In a world where it seems a hundred new SUVs are released every year, it’s quite a feat to be named the NACTOY Utility Vehicle of the Year. But that’s exactly what the 2026 Hyundai Palisade just accomplished when the winners were announced in January — beating out a bevy of strong contenders.

So what’s so special about the 2026 Palisade to cause such a commotion?

I recently tested a 2026 Hyundai Palisade (an XRT Pro model), and I’m back with a report on this fully redesigned three-row SUV option. Read on to learn everything you need to know about the Palisade and how it compares across the segment.

One of the more unique lineups in the SUV market comes from Mazda, which offers a pair of compact SUVs — the CX-5 and CX-50. For the past 15 years, the CX-5 has been a huge seller for Mazda, and the CX-50 is a newer addition to the lineup starting in 2023.

Differences between the two vehicles include design elements, size, tech setup, engine offerings, and level of off-road capability.

I recently spent some time behind the wheel of a 2026 Mazda CX-50 (a 2.5 Turbo Meridian Edition), which mostly carries over from the 2025 model year. 

Read on to find out how it stacks up against the busy competition in the compact SUV market (Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Hyundai Tucson, Ford Escape and many more), as well as its in-house Mazda competition.

The Mazda CX-5 is a sharp-looking and fun-to-drive compact SUV. 

There’s never been a question about that, and it’s true once again for the 2025 model year offering.

The question is whether to wait for a new one, or pick up a 2025 model, as it will be completely redesigned for 2026, kicking off the next generation of the vehicle.

Read on to learn 5 things you need to know about the 2025 CX-5, and some previews of what’s to come on the new 2026 version of the CX-5, which is getting a long-awaited redesign that improves roominess and tech features.

While there are some people still skeptical of embracing the electric vehicle movement, there are plenty of folks who want to have one in their driveway, and a solid list of available EVs to help them achieve that goal.

Hyundai is among the companies that has embraced the electric movement, offering a strong lineup of EVs — including the excellent Ioniq 5 compact SUV, which I was recently able to spend some time with.

Read on to learn 5 things that you need to know about the Ioniq 5 to determine if it’s the right EV for you, as it battles other electric vehicles such as the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Volkswagen ID.4, Tesla Model Y, and Kia EV6.