The family’s growing. The kids have friends and sports no longer have an off-season. You’re in the market for a 3-row SUV. Sure, the neighbors all have Pilots and Highlanders but you go your own way. And that’s where Mazda fits in with the CX-9; a distinctly unique take on the family mobile.

MSRP as-tested: $49,230

The model I’m running around in this week is the UX 200 Luxury with front-wheel drive and a handful of options leading to an MSRP of $41,560. As compared with the base UX, the Luxury adds a power rear hatch with kick sensor for hands-free operation, driver’s side memory settings, a blind spot monitor and much more to give its occupants a complete premium experience.  Utilizing a new 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine that delivers more power and better fuel efficiency than the Toyota powerplant, the UX is rated at 169 horsepower and 152 pound-feet of torque while using a trick CVT that’s engineered to behave more like a traditional automatic transmission with 10 simulated gears.  In the urban environment for which it in intended, the driving experience is quite agreeable with enough grunt to move things along when needed, crisp steering and a chassis that profits from lightweight materials and a low center of gravity to imbue the UX with a dialed-in agility.  The fully independent suspension delivers a welcome feeling of driver control while preserving a Lexus-level of comfort.  It’s also quiet but not to the typically high Lexus standard…you’ll actually hear some road noise in here.  It’s sized so neatly that maneuvering in traffic and finding suitable parking is a breeze…one of the best parts of owning a small car.  And if the Cadmium Orange paint didn’t already awaken the senses this Glazed Caramel interior certainly will. It’s in here where this UX comes closest to earning its asking price – beautiful to the eye as well as the touch, with synthetic leather that is soft and feels like the real deal.  It’s a driver focused cockpit with an optional heads-up display, cool graphics and a new twist on an old theme

So you’re considering an Edge; good timing. Ford has updated their 5-passenger midsize SUV for the 2019 model year to keep it a compelling choice.

Though most Ford shoppers opt for the smaller Escape or larger Explorer, the venerable Edge is still a big volume player for the brand. It has staying power, name recognition and has long since received positive reviews from me.  Built upon Ford’s CD4 platform which also underpins products such as the Fusion and Lincoln Continental, this 2nd generation Edge debuted for the 2015 model year and moves into 2019 refreshed with a new look and host of new features.

So the 3.5-liter V6 is no longer, replaced across the board, with the exception of the sporty ST, with this 2.0-liter turbo making marginally more horsepower than before and working through a new 8-speed automatic producing relatively impressive fuel economy of 23mpg on regular unleaded.

This all-new Santa Fe showcases Hyundai’s bolder and bigger design language and really reignites the brand’s mojo which has been slipping in recent years. This 2019 model is the most complete, family-oriented SUV in its segment.  It’s that good.  Now, if you’re on a tight budget there’s the front-drive Santa Fe SE for under $25,000.  But 6 trim levels up is this range-topping Ultimate 2.0T AWD for $39,970 before any available incentives.  And that includes everything the Santa Fe offers as standard. It’s incredibly well-stocked, drives with a reassuring polish and pays special attention to cabin aesthetics and ergonomics.  It recaptures the MO from Hyundai’s maturation process; providing a generous, modern package at a price that undercuts the competition.

At 235 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, the 2.0-liter turbo’s output doesn’t wow on paper but it never feels inadequate, producing strong low-end acceleration, mated to a new 8-speed automatic transmission that doesn’t interfere with the fluid driving experience. I also like having this Smart drive mode in addition to the Comfort and Sport settings that automatically selects the proper steering effort, engine and transmission control logic based on the driver’s habits.  It works really well and helps save a little gas and that’s a good thing, because at 21mpg the Santa Fe trails the more powerful Ford Edge by 2mpg in mixed driving and 4mpg on the highway.

The interior dimensions of the Santa Fe have grown to give 2nd row passengers more space.  And, there’s more cargo room behind these seats.  All told it’s a great place to spend time with this beautiful panoramic sunroof, 2 USB ports, slide and recline heated seats, and window sunshades.

The all-new 2019 Honda Passport begins arriving at Honda dealerships nationwide on February 4, filling out Honda’s award-winning SUV lineup and delivering a unique combination of on-road driving refinement and off-road capability along with best-in-class interior space.