10 Best First SUVs to Buy

Mazda CX-3 ・ Photo by Mazda

If you’ve never owned an SUV, it’s likely that you’ve considered buying one. Well, it’s a great time to buy your first SUV. With the rise of the compact crossover SUV, the range of sport utility vehicles available right now is greater than ever, and getting the capability of an SUV comes with fewer downsides than ever before.

We’re in the middle of another SUV boom. The first one started with the 1991 Ford Explorer, breeding a taste for big SUVs that only died down when fuel prices spiked. Currently, unibody crossover SUVs are popping up all over, from subcompacts to large luxury models.

We’ve identified 10 Best First SUVs to Buy, divided into five categories for your convenience.

Luxury Crossover SUV: 2017 Jaguar F-Pace

If you’re a luxury sedan owner and you’ve been waiting for a reason to buy your first SUV, Jaguar has the answer for you: the 2017 Jaguar F-PACE. Borrowing technology from sister company Land Rover, Jaguar has produced a vehicle that retains the sporting character of a performance sedan with the capability of an all-terrain vehicle. Aluminum construction keeps the weight down, and luxury appointments coddle the driver, passenger and three full-sized adults in the second row, with 33.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the back seat and 5,290 lbs of towing capability. If luxury is about having it all in one package, the F-Pace is luxury defined and makes a great first time SUV.

Photo by Jaguar Land Rover

Luxury Crossover SUV: 2017 Maserati Levante

In a year when Bentley and Rolls-Royce have debuted new SUVs, the 2017 Maserati Levante stands out for its unique Italian character. Performance gets enhanced by a turbo V6 engine and all-wheel drive. Where the Levante makes its mark is in its styling. A large grille with the Maserati trident emblem announces the Levante’s arrival, and a gorgeous body with Maserati trademark features follows. The reason that the Levante makes a great first Luxury SUV is the surprisingly low $72,000 starting price for the base model (345 hp) and S-model ($83,000). At those prices, you can afford to enter the SUV market, and you’ll have the only Levante on your block – without taking out a second mortgage to afford it.

Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

Subcompact Crossover SUV: 2017 Mazda CX-3

One thing that sedan and coupe drivers complain about with SUVs is size. That complaint has been addressed with subcompact crossovers like the 2017 Mazda CX-3. Based on the same platform as the Mazda2, the CX-3 brings desirable SUV aspects like a higher seating position and increased cargo space to a package that is small, maneuverable and fun to drive. If you’ve avoided SUVs before because you considered them cumbersome or intimidating, this may be a great first SUV for you. Not only is the CX-3 fuel-efficient and space-efficient, but it is also attractively styled and has a good range of available technology features. Starting at just $19,960, CX-3 is an easy way to get started in your first SUV.

Photo by Mazda

Subcompact Crossover SUV: 2016 Honda HR-V

If anyone has a complaint about the Honda CR-V, America’s best-selling SUV, it might be size. Even though it is compact, many buyers want a smaller vehicle. Based on the popular Honda Fit platform, the 2016 Honda HR-V isn’t just a smaller CR-V, it’s a stylish take on the subcompact crossover with its own unique character. With faux-coupe styling, it looks even smaller than it is, but still delivers the cargo capacity (58.8 cubic feet), higher seating position for five and the presence that defines a crossover vehicle. Fuel efficiency is outstanding at 28 MPG city/35 MPG highway. Starting at just $19,214, HR-V represents a great point of entry to the world of SUVs.

Photo by Honda

Minivan Replacement SUV: 2016 Ford Flex

Don’t call it a station wagon. It’s a crossover vehicle. The 2016 Ford Flex has an amazingly roomy interior with three rows of comfortable seating and great cargo space, like a minivan. It even has 20 cubic feet of space behind the third row. Fold the second and third rows flat, and you can haul up to 83.2 cubic feet of junk in your Flex. But it doesn’t look like a minivan – it looks like the cool descendant of a woodie wagon from the 1950s. Order up a Limited trim level Flex with the potent 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine, and you’ve got a rousing ride. Strap a couple of surfboards to the roof, and forget all about the minivan curse forever.

Photo by Ford

Minivan Replacement SUV: 2016 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

Owners love minivans for their utility. They’ll brag about how easy it is to get kids in and out, how they can be entertained with rear-seat video systems, and how much cargo they can haul. But they don’t brag about style, and they wish there were more hybrid powertrains available. Well, the 2016 Toyota Highlander Hybrid matches the minivan for ease of entry and exit, can be equipped with a factory rear-seat entertainment system and hauls cargo – and butt, thanks to a 3.6-liter V6 gasoline engine supplemented by an electric motor. Highlander’s muscular style even hints at a wild streak – something a minivan can never do.

Off-Road SUV: 2017 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited

Close your eyes, and imagine an off-road SUV. You’re probably seeing a Jeep Wrangler, the only off-roader truly worthy of being called “iconic.” Living with a Wrangler as a first SUV could be difficult, as the compromises of the compact vehicle can be tough: Two doors, short wheelbase, twitchy handling and limited cargo capacity. The Wrangler Unlimited solves all that with a longer wheelbase, four doors and more space. The Unlimited handles well on-road, but still has the chops to conquer off-road situations. For your first SUV, the Wrangler Unlimited can fulfil many of your fantasies without introducing harsh realities. If the off-road bug takes hold, you can always add a 2-door Wrangler to your fleet.

Photo by Jeep

Off-Road SUV: 2016 Land Rover Range Rover

In many parts of the world, the Range Rover is the executive conveyance of choice. Instead of choosing a limousine, many execs prefer the presence and authority of a full-size SUV. On the weekends, a Range Rover can be a go-anywhere off-road vehicle. It comes with rock-crawling ground clearance and sophisticated Terrain Response software that allows drivers to go places they’d never dream of going in a sedan. Supreme luxury and style inside and out elevate the experience, and available diesel power or supercharged gasoline engines make the Range Rover into a road rocket. If you’re looking for your first SUV, why not start at the top?

Photo by Land Rover

New Driver Crossover SUV: 2016 Nissan Rogue

When you’re considering a first SUV for a new driver, balance is the key. You don’t want to put them in a car that’s too sporty, nor do you want to trust them with an SUV that’s too large. The compact 2017 Nissan Rogue hits the mark as “just right” – it’s the right size, with sufficient passenger and cargo space and the taller driving position that makes an SUV special, and it is a pleasure to drive with adequate power and sharp handling. The entry-level 2016 Nissan Rogue S starts at just $23,330 (2017 pricing has not yet been announced), a very reasonable price for a capable, roomy, sophisticated crossover SUV that’s perfect for a new driver.

Photo by Nissan

New Driver Crossover SUV: 2017 Kia Sportage

A tech-savvy new driver will find the 2017 Kia Sportage attractive and fascinating. With an entirely new design for 2017, Sportage comes with a remarkable range of standard and available features. You’ll feel more confident putting your new driver behind the wheel knowing that Sportage has vehicle stability management, electronic stability control, traction control system and other standard safety systems, and you can add available autonomous emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning, rear cross traffic alert and parking sensors. New drivers will appreciate the available voice-command navigation system with 8" color touch-screen display, SiriusXM Traffic and HD Radio and the UVO system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Photo by Kia