The $38,000 Midsize SUV Challenge

Midsize SUVs are a family favorite. Along with USA Today and “MotorWeek,” we pulled together six of them for a thorough set of driving tests.

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Overview

We tested our six SUVs on the streets and highways of suburban (and rural) Chicago and northeastern Illinois. To make the cut, these SUVs had to cost less than $38,000.

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Family

The Brown family came with their admittedly dated family cars, and they were wowed by the evolution of technology, fuel economy and drastically improved interior quality.

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Mileage

We took these SUVs on a 200-plus-mile route of city driving, expressways and two-lane highways. See how they fared.

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Cargo

One of the best reasons to buy one of these SUVs is plenty of cargo space. See which ones were the roomiest.

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Photo Galleries

Results

See how these SUVs were ranked by our group of five experts and the family. Did your favorite score high or low?