The under-$40,000 SUV segment is one of the most competitive in the car industry and buyers look long and hard at the pros and cons of each candidate before handing over their hard-earned cash. In this comparison, we have taken six of the most appealing, most talented and best qualified SUVs on sale right now— Honda CR-V Hybrid, Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid, Kia Telluride, Ford Bronco Sport, Mazda CX-90 and Toyota RAV4 Hybrid — and compared their design, performance, fuel economy, safety features, interior tech, ride, handling and luggage to arrive at a verdict. Here’s what we found.
Design is a major drawcard
This half dozen are all here for the same thing—your family’s daily grind, the school run and weekend escapes—but they all go about those tasks in different ways.
At a glance, the Santa Fe Hybrid is the extrovert of the bunch. Its exterior is sculptural, with split headlights and strong character lines, a bold grille with chrome accents and a stance that reads above its weight and purposeful. Hyundai’s design cues signal a family-ready SUV that doesn’t hide the fact it wants to look premium for the class.
The Ford Bronco Sport certainly looks the part as it wears its outdoor DNA on its sleeve, performing confidently and loudly like AC/DC’s lead guitarist Angus Young. Emphasizing ruggedness and offering an open invitation to tackle dirt roads, the Bronco’s squared fenders, short overhangs, upright glass and knobby tires look more at home on mountain trails than valet lanes.
The Honda CR-V Hybrid and Toyota RAV4 Hybrid are the straight shooters. Honda’s latest CR-V has clean, understated lines, a confident grille, and a neat aerodynamic silhouette with an air of restraint, a combination that appeals to the widest common denominator.
The RAV4 is more chiseled and edgy, treading the line between utility and mainstream styling. Its multi-layered, multi-directional front end contours are aggressive and come across more as an innovative Stravinsky composition than a soothing Chopin melody. This SUV looks as purposeful on-road as it looks off-road.
The 3-row Kia Telluride plays the “big, handsome family hauler” role with dramatic success. Its exterior is bolder, boxier and more experimental than the compact crossovers, with a broad grille, unique, compact headlights, strong wheel arches and an upright, confident three-row silhouette — the kind of presence that oozes practical luxury.
Meanwhile, Mazda’s CX-90 is by far the prettiest SUV here. If you want a Mozart symphony in crossover form in your driveway, this is it. The CX-90 isn’t just bigger than the other five, it’s dressed like it knows it, with a long hood, beautifully contoured side panels and proportions, a chic grille and headlight combination, powerful rear-drive proportions and upscale detailing that push it into near-luxury territory.
Interiors
Climb into the Honda CR-V and you get an ergonomic, well-made, comfortable cabin with simple controls, a 9-inch infotainment system and excellent storage. Toyota’s RAV4 counters with straightforward usability and, in newer model years, improved 10.5-inch infotainment screen and driver-assist UX. Kia and Hyundai go for the wow factor with dual-screen dashboards including a large central 12.3-inch screen, bold textures, and lots of features for the money, with the Santa Fe also offering third-row seating (best for kids) and clever touches like a wide cargo opening. The Bronco Sport interior is tool-bag practical boasting washable surfaces, clever shelves and tie-downs with a huge 13.2-inch touchscreen featuring Ford’s SYNC4 system. Meanwhile, Mazda’s CX-90 is the group’s luxury lounge, with available Nappa leather, handsome trim, a 10.25-inch screen (with 12.3 inch on upper trims) and a calmer, more premium aesthetic than most mainstream rivals. All six SUVs offer Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity and USB-A and USB-C ports.
Performance and the fun factor
Under the hood the differences tell the second half of the story. Starting at $30,920, the CR-V Hybrid uses Honda’s 2.0-liter two-motor hybrid system producing 204 hp and 247 lb-ft of torque with power delivered to all wheels through a CVT. It delivers 37 mpg combined for the AWD model with Honda tuning the CR-V Hybrid to focus on smoothness over outright speed. It’s responsive at city speeds thanks to the instant torque of the electric motors, but it’s by no means a performance-oriented SUV with a respectable 0-60 mph sprint time of 7.9 seconds.
Starting from $36,150, Hyundai’s Santa Fe Hybrid employs a 1.6-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine paired with an electric motor and a 1.5 kWh battery pack. Together, the system generates 226 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque and with a 6-speed automatic transmission, the Santa Fe achieves a 7.8 second time for zero to 60 mph. While delivering mileage of 34 mpg combined, the turbocharged engine gives the Santa Fe Hybrid a bit more urgency than naturally aspirated rivals, while the electric motor fills in torque gaps for a smooth delivery. It’s by no means the most powerful hybrid SUV on the market, but it provides a good balance of responsiveness and efficiency.
Starting at $32,600, the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid employs a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine combined with two electric motors, enabling this SUV to deliver 39 mpg combined while delivering a total of 219 horsepower with 221 lb-ft of torque. Toyota’s hybrid system is amongst the best and most efficient on the market, offering brisk, low-speed response thanks to electric torque, but at higher speeds, acceleration flattens out. This model is built for efficiency and reliability rather than outright speed. The RAV4 is quicker than the CR-V Hybrid and Santa Fe Hybrid, but slower than the performance-oriented Bronco Sport and CX-90.
While the Ford Bronco Sport—which starts at $30,995—comes with two engine choices—a 1.5-liter turbo 3-cylinder and a 2.0-liter turbo 4-cylinder—we will stick with the latter for added fun. Pumping out a gutsy 250 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque, the Bronco Sport 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine with AWD is married to an 8-speed automatic and sprints from zero to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds while delivering 23 mpg combined. Powered by the 2.0-liter turbo, the Bronco Sport is transformed into one of the livelier SUVs in this group. With strong low-end torque, the larger engine makes off-road shenanigans and highway merges equally stress-free.
Unlike others in this group, the mid-sized Kia Telluride—which starts at $36,390—skips hybridization entirely in favor of a naturally aspirated 3.8-liter V6 engine, producing 291 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. Mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission, with both FWD and AWD options on offer, the Telluride’s V6 is smooth, refined, and provides enough herbs for its three-row body with a 0-60 time of 7.1 seconds and mileage of 20 mpg for the AWD. While it lacks the turbocharged punch of some rivals, it shines in linear acceleration and confident highway overtaking. Its engine feels unstressed even under load, ideal for hauling families or towing.
Starting at $38,045, Mazda’s new CX-90 flagship SUV offers multiple powertrains, but the standout is the 3.3-liter turbocharged inline-six, paired with a mild-hybrid system. Output ranges from 280 hp and 332 lb-ft in base trims to 340 hp and 369 lb-ft in higher models, but the latter model exceeds our cutoff price point of $40,000, so we opt for the 280-hp model mated to an 8-speed automatic with standard AWD and delivering 25 mpg. The CX-90 stands out as the most performance-oriented SUV in this group as its silky smooth inline-six delivers a luxury-like surge of power, with a mild-hybrid assist smoothing out response. Whether accelerating onto freeways or overtaking, the Mazda feels far more athletic than most family SUVs.
Safety Suites
Safety is an area where even the mass-market SUV models shine. Pretty much all SUVs here offer extensive safety suites that employ adaptive cruise control, lane-keep, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking as well as several other features as standard equipment.
CR-V trims come with Honda Sensing (adaptive cruise, lane keeping, etc.); RAV4 includes Toyota Safety Sense with automatic emergency braking and others; Santa Fe bundles Hyundai SmartSense with ACC etc; Sportage offers Kia Drive Wise with a full active suite; Bronco Sport brings Ford Co-Pilot360; and CX-90 fits Mazda’s i-Activsense with all the safety features you’d expect.
Looking at safety ratings, the CR-V, Telluride and Santa Fe have earned IIHS Top Safety Pick awards. The RAV4’s individual IIHS test results are strong, and the CX-90 has garnered top scores (including multiple “Good” crashworthiness ratings), with Mazda publicly noting TSP+ awards for 2024 on the CX-90. Bronco Sport’s structure and crash ratings remain solid as well. Bottom line: all six offer robust active safety; several carry current IIHS hardware to prove it.
Ride and Handling
Ride and handling separate enthusiasts from commuters. Mazda’s CX-90 tunes a noticeably more engaging chassis — crisp steering, suppressed body roll, confidence on sweeping turns — which delights drivers but trades a bit of the pillowy ride families sometimes prefer. The Telluride is composed and comfortable but can feel heavy as it’s tuned for stability rather than sport. The CR-V and RAV4 find the middle ground by delivering forgiving ride quality, predictable handling and no drama. The Santa Fe surprises with a firm but controlled ride and good composure at highway speeds. The Bronco Sport does exactly what it should: it feels rugged and tractable off-road, but on-road refinement can be choppy compared with the class best like the CR-V.
Ranking
Ranking this half dozen was tough but we looked for a balance of price (<$40k), efficiency, safety, performance, family usability and driving enjoyment.
- Honda CR-V Hybrid — Best overall mixture of efficiency, refinement, practical interior and strong safety kit at a sensible price. This is a great daily driver and commuter.
- Toyota RAV4 Hybrid — A close second: excellent fuel economy, standard AWD and Toyota’s reliability/safety package make it an excellent family commuter pick. Slightly less modern in some tech touches vs rivals but solid.
- Kia Telluride — For families who prioritize space, towing and plush cabin feel — this provides superior value. Falls behind on fuel economy but wins on practicality and perceived quality.
- Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid — A sensible hybrid mid-sizer with bold styling and good tech; slightly less punchy than some rivals but very efficient and well-equipped.
- Ford Bronco Sport — Best for buyers who want real trail capability in a compact package and like the Bronco styling; compromises on interior space and on-road refinement versus the top contenders.
- Mazda CX-90 — The most driver-oriented and premium feeling, but for the strict <$40k shopper it’s often impractical: desirable trims and engines push the price up; if money is less of a concern, it moves up the list.
Final take
All six will do the school run, Costco haul, and mountain day trip without missing a step and all six are great value for money and priced competitively. The trick is matching personality and priorities. If you want the sharpest all-rounder in a compact size, the Honda CR-V remains a benchmark for balance and space. For maximum mpg (and a PHEV option), the Toyota RAV4 family is a safe, efficient bet. If you want style, versatility and smoothness with no sacrifice in room, Kia Telluride is a sleeper hit. For real dirt-road credibility, Ford Bronco Sport is the little trucklet that keeps on giving. Need seven seats without going full minivan? The Hyundai Santa Fe hits a sweet spot of design and versatility. And if your heart wants a richer drive experience and cabin feel, the Mazda CX-90 is the most aspirational—because sometimes the family deserves to be pampered.