Kia Suffers a Loss to Hyundai for the 2021 Best SUV Brand
The battle between Kia and Hyundai SUVs grows. The Kia Telluride, Kia Seltos, Kia Sorento, and more have been battling the Hyundai Palisade, Hyundai Santa Fe, Hyundai Kona, and more. However, it looks like Hyundai just raced ahead of the competition!
Hyundai won best SUV brand
According to Automotive World, U.S. News just named Hyundai as the best SUV brand for 2021. This is great for Hyundai, but a little sad for Kia, who just refreshed their entire SUV line up with the edition of the Telluride and Seltos. Plus, the new 2021 Kia Sorento looks great. But apparently, that wasn’t enough to take the crown.
Hyundai won this award with their full lineup of award-winning SUVs that fit a variety of customer preferences. Their line up includes the Palisade, Santa Fe, Kona, Kona EV, Venue, Nexo, and Tucson. Plus, Hyundai announced that they have plans for 12 new and significantly improved SUVs through 2021.
U.S. News ranks vehicles based on combined overall scores and rankings based on expert reviews. Data about the safety rankings, predicted reliability ratings, interior, exterior, performance, value, and tech are taken into consideration.
Along with a fresh lineup of SUVs that includes luxurious and economical options, Hyundai also offers the latest in driver assistance and infotainment tech at an affordable price.
This is a part of Hyundai’s crucial mission to develop an all-encompassing SUV lineup to exceed a variety of needs. So what are the best Hyundai SUVs?
1. The 2021 Hyundai Kona
The 2021 Kona is ranked in 1st place for subcompact SUVs out of 19 total contenders. It scores well for having an affordable base price of about $20,400. It has a powerful turbo engine option, an upscale cabin, and an easy to use infotainment system. A 7-inch infotainment system that can connect to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto comes standard.
Along with looking good, the Hyundai Kona also feels good with agile handling. The base engine provides 147 hp, which is more than the Nissan Kicks offers, and the turbo engine provides 175 hp. Plus, it has more standard and safety features than rivals. It only lacks cargo space.
2. The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe
The Hyundai Santa Fe is ranked #1 out of 22 competitors for the best midsize SUV. It also has a lower starting price of around $26,275. Rivals such as the Mazda CX-9 may have a nicer cabin and faster engine, but the Santa Fe provides more value for the price.
With the Santa Fe, you get a long list of standard tech and safety features. It comes with a 7-inch touchscreen that’s Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible. Other rivals include the Kia Telluride, which has a higher price and lower predicted reliability rating.
3. The 2021 Hyundai Palisade
The 2021 Palisade is ranked in 3rd palace out of 22 contenders for best midsize SUV. It has 3rd-row seating, like the Kia Telluride. However, it has folding power seats, a 12-inch digital cluster display, and more that the Telluride doesn’t.
Plus, the Hyundai Palisade has a powerful 3.8-liter V6 base engine, sporty handling, and tons of cargo space. You can access up to 86.4 cubic feet of cargo space in total. The cabin has an upscale feel with plenty of storage bins too.
