargo area. However, some odd design choices impinge on usability, cabin space and outward visibility.

The Maserati Levante boasts pedigree, exclusivity and vibrant engine offerings. A spacious passenger area and modern technology help make it a viable class competitor. Limited cargo space and some subpar materials hold it back.

The Audi Q7's combination of performance, comfort, high technology and value is hard to beat. With an impeccably built interior and sharp reflexes on the road, the Q7 is rewarding to both drivers and passengers. It could stand a bit more cargo and third-row passenger space, though.

The Acura MDX is a pragmatic choice, with a standard third-row seat and generous feature content at an attractive price. There are more luxurious and sportier options, but the MDX does just about everything well.

The new Aviator could be a prime pick for a three-row luxury SUV. Its distinctive styling, upscale interior and available hybrid model are big improvements compared to Lincoln SUVs of the recent past.

The Land Rover Discovery stands out with its luxurious interior and above-average off-road performance. A difficult-to-access third-row seat and bus-like driving position are the Disco's main drawbacks.

An upscale sibling to the Nissan Pathfinder, the QX60 is a comfortable and quiet people mover. It lags behind competitors in terms of technology, though, and there's none of Infiniti's appreciation for performance to be found here.

The Cadillac XT6 is a sharp-looking midsize three-row SUV. Appealing tech features and a comfortable cabin impart good initial impressions, but its drivability is underwhelming, and it's a bit overpriced.

The Lexus GX 460 exudes solidity, but it's saddled with dated technology, a thirsty engine, limited cargo space and seats that are less comfortable than you'd expect. Also, the aggressive lower bodywork impedes the GX's otherwise standout off-road capabilities by limiting ground clearance.

The Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT is one of the best SUVs we've ever driven. Acceleration, braking and handling are all world-class, and the sport-tuned suspension doesn't punish you on the street. The interior is comfortable and reasonably spacious, and the Cayenne's tech and storage have been improved thanks to a mild interior refresh.

The Urus backs up its flamboyance with stunning performance and luxury. It merges an unabashedly Lamborghini driving experience with advanced, problem-free technology. Brash and fast, or quiet and refined, at the driver's whim, the Urus is the ultimate SUV.

If you take Audi's already excellent midsize three-row SUV, the Q7, and inject it with a big dose of turbo V8, you'd end up with the Audi SQ7. It has sports car-beating acceleration with little compromise on comfort. It's almost too good to be real.

The SQ8 is a sporty spin on Audi's Q8 midsize SUV that packs a 500-horsepower V8 and too many performance upgrades to count. It's considerably more dynamic than the standard Q8 and nearly as comfortable.

The X5 M is a fast, capable and well-appointed performance SUV that might be a little too high-strung for its own good. It's not as smooth or comfortable as the standard X5, so this M model is best suited for those willing to compromise comfort for performance.

The Type S treatment doesn't turn the MDX into a superstar athlete, but it does make for an all-around nicer three-row Acura. A comfortable and spacious cabin and a generous list of standard equipment are highlights. But we think the regular MDX is a better value.

The X6 M makes a visual impression as much as its 600 horsepower will impress your body into the sport seats. Its firm suspension and responsive steering work well on smooth, winding roads but deliver a less-than-luxurious experience on any lesser surface. Additionally, its coupe-like styling offers less passenger- and cargo space than the BMW X5.

The DBX blends Aston Martin's distinctive styling with a spacious cabin, a decent amount of utility, and a powerful V8 engine. But in a growing field of super SUVs, the DBX doesn't break any new ground in performance, function, or technology. In other words, you'll have to really want an Aston Martin SUV to justify paying for one.

Is there a big market for a 700-hp, three-row SUV with launch control? Probably not. But that doesn't make the Durango SRT Hellcat any less fun to drive. It's practical and comfortable to drive daily and yet somehow also capable of hitting 60 mph in under 4 seconds. Oh, and it can tow up to 8,700 pounds too. This is a muscle car, albeit a pricey one, with three rows of seating.

The Levante has a lot going for it, especially in its top-level Trofeo trim, number one being a Ferrari-derived twin-turbocharged V8. It sounds great, looks good and is fun to drive without being punishing around town.