What is the best medium SUV for drivers under $40,000 in 2022?

It may seem bizarre to suggest that how a car drives is not the most important criterion, because after all, getting us from A to B is a car’s fundamental job. But it’s far more important that a car be safe, spacious, well-equipped and easy to use. The actual act of moving people and cargo is a given, and all cars do it with varying degrees of competence.

That said, there can be a big difference between best and worst cars to drive, as we discovered during our Megatest. For example, the Ford has the most powerful engine by some margin, but that would mean little if the driver couldn’t safely deploy that power. Conversely, the Hyundai and Kia had the least powerful engines, and even though they felt that way on the road, their engine controls, suspension and steering were tuned to make the most of what they had. 

We focused on more than just engines in our ‘driving’ assessment. We rated driving positions, in-car ergonomics, all-round vision, noise intrusion, ride quality, active safety system effectiveness, steering and brake consistency, and dynamic agility in our search for the best car to drive. And because these cars are popular everyday vehicles, we tested them in everyday situations: predominantly main roads and suburban back roads with a carpark or two thrown in.