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Published: Jan 25, 2024 6 min read
Illustration featuring a car for Best Cars & Trucks feature
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Full-size SUVs — three-row behemoths that rule the road — are popular with drivers hauling people, pets or large equipment.

Some models carry seven people, and some can haul eight. They’re adept at handling a variety of terrain and weather conditions, as well as family road trips. (Some can even tow a trailer or boat.) The downsides are that they can cost a lot to fuel up, be difficult to maneuver in tight spaces and feel lumbering on the highway.

We tested dozens of the latest models for performance, comfort, technology and everyday usability. One model in particular stood out from the pack in several categories. Below are our top choices, as well as their pros, cons and key specs.

(If you’re interested in a broader look at the new vehicle marketplace, check out our full list of the Best Cars & Trucks of 2024.)

Best Large SUVs of 2024

Best Overall: Kia Telluride
Best for Safety: Audi Q7
Best for Retained Value: Kia Telluride
Best Warranty: Kia Telluride
Best CPO: Chevrolet Suburban

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Reviews of Best Large SUVS

Best Overall: Kia Telluride

Courtesy of Kia
  • Price: $36,190
  • Mileage: 18/24 mpg
Pros
  • Low starting price
  • Lots of cargo space
  • Great warranty
Cons
  • Mediocre fuel economy

The Kia Telluride starts at $36,190, undercutting the MSRP on this list’s other models by thousands of dollars. Kia’s three-row SUV seats up to eight people, delivers a robust 291 horsepower via its V6 engine, and provides 21 cubic feet of cargo space behind its third row, which exceeds any model on this list besides the Chevrolet Suburban’s 41.5-cubic-foot cargo hold.

Even if you drive around town often, you won’t need to spend much time at the pump. The Telluride delivers 18 to 20 mpg in the city and 24 to 26 mpg on the highway, which is on par with vehicles of its size. The SUV is available in 10 different trims. We drove the highest-end SX Prestige X-Pro model, starting at $53,185, and found that it sipped gasoline relative to its size while delivering a smooth ride on paved suburban roads around Palm Beach, Florida.

Best for Safety: Audi Q7

Courtesy of Audi
  • Price: $59,500
  • Mileage: 18/22 mpg
Pros
  • True luxury SUV
  • Plenty of horsepower
Cons
  • Small cargo hold

The seven-passenger Audi Q7, the automaker’s largest model, merited a Top Safety Pick+ designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the agency’s top mark.

The Q7 received top ratings in all tests except for its headlight illumination, which received the IIHS’ second-highest rating. Starting at $59,500, the Q7 comes with a suite of standard safety equipment including automatic high-beam headlights, rear-cross traffic alert, forward automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and pedestrian detection, as well as features typical of the luxury segment, such as rain-sensing windshield wipers and a system that automatically tightens the seat belts and rolls up the windows if the SUV’s sensors detect an imminent collision.

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Best for Retained Value: Kia Telluride

  • Price: $35,990
  • Mileage: 18/24 mpg
Pros
  • Low starting price
  • Lots of cargo space
  • Great warranty
Cons
  • Mediocre fuel economy

A vehicle’s residual value is its total value at the end of its lease term, or the amount you'll pay if you want to buy the vehicle outright once the lease period ends. It’s also an important financial figure because your monthly payments include the cost of depreciation. Residual value is calculated based on several factors, including reliability, resale value, and current and projected economic conditions.

Large SUVs are notorious for losing their value quickly once you drive off the dealership lot, but JD Power has recognized the Kia Telluride for holding its value especially well over a three-year period.

Best Warranty: Kia Telluride

  • Price: $35,990
  • Mileage: 18/24 mpg
Pros
  • Low starting price
  • Lots of cargo space
  • Great warranty
Cons
  • Mediocre fuel economy

The Kia Telluride is the stalwart of the group. Drivers can rest assured that repair work will be covered for five years or 60,000 miles – whichever comes first – as well as a 10-year/ 100,000 mile powertrain warranty.

Buyers of the other large SUVs may have to pay more out of pocket for maintenance and repair work. The Toyota Highlander and Chevrolet Suburban are each covered by a three-year/36,000-mile limited warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. Meanwhile, the Infiniti QX80 comes with a slightly more comprehensive protection plan: a four-year / 60,000-mile limited warranty and six-year/70,000-mile powertrain warranty. The Audi Q7 provides a four-year/50,000-mile limited and powertrain warranty.

Best CPO: Chevrolet Suburban

Courtesy of Chevrolet
  • Price: $59,200
  • Mileage: 14/19 mpg
Pros
  • Large cargo hold
  • Choice of engines
Cons
  • Subpar fuel economy

For a vehicle to be eligible for Chevrolet’s certified pre-owned program, it must pass a 172-point inspection, be six years old or younger, and have driven fewer than 75,000 miles. The CPO program includes a six-year or 100,000-mile powertrain warranty based on the original service date, as well as one year or 12,000 miles of bumper-to-bumper coverage.

By comparison, Audi’s 125-point inspection CPO program applies to late-model vehicles five years old or less with fewer than 60,000 miles. You’ll get a two-year/50,000-mile comprehensive warranty and two years of roadside assistance, which is fairly standard among certified pre-owned vehicle programs.

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