Page 30 - Motor Trend (May 2020)

TEST DATA I The big test

ACCELERATION TO MPH Chevrolet Traverse Ford Explorer Honda Pilot Hyundai Palisade
0-30 2.4 sec 2.2 sec 2.1 sec 2.5 sec
0-40 3.5 3.5 3.2 3.8
0-50 4.7 5.0 4.6 5.1
0-60 6.4 6.8 6.2 7.1
0-70 8.1 9.1 8.1 9.1
0-80 10.4 11.8 10.6 11.3
0-90 13.0 15.5 13.4 14.5
0-100 16.7 — 17.3 —
PASSING, 45-65 MPH 3.2 3.6 3.3 3.7
QUARTER MILE 14.8 sec @ 94.9 mph 15.3 sec @ 89.6 mph 14.7 sec @ 93.9 mph 15.3 sec @ 89.1 mph
BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 116 ft 121 ft 116 ft 129 ft
LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.81 g (avg) 0.81 g (avg) 0.79 g (avg) 0.74 g (avg)
MT FIGURE EIGHT 27.2 sec @ 0.64 g (avg) 27.7 sec @ 0.64 g (avg) 27.6 sec @ 0.62 g (avg) 28.3 sec @ 0.63 g (avg)
TOP-GEAR REVS @ 60 MPH 1,750 rpm 1,600 rpm 1,500 rpm 1,700 rpm

manners of yesteryear’s SUVs; they now
have the same carlike driving feel of mini-
vans without losing their towing and light
off-roading capabilities.
With so many options, it’s difficult to
know which of today’s three-row SUVs is
best, especially as most of the options are
all-new or have been significantly updated
in the past couple years. We tested nine
three-row SUVs and looked at their
driving dynamics, comfort for families
and roominess for their gear, intuitiveness
of infotainment technology, and of course
value and safety, all so we could answer
one question: What’s the best three-row
SUV on the market? second rows, a panoramic sunroof, and Amazon Alexa, the Highlander brings
USB ports for all three rows. tremendous value.
The 2020 Toyota Highlander is both The Hyundai Palisade shares the same
This contest pits the 2020 MotorTrend the newest SUV of the pack and also the platform, engine, and suspension as the
SUV of the Year against several newer segment sales leader. Entering its fourth Telluride. But the two Korean SUVs are
entrants and some segment stalwarts. Can generation, the Highlander comes with different, inside and out. The Hyundai is a
it handle the burden? sleeker lines and a bolder design inside bit more expensive as equipped, with our
If you prefer an SUV that stands out and out. Our mid-trim XLE tester was Limited model carrying a sticker price of
from a crowd, the Kia Telluride, crowned priced at $42,320—the least expensive $48,205. Like the Kia, the Palisade adds a
SUV of the Year for 2020, gets a lot of SUV in the test (by thousands of dollars) lot of features and materials that the rest of
attention. Kia’s new three-row SUV brings but, when you look around its interior, the field can’t match.
fresh style to the SUV’s traditional boxy clearly not the cheapest. With its leather Subaru got tired of its loyal customers
design. It also delivers a ton of value—at seats, 18-inch wheels, power liftgate, and leaving for other brands when their fami-
$47,585, our Telluride SX arrived with an 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen lies got bigger, so the Ascent was conceived
heated and ventilated seats in the first and with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and with the American market in mind. The

30 MOTORTREND.COM MAY 2020