Look, car ratings and reviews and all the other silly things we as car journos do involves a decent amount of subjectivity. We might not like to admit it, but it’s true. And with that comes a sort of ubiquitousness to the cars we think are the best. So, while this list of the highest ranking SUVs on Edmunds isn’t wrong or bad or anything else critical, It is, however, strange. 

What’s the best SUV, according to Edmunds?

Before we get into the strange choices, Edmunds being professionals, like nearly every other publication, had no choice but to rank the 2022 Kia Telluride higher than any other SUV regardless of segment. That being said, many of the other choices are, again, not wrong or bad, but just strange. Edmunds picked a few models that no one else seems to be picking for the best SUV. 

What’s the best x-small SUV?

Edmunds really went for it right out of the gate. For the small SUV category, the 2022 VW Taos took the cake. In the words of Edmunds, “Volkswagen’s smallest SUV is a big deal. The Taos packs in plenty of modern tech and safety features into a tidy package.” 

This choice isn’t strange because the VW Taos isn’t a good small SUV; it’s that for the segment home to the 2022 Mazda CX-30 or the Honda HR-V, it’s a surprising choice. 

Despite the stiff competition and that Edmunds calls the transmission “lazy” and “awkward,” it still beats out models like the Chevrolet Trailblazer and the Subaru Crosstrek. 

What’s the best small SUV? 

The 2022 Honda CR-V isn’t a strange choice for anything. Even Edmunds’ strange taste couldn’t deny the dominance of the 2022 Honda CR-V. This peppy crossover has pleased customers for over two decades. While the CR-V isn’t a terribly exciting SUV, it is practical, reliable, affordable, and now with the hybrid version, even almost quick.

The small SUV waters are crowded. The Mazda CX-50, Hyundai Tucson, and Subaru Forester follow closely behind the CR-V. But just to reiterate Edmunds’ rad yet strange taste is the fact that the 2022 Jeep Wrangler placed 6th and the 2022 Toyota RAV4 in 7th. I’ll just leave that to be pondered. 

What’s the best Midsize SUV?

Here’s a perfect example of this list being strange and not necessarily wrong. The highest ranking midsize SUV is the 2022 Honda Passport. This is a fine choice. However, the Passport belongs to the same segment as the Subaru Outback, which Edmunds placed in 7th place. 

The midsize category gets broken down into multiple smaller categories. If we get rid of the silly parameters like three-row SUVs, then the list changes a bit, with the undefeated 2022 Kia Telluride topping the list. 

What is the best large SUV? 

Lastly, the big boys bring up the end of the strange rankings with a pretty solid choice, actually. Edmunds ranked the 2022 Chevrolet Suburban in first place. Compared to the rest of the segment winners, the Suburban didn’t score all that highly. Even still, the Suburban has improved a great deal on the luxury and comfort side of things since I was carted around in my aunt’s big green Chevrolet school bus. In fairness, the GMC Yukon tied with the Chevy, but the corporate cousins are close enough to lump together. 

Whether you dig the 1,200-foot-long Chevrolet Suburban or the peppy Honda CR-V, it is clear that there is no shortage of interesting SUV options that critics can’t seem to agree on. The truth is that cars have objectively improved in many ways over the last decade. It is getting harder and harder to buy a bad car. So, even if Edmunds’ list is odd, it isn’t exactly wrong.