Midsize SUV Review

Comparing midsize SUVs and crossovers

Midsize SUVs and crossovers, once utilitarian, truck-like beasts, are now a mainstay for everyday driving, though some models stay true to their roots and perform well off-road. While still offering commanding views of the road, today's midsize SUVs and crossovers are increasingly civilized in terms of amenities, ease of use, and overall driving quality. Ultimately, the shopper wins here: midsize SUVs and crossovers are now mostly car-based and often have seating for seven. Many offer four-wheel or all-wheel drive, extra ground clearance, and good handling, meaning that practicality and versatility are the hallmarks of midsize SUVs.

Many of the most popular midsize SUVs are designed to appeal to a wide audience, but there are nonetheless distinct niches among midsize SUVs, ranging from true off-roaders to the fast and luxurious. Midsize SUVs and crossovers look to balance size, fuel economy, towing, and purpose. For instance, reviewer favorites for the all-around best midsize SUV/crossover include the 2011 Mazda CX-9 (Base MSRP: $29,135 to $34,535) and the 2011 Honda Pilot (Base MSRP: $28,320 to $40,670). The Mazda CX-9 is one of the sportiest-handling midsize vehicles, yet it still features three rows of seating, a comfortable, car-like ride, and stylish looks. The Honda Pilot is more truck-like in appearance, and more capable off-road, but still offers good performance on pavement, with ample cargo capacity and solid interior quality. Even budget SUVs like the 2011 Kia Sorento (Base MSRP: $21,250 to $34,850) get plaudits on everything from fresh aesthetics to comfort and build quality.

We found the most thorough and credible midsize SUV reviews at Edmunds.com, Motor Trend, and Car and Driver, all of which perform comparison tests. Motor Trend's sister publication, Truck Trend, doles out best-in-class awards, for which editors evaluate styling, off-road capability, features and performance.

Consumer Reports editors purchase and test dozens of cars and trucks each year for safety, reliability and performance, picking a handful to recommend. A unique feature of Consumer Reports' auto coverage is its inclusion of results from the magazine's annual survey, which asks readers to rate their cars and trucks for overall satisfaction, reliability and repair issues.

We also reviewed the opinions of editors at ConsumerGuide.com, Cars.com and Kelley Blue Book, as each outlet uses its own criteria to name the best midsize SUVs according to their respective editors. Cars.com also offers three-SUV comparison articles in specific market classes. Crash-test results from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety are factored in, as are the official Environmental Protection Agency fuel economy ratings from FuelEconomy.gov. In all, we consulted more than 30 review sources for this report.

Note that our companion reports on small SUVs, large SUVs, and minivans may all be of interest, since there's a lot of overlap when it comes to capabilities. Minivans excel at hauling people, large SUVs have big towing capabilities, while small SUVs are cheaper and more efficient, but generally have less space than many midsize SUVs. Truck Trend, which tests primarily SUVs and crossovers, has an interesting article comparing midsize SUVs with their closest minivan counterparts.