Kelley Blue Book Says These 5 SUVs Are Some Of The Best Cars You Can Buy

Sport utility vehicles, or SUVs, are vehicles that have the tough frame of a truck but provide enough interior room for multiple passengers and cargo. And they aren't just popular among retirees with grandchildren or people fond of bulk shopping trips to stock up on items at Costco. There were $528 billion worth of SUV transactions in 2024 across the globe, a figure that is expected to swell to just over $876 billion by 2032, per Stellar Market Research. And SUVs and trucks were the best selling vehicles of the first three quarters of 2025 in the United States, according to Car and Driver.

As a byproduct of their popularity, SUVs come in so many forms and models of varying quality that it is enough to put a car shopper into a fetal position of indecision, especially if you don't want to end up with a popular yet unreliable SUV. Fortunately, there's Kelley Blue Book, which has been a valuable source for automobile buyers since 1926. In early 2025, Kelley Blue Book came out with its Best Buy awards, which included Hyundai Kona, Honda CR-V, Kia Telluride, Ford Expedition, and Kia EV9. To give you a complete picture, we've included analyses and reviews from other online car sources in the roundup below.

Rated as the best subcompact SUV, the Hyundai Kona is described by Kelley Blue Book as a roomy, comfortable, fuel-efficient vehicle that can get about 31 miles for the gallon. With a starting price of about $25,900, Hyundai Kona can seat five people with just over 38 inches of leg room and can carry 25.5 cubic feet of cargo, or a maximum of 63.7 cubic feet when the second-row seats are folded down. The vehicle comes equipped with a 12.3-inch infotainment display and an optional all-wheel drive. Plus, the 2025 Kona is equipped with standard safety features such as collision warning with automatic emergency braking and blind-spot monitoring.

Yet according to Edmunds, the 2025 Hyundai Kona's acceleration abilities are "underwhelming," while its suspension is not all that great, making it a less-than-ideal vehicle for off-roading (the model still got a 7.8 out of 10 rating). Consumer Reports, though, rated the 2025 Hyundai Kona overall reliability at 41 out of 100, about average for that model year.

In terms of costs to fix and maintain, CarEdge estimated that a Hyundai Kona will cost $8,463 over its first ten years, which is $297 more than non-luxury SUVs. As for how quickly this car can depreciate, CarEdge says it will lose 42% of its value after five years. That's better than the 53% depreciation of a Wagoneer, a popular Jeep with terrible resale value.

Kelley Blue Book compared the 2025 Honda CR-V — the winner of the best compact SUV category — to the brightest start in the sky for its quality, tech features, and the 76.5 cubic feet of cargo space it can provide once you fold down the rear seats. Though compact, the CR-V provides 41 inches of legroom for its rear seats along with reclining backs. And its hybrid versions can give up to 40 miles per gallon.

But where the CR-V truly excels is in its resale value, which Kelley Blue Book reports can fetch thousands of dollars more than its competitors due to the Honda brand's reputation for reliability. CarEdge agreed, putting its depreciation at just 29% over its first five years.

With a starting price of $31,495, the Honda CR-V costs $7,696 to fix and maintain in its first ten years of service, which is $530 less than the average for other popular SUV models. Also: Car and Driver called the 2025 model year a solid vehicle that's high in demand, and Edmunds gave it a 7.1 out of 10. However, this model was part of a recall ordered on Honda vehicles by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for potential fuel leaks and possibly incorrectly manufactured bad steering gearboxes.

The winner of the best midsize SUV for the sixth year in a row, the 2025 Kia Telluride has a three-row configuration that can seat eight, a Mercedez-Benz-quality dual-display infotainment touchscreen, 21 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, and a total of 87 cubic feet with the two rear rows folded down, according to Kelley Blue Book. The model, which starts at about $37,800, also comes with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and a host of other safety features.

In terms of reliability, Consumer Reports gives it an average with a score of 60 out of 100, although the vehicle also scored 72 out of 100 for owner satisfaction. Edmunds gives it a 7.1 out of 10 rating, while Car and Driver stated that Kia Telluride's standard features approach luxury standards. As for its resale value, the Kia Telluride will depreciate 51% in its first five years, according to CarEdge, and will cost $8,730 to maintain and fix in its first 10 years, which is $564 more than typical SUVs.

The '25 Ford Expedition took Kelley Blue Book's best full-size SUV award for its three-row spacious interior with plentiful cupholders and USB-C ports, ability to tow trailers up to 9,600 pounds, and a variety of trims, like the Expedition Tremor, that are great for transverse unpaved trails. With a starting price of $64,515, it has a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot that allows people to stream music and audiobooks as well as videos when parked. There is even a Bluetooth controller for people to play online games. The second row has tablet holders on the back of the front seat headrests, and there is a 13.2-inch infotainment touchscreen for navigation and climate control. The vehicle also comes with a safety package that includes a 360-degree camera, emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and blind-spot and lane-keeping assist functions.

On the downside, according to Consumer Reports, the 2025 Ford Expedition is less reliable than the average car, with a reliability rating of 30 out of 100. It also costs $10,226 to maintain a Ford Expedition model in its first ten years of ownership, which is $2,060 more than other popular SUV models, per CarEdge. Ford Expeditions also depreciate 59% in five years, with a ranking of 164 out of 185 models analyzed by CarEdge for resale value.

Large enough to seat seven people, the Kia EV9 won Kelley Blue Book's Best Buy spot for 3-row EVs. An electric midsized SUV with prices that start at $56,395, the Kia EV9 can seat seven people comfortably, has a maximum range of 304 miles, and can get 150 miles worth of range after charging for only 15 minutes. 

Edmunds gave the model 8.2 out of 10, but Consumer Reports deemed the 2025 Kia EV9 less reliable than other cars of the same model year. There were also three recalls ordered by NHTSA because of a badly welded gear shift that causes the vehicle to lose power (342 vehicles for year 2025); possible missing bolts in the second and third row seats (22,883 vehicles for years 2024 and 2025); and a failing instrument panel screen for speed and other info (14,163 vehicles for years 2024 and 2025).

But if those issues are addressed by dealerships free of charge, as expected, the Kia EV9 is projected to cost $5,237 to maintain and fix in its first 10 years, which is $2,929 better than the average SUV, per CarEdge. However, in five years it will lose 52% of its value.