30,000 for 2018 confront shopper with a tyranny of choice. So many are so good. Automakers are building many SUV offerings because they are popular for their passenger- and cargo-hauling flexibility and raised driving position. Older generation SUVs were built on truck chassis and gave occupants a harsher ride experience, but car-based SUVs, also called crossovers, deliver ride and handling — and even fuel economy — that better matches sedans.

30,000 by focusing on the key attributes that SUV buyers seek. Quality, reliability, versatility and ease of use led the list. Safety and fuel economy also figured importantly in the consideration. The Honda CR-V is among the nation’s top-selling vehicles because it hits the segment’s sweet spot with excellent ride quality, laudable fuel economy and an intelligently designed interior.

The newest-generation CR-V offers 105.9 cubic feet of passenger cabin volume and 39.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats. When those seats are folded flat, that grows to 75.8 cubic feet. There’s comfortable seating for four adults, and five can squeeze in when needed. Engine choices include a 184-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and a 190-horsepower 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine.

The fuel economy rating is 28 mpg in combined city and highway driving for the base engine. The 2018 CR-V earned a Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, or IIHS. The knocks were its headlights and the ease of use of its child seat anchor latch.

Consumer Reports recommends the CR-V and gives it its highest reliability rating. 35,025, depending on the trim level and engine choice. The all-wheel drive Forester is Subaru’s bestselling U.S. ’s all-weather performance. The Forester incorporates Subaru’s impressive EyeSight automated driver assistance suite of safety features. Taller than the CR-V, the Forester offers 108.3 cubic feet of passenger cabin volume. Seating is available for five passengers. Cargo space behind the rear bench seat is 34.4 cubic feet.

When the split seat back is folded flat, that space totals 74.7 cubic feet. A 170-horsepower 2.5-liter horizontally opposed four cylinder is the base engine. The optional 250-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine is one of the most powerful in the class. The base engine delivers 28 mpg in combined driving. Consumer Reports recommends the Forester.

IIHS gave it a Top Safety Pick award. 30,000, the base Forester 2.5i offers niceties like rear-vision camera system, incline start assist and security system with engine immobilizer. 37,005 depending on the trim level and engine choice. A redesigned 2019 will arrive in showrooms later this year. The Toyota RAV4 was the best-selling vehicle in the U.S.

It offers excellent resale value. It holds Consumer Reports’ highest reliability rating and CR recommends it. The five-passenger RAV4 has a relatively small passenger area. It offers 101.9 cubic feet of passenger cabin volume. But it has 38.4 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats that grows to 73.4 cubic feet of space when the rear seats are folded. The 2018 RAV4 is powered by a 176-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. It gets 26 mpg in combined city and highway driving. Hybrid versions use a 150-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine in combination with a 141 horsepower 105Kw electric motor.

Hybrid fuel economy is 32 mpg. IIHS rated the RAV4 as a Top Safety Pick. 36,000, depending on the trim level. The Kia Sorento is among the largest vehicles on this list, and that is a big reason why it ranks so highly. Total passenger volume is a substantial 142.9 cubic feet. Maximum cargo capacity with both second- and third-row seats folded maxes out at 73 cubic feet.

The Sorento is a seven-passenger vehicle. Noted for its easy-to-understand controls, the Sorento gets high satisfaction marks from consumers in both J.D. Power and Consumer Reports studies. IIHS labels it a Top Safety Pick for 2018. The Sorento is a Consumer Reports “Recommended” vehicle. The base 185-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine makes acceleration a leisurely affair, but it does deliver 24 mpg combined fuel economy. The optional 3.3-liter V6 engine offers 290-horsepower and 21 mpg combined fuel economy. Considered the driver’s car among the compact crossovers, the Mazda CX-5 features innovative engineering.