Best Midsize SUVs

Sporty Mazda CX-9 is the easy winner

Among midsize SUVs, the Mazda CX-9 (*Est. $29,400 to $34,655) is the easy winner, winning more than 11 comparison reviews, including a report at Car and Driver, where it earns a spot in their 5Best Trucks list. It also wins SUV of the Year at Motor Trend, and Best in Class, All-Wheel-Drive Crossover at Truck Trend. The Mazda CX-9 also racks up awards from Automobile magazine, Kiplinger's and Edmunds.com.

The Mazda CX-9 is available with front- or all-wheel drive and seats seven, with a standard third-row seat. Its 273-horsepower V-6 is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, and the combination helps make the CX-9 both powerful and fun to drive. Car and Driver claims the CX-9 is consistent with Mazda's Zoom-Zoom image and has best-in-class agility. That level of handling comes with a trade-off, however, as some reviewers have criticized the suspension for being a bit harsh.

Most reviewers praise the Mazda CX-9's exterior styling and interior material quality; critics at Edmunds.com note that the Mazda's combination of practicality, style and performance is hard to beat. Motor Trend praises the CX-9 as sleek, elegant and comfortable, while editors at Popular Mechanics write that the Mazda CX-9 is just plain fun to drive.

The Mazda CX-9 has excellent crash-test scores; options include a blind-spot lane-change warning system. In EPA testing, all-wheel-drive models check in with fuel economy ratings of 15 mpg city/21 mpg highway.

The Hyundai Veracruz (*Est. $26,900 to $35,750) is the Korean automaker's new upscale SUV. With a design target of the Lexus RX350 in mind, Hyundai attempts to provide similar levels of luxury and performance at a more affordable price. All Veracruz trim levels feature a 3.8-liter 260-horsepower V-6 mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. This powertrain combo delivers an EPA-rated 15 mpg city/23 mpg highway.

Overall, reviewers are impressed with Hyundai's new CUV. It's about the same size and price as the Mazda CX-9, but whereas the Mazda crossover scores points as being fun to drive, with sporty handling and acceleration, the Veracruz puts the emphasis on little interior niceties, such as an iPod cubby complete with a charger and a refrigerated center console. Motor Trend declared the Veracruz the winner in a three-crossover comparison test, where it's praised for its quiet engine and overall refinement. In a similar vein, Automotive.com editors write that buyers should consider the Veracruz, which can carry seven passengers comfortably, as an affordable alternative to the Lexus RX350 (*Est. $37,400 to $38,800). The Veracruz wins the title of Best Value SUV at the Northwest Automotive Press Association's annual SUV comparison test, and is also recommended by Consumer Guide, which praises the Veracruz's quiet, upscale cabin.

While the Mazda CX-9 and Hyundai Veracruz both have a third row of seats, the back row is better suited for kids than adults, so if your family includes teenagers you may want a roomier third row. The GMC Acadia (*Est. $29,110 to $35,575) is among the largest of the midsize SUVs, and is part of the family of General Motors crossovers that also includes the Saturn Outlook, Buick Enclave and Chevy Traverse (which arrives as a 2009 model). The GMC Acadia comes with a more comfortable third-row seat, say editors, and interestingly, despite the size bump, fuel economy is about on par with the Mazda CX-9.

The GMC Acadia is available with either front- or all-wheel drive, a 275-horsepower V-6, and a six-speed automatic. When properly equipped, the Acadia can tow up to 4,500 pounds, which is the highest in the midsize SUV class. Reviewers commend the Acadia's power, ride and handling, but its sheer size prevents it from feeling particularly sporty or agile. The EPA gives the big GMC crossover a 16 mpg city/24 mpg highway fuel economy rating.

Motor Trend calls the Buick Enclave (*Est. $33,200 to $37,455), a sister vehicle to the GMC Acadia, "the best new Buick in decades," and the Enclave also wins the title of Most Versatile Crossover in the International Car of the Year competition. The Acadia and the Saturn Outlook (*Est. $27,605 to $31,905), another sister vehicle of the Acadia, both earn Best Buy designations in the standard midsize SUV category at Consumer Guide, and Edmunds.com recommends the Acadia for car buyers with large families. Consumers at Edmunds.com also crowned the Acadia Most Significant Vehicle of the Year when it was introduced in 2007. MotorWeek's Best Crossover Utility Vehicle award went to the Acadia and its platform siblings in both 2007 and 2008.

The Acadia/Enclave/Outlook get consistently positive marks for their large interiors, which are capable of carrying eight passengers when properly equipped (the second row can be ordered with either a split bench or two captain's chairs). A third-row seat is standard, and the second row is split and slides to allow access to the rear. Reviewers find that rear-seat comfort is better than expected, even for a full-size SUV. With the second- and third-row seats folded down, the Acadia's sizable interior can swallow 117 cubic feet of cargo. Drop only the third row and there's still 67 cubic feet. More importantly, however, cargo room with all the seats up is still an entirely usable 19 cubic feet. A unique perspective is offered in a review at The Car Family website, where the "mom" likes the interior room and ride but finds parking difficult. She recommends buyers consider ordering the optional parking-assist system.