SUV 2023 cars

Acura made three major changes to the MDX in creating the new Type S version. It added an Acura-exclusive 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 that produces 355 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque, a new 10-speed automatic transmission that works with Acura's torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system, and Acura also fitted the sportier MDX Type S with adaptive dampers, uprated front Brembo brakes, and its first-ever air suspension.

The redesigned second-generation Buick Envision recently became available in the brand's range-topping Avenir trim. It aims to deliver improved materials and a more premium experience for occupants. The Envision's new exterior redesign is athletic and handsome, and the Avenir gets 20-inch wheels and clear taillights to add to the look.

On the minus side, multiple judges complained about the intrusive startup clatter and rattling idle from the Envision's new 2.0-liter turbo I-4 engine—the only available powertrain. The Buick SUV's road and suspension noise are also high for a vehicle with luxury aspirations. Actual get-up-and-go is adequate and the ride is nice and soft without dissolving into float; body motions and wheel patter are controlled, but only just. Head here for the full Buick Envision SUVOTY review

Ford Performance didn't play around when it Raptorized the Ford Bronco: It stiffened the body, upsized the engine and tires, and fortified the suspension. All the important numbers—horsepower, torque, ground clearance, suspension travel, and approach, breakover, and departure angles—are impressive.

Yet despite the Braptor's' on-road acceptability, we can't really say it's a good choice as a daily driver. For one thing, its massive width makes it a real pain to drive at times. And there are some OTY criteria where the Bronco Raptor simply cannot get ahead. On-road safety is always going to be somewhat compromised in a vehicle of this type. The Bronco Raptor's 15 mpg EPA combined rating is maybe higher than you might think, but it's still 15 mpg. Value? If you're a hardcore off-roader we don't have to explain why our Raptor's $81,085 as-tested price is a bargain—but to anyone else, we probably can't explain. Also, good luck getting anyone other than the young and the flexible into the back seat. Head here for the full Ford Bronco Raptor SUVOTY review

On paper, the Genesis GV60 seems well-suited to go up against its Hyundai Group siblings. It rides on the same Electric Global Modular Platform as the EV6 and Ioniq 5, features a 77.4-kWh battery pack good for up to 248 miles of range, and in top-trim GV60 Performance guise sports a combined 429 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque, more than any Ioniq 5 or EV6, save for the EV6 GT. It even charges quickly, going from 10 to 80 percent in as short as 18 minutes, thanks to its 235-kW peak charge rate.

But start poking around, and, well, other Genesis models like the 2022 SUV of the Year-winning GV70 wouldn't be caught dead with Hyundai or Kia switchgear, yet it's prevalent in the GV60's cabin. And although the orb shifter and other baubles distract the eye, some of its silver and gray plastic buttons look and feel cheap. As strong as the Genesis GV60 is, its siblings are simply stronger. Head here for the full Genesis GV60 SUVOTY review

The 2023 HR-V is now the only offering in Honda's SUV lineup with a base model priced below $30K, but does it retain the level of charm of the excellent new Civic?

It offers strong value for buyers seeking a Honda SUV, and we like its clever, spacious interior and useful standard safety tech. But that's just not enough to compete in a subcompact crossover segment that has ballooned to more than 20 vehicles. We might have felt different had Honda offered its subcompact entry with a more powerful and efficient turbo engine or a hybrid powertrain, but as it sits we know Honda can do better. Head here for the full Honda HR-V SUVOTY review

Just looking at it, you'd hardly qualify the Kona as an SUV, but the label from Hyundai's marketing department earned it an invitation to our SUV of the Year competition. The Kona N's handling on pavement is sublime, the chassis serving up precise, accurate steering and tons of grip.

That said, the ride is wicked harsh in the most aggressive N performance mode. The Kona N is also front-drive only with no option for all-wheel drive. It did complete our off-road course without getting stuck clambering up a hill or clawing through deep sand, but it wasn't particularly happy there, underlining its status as a hot hatchback rather than a multifaceted contender. Despite not making the finalist group, this SUV is ultimately a driver's car—and a really good one, at that. Head here for the full Hyundai Kona N SUVOTY review

With the Santa Fe plug-in hybrid, you're getting a midsize SUV with PHEV technology for essentially the same price as the compact Toyota RAV4 Prime plug-in. With no other midsize competitors under $60,000, the Santa Fe plug-in hybrid deserves some recognition just for existing. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Santa Fe plug-in to someone who wants more space than the RAV4 Prime. However, the Hyundai's 30-mile range, while good, is significantly lower than the similarly priced but smaller Toyota.

Despite that, the Santa Fe carves out a space for itself among a dizzying array of SUV choices. Offering a plug-in hybrid midsize SUV with a low-$40,000 starting price, five-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, and three years or 36,000 miles of complimentary maintenance is pretty darn good. Head here for the full Hyundai Santa Fe PHEV SUVOTY review

Viewed strictly within the Hyundai ecosystem, the Tucson Plug-in Hybrid is great. Unmistakable styling, a long warranty, and a base price well below $40,000 are only the beginning. The plug-in is also the quietest, the most efficient, and—get this—the quickest Tucson. While the Tucson's deeply creased sheetmetal still catches our eye, what's  special is how Hyundai matched that design aesthetic inside.

The 2023 Jeep Grand Wagoneer L is the largest and grandest Jeep on the market, extending more than a foot longer than the shorter-wheelbase Jeep Grand Wagoneer. The vehicle itself a tale of two designs. Though its exterior is decidedly bland, inside the Grand Wagoneer L is a luxurious delight.

Offered as a hybrid, a plug-in hybrid, and a full EV, with the most power and torque, the EV was the driver's choice, yet all share certain dynamic attributes. As before, the Niro is front-drive-only, a fact that hindered it in off-road assessments, and a few other details diminish the Niro's practicality. Its cargo area is deep, but the second-row seats don't fold flat, and the EV's front-mounted charge port could introduce complications at public plugs. Worse, its 85-kW peak charge rate isn't competitive. Head here for the full Kia Niro SUVOTY review

The plug-in hybrid builds on the conventional hybrid version, keeping that model's 1.6-liter turbocharged I-4 but gaining a 13.8-kWh battery and more powerful electric motor that deliver up to 32 miles of driving sans gasoline. Head here for the full Kia Sorento PHEV SUVOTY review

The 2022 Lexus LX600 is the all-new version of the luxury brand's body-on-frame off-roader, even moving to an all-new chassis mostly in an attempt to make it more comfortable and handle better on-road. Yet the LX600 still feels strikingly old-school, for better or worse.

Indeed, the LX600 can't shake its truck-based roots, with digital director Erik Johnson feeling "a ton of secondary vibrations, especially over rougher surfaces, that filter up through the frame into the body and on to the driver." However, it was still plenty capable in our off-road testing, with Johnson calling it a "tank that will get you wherever you need to go" in any of its three drive modes. Head here for the full Lexus LX600 SUVOTY review

Although it wears an SUV body, Maserati's new Grecale Trofeo is an Italian exotic in nearly every other respect, and if the visuals don't make that obvious, firing up and revving the 523-hp MC20-sourced engine sure as hell will. From the lipstick-red interior to the screaming turbo engine, no other contender in our SUV of the Year competition waved the flag for its country of origin like the Maserati.

And yes, the driving experience is every bit as electrifying as the visuals promise. "What a chassis!" digital director Erik Johnson said. "Incredibly responsive steering, braking, and powertrain. Lovely damping and best brake pedal here. Tons of personality from the engine. I love the way it sounds, and I love the way it looks. It's by far the most charismatic thing in the competition—only the Hyundai Kona N comes kind of close, but it's merely in the same solar system, not on the same planet." Associate editor Alex Leanse agreed: "Countach! This thing absolutely rips on the winding road course. Probably the most uncompromisingly sporty vehicle here. " Head here for the full Maserati Grecale SUVOTY review

Mazda ventures farther into the outdoors than it ever has before with the new 2023 CX-50. For buyers seeking the go-anywhere look and capability of the Subaru Outback in a less shouty design, the CX-50 could be their ride. Or at least, that's how Mazda might present its case. So don't judge the 2023 Mazda CX-50 simply based on its stylish headlights, long hood, and entertaining driving dynamics. That it looks good and drives well should come as no surprise, but what else does this Mazda SUV offer?

For years, Mazda's only compact SUV has been the CX-5, which continues alongside the longer, lower, and wider CX-50. Engine options start with the standard 187-hp 2.5-liter naturally aspirated I-4; a turbocharged version of that powerplant good for 227 hp (or 256 hp with 93-octane fuel) is the uplevel option. Sounds good enough, and really, the CX-50 offers few surprises for those familiar with the brand. Head here for the full Mazda CX-50 SUVOTY review

Who doesn't love a juice box? Fun to look at and packed with funky flavor, they're the perfect beverage analog for the new Mercedes-EQ EQB electric luxury SUV—right down to the little straw.

But for as much as we like the EQB350, the SUV's little straw, er, limited maximum charging speed stands out as wholly inadequate in today's EV marketplace. Where some small EVs boast charge speeds that comfortably exceed 200 kW, the mini Mercedes is limited to a max of just 100 kW, a relative trickle that nearly all other electric vehicles now surpass. Head here for the full Mercedes EQB SUVOTY review

Range and most of the luxo-tech touches are there, but for this to be worthy of the three-pointed star and tagline "The Best or Nothing," Mercedes has work to do refining the body motions and various accommodations. We recommend starting with the fancy pop-out electronic door handles that occasionally do not. Head here for the full Mercedes EQS SUV SUVOTY review

Despite our consistent preaching at the altar of minivan superiority, some folks still can't bring themselves to buy one. Fair enough. Until recently, if one of those buyers wanted a recommendation for a new affordable three-row plug-in hybrid family car, they'd either need to swallow their pride and buy a Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid or grab a much pricier Volvo XC90 or Lincoln Aviator. Now, in addition to the midsize Kia Sorento PHEV, there is a new Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.

The standard Outlander was a pleasant surprise at last year's SUV of the Year competition. A 2022 redesign brought the Outlander to the same platform as the Nissan Rogue, which contributes to a colossal improvement over the vehicle it replaced. Among our complaints was the coarse, underpowered four-cylinder, a problem solved with the new plug-in hybrid. Head here for the full Outlander PHEV SUVOTY review

Look familiar? Nissan's compact Rogue SUV competed in our 2021 SUV of the Year contest fresh off a full redesign. We were impressed enough that it earned a finalist spot despite its thrashy, underpowered engine, but Nissan then equipped its small crossover with a new standard powerplant for 2022 and beyond.

The 2022 Rogue's new turbocharged three-cylinder engine is rare among its compact crossover competition; most of its peers rely on turbo-fours. Although there's one other offering with a standard three-pot (the less powerful Ford Escape), no other manufacturer besides Nissan's luxury arm Infiniti uses VC-Turbo tech, which alters the engine's compression ratio to prioritize efficiency or performance based on driving behavior. Head here for the full Nissan Rogue Turbo SUVOTY review

We'll be honest: None of the MotorTrend staffers expected Toyota's new Corolla Cross to win our SUV of the Year competition, nor did we expect it to be a raging disappointment. We figured Toyota's newest SUV, which squeezes into the lineup between the smaller C-HR and larger RAV4, would exhibit the kind of hard-working, no-frills competence that keeps society functioning. And that's exactly what it did.

The Corolla Cross doesn't look anything like a regular Corolla, at least from the outside. In fact, it reminds us of a baby Highlander, with a squared-off body that stands 3.6 inches longer and 7.7 inches taller than the Corolla sedan. Considering the heated debates about whether some of our SUV contenders really were SUVs—we're looking at you, Kia EV6 and Niro—we appreciated the lack of ambiguity from the Corolla Cross. This is an SUV in all but half of its name. Head here for the full Toyota Corolla Cross SUVOTY review

The updated 2023 Toyota Highlander midsize SUV is just as notable for what it adds as for what it has discarded. The new Highlander swaps in a different gas-only powertrain as an alternative to its available hybrid setup, and the new turbocharged I-4 engine makes more torque but produces less power than the old V-6 it replaces. Can 18 percent more torque make up for a loss of 30 horsepower?

With 265 hp and 309 lb-ft of torque, the four-cylinder is linked to an eight-speed automatic transmission, and Toyota says the new setup is intended to deliver not only performance but also reduced NOx emissions, by up to 50 percent. Also to the good, it can tow up to 5,000 pounds. Head here for the full Toyota Highlander Turbo SUVOTY review

Hybridization drastically improves this full-sizer's efficiency; it gets better city fuel economy than its V-8 predecessor did on the highway. However, the V-6 and electric motor's integration split opinions. Senior editor Aaron Gold was positive, saying, "It feels like a V-8 with something more to it—as if there's an invisible force pushing the vehicle along." Conversely, features editor Christian Seabaugh felt the powertrain "slingshots the Sequoia forward," and despite augmented engine sounds rumbling through the cabin, "it isn't as quick as it wants you to think it is." Head here for the full Toyota Sequoia SUVOTY review

In one obvious way, there is less to love about the Volvo C40 Recharge compared to its older brother, the XC40 Recharge. The two all-electric crossovers are based on the same architecture, including a 75-kWh battery pack and single-speed automatic transmissions, but the rearward-sloping roofline of the coupelike C40 means it provides less cargo-carrying capacity (with a gain of 3 miles of range, to 226 miles total on a full charge).