2019 Honda CR-V
$24,450 | USN Overall Score: 8.6/10
The Honda CR-V won our 2019 Best Compact SUV for the Money award for its spacious interior and generous cargo hold, which provides enough room for passengers in ski jackets to haul their winter gear. The CR-V comes standard with front-wheel drive, but buyers can upgrade to all-wheel drive for extra traction in the snow.
Drivers can mitigate hazardous weather by adding automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, and automatic high beams, among other advanced safety features. Heated front seats and a leather-wrapped heated steering wheel are available, too.
2019 Audi Q5
$42,950 | USN Overall Score: 8.6/10
The Audi Q5 was named a finalist for our 2019 Best Luxury Compact SUV for the Money and 2019 Best Luxury Compact SUV for Families awards. The five-passenger Q5 comes with Audi’s quattro all-wheel-drive system. Audi added standard heated front seats for the 2019 model year. Heated rear seats and a heated steering wheel are available.
The Q5 comes standard with Audi Pre Sense Basic and Audi Pre Sense City systems. Audi Pre Sense Basic readies the car’s seatbelts and windows for an impending collision. Audi Pre Sense City system adds advanced features including automatic emergency braking and forward collision warning.
2020 Kia Telluride
$31,690 | USN Overall Score: 8.6/10
New for 2020, the eight-seater Kia Telluride SUV is the automaker’s largest vehicle. The three-row SUV features a powerful 3.8-liter V6, and it’s available with all-wheel drive. The Telluride is a decent off-roader, and many of those features help it in the snow as well.
The Telluride comes standard with a long list of safety features, including a blind spot collision avoidance system, forward collision warning, and brake assist. Buyers can add rain-sensing windshield wipers and automatic high beams. Optional cabin upgrades include heated seats and a heated steering wheel.
2020 Ford Expedition
$52,810 | USN Overall Score: 8.5/10
The Ford Expedition is our top-ranked large SUV due to its muscular engine and roomy interior. Ford’s three-row SUV seats eight people and provides plenty of space for winter sporting equipment. It also features 9.8 inches of ground clearance and a selectable drive mode to handle snow and loose terrain.
The Expedition comes with rear-wheel drive, but four-wheel drive is available. All 2020 models come with the Ford Co-Pilot360 suite of active safety features, which includes automatic high-beams, forward collision warning, and automatic emergency braking.
2019 Mazda CX-9
$45,365 | USN Overall Score: 8.4/10
Mazda’s full-size SUV is the brand’s most capable vehicle for handling winter weather. The CX-9 boasts 8.8 inches of ground clearance, plenty of torque, and an optional all-wheel-drive system. The three-row SUV is powered by a turbocharged four-cylinder engine that feels more like a V6.
The CX-9 may be known for its more athleticness, but its strong safety score, numerous standard safety features, and agile handling also help when it comes to winter driving. The CX-9 seats seven people and offers heated seats and a heated steering wheel.
2019 Subaru Forester
$24,495 | USN Overall Score: 8.3/10
Redesigned for the 2019 model year, the Subaru Forester won our 2019 Best Compact SUV for Families award. It delivers superior handling and a plethora of safety features.
The Forester provides 8.7 inches of ground clearance and comes standard with all-wheel drive. The SUV’s optional x-Mode increases traction on slippery surfaces. Upper trims get heated seats and a heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel.
Subaru’s standard Eyesight bundle of advanced driver assistance features includes adaptive cruise control, pre-collision braking, and lane departure warning.
2019 Toyota RAV4
$25,850 | USN Overall Score: 8.3/10
The Toyota RAV4, one of our 2019 Best New Cars for Teens award winners, features plenty of cargo space and standard driver assistance features. Redesigned for the 2019 model year, the compact SUV now features 8.4 inches of ground clearance. The RAV4 was also named a finalist for our 2019 Best Compact SUV for Families award.
Upgrades include heated front seats and a heated steering wheel. The SUV comes standard with the Toyota Safety Sense suite of advanced driver assistance features including automatic high beams, forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking. Front-wheel drive comes standard on the RAV4, though all-wheel drive is available.
The 2019 RAV4 also features the Adventure trim. Standard with all-wheel drive, the Adventure trim is the right pick for you if you’re going to spend time driving off the beaten path.
2020 Subaru Outback
$24,295 | USN Overall Score: 8.1/10
Fully redesigned for 2020, the Subaru Outback features a roomy cabin, large cargo hold, and decent off-road capability. The Outback is built to withstand the elements with standard all-wheel drive and a high ground clearance.
The Outback comes standard with a range of safety equipment, including a rearview camera and the brand’s Eyesight suite of advanced driver assistance features. Available safety features include blind spot monitoring, lane change assist, and adaptive headlights help in inclement weather.
We recommend going with the Onyx Edition of the Outback, which offers additional deep snow and mud settings.
2019 Volvo V90
$51,450 | USN Overall Score: 7.5/10
With a choice of powerful engines and available all-wheel drive, the Volvo V90 wagon is renowned for its long list of standard safety features and all-weather handling. The wagon’s rugged Cross Country version provides 8.3 inches of ground clearance and is available with heated seats.
All V90 models come with adaptive headlights, rain-sensing windshield wipers, collision avoidance systems, road-sign recognition, and blind spot monitoring. Built in Sweden, the V90 is accustomed to dealing with inclement winter weather.
2019 Jeep Wrangler
$28,000 | USN Overall Score: 6.9/10
Built to handle tough terrain, the Jeep Wrangler excels in snow and inclement weather with relative ease. Its 9.7 inches of ground clearance and four-wheel-drive system are suited to powering through the elements.
But the Wrangler is more than a rugged, no-frills ride. Buyers can opt for heated seats and a heated steering wheel. All models come with a rearview camera, but buyers will need to upgrade to get advanced safety features such as forward collision warning and blind spot monitoring.
Upgrade to the Rubicon trim, which comes standard with 33-inch tires that will help you traverse nearly any obstacle.
More Shopping Tools From U.S. News & World Report
Did any of these SUVs intrigue you? If so, check out our new vehicle rankings to see how they match up against the rest of the competition.
Take a look at our best lease deals and financing deals pages, where we’ve made a list of all the best incentives manufacturers are currently offering. For more advice on how to finance your vehicle, click here.
When you’ve decided on a car, use the U.S. News Best Price Program to find the dealership in your area that’s offering the lowest prices. Shoppers who use the program save an average of more than $3,000 off their new vehicle.
10 Best Cars for Winter Driving
- 2019 Honda CR-V
- 2019 Audi Q5
- 2020 Kia Telluride
- 2020 Ford Expedition
- 2019 Mazda CX-9
- 2019 Subaru Forester
- 2019 Toyota RAV4
- 2020 Subaru Outback
- 2019 Volvo V90
- 2019 Jeep Wrangler
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Winter Weather Can’t Stop These SUVs
If you can’t escape winter, you’ll want a car or SUV with decent ground clearance, all-wheel drive, safety features, and a cozy cabin.
The latest models from brands including Honda, Kia, and Ford offer these features in spades, coupling off-road capability with heated seats and other creature comforts.
At U.S. News & World Report, we’ve scoured our new car rankings and evaluated the best new cars and SUVs to carry you safely through winter. If you’re looking for the best off-road SUVs, read about them here. For the SUVs with the highest ground clearance, click here.
Remember that having a capable all-wheel-drive vehicle is only the beginning when it comes to being safe in winter driving. You’ll also need the right kind of tires if you want the best traction on winter roads. You can read about snow tires by clicking here.
Read ahead for the 10 best models you can find at dealerships today.