New Large SUVs for 2023 Aren’t Getting Much Love From Reviewers
Consumer Reports doesn’t care about what’s popular. The standards are the same no matter which segment a vehicle belongs to. Sports cars get tested the same as pickup trucks. What this means is that entire sections of reviews on CR have the potential to do really poorly, which is what we have here. Not a single large SUV for 2023 got recommended. Let’s see why.
Which large SUVs are Good in 2023?
Consumer Reports rated the 2023 Ford Expedition highest in its class, but that doesn’t mean they recommend it. Although it scored amongst the highest-rated big SUVs, it still didn’t do well enough to meet the “recommended” threshold for CR.
This is a little surprising, given the massive popularity of this segment. The other giants that didn’t make the cut are super-popular models like the 2023 Chevy Suburban, GMC Yukon, Chevy Tahoe, Jeep Wagoneer, and the Nissan Armada. It is worth noting that the 2023 Toyota Sequoia has yet to be tested.
Why did the large SUVs fail?
CR rates vehicles based on a myriad of factors. Everything from reliability and seat comfort to handling and acceleration. While these beasts can be comfortable and luxurious, they rarely handle well. Emergency maneuvering and braking hurt nearly every one of these land yachts.
With only one exception, the 2023 Ford Explorer, all of these large SUVs struggle with predicted reliability. This score, above all else, has the potential to really trash a vehicle’s overall rating on Consumer Reports.
It almost goes without saying, but fuel efficiency also is rated, affecting a vehicle’s overall score. The big boys can’t help but stay thirsty. Even with the long strides engine technology has taken, most of these large SUVs still employ the grunt of a big V8 to make the necessary power to move these giants down the road.
The best gas mileage out of any of these SUVs tops out at 17 mpg combined. The only two to do that well are the 2023 GMC Yukon and the 2023 Chevy Tahoe. The majority of them earned only 16 mpg combined. The worst of the bunch, the 2023 Nissan Armada (also the lowest ranked), only got 14 mpg combined. Nissan ought to be shamed.
Should you buy a large SUV?
Large SUVs aren’t bad vehicles because they don’t perform like a Honda CR-V. These vehicles are meant to perform different tasks, mainly hauling tons of people. The benefit of these lumbering SUVs is that they offer plenty of space, often a very smooth ride, and a comfortable driving experience. Most of them won’t be winning any races anytime soon, and you’ll have to factor in gas prices with the purchase price, but they aren’t bad SUVs.
