Mazda has slowly been revamping the design language of its SUV lineup for the past several years, and those changes have now reached the top of the ladder and its largest offering.

Their previous three-row SUV was the CX-9, but now it’s been replaced for the 2024 model year by a brand new entry called the CX-90 — a three-row SUV that seats 6 to 8 passengers depending on configuration, and comes standard with all-wheel drive.

Competing with category heavyweights such as the Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade and Toyota Grand Highlander, it’s got a tough array of opponents.

But for drivers who love to drive and want a ride that’s both family-friendly plus sporty and fun to drive, Mazda has long been a leader in this segment, and the CX-90 holds up tremendously well even in this tough atmosphere.

Mazda also has the benefit of offering some of the more luxurious vehicles you’ll find from a non-luxury brand.

I tested the 2024 Mazda CX-90 3.3 Turbo Premium Plus model, and I’m back with a full report on how this new offering measures up in the SUV landscape.

Competing successfully in the compact SUV segment is arguably one of the most difficult things to do in today’s automotive world.

With so many vehicles that sell in large volumes every year as this category continues to grow in popularity — including Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Chevy Equinox and Hyundai Tucson — it’s tough to break through.

One model that was successful at doing so, and continues to fight for the top spots on the sales charts every single year, is the Nissan Rogue. Last redesigned in 2021, and seeing only minor changes for the 2023 model, Nissan’s entry in this category has been a pleasant surprise for the automaker — in fact, the Rogue is the brand’s best-selling vehicle in its entire lineup.

I recently spent some time behind the wheel of the 2023 Nissan Rogue, and I’m back with a full report on how the latest version of the family-friendly Rogue measures up vs. stiff competition.

The interest in Hyundai’s SUVs has seen a resurgence in recent years due to some high-profile new models including the popular Palisade, but the brand’s SUV history started way back in 2001 with the introduction of the Santa Fe SUV.

Still around decades later, the Santa Fe is now considered the midsize SUV offering from Hyundai — slotting in between the smaller Tucson and the larger Palisade — and remains a stout competitor in a massive sea of crossovers that dwarves what was available two decades ago.

I recently spent some time beyond the wheel of a 2023 Santa Fe Calligraphy model, the final year of the current look before an anticipated 2024 redesign,  and I’m back with a full report on how this family 5-seater measures up in this busy SUV landscape.

As the number of SUVs continues to expand in a seemingly exponential manner, it’s sometimes difficult to classify where certain vehicles compete.

One vehicle battling in a unique area that fends off competitors on multiple sides is the 2023 Buick Enclave, one of the most intriguing three-row midsize SUV offerings from the U.S. Big Three automakers.

An upscale offering from GM, the Enclave is high-brow enough to battle with names such as Volvo and Acura, but it’s simultaneously fending off competitors from brands like Hyundai, Kia, Mazda and Ford, which are traditionally not viewed as luxury offerings.

It’s an introduction to the world of the more upscale SUV, without fully diving into the luxury lifestyle to keep pricing more realistic.

The 2023 Enclave sees little changes from the 2022 model, which underwent some major design and tech transformations that are carried over.

Buick’s goal with the Enclave is to deliver a strong overall vehicle — impressing through its design, tech, safety features and drive quality — that will pull potential buyers from either the lower-end or higher-end options into the seat of the Enclave.

With extensive cargo room, a smooth driving experience, and truly impressive technology offerings, it does that to a great extent.

Read on for a full breakdown on how the 2023 Enclave compares to its many competitors in this very popular vehicle segment.

BMW has a variety of popular models, but even for this sports-car focused brand, SUVs are increasingly stealing the spotlight.

Case in point: The BMW X3 — a compact luxury SUV offering — is now the brand’s best-selling model in the U.S. with over 75,000 vehicles sold in 2021.

That’s a tremendous success considering the strong competition in this sector from brands including Genesis, Benz, Audi, Cadillac, Lincoln and more.

I recently tested the 2022 BMW X3, which features design upgrades as well as tech improvements, and I’m back with a full report.

With SUVs now the dominant vehicle in the automotive landscape, and bigger is better being the motto for many buyers — especially those with larger families — it’s no surprise that 3-row SUVS that can seat larger numbers of people comfortably remain in high demand.

In this busy segment, each automaker has their own approach to reach their customer base. For Mazda, a small but formidable brand competing in the segment with their CX-9 model, the emphasis is no different than the rest of their lineup — power and drive quality.

Just like smaller Mazda rides, the level of get-up-and-go in the power plant here is more than you’ll find in most competitors. And that’s by design.

I recently spent some time in a 2022 Mazda CX-9, and I’m back with a full report on how it stacks up in a crowded SUV category loaded with very strong vehicle options.

Straddling the line between more modest SUVs and the luxury world, the Buick Envision finds itself in an interesting position in this vast SUV landscape.

For the 2021 model year, Buick has redesigned this midsize, five-passenger SUV, aiming at those who want something a bit fancier, but without going full luxury in terms of design and price tag — something between a Toyota RAV4 and a Audi Q5.

The Envision sits in the middle of the Buick SUV lineup, between the smaller Encore and larger Enclave. Among the highlights of the redesign are an improved infotainment system, a boost in the number of safety features included, and an updated engine.

I recently spent time in a 2021 Envision, and here is a full report.

The subcompact crossover market is quite saturated these days — which competitors including Honda’s HR-V, the Kia Seltos, Hyundai Venue, Mazda CX-30 and Jeep Renegade, among many others.

But Subaru, a brand that doesn’t top sales charts but has fiercely loyal followers, has perhaps the best offering in this segment — the Subaru Crosstrek, which gets a strong design upgrade, more powerful engine option and safety/tech upgrades for 2021. I recently spent some time behind the wheel of a 2021 Crosstrek Sport, and I’m back with a full report on a vehicle that spices up its segment.

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The exterior of the redesigned 2021 Crosstrek stands out from the competition, both in terms of its sleek look and unique colors offered. Subaru has never gone the way every other automaker has with its designs, and this is no exception.

The vehicle features a redesigned front fascia that includes a new bumper cover and grille, new wheel design, and new color options such as Plasma Yellow Pearl and Horizon Blue Pearl. I had a test vehicle with the yellow pearl color and it looked very sharp and unique on the roadways.

Despite a healthy lineup of SUVs already in their arsenal, including the tiny but lauded Hyundai Kona, Hyundai decided that another, even smaller, subcompact was needed.

Aimed at city dwellers who need a compact ride for small parking spaces and strong fuel mileage, but want more than a subcompact sedan, the Hyundai Venue debuted for the 2020 model year.

I recently spent some time driving a 2020 Venue, and here’s a full report on my experience and where this vehicle fits in the growing SUV/crossover landscape.

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Measuring several inches shorter than the already diminutive Kona, the Venue is not meant for people who regularly transport passengers who are not small children or tiny adults. It’s also not meant for road trips due to its lack of power and lack of storage space. It’s a commuter car through and through, so my advice is to use the rear seating as a storage area.

The exterior design of the Venue is one of the nicer-looking in the segment, combining the looks of a hatchback with crossover styling.

It seems to be raining new small SUVs over the past few years, with almost every automaker unveiling new vehicles to add to the already large mix of options available to consumers seeking an entry-level SUV.

Kia, which already has a healthy list of quality SUVs to offer, saw an opening in its lineup and decided to fill it, debuting the brand new 2021 Kia Seltos, a vehicle that slides in between the Soul and the Sportage in Kia's lineup. The subcompact SUV is slightly longer than the popular Soul offering, but not as large as the Kia Sportage.

Seltos takes on tough competition — including the Mazda CX-30, Chevy Trax, Nissan Kicks, and Hyundai Venue — but delivers the unique feature of available All-Wheel Drive, which much of the competition does not offer in this segment.

I recently spent a week driving a 2021 Kia Seltos, and I’m back with a full report on how it holds up in the segment.