People Are Really Happy With The Quality Of These SUVs

Considering the various SUV segments include everything from the Kia Soul to the Chevrolet Suburban, there’s a wide range of vehicles packed into showroom floors to tempt American buyers.

These are the top-ranked SUVs from J.D. Power’s 2025 Initial Quality Study (IQS).

Small SUV: Buick Encore GX

The top-ranked Small SUV from J.D. Power’s 2025 Initial Quality Study (IQS) was the Buick Encore GX. The Encore GX is currently the smallest vehicle in Buick’s lineup of crossovers, and it is mechanically related to the Chevy Trailblazer that also earned a mention in this year’s IQS report.

It was followed by the Kia Soul in second. The Chevrolet Trailblazer and Ford Bronco Sport tied for third.

Compact SUV: Ford Escape

Moving up a rung in the size ladder, the Ford Escape took first place in the Compact SUV segment, followed by the Jeep Wrangler and Nissan Rogue.

Perhaps no single segment shows how varied a single class of vehicle can be. While the Jeep Wrangler is singularly designed to excel in off-road conditions, the Ford Escape and Nissan Rogue are most definitely designed to spend most of their time on pavement. Still, all three vehicles earned awards in the same segment.

Midsize SUV: Chevrolet Blazer

The Chevrolet Blazer took the top spot in the Midsize SUV segment. This ranking is for the traditional gas-powered Blazer that was introduced in sporty crossover form for the 2019 model year, not the much newer and fully electric Blazer EV.

The Honda Passport came in second and the Toyota Crown Signia landed in third in the Midsize SUV segment in this year’s IQS report.

Upper Midsize SUV: Kia Telluride

In the Upper Midsize SUV segment, the Kia Telluride took first place, followed by the Subaru Ascent in second place. The Hyundai Palisade and Nissan Pathfinder tied for third.

While the Telluride and Palisade are mechanically similar under the sheet metal, there are plenty of changes between the two crossover siblings, some of which may have been enough to give the overall nod to Kia’s take on the three-row family crossover formula.

Large SUV: Chevrolet Tahoe

The Chevrolet Tahoe came in first place in the Large SUV segment, followed by the Toyota Sequoia and Chevrolet Suburban. The Sequoia was recently relaunched with downsized turbocharged engines with hybrid power, while the Tahoe and Suburban duo, which share much of their chassis and powertrain parts, are much more traditional, with big V8 engines standing out as hallmarks of their design.

Small Premium SUV: Audi Q3

So far, we’ve only looked at mainstream SUV segments. J.D. Power also ranked Premium offerings, and the top-ranked Small Premium SUV for 2025 was the Audi Q3. The small German crossover was followed by the even smaller Lexus UX in second, while the Mercedes-Benz GLA came in third.

Compact Premium SUV: Acura RDX

In the Compact Premium SUV segment, the Acura RDX came out on top. While the third and current generation of Acura’s compact crossover was first launched in 2019, it has received enough updates over the years to keep it competitive in its segment.

In second place was the Lexus NX, which is available with a range of powerplants that includes a plug-in hybrid, and in third was the BMW X4.

Midsize Premium SUV: Cadillac XT5

The Midsize Premium SUV segment was led by the Cadillac XT5, a crossover that is far from the top of the sales charts. The Land Rover Defender, a boxy off-road specialist, and top-selling Lexus RX luxury crossover tied for second, again highlighting how different types of vehicles can compete in the same segment.

Midsize Premium SUV: BMW X6

The BMW X6 took the top spot in the Upper Midsize Premium SUV segment. Oddly, the X5, which is BMW’s more practical offering and which shares basically all of its major design elements with the X6, did not earn a spot in the rankings. In second place was the Genesis GV80 and in third was the Porsche Cayenne.

Large Premium SUV: BMW X7

Finally, the top-ranked Large Premium SUV for 2025 was the BMW X7. The Land Rover Range Rover, a luxurious machine that’s not often cited for its top reliability scores, came in second while the Mercedes-Benz GLS came in third.