MAY 2020 MOTORTREND.COM 31Kia Telluride Mazda CX-9 Subaru Ascent Toyota Highlander Volkswagen Atlas
2.5 sec 2.4 sec 2.9 sec 2.5 sec 2.7 sec
3.9 3.6 4.0 4.0 4.0
5.2 5.1 5.5 5.4 5.6- 2 7. 1 7. 3 7. 2 7. 8
9.3 9.3 9.6 9.6 10.1
11.5 12.3 12.4 12.1 12.9
14.5 15.6 16.1 14.9 16.5
17.7 19.7 20.4 19.1 —
3.7 3.8 3.7 3.7 4.1
15.4 sec @ 92.9 mph 15.5 sec @ 89.7 mph 15.8 sec @ 89.2 mph 15.6 sec @ 91.5 mph 15.9 sec @ 88.3 mph
118 ft 121 ft 118 ft 116 ft 121 ft
0.80 g (avg) 0.85 g (avg) 0.80 g (avg) 0.82 g (avg) 0.84 g (avg)
27.3 sec @ 0.63 g (avg) 27.1 sec @ 0.64 g (avg) 27.4 sec @ 0.63 g (avg) 27.4 sec @ 0.63 g (avg) 27.1 sec @ 0.62 g (avg)
1,600 rpm 1,900 rpm 1,500 rpm 1,400 rpm 1,800 rpm
COVER STORY
EVEN MORE THAN DRIVING DYNAMICS,
BUYERS OF BIG SUVS WANT CONVENIENCE AND
SPACE. BUT THEY DON'T WANT A CRUDE BOX.Ascent Touring we tested came with
handy interior features and camel-colored
leather seats. For $47,017 as equipped, the
Ascent carries strong value.
The Mazda CX-9 was launched back
in 2016, but its design continues to be
among the freshest in the segment. The
CX-9 has been known as the driver’s SUV;
it has impressed us with its handling and
maneuverability. Our Signature-trim
tester had nice materials and was decently
equipped, but its $47,715 price tag seemed
a bit too high for what you get. Its cabin
feels narrower than the others, and its
technology is aging.
The Honda Pilot is the longest-tenured
SUV in this group. Our Black Edition
was the only Pilot available ( but at least
Honda provided one; Nissan declined our
request for a final-year Pathfinder). Our
Pilot arrived with a price of $50,740, the
highest in this test, but its design package
makes it a strong value that has aged well.
The Volkswagen Atlas is the only
European player in the segment, and
it has a distinct personality. With
20-inch wheels, a second-row bench
seat (captain’s chairs are optional), and
heated front seats, the $49,390 Atlas SEL
feels pricey when you compare it to the
Koreans. But it’s enormous inside.
Based on a new rear-drive unibody
platform, the Ford Explorer has been
re-engineered from the ground up for the
2020 year-model. The platform is a first
for the Explorer, and Ford updated the
new generation with an angular design
and a more spacious cabin. Our XLT
tester arrived with a price of $47,715 and a
surprisingly short list of amenities.Completing the field is the Chevrolet
Traverse, the biggest three-row SUV in
the segment. With gobs of cargo room
and ample passenger space, the Traverse
has been a popular model for Chevy. Our
$47,990 Traverse Premier arrived with an
easy-to-use 8.0-inch infotainment screen
and a video rearview mirror, which can
project a camera view onto the mirror in
case passengers or cargo block your view.Even more than driving dynamics,
buyers of big SUVs want convenience and
space. But they also don’t want a crude
box. Every day, you run errands, pick
the kids up from school, and commute
to work. That’s a lot of time inside your
vehicle. And when you’re spending nearly
$50,000 for an SUV, you want it to look
and feel plush, spacious, and comfortable.
The Kia Telluride was the SUV with
by far the most sumptuous interior.
The quilted leather, spacious second
row, and 10.25-inch touchscreen are all
traits of today’s luxury-brand SUVs, but
this one comes at a mainstream price.
The Telluride also shines by virtue of its
multiple smartly positioned USB ports in
the first, second, and third rows. “Getting
into the Telluride after the Highlander
was like being upgraded to business class
on a long flight,” features editor Christian
Seabaugh said.
The price difference between the two
is more than $5,000, but the upgrades go
even beyond that. “All the buttons, knobs,
and switches in the Telluride have the
extra-premium feel you would expect
from a higher-end brand,” editor-in-chief
Mark Rechtin said.
In contrast, the Highlander’s driver
position is so far inboard that the driver’s
elbow won’t rest comfortably on the
door-mounted armrest. Although it’s
the newest entrant in the segment, we