If you’re looking for a new SUV, this is the right time
Are you shopping for a 3-row midsize SUV because you think you’re still too cool for a minivan or because you need the higher ground clearance and more robust, more widely available all-wheel drive?
1st place: Kia Telluride Kia hit a home run with the Telluride in 2019. It’s still rounding the bases in 2023.The Kia Telluride has claimed the segment’s top rating and our Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Award every year since its introduction for the 2020 model year. That’s four straight wins against some seriously impressive 3-row midsize SUVs.
Our tallest reviewer, coming in at 6 feet 4 inches, liked that the seating position offered a tremendous forward view without leaving him feeling perched too high in the vehicle. He thought it better suited his frame than the Palisade, even. Long ago, Kias and Hyundais used to enjoy price advantages that couldn’t be ignored in comparison tests or the showroom. Not so much anymore. In fact, the Telluride SX Prestige X-Line was the most expensive vehicle in our test, with a sticker price of $53,825. Even so, the 2023 Telluride, with trim levels starting at $35,990, took top honors in this comparison, underscoring just how far Kia has come since the first little Sephia sedan of 1992.Rating: 4.
The only feature to draw grumbles from multiple reviewers was the button-based transmission selector. Losing the lever helps streamline the interior, but we all agreed it’s not as intuitive as a traditional setup and takes some getting used to. Some mentioned a fondness for the column-mounted, twist-action stalk starting to make its way across the Hyundai lineup and would love to see it expand into the Palisade.
None of us were surprised by the Pilot’s smooth, refined driving manners, now a well-established Honda hallmark. Some of us loved the exceptionally light, quick-ratio steering, others weren’t so sure. There’s an adjustment period, but it’s hard to imagine many Pilot owners ultimately longing for heavier, slower steering.
What’s a Toyota family to do when a Highlander isn’t quite big enough to accommodate their needs? Until this year, moving into a Sienna minivan was the clearest answer. Now, there’s the roomy new Grand Highlander to consider. Inside, the Grand Highlander’s 33.5 inches of third-row legroom also turned out to be the most in this group, and those numbers translate to real-world comfort. Our resident linebacker, the 6-foot-4 Bornhop, confirmed the Toyota’s third row felt roomier than all the others. So yeah, even your growing teen should be fine back there.
In our back-to-back testing, it came up short of the leaders when it comes to passenger utility, technology, and overall refinement, but not to the degree that should dissuade shoppers attracted to its unique mix of strengths. The Nissan Pathfinder is a solid and recommendable 3-row midsize SUV. But its unique set of strengths and shortcomings relative to the segment’s higher-rated entries make it the right choice for a smaller set of buyers. And that’s reflected in the fact that the Pathfinder is indeed the least popular entry based on total sales so far this year.You might like: The powerful 2024 Toyota Sequoia: a hybrid 3-row SUV that can tow 9,000 poundsThe Ford F, -1.
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