10 Best SUVs for 2023 (Under $50,000)

I am a forced fan of family-oriented, grocery-getting station wagons. Before I had kids, everything revolved around Hot Hatches, two-door coupes, and stuff like tuned muscle cars. But then I had to become smarter as far as our transportation needs were concerned – since the rear bench needed to accommodate two growing kids and the trunk had to be riddled with useful ‘junk,’ as well as groceries, travel cases, and whatnot.

For those reasons, I opted out of the crossover, SUV, and truck craze. When you are a parent that does not spend too much time in nature (with the car), a higher ride or AWD is less important. Instead, a station wagon is better at fitting stuff in the back than a crossover SUV, frankly. However, many other folks have different opinions. And that got me thinking – what if my next car is a sport utility vehicle?

But then there is a complication – which brand, what model, and especially how much money are we going to spend on it. Well, we all need to start somewhere, so here is a list of ten great SUVs under $50k that may be worth more than the sum of their high-riding parts. And forgive me for causing a little mayhem. But I am not going to name them based on the alphabet or even my personal preferences.

Instead, here goes the first pick from the ‘lottery.’ Starting at an MSRP of $39,150, the all-new, three-row mid-size 2023 Honda Pilot crossover SUV has just reached the fourth generation and comes with a 3.5-liter V6 engine good for no less than 285 horsepower and 262 lb-ft (355 Nm) of torque. The ponies are connected to a ten-speed automatic and available all-wheel drive, plus there’s also the more adventurous new TrailSport trim if you are feeling overly cheerful this Christmas holiday and want to start 2023 with some mild overlanding adventures.

An interesting alternative would be the 2023 Lexus RX if you want a bit of luxury in your life. But, as always, these posh rigs come with (lots of) caveats. For starters, the MSRP kicks off at $48,550, so you are almost at the expensive end of the spectrum. Then you also must choose front-wheel drive and the base RX 350 version so as not to go over the budget. For the money, you would get a 275-horsepower turbo mill and the “class-leading” Lexus Safety System+ 3.0, among others. But would that be enough?

Moving on, but remaining in the JDM-style corner of the North American market, we also need something from Toyota, right? Here, the options are far and wide-ranging. But, unfortunately, we cannot go straight for the Sequoia flagship because that one starts at more than $58k. Instead, I cannot help myself but go after the least logical choice, the $38,805 beast of a 2023 4Runner. It is good, old-fashioned ruggedness, and do not even start by saying it’s obsolete, because that means the N280 fifth generation has had enough time to iron out any potential issues.

Besides, for $46,370, you could snatch a 40th Anniversary Edition and drive away in a true collectible. If that is not your cup of tea, let me present the alternative of South Korean CUVs, aka the 2023 Kia Telluride ($37,025 starting MSRP) and 2023 Hyundai Palisade (an even cheaper $35,250). They’re siblings, so choosing one is more of a personal preference, of course. Hey, how about something smaller?

And, perhaps, again of the luxury variety. So, cue the hypothetical arrival of the adventurous Mercedes-Benz GLB, which could be yours from $39,800. It has the look of a chic European crossover, but still reminds us of the boxy nature of the G-Class, for example. What about the Americans, don’t they deserve a little bit of love? No worries, I have no less than four ideas for this short bucket list. First, a couple of Blue Ovals. Those would be the crossover-focused Bronco Sport if you absolutely need four doors and a cheap base price of just $29,215, as well as the two-door Bronco if heritage is all you dream about.

Even better, the Ford Bronco Heritage Edition will go out for some “throwback styling meets modern-day muscle” starting from an MSRP of $44,305. Plus, you do get a choice of a 2.3L EcoBoost or a tougher 330-hp 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6. Naturally, we need something from the competition too. Nothing from Chevy, sorry, at least not until they come up with a sub-$50k Corvette SUV (!). Instead, my final two ideas revolve around the 4-door Jeep Wrangler ($35,690) and Dodge Durango ($38,495), frankly.