TheDetroitBureau.com recently spent two days with a couple dozen other automotive journalists at the Northwest Automotive Press Association’s annual “Mudfest” competition. We drove 21 different SUVs to see which ones could deliver the best performance on and off pavement.
During the competition, we drove everything from a massive Rolls-Royce Cullinan to the compact Subaru Crosstrek. Then we voted on which ones we thought best in several categories. For the most part, there was general agreement on which SUVs made the grade, but not always. Two companies conspicuous by their absence: General Motors and Jaguar Land Rover. Each elected not to participate in the event.
Compact SUVs
For the basic two-row compact SUV category, we chose from the Kia Sportage, Subaru Crosstrek, Honda CR-V Hybrid, Jeep Compass, Volkswagen Tiguan, Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4xe and the Mazda CX-50. The Jeep Wrangler got the nod from most of the journalists, but for my money, the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek was the best of the group, and the most affordable at $26,145.
In addition to the Subaru Crosstrek, I also liked the Jeep Compass and Mazda CX-50, both starting under $30,000. In the highly competitive compact crossover market, value for the dollar is always a tight race. All of these small SUVs offer excellent off-road capability, nimble handling on the street, and a good set of tech and safety features at prices most buyers can afford.
Midsize SUVS
Among the popular midsize three-row SUVs, we compared the Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek Edition, Toyota Sequoia TRD Pro, Honda Pilot and Jeep Wagoneer.
I selected the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV (plug-in hybrid) because of its outstanding value, premium comfort, and good performance both on-road and off-road. With a starting price of $39,845, this is one of the most affordable plug-in hybrids on the market, and it offers a generous 38 miles of all-electric range. Moreover, Mitsubishi has raised its brand’s game when it comes to luxury and tech features.
My fellow journalists agreed with me about the Mitsubishi as the best of the breed, and together we chose the Toyota Sequoia as the runner-up. However, my vote for second place went to the Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek Edition. I selected the Pathfinder for its excellent on-road handling and premium interior appointments, and generally for its value at a starting price of $43,020. The Sequoia is a great SUV, but the TRD Pro trim starts at $76,065, which is dramatically more than the Nissan or Mitsubishi.
Luxury and Premium SUVS
There was also a luxury category, featuring the BMW X7, Lexus RX500h, Acura RDX, Genesis Electrified G70 and the Rolls-Royce Cullinan. The Rolls-Royce is exquisite, of course, with opulent luxury unlike anything else you can buy, but it also costs over $400,000.
Down in the realm of things you might actually be able to afford, I found the Genesis G70 all-electric SUV to be frankly amazing. It’s incredibly comfortable, fast, smooth, and you can buy it for about $67,550. I also want to give honorable mention to the Lexus RX 500h hybrid, which is also capable, comfortable, and affordable at $62,750.
The assembled journalists agreed about the impressive Genesis, awarding the title of Best Luxury SUV. The consensus second-place winner was the full-size Jeep Wagoneer, which was easily the biggest, longest vehicle in the category. Despite its size, the Wagoneer was just as capable as any other vehicle, and it handled all the obstacles with ease. At $61,995 starting price with 4WD, the Wagoneer is also a good value among premium SUVs.
Hybrids and Electrics
The journalists also looked at the vehicles that offered electrification of some sort, and those included the Jeep Wrangler 4xe and Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrids, Honda CR-V hybrid and Lexus RX500h hybrid, and the all-electric Genesis GV70. Here again, the Genesis was the universal favorite, but the Mitsubishi took second place with its 38-mile all-electric range and starting price under $40,000. However, I want to point out that there isn’t a weak performer among this group.
As the industry prepares to transition to electrified performance, we got a good look at the state of the art, from the go-anywhere capability of the Wrangler Rubicon 4xe to the most conventional Honda hybrid. It’s worth noting that the Wrangler won top honors as the best Extreme Off-Road Capability vehicle at the event.
Best Value SUV
The best value among all these SUVs and trucks was also easy for the group to identify. The Subaru Crosstrek Premium was the most affordable vehicle at the event, but it displayed above average performance off-road, while also being nimble, quick and fun to drive on-road.
The features and quality you get from Subaru made the Crosstrek the obvious choice for the best value award. Runner-up honors went to the Mitsubishi Outlander, because it offers PHEV efficiency and premium luxury at a better price than comparable midsize PHEV vehicles.
And the winner is…
After two full days of testing, the assembled experts named the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV as the overall winner of the competition, followed by the Genesis Electrified GV70.
“The victory might be a surprise for some, but not for those that tested the all-new Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid,” said NWAPA president Nik Miles. “It is well-equipped, extremely capable, and is loaded with features not seen on other plug-in hybrids.”
It makes sense that electrified SUVs are rising to the top of the list for value, luxury, and capability. Automakers have invested billions of dollars developing these vehicles, and they’ve listened to consumers about what’s important. If you’re shopping for a new SUV this year, look to the winners of the NWAPA competition for some of the top choices on the market today.