highlander has the shortest wheelbase and the longest overhangs which is why it looks dorky and ancient compared to the others. it's still a nice vehicle though.

 

Bless the new RWD Ford Explorer

 

I can't stop calling it the Kia Teletubbie.

 

That's not right. All you have to do is subtract the wheelbase from the length to see how much is left for overhangs.

So...length minus wheelbase, where the larger number would indicate larger overhangs.

Telluride: 82.7"
Pilot: 82.3"
Highlander: 82.7"
CX-9: 84.1"

 

 

 

 

I have to wonder where this leaves Sorento. Until now, it competed with all the 3-rows that the Telluride is now aimed at. The problem is that the Sorento is actually priced right alongside Telluride if you don't count the stripped 2WD 4-cylinder base model. Sorento gets to around $47K.
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IMO it doesn't really need to get smaller. The hot-selling Sportage already has that segment covered.

 

I would expect the next Sorrento to use the new Santa Fe platform which is just a bit smaller and 2 row seating. Power is either base 4 cyl or a 2 liter turbo 4.

 

good point mmarshall about sportage, so is this right... kia has:

soul
niro
sportage
sorrento
telluride

any other utes?

i noticed on kia's home page the default vehicle view is now suvs!

and hyundai has:

kona
tucson
santa fe (was santa fe sport)
santa fe xl (was santa fe)
palisade

i'd say they're getting their ute mojo together... next... genesis.

 

I'm not sure I'd consider the Soul a true crossover SUV/CUV. Like the now-discontinued Scion xB it formerly competed with, I'd class this type of vehicle as actually more of a tall, FWD, shoe-box station wagon, with a lot of interior space-efficiency. An earlier comparison from Kia itself was the also-discontinued Rondo, though it sat a little lower and was more sedan/wagon-like. I thought the (admittedly) slow-selling Rondo was one of the most useful and practical vehicles Kia ever offered, and was sorry to see it go. The lady the took the recordings of our monthly Condo board-meetings had one, and loved it.

With most manufacturers, they set up their American-market websites to show the default view as their newest vehicle in this market (unless, of course, it is a not-yet-revealed vehicle that they still want to keep under wraps or partially-hidden). We've already discussed (and argued) the pros and cons of doing that in other threads. Right now, of course, crossover SUVs are a fashionable commodity in the American market.

The Nexo Fuel-Cell SUV is also on the way...but it will (apparently) only be available in California, which has a hydrogen-infrastructure for it.

https://www.hyundaiusa.com/nexo/index.aspx

Well, see, but I suspect, in a year or two (maybe a little longer), you'll come home with a new Genesis GV SUV...combining the best of your G90 with the practicality of your former JGC and Explorer.

 

 

it's possible, but fortunately there's so many awesome choices across so many brands.