Colorado has one of the most distinctive SUV markets in the country, with buyers choosing everything from compact crossovers to three-row family vehicles and electric SUVs. The state’s 2025 registration data shows that Toyota, Tesla, Subaru, Honda, Nissan, and several other manufacturers all found strong demand.
The Colorado Auto Outlook, which uses Experian Automotive registration data, separates SUVs into categories such as subcompact, compact, two-row midsize, three-row midsize, and luxury SUVs.
That provides a better picture than simply copying national sales rankings. Here are ten SUV models that stood out in Colorado’s 2025 new-vehicle market, based on documented registration data and segment performance.
1. Toyota RAV4
The Toyota RAV4 had a particularly strong position in Colorado during 2025, finishing as the state’s leading compact SUV. The Colorado Auto Outlook identifies it as the top-selling model in the compact SUV segment, making it one of the clearest examples of how important smaller utility vehicles have become in the state.
The report’s registration figures come from Experian Automotive and cover new retail light-vehicle registrations.
Its appeal comes from a formula that does not require buyers to move into a large SUV. The RAV4 provides useful cargo room, a relatively compact footprint, and available all-wheel drive, while its hybrid powertrain gives buyers an alternative to a conventional gasoline-only setup.
Those characteristics have helped the RAV4 maintain a strong presence in Colorado even as the SUV market has become increasingly crowded.
The 2026 U.S. RAV4 also illustrates Toyota’s continued emphasis on electrification. The redesigned model is offered exclusively with hybrid or plug-in hybrid powertrains. Toyota lists up to 236 net combined horsepower for all-wheel-drive hybrid versions, while the RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid can produce up to 320 net combined horsepower.
For Colorado shoppers, the RAV4’s size is another important part of the equation. It is large enough for everyday family and cargo duties without moving into the footprint of a three-row SUV. That makes it suitable for buyers who want utility without making the vehicle unnecessarily large.
Its 2025 registration performance highlights an important trend in the Colorado market. Buyers are not simply choosing the largest SUV available. The compact RAV4 remained a popular option, showing that there is still strong demand for efficient and versatile crossovers.
2. Tesla Model Y
The Tesla Model Y gives Colorado’s SUV market a completely different dimension. MotorTrend’s compilation of Experian state registration data placed the Model Y second among Colorado’s five most popular vehicle models for 2025, behind the RAV4.
That is notable because the Model Y is a fully electric SUV competing directly with conventional gasoline and hybrid crossovers for mainstream buyers.
The Colorado Auto Outlook also places the Model Y in the state’s luxury compact SUV segment, where Tesla’s electric crossover has established a substantial presence.
The model’s combination of electric propulsion, available all-wheel drive, and crossover proportions gives it a different proposition from traditional SUVs while retaining the practicality expected from the category.
Range is an important part of the Model Y’s appeal. Tesla’s current U.S. lineup includes rear-wheel-drive and dual-motor all-wheel-drive versions, with EPA-estimated range varying by configuration. Tesla also provides substantial cargo capacity through the combination of its rear cargo area and front trunk.
The Model Y’s position is especially interesting because Colorado’s SUV market includes strong demand for Subaru, Toyota, and other brands traditionally associated with utility vehicles. Yet an electric Tesla still managed to rank among the state’s most registered models.
There is also a broader market shift visible here. Colorado’s buyers are not confined to one type of SUV powertrain. The RAV4 demonstrates the strength of hybrids, while the Model Y shows that battery-electric vehicles can also achieve significant registration volume in the state.
Tesla does not publish official horsepower and torque figures for the current U.S. Model Y, so those figures should not be filled with third-party estimates when manufacturer data is unavailable. The vehicle’s importance in Colorado can instead be measured through its registration position and its place within the state’s luxury compact SUV category.
3. Subaru Crosstrek
The Subaru Crosstrek has a particularly strong connection with Colorado’s SUV market. In the 2025 Colorado Auto Outlook, it was the leading model in the state’s subcompact SUV segment, with 6,236 new retail registrations and a 39.5 percent share of that segment.
The figures come from Experian Automotive data compiled by the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association.
That is a remarkable segment position. The Crosstrek was far ahead of the Honda HR-V, which recorded 1,330 registrations, while the Toyota Corolla Cross registered 1,252. The numbers show that Colorado buyers were not simply choosing a subcompact crossover occasionally. The Crosstrek had a commanding presence within this particular class.
Subaru’s formula is centered around practicality rather than sheer size. The Crosstrek provides standard all-wheel drive, a relatively compact exterior, and useful ground clearance, giving it a different character from many front-wheel-drive-based small crossovers.
For buyers who want a smaller vehicle but still need additional traction and utility, those characteristics make the Crosstrek a natural fit.
The model also appeared prominently in Colorado’s broader new-vehicle market. Through September 2025, the Colorado Auto Outlook listed the Crosstrek as the second-highest-selling internal-combustion model in the state, with a 4.4 percent share, behind only the Ford F-Series.
That result gives the Crosstrek significance beyond its subcompact category. Its Colorado performance shows that a relatively small SUV can compete strongly in a market where larger pickups and SUVs are also popular.
4. Honda CR-V
The Honda CR-V demonstrates how strong the compact SUV category is in Colorado. The 2025 Colorado Auto Outlook recorded 4,719 new CR-V registrations, giving it an 8.3 percent share of the state’s compact SUV segment. That placed it behind the Toyota RAV4 but ahead of the Subaru Forester, which recorded 4,449 registrations and a 7.8 percent segment share.
What makes the CR-V interesting is that its Colorado presence is not dependent on being the largest vehicle in the segment. Honda has built the model around everyday usability, with a cabin designed for passengers and cargo while keeping the exterior dimensions manageable for normal driving.
The current U.S. CR-V is available with both conventional and electrified powertrains depending on trim. Honda’s hybrid system combines a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with electric motors, while gasoline versions use a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder.
The hybrid versions are particularly significant because Colorado’s 2025 registration data shows how important electrified vehicles have become. In the first nine months of the year, the CR-V held 6.7 percent of Colorado’s hybrid registrations, placing it second in that category behind the RAV4.
That gives the CR-V two separate sources of strength in the state. It competes successfully as a mainstream compact SUV while also attracting buyers specifically interested in hybrid power.
The result is a vehicle that fits several different shopping priorities without requiring buyers to move into a larger three-row model. Its 2025 registration performance confirms that Colorado consumers continued to give the CR-V substantial consideration in a crowded segment.
5. Subaru Forester
The Subaru Forester is another strong performer in Colorado’s compact SUV market, but its 2025 registration story is different from the RAV4 and CR-V.
The Colorado Auto Outlook recorded 4,449 new Forester registrations during the year, giving it a 7.8 percent share of the state’s compact SUV segment. That placed it just behind the Honda CR-V, which had 4,719 registrations and an 8.3 percent share.
The Forester’s importance becomes clearer when looking beyond one segment. Through September 2025, the model accounted for 2.7 percent of Colorado’s internal-combustion vehicle registrations, ranking eighth among the state’s top ICE models.
Subaru’s broader presence was also substantial, with the brand holding 12.6 percent of Colorado’s ICE market during the first nine months.
For the Forester itself, practicality is central to the formula. The current U.S. model uses a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system. The standard setup gives the Forester a different proposition from compact crossovers that offer all-wheel drive only on selected versions.
The Forester also provides useful passenger and cargo space without moving into the much larger three-row SUV class. That balance has helped it remain relevant even as Colorado’s SUV choices have expanded to include hybrids and battery-electric vehicles.
There is an interesting contrast within Subaru’s own lineup. The Crosstrek dominated the state’s subcompact SUV category, while the larger Forester established itself near the top of the compact class.
That suggests Colorado buyers are not simply choosing one Subaru model repeatedly. Different sizes within the brand are attracting different groups of SUV shoppers.
6. Subaru Outback
The Subaru Outback occupies a slightly different space in Colorado’s SUV market because its design blends wagon-like proportions with the raised driving position and utility associated with crossovers. In the 2025 Colorado Auto Outlook, it led the state’s two-row midsize SUV segment with 4,528 registrations and a 24.8 percent segment share.
That is a substantial lead within its category. The Toyota 4Runner ranked second with 3,865 registrations and a 21.2 percent share, while the Hyundai Santa Fe followed at 1,867 registrations. The Outback therefore accounted for nearly one-quarter of the registrations in its particular Colorado segment during 2025.
The model’s position also fits into Subaru’s wider strength in the state. During the first nine months of 2025, the Outback represented 3.4 percent of Colorado’s internal-combustion vehicle registrations, placing it sixth among the state’s top ten ICE models.
For buyers who need more room than a Crosstrek but do not want a traditional three-row SUV, the Outback provides a useful middle ground. Its standard all-wheel-drive system and available higher-output turbocharged engine give the lineup additional flexibility.
The standard engine is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder, while the available XT versions use a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder.
The Outback’s Colorado performance is therefore not simply another example of Subaru selling well in the state. Its 24.8 percent share of the two-row midsize SUV segment shows that this particular model has carved out a substantial position among buyers seeking a larger, versatile vehicle without moving into a three-row format.
7. Hyundai Ioniq 5
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 was one of the biggest surprises in Colorado’s 2025 vehicle market. The Colorado Auto Outlook recorded the Ioniq 5 with a 2.7 percent share of all new retail industry registrations, placing it fifth among all models in the state’s market.
Its registrations increased 37.3 percent compared with 2024, making it one of the fastest-growing high-volume models in the report. The data is sourced from Experian Automotive.
That result becomes even more interesting when the powertrain is considered. The Ioniq 5 is a battery-electric crossover, yet it ranked ahead of numerous established gasoline-powered SUVs and pickups in Colorado.
Within the state’s BEV market, the model held a 12.7 percent share through September 2025, placing it third among electric models behind the Tesla Model Y and Nissan Ariya.
Hyundai offers the Ioniq 5 in rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive configurations. Depending on the version, the U.S. model can produce as much as 320 horsepower and 446 lb-ft of torque. Its 800-volt electrical architecture also supports high-speed DC charging, while the long-wheelbase body provides more interior room than its exterior footprint might suggest.
The Colorado registration numbers indicate that the Ioniq 5’s appeal was not limited to early adopters. A 37.3 percent year-over-year registration increase is significant in a market containing many established SUV choices.
It also demonstrates how quickly electric crossovers can gain ground when the product offers a combination of range, usable space, and charging capability.
For Colorado’s SUV market, the Ioniq 5 represents a shift toward vehicles that do not need a gasoline engine to compete for mainstream registration volume.
8. Nissan Ariya
The Nissan Ariya produced another notable result in Colorado’s 2025 market. The electric crossover captured a 2.5 percent share of all new retail industry registrations in the state, ranking eighth among all models in the Colorado Auto Outlook.
Registrations increased 35.2 percent from 2024, giving the Ariya one of the strongest growth rates among the state’s leading models.
Its position becomes even more significant when looking specifically at battery-electric vehicles. Through September 2025, the Ariya accounted for 14.4 percent of Colorado’s BEV registrations, making it the second-highest-volume electric model in that category, behind the Tesla Model Y. Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 followed at 12.7 percent.
Nissan designed the Ariya as a crossover rather than a conventional tall SUV, giving it a relatively low roofline and a spacious cabin. U.S. versions are available with either front-wheel drive or Nissan’s dual-motor e-4ORCE all-wheel-drive system. Depending on configuration, output reaches 389 horsepower and 442 lb-ft of torque.
The model also offers a range of battery and powertrain configurations, allowing Nissan to position different versions for buyers with different priorities. The Ariya’s electric architecture gives it instant motor response, while its crossover body provides everyday practicality without the size of a full-size SUV.
Colorado’s numbers show that the Ariya has established a meaningful presence rather than simply appearing as a niche electric model. A 35.2 percent increase from the previous year is particularly notable because it occurred while the state’s vehicle market contained several competing electric crossovers.
That makes the Ariya an important part of Colorado’s rapidly changing SUV landscape, where battery-electric models are now competing directly with some of the state’s most established gasoline and hybrid vehicles.
9. Toyota 4Runner
The Toyota 4Runner remains a major name in Colorado’s SUV market, particularly among buyers seeking a midsize vehicle with a more rugged design.
The 2025 Colorado Auto Outlook recorded 3,865 new retail registrations for the 4Runner, giving it a 21.2 percent share of the state’s two-row midsize SUV segment. That placed it second in the category behind the Subaru Outback.
The 4Runner’s 2025 registration growth was also positive. The statewide model table shows registrations increasing 7.6 percent compared with 2024, giving the SUV a stronger year than several other established models in Colorado.
Unlike the compact crossovers dominating much of the SUV market, the 4Runner is built around a more substantial utility-oriented platform.
The latest generation uses Toyota’s TNGA-F truck architecture, shared in related form with several body-on-frame Toyota products. Buyers can choose between a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and the available i-FORCE MAX hybrid powertrain.
The hybrid version produces 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque, while the standard turbocharged engine produces up to 278 horsepower and 317 lb-ft. Four-wheel-drive configurations are available, and Toyota also offers features specifically aimed at off-road driving.
Those characteristics give the 4Runner a different role from vehicles such as the RAV4 or Crosstrek. It is larger, more ruggedly oriented, and designed to handle substantially more demanding terrain. Yet Colorado’s registration numbers show that the model still has considerable mainstream appeal.
Its 21.2 percent share of the two-row midsize SUV segment is especially revealing. The 4Runner was not merely surviving among specialized off-road vehicles. It accounted for more than one-fifth of its entire segment in the state during 2025.
10. Jeep Wrangler
The Jeep Wrangler closes this group with a very different approach to the SUV formula. In Colorado’s 2025 registration data, the Wrangler accounted for a 1.7 percent share of the state’s new retail vehicle market, with registrations increasing 3.9 percent from 2024. That placed it alongside the Toyota 4Runner as one of the state’s prominent utility-focused SUVs.
The Wrangler’s identity is closely tied to its removable-roof design, available four-wheel-drive systems, and body-on-frame construction. It is not designed primarily as a soft-road crossover, which separates it from high-volume models such as the RAV4, CR-V, and Forester.
For the U.S. market, the Wrangler lineup includes several powertrains. The 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 produces 285 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque, while the available 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder produces 270 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque.
The Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid adds an electrified option, producing 375 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque.
This variety matters because it allows the same basic SUV platform to appeal to different types of buyers. Some prefer the traditional V6, while others want the stronger torque of a turbocharged engine. The 4xe offers another option with its plug-in hybrid powertrain.
Colorado’s 2025 figures show that the Wrangler continued to attract buyers despite facing an SUV market filled with newer crossover designs. Its 3.9 percent registration increase also distinguishes it from several models that experienced declines during the same period.
The Wrangler’s place in the Colorado market is therefore tied less to conventional family-crossover priorities and more to its distinctive utility-focused design. Its continued registration volume demonstrates that there remains substantial demand for an SUV built around removable body panels, available four-wheel drive, and serious off-road capability.
