There are many great SUV options on the market right now, and it can be challenging for car buyers to wade through them all. This is where auto critics can come in handy, as they bring a lot of experience and expertise and have some advice for car buyers. Here’s a look at the best 2023 SUV to buy, according to Edmunds.
SUVs continue to grow in popularity
SUVs weren’t such a popular segment, but that has changed in recent years. SUVs in the past tended to be larger and this separated them from sedans. Nowadays, automakers have created many smaller SUVs and those small SUVs compete and win against sedans.
and SUVs dominate sedans in the American auto market. That said, it’s not just small SUVs that do well. Even larger SUVs are doing just fine. Because of their size, midsize and large SUVs offer higher specifications and better safety scores than smaller SUVs and sedans. They often cost more, but there are some affordable options in those segments.
The 2023 Kia Telluride tops the list
The SUV that tops the list is the Kia Telluride. It starts at around $33,000, and that price allows it to compete with smaller SUVs and luxury SUVs. Overall, the auto critic had a lot of good things to say about the Telluride. In fact, it has an overall score of 8.4 out of 10, which is the highest among all non-luxury SUVs. The only SUVs with higher overall scores are all the expensive luxury SUVs, which they outscore by only a few points.
The reason this midsize Kia SUV fared so well is because it’s very well balanced. Its standard 3.8-liter V6 engine gets 291 hp and is powerful enough for most drivers. The best part about Telluride, however, is its cabin. The Telluride has standard equipment and this allows owners to comfortably accommodate up to eight guests.
Kia has put a lot of thought into the interior design of the SUV, and the South Korean automaker has also used a lot of high-quality materials. Additionally, Kia has given the Telluride many standard features. For the 2023 model year, Kia has improved the SUV by equipping it standard with a 12.3-inch touchscreen. The only fault Edmunds had with the Telluride is that it has “less room for small items” in its cabin than some of its rivals.
The 2023 Hyundai Palisade is right behind the Telluride
Runner-up was the Hyundai Palisade, and that shouldn’t come as a shock after the Palisade and Telluride. Kia and Hyundai work closely with each other and some of their cars are nearly identical. The Palisade is not exactly the same as the Telluride and one of the most notable differences is in the price. Hyundai starts the Palisade at just over $35,000, and that makes it about $2,000 more expensive than the Kia.
Inside the car, though, the Palisade is quite similar to the Telluride. The Hyundai has the same 3.8-liter V6 as the Kia, and as such, its horsepower, torque, and fuel economy are about the same. That said, the Palisade’s fuel economy is slightly worse as it gets 22 mpg combined compared to the Telluride’s 23 mpg combined. In terms of features, however, the two cars are nearly identical as the Palisade also has a 12.3-inch touch screen.
