The Best Used SUVs Built Before the Pandemic
Remember the good old days? Reliable cars, trucks, and SUVs at reasonable prices? Toyota, Kia, and Honda made these sport utility vehicles back before semiconductor chip shortages and other complications hit the market. The best used SUVs built before the pandemic have all the promised features and a slightly more reasonable cost. At three years old, these SUVs offer good value and a glimpse of the automotive market before complications rippled through the industry.
The Toyota Highlander is one of the best used SUVs built before the pandemic
Edmunds ranked the 2020 Toyota Highlander at the top of its segment for a few reasons. The Highlander offers a quiet and comfortable ride that has good viability. Toyota’s V6 engine is powerful enough to move the SUV around town and still gets good fuel economy. Edmunds estimates that the Highlander might be $171 monthly in fuel costs, running 21 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway for the front-wheel drive version. All-wheel drive drops to 20 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway.
The 2020 Toyota Highlander base model still gets Toyota’s Safety Sense 2.0. This adds a Pre-Collision System, Lane Departure Alert, and Automatic High Beams. Dynamic Radar Cruise Control and Road Sign Assist are also standard. It also receives LED headlights, tri-zone automatic climate control, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The 2020 Highlander is one of the best used SUVs built before the pandemic and still holds onto its history of reliability to this day.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the 2020 Toyota Highlander a five-star safety rating. It also earned the Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety when equipped with better LED projector lights. These came on the Platinum and Hybrid Platinum trim.
Kia’s Telluride is another one of the best SUVs built before the pandemic
The 2020 Kia Telluride hit it out of the park for the first year on the market. Kia’s V6 engine performed well and was powerful enough. The interior of the Telluride is spacious, and the third row actually has room. Kia’s Telluride came packaged with standard features for which the competition usually charges extra. Monthly fuel estimates are around $186, thanks to the 20 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway.
The list of standard safety systems is long, including Blind-Spot Warning, Lane Keep Assist, and Rear Cross Traffic Alert. It also gets Kia’s Pre-Collision System and Dual front side-mounted airbags. Second-row captain’s chairs bring the seating down to seven but add to the utility and helped the Telluride land on the list of best used SUVs built before the pandemic. This Kia SUV is still improving, but the cost has made it out of budget for some drivers.
Like the Highlander, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety made the 2020 Kia Telluride a Tip Safety Pick winner with the LED projector headlights on the SX trim. In addition, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the Telluride a five-star safety rating for its first year on the market.
The Honda Pilot has many standard features
Drivers found the 2020 Honda Pilot versatile and spacious. Honda had a winning formula with the Pilot, and its smooth ride is proof of that. It has seating for up to eight, which makes it a good choice for larger families. The 19 mpg in the city and 27 mpg aren’t bad either for a 2020 vehicle. Monthly fuel estimates are around $186.
Some systems that make driving easier include Blind-Spot Warning, Lane Keep Assist, and Rear Cross Traffic Alert. Honda’s Pre-Collision system and Dual front side-mounted airbags also help. The base trim still gets features like automatic LED headlights, 60/40-split folding third-row seats, and a rearview camera.
As expected, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the 2020 Honda Pilot a five-star overall safety rating. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety also made it a Top Safety Pick winner.
The best used SUVs built before the pandemic have proved to be reliable and safe options that stand the test of time. Drivers still like these vehicles; most still drive on the road without much issue.
