Everybody wants an SUV, and they come in all sizes, types, and capabilities. From small front-drive utility vehicles and performance-tuned models that are fun to drive on pavement, to rugged off-roaders and van-sized behemoths that can tow plenty of weight, there is an SUV for just about anybody.
But only the 10 SUVs on this list are top-rated for quality, according to consumers.
J.D. Power knows which SUVs offer the best quality because thousands of verified owners of new models tell the company what has gone right and what has gone wrong during their first 90 days of ownership. Responding to surveys, these consumers provide a wealth of detail that J.D. Power analyzes and presents in several benchmark automotive industry studies.
This list includes the top-rated 2020 SUVs for quality according to the consumers who own them. They’re presented in descending order by PP100 score, putting the highest-rated SUV for quality at the very last.
A midsize, 5-passenger crossover SUV, the 2020 Chevrolet Blazer is designed more for driving on the pavement than off of it. With Camaro-inspired design and a choice between three different engines and six different trim levels, there is a Blazer to fit various budgets and equipment preferences. Cargo space ranges from 30.5 cubic feet behind the rear seat to a maximum of 64.2 cubic feet.
The PP100 score for the 2020 Chevrolet Blazer is 138, in a tie with the Dodge Durango.
A senior citizen of the SUV segment, the 7-passenger midsize 2020 Dodge Durango is ripe for a redesign. In the meantime, this family-sized SUV comes with a standard V-6 and available V-8 engines, the latter providing up to an 8,700-pound maximum towing capacity in the SRT performance model. Rear-drive is also standard, with 4-wheel-drive an option, and the Durango carries 43.3 cubic feet of cargo behind the second-row seat. Maximum volume measures 84.5 cubic feet with both rear rows folded down.
The PP100 score for the 2020 Dodge Durango is 138, in a tie with the Chevrolet Blazer.
9. 2020 Kia Sorento – J.D. Power Award Winner in Initial Quality! - Find the best Kia deals!
A midsize 7-passenger crossover, the 2020 Kia Sorento is on the smaller side of the family-hauling SUV scale. But, it ranks high in terms of quality, so fold that cramped third-row seat down and forget about it. Cargo space measures 38 cubic feet behind the back seat and 73 cubic feet with it folded down. Five trim levels and three engines are available, and the Sorento is a Top Safety Pick according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
The PP100 score for the 2020 Kia Sorento is 136, and it receives an award for Initial Quality in the upper midsize SUV segment.
A compact crossover SUV with seating for five people, the 2020 Buick Envision brings upscale design and upscale materials at an upscale price. Available in five trim levels and with a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder or a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder, the Envision supplies 26.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the back seat and 57.3 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down.
The PP100 score for the 2020 Buick Envision is 134, in a tie with the Nissan Murano.
7. 2020 Nissan Murano – J.D. Power Award Winner in Initial Quality! - Find the best Nissan deals!
Loaded with style, the 2020 Nissan Murano uses a tried-and-true 260-hp 3.5-liter V-6 engine, a continuously variable transmission (CVT), and front-wheel or all-wheel drive. Four trim levels are available, the top Platinum model making the 5-passenger midsize SUV fairly luxurious. Cargo space measures 32.1 cubic feet behind the back seat and 67 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down.
The PP100 score for the 2020 Nissan Murano is 134, in a tie with the Buick Envision. The Murano receives an award for Initial Quality in the midsize SUV segment.
Equipped with plenty of room for five people plus 29.9 cubic feet of cargo room behind the back seat and 63.9 cubic feet with it folded flat, the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox is a practical compact crossover SUV. It comes in four different trim levels and a choice between a 170-hp turbocharged 1.5-liter 4-cylinder and a 252-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine. The Equinox is also an IIHS Top Safety Pick when it comes to crash protection.
The PP100 score for the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox is 133, in a tie with the Chevrolet Tahoe.
A redesigned 2021 Chevy Tahoe is coming soon, but in the meantime you can get the outgoing 2020 Chevrolet Tahoe confident in knowing it’s a high-quality full-size SUV. Providing seating for up to eight people, the Tahoe comes in three levels of trim and with a choice between a 5.3-liter V-8 and a 6.2-liter V-8 engine. Maximum towing capacity measures 8,600 lbs., and a Tahoe holds 51.7 cubic feet of cargo behind its second-row seats and as much as 94.7 cubic feet with all of the back seats folded down.
The PP100 score for the 2020 Chevrolet Tahoe is 133, in a tie with the Chevrolet Equinox.
A compact 5-passenger crossover SUV, the 2020 Kia Sportage is more sport than utility. That’s especially true when you upgrade from LX, S, or EX trim to the top-of-the-line SX Turbo. It swaps out the standard 181-hp 2.4-liter 4-cylinder for a rousing 240-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder. As for cargo space, the Sportage carries 30.7 cubic feet behind the rear seat and as much as 60.1 cubic feet with it folded down. The Sportage is also a Top Safety Pick, according to the IIHS.
The PP100 score for the 2020 Kia Sportage is 131.
3. 2020 Hyundai Tucson – J.D. Power Award Winner in Initial Quality! - Find the best Hyundai deals!
Equipped with a choice between a 161-hp 2.0-liter 4-cylinder and a 181-hp 2.4-liter 4-cylinder, a 2020 Hyundai Tucson isn’t going to win any stoplight drag races. But there’s no denying this is a high-quality choice in a 5-passenger compact crossover SUV. Plus, it’s an IIHS Top Safety Pick, it includes three years of free maintenance and connected services, and it holds 31 cubic feet of cargo behind the back seat and a maximum of 61.9 cubic feet with the back seat folded flat.
The PP100 score for the 2020 Hyundai Tucson is 127, and it receives an award for Initial Quality in the compact SUV segment.
2. 2020 Kia Soul – J.D. Power Award Winner in Initial Quality! - Find the best Kia deals!
Redesigned for 2020, the Kia Soul retains its extroverted personality and still isn’t available with AWD, but it comes in six different flavors and a spunky 147-hp 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine. For fun, you’ll want the GT-Line Turbo, which has a turbocharged 1.6-liter 4-cylinder spinning out 201 hp. According to Kia, cargo volume measures up to 24.2 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 62.1 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down, and the Soul is an IIHS Top Safety Pick.
The PP100 score for the 2020 Kia Soul is 125, and it receives an award for Initial Quality in the small SUV segment.
1. 2020 Nissan Armada – Highest SUV in Quality According to Consumers! - Find the best Nissan deals!
Among all of the mainstream-brand SUVs in the J.D. Power 2020 Initial Quality Study, the 2020 Nissan Armada supplies the highest level of quality according to consumers.
If the Armada looks familiar, it’s because Infiniti first offered this SUV as the QX80. In the Nissan you get the same 390-hp 5.6-liter V8 with rear-wheel or 4-wheel drive, and much of the same refinement in a less expensive package. Armadas offer seating for up to eight people, a tow rating of 8,500 lbs., and cargo volume measuring 49.9 cubic feet behind the second-row seats and 95.4 cubic feet with the second row folded down.
The PP100 score for the 2020 Nissan Armada is 115, and it receives an award for Initial Quality in the large SUV segment.
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