The next time you’re on the road, check out the vehicles driving alongside you on the streets and highways — what you see might make you wonder: Does anyone buy sedans anymore?
Not according to Yahoo Finance. With Chevrolet officially retiring the Malibu from its assembly lines at the end of November 2024, sedans have been going the way of the dodo bird.
Once a staple in American garages, over 10 million Chevy Malibus were sold over the course of its 60-year run; it was even named Motor Trend Car of the Year in 1997.
But all that changed in the early 2000s with the introduction of the SUV, or sport utility vehicle, an automotive class that combined elements of passenger cars with off-roading capabilities.
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The Jeep Grand Cherokee has the distinction of being the first SUV built with unibody construction, which effectively revolutionized its industry by making SUVs lighter, more fuel efficient, and easier to mass produce. (Jeeps had actually had been around since the 1940s, serving as rugged Army vehicles that helped to win World War II.)
Suddenly, it seemed, everyone wanted an SUV: A bigger car that sat higher and had four-wheel drive capabilities, along with greater utility — regardless of whether they actually needed it.
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The SUVs’ reign continues in 2024
Drivers began snatching up SUVs, and Jeep models, in particular, entered the cultural zeitgeist, appearing on successful TV shows like “Gilmore Girls” (2000–2007) and “Breaking Bad” (2008–2013), and on the big screen in “Jurassic Park” (1993) and “Clueless” (1995). Sedan sales fell off a cliff.
By 2015, SUVs had dethroned sedans as the country’s most popular vehicle, along with the introduction of a new class of sport utility vehicle, the crossover, a scaled-down SUV built on a lighter chassis.
The subsequent invention of hybrid and EV-powered motors created even greater fuel efficiency for SUVs, while technological advancements, such as electronic stability controls and automatic emergency braking, made them safer to drive, as well.
Related: Consumer Reports’ best American cars, trucks & SUVs of 2024
While the market share is still growing for electric and hybrid-powered vehicles, SUVs remain the country’s best-selling type of automobile, representing 48% of all global car sales in 2023.
So, which new SUVs are the best?
How Consumer Reports defines the “best” SUVs
In business since 1936 with a mission to research and evaluate the best products for consumers, Consumer Reports (CR) is a particularly trusted name when it comes to cars buying.
Every year, CR independently purchases and tests vehicles at its 327-acre testing facility in Colchester, Connecticut. It also uses data from surveys from its over six million members to determine which cars make it onto their “best” lists.
Related: How does Consumer Reports make money? The product-testing nonprofit explained
CR measures its in-house testing results, which include quantitative factors like driving performance, fuel efficiency, and safety, along with qualitative factors like reliability and customer satisfaction to generate an overall grade for a car—or in this case, an SUV.
Here are 10 best SUVs right now, according to the nonprofit:
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Consumer Reports’ list of the 10 best SUVs of 2024
One of Consumer Report’s top SUVs of 2024, the 2024 Toyota RAV4 Prime was also featured at the Electrify Expo in Orlando.
Pokemonprime, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
1. Toyota RAV4 Prime
Price range: $43,690–$47,560 CR grade: 89
The Crosstrek is the only Subaru featured on CR’s list of best SUVs in 2024.
Ethan Llamas, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
2. Subaru Crosstrek
Price range: $25,195–$32,195 CR grade: 87
Related: Car brands with the most customer loyalty according to Consumer Reports
The 2024 plug-in hybrid, Kia Sportage made CR’s “Best SUV” list in 2024.
HJUdall, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
3. Kia Sportage Plug-in Hybrid
Price range: $39,590–$44,090CR grade: 87
One of two Hondas to make Consumer Report’s Best SUV list in 2024 is the CR-V.
Alexander-93, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
4. Honda CR-V
Price range: $29,500–$36,160CR grade: 85
The beautiful 2024 Hundai Tucson Hybrid ranked as another highly rated SUV by Consumer Reports.
HJUdall, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
5. Hyundai Tucson Hybrid
Price range: $32,575–$45,450CR grade: 85
One of two Toyota models to make Consumer Report’s 2024 list of Best SUVs is the Highlander Hybrid.
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6. Toyota Highlander Hybrid
Price range: $39,120–$53,125CR grade: 85
Honda’s Hybrid CR-V also earned high marks from Consumer Reports.
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7. Honda CR-V Hybrid
Price range: $34,050–$40,200CR grade: 84
Related: Hybrid cars with the best fuel economy according to Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports ranked Kia’s 2024 Telluride highly on its list of Best SUVs.
Charles from Port Chester, New York, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
8. Kia Telluride
Price range: $36,190–$53,385CR grade: 84
Consumer Reports ranked the Hyundai Palisade, featured here at the 2024 Montréal International Auto Show, on its list of Best SUVs.
Bull-Doser, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
9. Hyundai Palisade
Price range: $36,650–$53,850CR grade: 83
The only Mazda to make CR’s list of Best SUVs was the 2024 CX-90.
Ethan Llamas, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
10. Mazda CX-90
Price range: $37,845–$57,450CR Grade: 82
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