Every New Full-Size SUV You Can Buy Ranked from Worst to Best
- 1/11
Full-size SUVs, like the proverbial cockroach, just refuse to die. They've survived fuel crises, hybrids, and more. Lately, low fuel prices have only solidified their dogged longevity. Unlike many smaller, lighter three-row crossovers, these behemoths can haul people, cargo, and tow serious trailers. The larger members of the class also do a better job than smaller crossovers swallowing people and their cargo at the same time. Here, we've ranked the SUVs in this carrier class from worst to best.
Car and Driver - 2/11
10. Toyota Sequoia
Checking all of the right boxes for this segment-size, seating for eight, and a standard 7400-pound tow rating-the Toyota Sequoia nonetheless finds itself at the back of the pack. Age is a factor, with the Sequoia having gone about a decade since its last major overhaul. Lately, Toyota has added standard active-safety features such as lane-departure warning and adaptive cruise control, but other aspects remain ancient, including its 381-hp 5.7-liter V-8 and six-speed automatic transmission.
Toyota - 3/11
9. Cadillac Escalade / Escalade ESV
Welcome to this list the first of three General Motors–produced full-size SUV duos, the Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV. The former is the short-wheelbase model, while the latter has a longer wheelbase and way more (25 cubic feet more!) cargo space behind its third-row seat. Beneath the Escalades' considerable bling are structural and mechanical bits shared with the GMC Yukon and Yukon XL, as well as the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban. A 420-hp V-8 and a 10-speed automatic transmission is standard; all-wheel drive is optional. Pricing is astronomical, even though the build quality is merely so-so and the truck drives like, well, a truck, with a rough ride and reluctant handling. Seeing as how you can buy essentially the same vehicles for less from other a GMC or Chevy dealership, the Cadillac's value play is woeful, placing it behind those siblings in our rankings.
Chris Doane Automotive - Car and Driver - 4/11
8. Infiniti QX80
Priced lower than many key competitors, including the stubbier of the two Cadillac Escalades, the GMC Yukon Denali, and Lincoln Navigator, Infiniti's QX80 ranks as almost a deal. Still, the QX80 costs more than the Nissan Armada on which it is based; though it is more stylish and luxuriously appointed, one can equip the Nissan with pretty much the same features for less money. Should the Infiniti's slicker looks get you, however, there is plenty to like, including the muscular-sounding 400-hp V-8 and smooth ride (just stay away from the available 22-inch wheels). Sticking points include the outdated infotainment system, poor fuel economy, and lack of cargo space behind the third-row seats.
Chris Doane Automotive - Car and Driver - 5/11
7. Nissan Armada
Did the Infiniti QX80 listed before this Nissan catch your eye? Would you like to pay less for what is essentially the same vehicle? The Armada is for you. It is mechanically identical to the pricier QX80 and even offers nearly the same optional equipment, so you can equip the Nissan to, essentially, the same level as the Infiniti at a notable savings. Only the badging and some interior details will differ; oh, and the Armada's V-8 engine produces 10 fewer horsepower than the QX80's, for a still-impressive 390 ponies (and an 8500-pound towing capacity).
Chris Amos - Car and Driver - 6/11
6. Ford Expedition / Expedition Max
Ford's Expedition (and its longer sibling, the Expedition Max) suffer one glaring flaw: They can be priced into some heady territory, yet don't feel as if they're worth that much. The top-spec Platinum trim, for example, can be optioned beyond $80,000, yet its interior is littered with cheap, ill-fitting materials. There is goodness to be found in the 375- and 400-hp twin-turbocharged V-6 engine options, the roomy third-row seat, and one of the segment's few independently suspended rear axles. For similar money, one can buy the much nicer Lincoln Navigator, which is based on this Ford, or our pick for the segment, the Mercedes-Benz GLS-class.
James Lipman - Car and Driver - 7/11
5. Chevrolet Tahoe
Unlike GM's other full-size SUVs, the GMC Yukon and the Cadillac Escalade, the Tahoe and larger Suburban twins don't share a name. (The longer-wheelbase Yukon is dubbed "Yukon XL," while the longer Escalade is named "ESV.") So what places the Tahoe behind the Yukon siblings and the Suburban in our rankings? Simple: It's only represented in short-wheelbase guise. Like the stubbier Yukon and Escalade models, the Tahoe's third-row seat is cramped, and there is comically little cargo space behind those third-row seats. The GMC Yukons are ranked higher thanks to the availability of the more spacious Yukon XL (and the Suburban is ranked higher still, benefitting from its low price and sole availability in long-wheelbase form). At least the Tahoe is the cheapest of GM's full-sizers. A 355-hp V-8 is standard, and a 420-hp V-8 is optional.
Chevrolet - 8/11
4. GMC Yukon / Yukon XL
Marginally pricier than the Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC's Yukon is elevated above its bow-tie-badged sibling by way of the longer-wheelbase Yukon XL. The pricing can get high, especially for the luxurious, Cadillac-challenging Denali trim level available on both Yukons, but the GMCs are handsome and capable haulers. Buyers can specify seating for up to eight passengers, and the trucks offer up to 8100 pounds of towing capacity.
GMC - 9/11
3. Lincoln Navigator
Like its Ford-badged sibling, the Expedition, Lincoln's glitzy Navigator is available in regular and extended body styles. The Lincoln is ranked so much higher than the Ford thanks to its more luxurious trimmings, which live up to the Navigator's price tag in ways the down-market Expedition's cabin simply doesn't. A 450-hp twin-turbocharged V-6 is standard and moves the large Navigator ably, and the chassis tuning delivers more composure than you'll find in the Expedition.
Chris Doane Automotive - Car and Driver - 10/11
2. Chevrolet Suburban
Did you know the Suburban nameplate has been around since 1935? That fun fact aside, the longer of Chevrolet's two full-size SUVs (the Tahoe being the shorter one) performs its duties for American families like it has for decades, and at a reasonable-for-the-class cost. (The 'burban's relative affordability more functional size place it ahead of its Tahoe sibling and its GMC and Cadillac cousins in our rankings.) A 355-hp V-8 and six-speed automatic transmission come standard; a 420-hp V-8 with a 10-speed automatic is available. In its most tow-friendly configuration, the Suburban can lug up to 8300 pounds, while the cabin can tote up to nine passengers.
Chevrolet - 11/11
1. Mercedes-Benz GLS-class
We know, we know, it seems curious that a Mercedes sits at the head of the full-size SUV class. The GLS-class isn't the biggest in this segment, not by a long shot, nor is it the cheapest. But consider what the GLS's $70,150 base price gets you: A seven-seat SUV with class-leading driving manners and luxury trimmings befitting the three-pointed star badge. You can pay thousands more for a slightly larger, non-luxury-badged SUV, but it will ride rougher, drink fuel, and might not fit in your garage. The space-efficient GLS casts a modest shadow, but its third-row seat is reasonably roomy for two people. A smooth 362-hp twin-turbocharged V-6 is standard, while a 449-hp twin-turbo V-8 is optional. In short, the GLS offers unparalleled value, which is why we've named it to our 10Best Trucks and SUVs list two years running.
Mercedes-Benz
If you shuttle lots of people, haul tons of cargo, and tow things, you probably need one of these behemoths.