Tyler Duffy
The crossover is the result of a simple formula. Use a unibody car platform, to keep the vehicle light and relatively well-handling compared to a Jeep Wrangler, but add of the ride height and off-road capability people like from conventional SUVs. Boom — sales success.
The fad started late in the 20th Century with early progenitors like the Jeep Cherokee XJ and Subaru Outback, and it swiftly became a phenomenon, subsuming much of the rest of the car market. Crossovers made up nearly 48 percent of vehicle sales in 2023; 14 of the top 20 bestselling non-trucks in America in 2023 were crossovers. Want more proof of the category’s dominance? Here in 2024, the Ford Motor Company — maker of iconic cars like the Taurus, the Focus, the Lincoln Town Car, the Gran Torino, and so many more — only sells a single non-crossover, non-SUV and non-truck vehicle in the U.S. — the Mustang.
And because crossovers are both what people want and what the market is selling, when we provide our best car buying advice in real life … it’s often best crossover-buying advice. To simplify matters, we’ve pulled together this list of the best crossovers you can buy in 2024.
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- Powertrain: 2.0-liter flat-four / 2.5-liter flat-four
- Horsepower: 152 / 182
- Torque: 145 lb-ft / 178 lb-ft
- EPA Fuel Economy: 27 mpg city, 34 mpg highway / 26 mpg city, 33 mpg highway
- Seats: 5
- Starting MSRP: $25,195
Why We Like It: Capable off-road, especially with Wilderness package. Tremendous utility for a range of buyers. Affordable price point.
What to Watch Out For: Engine can feel anemic. No more manual.
- Powertrain: Turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-four / 2.0-liter inline-four hybrid
- Horsepower: 190 / 204
- Torque: 179 lb-ft / 247 lb-ft
- EPA Fuel Economy: 34 mpg city, 40 mpg highway
- Seats: 5
- Starting MSRP: $29,500
Why We Like It: Well-tuned if not sporty driving experience. Spacious. Excellent hybrid powertrain. Fully-loaded model is still relatively affordable at $40,000.
What to Watch Out For: Had trouble matching EPA gas mileage in real-world driving with hybrid.
- Powertrain: 3.6-liter V6 / turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four plug-in hybrid
- Horsepower: 290 / 375
- Torque: 257 lb-ft / 470 lb-ft
- EPA Fuel Economy: Up to 56 MPGe
- Seats: 5–7
- Starting MSRP: $40,035
Why We Like It: Legit off-roader with up to 11.3 in of ground clearance in Trailhawk spec. Summit Reserve trim has one of the nicest interiors in a vehicle. Available 4xe PHEV powertrain.
What to Watch Out For: Powertrains aren’t super-refined. They should be, for the amount it costs.
- Powertrain: Turbocharged 2.4-liter inline-four / 2.5-liter inline-four hybrid / turbocharged 2.4-liter inline-four hybrid
- Horsepower: 265 / 245 / 362
- Torque: 310 lb-ft / 175 lb-ft / 400 lb-ft
- EPA Fuel Economy: Up to 37 mpg city, 34 mpg highway
- Seats: up to 8
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Starting MSRP: $43,030
Why We Like It: Two compelling hybrid powertrain options (can be nearly twice as efficient as a Telluride) paired with a solid gas engine. Comfortable but controlled ride. Flexible family space with a legitimate third row. All the cupholders and USB ports you could need.
What to Watch Out For: Not exceptionally sporty. Not exceptionally sexy.
- Powertrains: Turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-four / twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6
- Horsepower: 300 / 375
- Torque: 311 lb-ft / 391 lb-ft
- EPA Fuel Economy: Up to 22 mpg city, 28 mpg highway
- Seats: 5
- Starting MSRP: $45,150
Why We Like It: Great balance and handling on road. Ample power, even from the base four-cylinder powertrain. More high-end feeling interior than rivals. Still relatively affordable.
What to Watch Out For: Second-row seating can be a tight fit for adults.
- Powertrains: Turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-four / Twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6
- Horsepower: 300 / 375
- Torque: 311 lb-ft / 391 lb-ft
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EPA Fuel Economy: Up to 21 mpg city, 25 mpg highway
- Seats: 5/7
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Starting MSRP: $57,700
Why We Like It: Smooth, quiet ride with ample power from both engines. Luxurious interior. Stately, Bentley-like exterior — for about one third of the price.
What to Watch Out For: Fuel economy isn’t spectacular and there’s no hybrid option.
- Powertrains: Turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six / twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8
- Horsepower: 375 / 523
- Torque: 398 / 553
- EPA Gas Mileage: Up to 21 mpg city, 25 mpg highway
- Seats: Up to 7
- Starting MSRP: $81,900
Why We Like It: Plenty of power from the base inline-six. Premium-feeling interior despite being leather-free. More aggressive styling post-facelift.
What to Watch Out For: Not a lot of cargo space compared to full-size, body-on-frame alternatives like the Cadillac Escalade.
- Powertrains: Single-motor RWD / Dual-motor AWD
- Horsepower: 225 / 320
- Torque: 258 lb-ft / 446 lb-ft
- EPA Range: Up to 303 miles
- Seats: 5
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Starting MSRP: $41,650
Why We Like It: Surprisingly smooth and comfortable ride. Distinctive style. Futuristic-feeling but still usable and reasonably spacious interior. True fast charging.
What to Watch Out For: Not quite as sportily tuned as the Kia EV6.
- Powertrain: Dual-motor AWD
- Horsepower: 516 / 610
- Torque: 564 lb-ft / 749 lb-ft
- EPA Range: Up to 324 miles
- Seats: 5
- Starting MSRP: $87,100
Why We Like It: Looks like a conventional BMW (in a good way). Impressive driving dynamics and quickness. More than 300 miles of range.
What to Watch Out For: Some interior materials don’t quite match the price tag.
- Powertrain: Turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-four hybrid
- Horsepower: 226
- Torque: 258 lb-ft
- EPA Gas Mileage: 38 mpg city, 38 mpg highway
- Seats: 5
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Starting MSRP: $32,325
Why We Like It: Surprisingly sporty driving dynamics. Excellent fuel economy. Cargo space of 38.7 cubic feet puts some larger SUVs to shame.
What to Watch Out For: Haptic buttons can be annoying to use.
- Powertrain: Turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six PHEV
- Horsepower: 483
- Torque: 516 lb-ft
- EV Range: 39 miles
- Seats: 5
- Starting MSRP: $72,500
Why We Like It: Consistent throttle feel and response between gas, hybrid and electric modes. Quicker and sportier than you’d anticipate. 40-plus-mile range estimates on a full charge.
What to Watch Out For: Cabin space smaller than you’d anticipate. Can take a long time to charge.
- Powertrains: Turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 / turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 hybrid / twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 / twin-turbo V8 hybrid
- Horsepower: 348 / 468 / 463 / 512 / 591
- Torque: 368 lb-ft / 442 lb-ft / 479 lb-ft / 553 lb-ft / 590 lb-ft
- EPA Gas Mileage: Up to 17 mpg city, 23 mpg highway
- Seats: 5
- Starting MSRP: $79,200
Why We Like It: Successfully brings Porsche driving dynamics to the SUV realm. Torquey and potent V8 is still available. Updated interior for 2024
What to Watch Out For: Porsche option tree can get pricey. Coupe body style remains a little funky.
- Powertrain: Turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-four
- Horsepower: 250
- Torque: 320 lb-ft
- EPA Gas Mileage: 22 mpg city, 30 mpg highway
- Seats: 5
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Starting MSRP: $32,790
Why We Like It: Adds the oomph the standard CX-30 lacks. Excellent steering and handling. Luxurious-feeling interior at a non-luxury budget.
What to Watch Out For: Cabin can get tight with car seats. Not quite as sporty as it sounds on paper.
- Powertrains: Turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six hybrid / twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8
- Horsepower: 455 / 542
- Torque: 516 lb-ft / 568 lb-ft
- EPA Gas Mileage: Up to 47 MPGe
- Seats: 4
- Starting MSRP: $229,625
Why We Like It: Smooth powerful and comfortable ride. Supremely comfortable temperature and posture monitoring “airline seats” (that may have a positive connotation if you’re in the Bentley price range). Ton of leg room. Doesn’t look too much like a stretched SUV.
What to Watch For: Options can get pricey. So is keeping a chauffeur on retainer.
- Powertrain: 3.5-liter V6
- Horsepower: 285
- Torque: 262 lb-ft
- EPA Fuel Economy: 18 mpg city, 23 mpg highway
- Seats: 7
- Starting MSRP: $48,800
Why We Like It: Impressively capable off-road with legit steel skid plates. Comfortable ride on-road. Spacious interior. Excellent torque-vectoring AWD system.
What to Watch For: Underwhelming V6 and poor fuel economy with just 18 mpg in city driving.
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