To determine the winners for the 2024 U.S. News Best Cars list, the average was taken from the total score across all of the brand’s vehicles in each class. The brand that had the highest average score was deemed the winner. The scores take into account features like reviews and opinions from automotive publications, safety ratings, and data on reliability. Based on this information, Mazda was the clear winner in the SUV category.

"Mazda SUVs represent exceptional quality with fun driving dynamics, user-friendly technology and interior fit and finish that outclasses much of the competition," Jim Sharifi, managing editor of U.S. News Best Cars, said in a press release. "These attributes are apparent across the brand's lineup of crossovers, from the subcompact CX-30 to the recently introduced three-row CX-90, giving buyers in multiple segments a premium option for their next SUV."

"Every Mazda is designed with the driver and passengers in mind to provide a comfortable and confident driving experience,” Tom Donnelly, President and CEO of Mazda North American Operations, said in the press release. “From our compact CX-30 to the midsize CX-5 and CX-50 to the new large platform CX-90 and CX-90 PHEV, Mazda's SUV lineup offers the right-sized vehicle to meet the needs of our customers."

Mazda SUVs are very reliable vehicles. They rank well for performance and vehicle safety features, and Consumer Reports noted that Mazdas are among the most affordable brands to maintain.

Whether you’re driving carpool to work or driving your family to various activities, safety is a top priority when it comes to choosing an SUV. Mazda is among the most awarded brands from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The Mazda CX-30, CX-50 (built after August 2023), and CX-90 are Top Safety Pick+ winners. The CX-90 is a Top Safety Pick. 

Some of the i-ACTIVSENSE® suite of standard and available safety features you’ll find in the Mazda SUVs include blindspot monitoring and pedestrian detection, driver attention monitoring, adaptive headlights, automatic emergency braking, and lane departure warning.

The Mazda SUV models also deliver on fuel efficiency, allowing you to drive for longer before having to stop for gas:

• 2025 Mazda CX-70: EPA-estimated 24 mpg/city and 28 mpg/highway
• 2024 Mazda CX-90: EPA-estimated 24 mpg/city and 28 mpg/highway
• 2024 Mazda CX-50: EPA-estimated 24 mpg/city and 30 mpg/highway
• 2024 Mazda CX-5: EPA-estimated 26 mpg/city and 31 mpg/highway
• 2024 Mazda CX-30: EPA-estimated 26 mpg/city and 33 mpg/highway

The two plug-in hybrid SUVs also provide good fuel efficiency. Both the 2024 Mazda CX-90 and the 2025 Mazda CX-70 PHEV get an EPA-estimated 26-mile all-electric range, 490-mile total range, and 56 MPGe/combined range.