The 5 Best New SUVs You Can Buy In 2025, According To Consumer Reports

As great as it is for everyone to own cool sports cars, the unfortunate truth is that most people really need a practical, reliable, fuel-efficient daily driver. And for many, that means buying a crossover or SUV. If you’re on the hunt for a new one, the good news is that you have plenty of options. The bad news is that with so many options, it’s not always easy to choose one, especially if you haven’t paid enough attention to this segment in the last few years.

To help you narrow down your search, our friends at: Consumer Reports created a list of top-rated crossovers and SUVs by taking into account road test scores, owner satisfaction, predicted reliability and safety. Of course, you don’t want to buy a car just because it’s a CR. says it’s best, but at least this list will help you narrow down your options. Let’s take a look at what puts CR in the top five.

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Hyundai Tucson Plug-in Hybrid

Hyundai Tucson Plug-In Hybrid in fact, it’s tied with the Honda CR-V Hybrid, and Consumer Reports ranks the CR-V Hybrid third and the Tucson PHEV fourth among compact crossovers. However, for reasons that are not fully explained, Hyundai is ahead of Honda on this list. The CR-V Hybrid also costs less, but the CR There are still many good things to say about Tucson.

The Tucson offers 33 miles of electric range as long as you opt for the PHEV version; This should cover the majority of your daily driving without requiring you to stop and recharge if you run out of juice. At the same time, it is comfortable and spacious, while also offering very responsive use. The biggest downside of the Tucson PHEV, besides the price, is that fuel mileage won’t be as good as the regular hybrid if you don’t keep the battery charged. That and Hyundai’s weird so-called column shifter.

Subaru Outback

The Subaru Outback isn’t available as a hybrid, so if you’re looking for an SUV with the best fuel mileage possible, you’ll definitely want to skip the Outback. However, it still performed admirably in Consumer Reports’ tests. Technically, it looks more like a lifted wagon than a crossover, but at this point that’s basically no difference at all. Its roofline may be lower than some rivals, but it’s still a practical carrier with plenty of room for your belongings.

CR testers praised nearly everything about the Outback, from its comfortable ride, seats and driving position to visibility and transmission. However, since the base engine is quite slow, you’ll probably want to upgrade to the optional turbocharged engine. Also, not all controls are very intuitive, and the outdated infotainment system could use a serious update. Luckily, a major update has arrived with the next-generation Outback (pictured above) for 2026, and it’s probably worth the wait.

Toyota Crown Signia

You probably expected to see a Toyota on the list of the best new SUVs you can buy, but you probably didn’t. Crown Signia. In fact, many people reading this probably didn’t even know that Toyota makes an SUV called the Crown Signia. Still, it performed well enough to become Consumer Reports’ highest-rated midsize crossover. Like the Outback, you could argue this is more of a lifted wagon, but oh well.

As long as you like the look, you’ll get great gas mileage from the hybrid powertrain. There’s no plug-in hybrid option, but you can still drive at low speeds using the electric motor alone. This hybrid system also means it can go 530 miles without stopping for fuel. However, the engine can get a little noisy during acceleration and some controls aren’t super intuitive. Even if you’ve never heard of the name before, it’s still worth taking a look at Crown Signia.

Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid

While most of you don’t even know the Crown Signia exists, you’d have to be living under a rock not to know about the RAV4. And if you want the best RAV4, you’ll be hard-pressed to go past the plug-in hybrid version. It surpasses the range of the Tucson PHEV, allowing you to travel a full 65 km on a single charge, and is also the fastest new RAV4 on the market. Plus, you know, it’s a RAV4 and it’s well-tested, but also proven to be reliable.

However, the current RAV4 is quite old compared to many of its competitors and will be replaced soon. Consumer Reports While you’ll still praise its fuel economy, EV range, reliability, ride, and controls, you’ll probably still feel its age. It also doesn’t have the best brakes in its segment, and you may find the noise it makes in reverse to be annoying. And good luck finding the most desirable RAV4 at your local dealer.

Subaru Forester

Toyota may have taken two of the top three spots on this list, but Toyota takes first place. Subaru Forester. It’s had a controversial redesign recently and many people don’t like the new look, but unless styling is an issue for you, at least take it for a test drive. Even if you’re pretty sure you hate the style, it wouldn’t hurt to ride one just to see what you think of it in person.

The newly introduced Forester Hybrid is the model to buy, at least as long as you can afford the nearly $7,000 price increase over the base model. It gets significantly better fuel mileage, but it’s also quieter inside and feels more peppy than the non-hybrid version. Still, the gas-powered Forester scores nearly as highly, even if you can’t justify the higher price or find one. In fact, Consumer Reports rates the non-hybrid Forester higher than the RAV4 Hybrid; C.R. attaches importance to fuel consumption.

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