Sport utility vehicles, or SUVs, are vehicles that have the rigid frame of a truck but offer enough interior room for multiple passengers and cargo. And they’re not just popular among retirees with grandchildren or people who like bulk shopping trips to stock up on items at Costco. SUV transactions were worth $528 billion worldwide in 2024, which is projected to exceed $876 billion by 2032, according to Stellar Market Research. And according to Car and Driver, SUVs and trucks were the top-selling vehicles in the United States in the first three quarters of 2025.
As a byproduct of their popularity, SUVs come in so many shapes and models of varying quality that it’s enough to put a car buyer in a fetal position of indecision, especially if you don’t want to end up with a popular but unreliable SUV. Fortunately, there is Kelley Blue Book, which has been a valuable resource for automobile buyers since 1926. In early 2025, Kelley Blue Book came out with its Best Buy awards, which included the Hyundai Kona, Honda CR-V, Kia Telluride, Ford Expedition, and Kia EV9. To give you the full picture, we’ve included analysis and reviews from other online car sources in the roundup below.
Read More: What You Shouldn’t Say When Buying a Car
2025 Hyundai Kona
White Hyundai Kona – Jonathan Weiss/Shutterstock
Rated as the best subcompact SUV, the Hyundai Kona is described by Kelley Blue Book as a roomy, comfortable, fuel-efficient vehicle that gets nearly 31 miles to the gallon. With a starting price of about $25,900, the Hyundai Kona can seat five people with more than 38 inches of leg room and carry 25.5 cubic feet of cargo, or a maximum of 63.7 cubic feet with the second-row seats folded. The vehicle is equipped with a 12.3-inch infotainment display and optional all-wheel drive. In addition, the 2025 Kona is equipped with standard safety features such as automatic emergency braking and collision warning with blind-spot monitoring.
Yet according to Edmunds, the 2025 Hyundai Kona’s acceleration capabilities are “weak,” while its suspension isn’t as great, making it a less-than-ideal vehicle for off-roading (the model still gets a 7.8 out of 10 rating). Consumer Reports, however, rated the 2025 Hyundai Kona’s overall reliability at 41 out of 100, average for that model year.
In terms of costs to fix and maintain, CarEdge estimates that the Hyundai Kona will cost $8,463 in its first ten years, which is $297 more than a non-luxury SUV. 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 the Wagoneer, a popular Jeep with terrible resale value.
2025 Honda CR-V
Honda CR-V – Didier Messens/Getty Images
Kelley Blue Book compared the 2025 Honda CR-V — winner of the Best Compact SUV category — for its quality, tech features, and the 76.5 cubic feet of cargo space it can provide once you fold the rear seats down. Despite being compact, the CR-V offers 41 inches of rear-seat legroom. And its hybrid versions can deliver up to 40 miles per gallon.
But where the CR-V really excels is in its resale value, which Kelley Blue Book reports can fetch thousands of dollars more than its rivals because of the Honda brand’s reputation for reliability. CarEdge agreed, keeping its depreciation at 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 & Driver called the 2025 model year a solid vehicle in high demand, and Edmunds gave it a 7.1 out of 10. However, this model was part of an order by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to recall Honda vehicles for possible fuel leaks and possibly a malfunction in the steering box.
2025 Kia Telluride
A black Kia Telluride prestige in Houston, Texas – Artistic Operations/Getty Images
Winner of Best Midsize SUV for the sixth year in a row, the 2025 Kia Telluride features a three-row configuration that seats eight, a Mercedes-Benz-quality dual-display infotainment touchscreen, 21 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, and two fold-down seats, for a total of 8-fold down. Kelly in Blue Book. Starting at around $37,800, this model also has automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring and a host of other safety features.
In terms of reliability, Consumer Reports gives it an average 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 & Driver said the Kia Telluride’s standard features approach luxury standards. As for its resale value, according to CarEdge, the Kia Telluride will depreciate 51% in its first five years, and will cost $8,730 to maintain and fix in its first 10 years, which is $564 more than typical SUVs.
2025 Ford Expedition
Gray 2025 Ford Expedition on display – Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images
The ’25 Ford Expedition won Kelley Blue Book’s Best Full-Size SUV award for its generous amount of cupholders and USB-C ports, the ability to tow trailers up to 9,600 pounds and various trims like the Expedition Tremor, which is great for transverse unpaved trims. 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 while parked. There is also a Bluetooth controller for people to play online games. The second row has tablet holders behind the front seat headrests, and there’s a 13.2-inch infotainment touchscreen for navigation and climate control. The vehicle also features 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, the 2025 Ford Expedition is less reliable than the average car, with a reliability rating of 30 out of 100, according to Consumer Reports. It also costs $10,226 to maintain a Ford Expedition model over the first ten years of ownership, which is $2,060 more than other popular SUV models. Ford Expeditions also depreciated 59% over five years, ranking 164 out of 185 models analyzed for resale value by CarEdge.
2025 is EV9
A Kia EV9 on display – Sjoerd Van Der Wal/Getty Images
Large enough to seat seven, the Kia EV9 won Kelley Blue Book’s Best Buy spot for 3-row EVs. An electric midsize SUV with prices starting at $56,395, the Kia EV9 seats seven people comfortably, has a maximum range of 304 miles, and can achieve a range of 150 miles after just 15 minutes of charging.
Edmunds gave the model an 8.2 out of 10, but Consumer Reports rates the 2025 Kia EV9 as less reliable than other cars from the same model year. There were also three recalls ordered by NHTSA because a poorly welded gear shift caused the vehicle to lose power (342 vehicles for the year 2025); possible missing bolts in second and third row seats (22,883 vehicles for 2024 and 2025); and a failed instrument panel screen for speed and other information (14,163 vehicles for years 2024 and 2025).
But if those issues are addressed for free by dealerships, as expected, the Kia EV9 is estimated to cost $5,237 to maintain and fix over 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.
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