For the Cars.com-USA TODAY-MotorWeek $40,000 3-Row SUV Challenge, we
set out to find the best value out there in a three-row, mainstream-brand family
SUV for a maximum price of $40,000, including destination charge.
To compete the SUVS also had to be fuel efficient, with a minimum EPA city-highway combined rating of 19 mpg.
Eight 2014 three-row SUVs qualified, and these seven here competed. Ford declined to enter an Explorer. Automakers could provide what they believed was their most attractive configuration for the price.
Overview story: These 3-rows offer practicality without SUV guilt
Video: Features to look for in a three-row SUV family hauler
Shopping tools: Complete specs, details at Cars.com
• How the SUVs were tested: The SUVs were tested over three days in Southern California, with a full day of driving over a variety of roads in Southern California to test the real-world gas mileage, a day of evaluation and driving of each SUV by the expert auto journalist judges and a day for our ral-world family judges to evaluate and drive each vehicle.
• The expert judges: From Cars.com: Joe Bruzek, road test editor; Jennifer Geiger, assistant managing editor; Kelsey Mays, consumer affairs editor. From USA TODAY: Chris Woodyard, Los Angeles bureau chief. From PBS's "MotorWeek": Brian Robinson, producer.
• The family judges: As with all our Challenges, we recruited a consumer family in the market for such a vehicle to judge -- and to be our reality check. For this Challenge, they were LadyAnn and Ed Sabalburo, a Southern California couple with a 2-year-old daughter and a child on the way. They own a 2008 Acura MDX and are thinking about a bigger SUV.
• How the challenge was scored: The experts' scores accounted for 75%, the family, 15%, and real fuel economy was 10%.
We tried to judge the best overall value at this price. As always, a price cap forces choices and your choices might differ. For example, if all-wheel drive is a deal-breaker for you, just two had it at this price with a reasonable set of features.
Here is our winner, the order of finish, and full details on each entry:
NO. 1: 2014 HYUNDAI SANTA FE LIMITED
- Points: 800.5 (out of 1,000)
- Price with shipping: $39,540, as tested
- Gas mileage test: No. 1 at 22.5 mpg (EPA:18 city, 25 highway, 21 combined)
Key features: Front-drive, V-6, automatic, longest warranty (6 years/60,000 miles overall, 10/100,000 powertrain), smallest overall cargo space and space behind third row, 2nd-row captain's chairs, leather (only one with front heated/ventilated, one of three with rear heated), backup camera, blind-spot warning, parking assist, Bluetooth phone/audio, rear climate controls (3rd row), navigation, household AC outlet, panoramic moonroof, power liftgate, keyless access.
What they liked: A lot. "Unbeatable, high-profile features for the money," Bruzek said. "The Santa Fe delivers in almost every way, especially in all the extra value packed in," Woodyard said. "Cooled (front) seats, a panoramic moonroof, rear sunshades and a heated steering wheel for under $40K?" asked Mays. "An embarrassment of riches, these features." "The multimedia system is intuitive, and paring my phone and launching Pandora streaming audio took only seconds," Geiger said. Power, handling. In our mileage drive, it achieved the best fuel economy. "Stout acceleration and nimble handling reveal the Santa Fe's spry curb weight," Mays said. Ed Sabalburos gave it the biggest validation. "It blew me away after driving it. I was running the numbers in my head to see if it would work."
What they didn't: Smallest cargo area with third row up and smallest overall. "An F for cargo room behind the third row; some compact cars offer more trunk space," Geiger said. Cramped third row. "It definitely feels like a two-row SUV, with an added third row," Robinson said. "It doesn't feel like it was designed with three rows in mind." Visibility. "The sleek, sloping roofline looks great, but it comes at the cost of rear visibility," Geiger said. Family features. "Despite all the luxury features," Mays said, "actual family content is thin. Our tester lacked climate controls and legitimate cupholders in the second row, while the third row gets both. Bizarre."
Bottom line: "With the Santa Fe, Hyundai offers the whole package," Geiger said. "Loads of features, a premium cabin and pleasant road manners. Just make sure you pack wisely."
NO. 2: 2014 DODGE DURANGO LIMITED
- Points: 781.5 points (of 1,000)
- Price with shipping: $39,930, as tested
- Gas mileage test: No. 3 (tie) at 21.7 mpg (EPA: 18/25/20)
Key features: Rear-drive, V-6, automatic, 2nd-row captain's chairs that tumble for third-row access, leather seats (front and rear heated, one of three), backup camera, blind-spot warning, parking assist, Bluetooth phone and audio, rear climate controls, navigation, household AC outlet, power liftgate, keyless access.
What they liked: A combo of features and driving fun, which seems to be the focus for Dodge. "Dodge's 8.4-inch Uconnect system still sets the standard for touch-screen usability," Mays said. Bruzek praised the "high-quality interior materials." Power and ride. "Power is brisk, and shifts are prompt," Geiger said. "The confident ride quality is similar to a luxury SUV," Bruzek said. Third-row access. "The tumble (second-row) seats made it easy to get into the back row," Woodyard said.
What they didn't: Eco mode (on by default). "Accelerator lag is an issue in Eco mode," Mays said. No sliding second row. "Prevents taller adults from negotiating a little extra space," Mays said. Cabin storage. "For an SUV this big, it's got a pretty small, un-purse-friendly center console," Geiger said.
Bottom line: "The Durango combines brash styling with an entertaining ride-handling mix and the best multimedia setup in this group," Mays said.
NO. 3: 2014 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER XLE
- Points: 744 (of 1,000)
- Price with shipping: $38,947, as tested
- Gas mileage test: No. 2 at 22.3 mpg (EPA: 19/25/21)
Key features: Front-drive, V-6, automatic, one of two with free maintenance (2 years/25,000 miles), IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus/NHSTA five-star, leather seats (front heated), backup camera, Bluetooth phone and audio, rear climate controls, navigation, household AC outlet, power liftgate, moonroof, conversation mirror (one of two), keyless access.
What they liked: Upgraded interior. "From the fabric-wrapped A-pillars to the cavalcade of rich, overlapping cabin textures, the Highlander did a 180 on cabin quality with this redesign," Mays said. "Toyota found its way, at least here." Comfort. "It has very comfortable seats and a plush ride," Robinson said. LadyAnn Sabalburo said. "They put a lot of thought into the details." The Highlander's innovative dash shelf won applause Powertrain. "This is the responsive acceleration I'm looking for," Ed said. "The engine and transmission work harmoniously together for brisk acceleration," Bruzek said.
What they didn't: Small third row. "It was very tight," said LadyAnn Sabalburo. "A vehicle that's about 10 inches off the ground hardly needs running boards," Woodyard said. Torque steer. A stab of the gas pedal induces some uncomfortable squirrelly-ness," Geiger said. "You have to step up to the all-wheel-drive version to get adequate handling performance."
Bottom line: "The Highlander pairs a handsome cabin with good technology, but that third row is a joke," Mays said.
