- Utility vehicles used to be much more expensive. However, prices have dropped considerably due to reduced production costs.
- Crossover SUVs are designed to complement different lifestyles. What is a good fit for one person may not suit someone else.
- While price is important, some vehicles offer more standard features. That can justify their higher base package costs.
Do you want to find a reliable family vehicle that’s safe, economical, and still drives and handles like a car? Do you need extra cargo or passenger space that you can’t find in a sedan? Crossover SUVs are a great choice for many drivers. However, there are so many to choose from that your head may spin when reviewing all of the options.
This guide reviews the best crossovers available in 2022, based on what might be most important to you. Use it to help narrow down your choices and make a more informed decision. Before you know it, you’ll be driving a new SUV off the dealer’s lot.
What is a Crossover?
Sports utility vehicles (SUVs) were originally constructed on the same frames used for pickup trucks. A crossover, however, is built on a car frame. That makes it lighter, drive more like a car, and offer greater fuel economy. Here are some of the top-rated crossovers available today.
Best Overall: Hyundai Tucson
The Hyundai Tucson is an extremely well-rounded crossover that comes in at an attractive price point. It starts at $25,350 and offers optional all-wheel drive, up to 33 mpg on the highway, a spacious interior, and advanced safety features. The split-folding rear seats offer creative cargo storage solutions. The infotainment system connects with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
It comes with common safety features such as lane-keeping assistance, a rearview camera and automatic emergency braking. It also alerts you when it’s unsafe to open the doors due to traffic. A rear occupant alert tells you if you’ve left a child or pet alone in the vehicle.
Source: HyundaiBest Budget Option: Chevrolet Trailblazer
The Chevrolet Trailblazer starts at only $21,600. It’s a great vehicle for taking the excitement off-road, with optional all-wheel drive for those who endure wet or cold climates. It also delivers plenty of cargo space. All the passenger seats fold down flat, making it a great cargo hauler on demand.
The Trailblazer received the Top Safety Pick from the IIHS due to its extensive safety package. Standard safety features include a system that applies the brakes when pedestrians move in front of your vehicle, a sensor that shows your following distance, and lane-keeping assistance.
Source: ChevroletBest Luxury Option: Genesis GV80
When you first set your eyes on the Genesis GV80, you might fall in love with its modern, sleek style. With a starting price of $50,200, the GV80 is certainly a high-end option. However, it still provides incredible value as well.
It drives and handles like a sports car, while offering plush and comfortable seats, an intuitive infotainment system with premium sound, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and an innovative safety package. With speed limit assist and adaptive cruise control, you can cruise on the highway without getting too close to the vehicle ahead of you (or getting pulled over for excessive speeding).
Source: GenesisBest Family Option: Kia Telluride
The Kia Telluride has everything you need to take your family to new places, while keeping them safe and sound. It has ample cargo space, a punchy engine, an infotainment system that keeps everyone connected, and advanced safety features to provide peace of mind.
The seating is extremely cozy and you can configure it to support up to eight passengers. Touch screen navigation, blind-spot detection, forward collision mitigation, and safe exit assistance all come standard with a starting price of $33,090.
Source: KiaBest Travel Option: Nissan Pathfinder
With up to 6,000 pounds of towing capacity, 27 mpg on the highway, and seating for eight people, the Nissan Pathfinder is a great choice for families who like to explore the world together. It’s rugged and powerful on and off the road.
It also offers Nissan’s Safety Shield 360 system. This safety package monitors potential dangers from every direction and applies the brakes to avoid a collision or sounds an alert if you’re drifting from your lane. There’s also a blind spot detection system. All of this means impressive value at a starting price of $33,680.
Source: NissanBest on Gas: Toyota Venza
The Toyota Venza offers fuel efficiency that can rival most gas-powered sedans. If the concrete jungle is your daily drive, you should be pleased by the Venza’s 40 mpg in the city and 37 mpg on the highway.
The Venza starts at $32,890. It’s worth it when you factor in the reduced cost of ownership, connectivity with Amazon Alexa, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and Sirius XM, dual-zone climate control, and extensive safety package. All of this earned the Venza a Top Safety Pick choice from the IIHS and a Best New Car Award from Autotrader last year.
Source: ToyotaBest for Comfort: Honda CR-V
The Honda CR-V boasts luxurious levels of comfort with an elegant, spacious cabin. Inside, you’ll find available plush leather seating, an intuitive infotainment system, heated seats, heated steering wheel, and dual-zone climate control.
At a starting price of $26,400, it’s loaded with value. Especially when you consider it comes with a wireless phone charger, USB ports for the front and back seats, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and premium sound. It also offers the Honda Sense suite of safety features, which includes blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control.
Source: HondaBest for Off-Roading: Subaru Forester
The Subaru Forester is perfect for anyone with an active lifestyle and an affinity for adventure. With its all-wheel drive, ample ground clearance, and performance-tuned suspension, it can tackle any off-road challenge without rattling your passengers’ cages.
The Forester offers a standard safety package that includes forward and reverse automatic emergency braking, blind-spot detection, lane keeping assistance, and a system that can detect when you’re drowsy or distracted. It will alert you so that you return your attention to the road ahead. With a starting price of $25,195, this makes the Forester an attractive choice.
Source: SubaruBest for Safety: Subaru Crosstrek
When you consider all of the safety technology that comes standard on the Subaru Crosstrek, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that it earned the Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS. That’s the top grade a vehicle can receive.
For a base price of $22,445, it comes with standard all-wheel drive, traction control, distracted driver alert, front and rear collision mitigation systems, and blind-spot monitoring. It’s also incredibly spacious inside and gets up to 34 mpg on the highway.
Source: SubaruBest for Cargo Space: Toyota RAV4
The Toyota RAV4, which starts at $26,525, is an ideal choice for families who need to haul a lot of cargo. It offers up to 69.8 cubic feet of cargo space when the seats are folded. If you’re bringing your family along, it offers a lot of legroom and 37.5 cubic feet of cargo space for luggage and essential items.
The RAV4’s all-wheel-drive system allows you to choose from different terrain types, making it perform fairly well off-road. That is, if you decide to take your adventures off the beaten path.
Source: ToyotaBest Tech: Ford Mustang Mach-E
The Ford Mustang Mach-E is a technological marvel with a base price of $43,895. It’s a fully-electric crossover that offers blazing acceleration from 0-to-60 mph in just 3.5 seconds, has a range of up to 314 miles and doesn’t use a single drop of gasoline. It won the North American Utility Vehicle of the Year award, is an IIHS Top Safety Pick and won Car and Driver’s Top EV of the Year.
Its technology packages include the ability to drive hands-free on the highway, a command center that allows you to control ambient lighting at your fingertips and a quick charge system that can deliver a full charge in minutes.
Source: FordBest for Towing or Hauling: Land Rover Defender
The Land Rover Defender starts out at $51,700 and offers plenty of value to justify the price. With incredible off-road capability, the ability to ford through a lot of water and towing capacity of 8,200 pounds, it’s the ideal choice if you have a camper, boat or trailer.
The Defender offers a very smooth ride, whether you’re navigating through the concrete jungle or the great outdoors. It also offers an intuitive infotainment system, plenty of advanced safety features and a luxurious interior.
Source: Land RoverHow to Choose the Right Crossover
Before you begin your search, evaluate your top needs based on your lifestyle and budget. Are fuel economy and safety priorities? Do you take a lot of vacations or spend most of your time in the city? After figuring out what your most important features are, consider the cost of ownership and if the cost of gas, insurance and regular maintenance is worth the price of the vehicle you want. Then, it’s time to head to a dealership and start test driving.
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