It pays to bulk up.

As the American love affair with SUVs continues, automakers are ditching a slew of small cars and investing in hulking new models with ample interior space, high stance and creature comforts that are vogue.

This summer, several auto brands that had previously failed to capitalize on the SUV wave finally got into the game.

Kia, Hyundai and Subaru, for example, all began selling large SUVs for the first time. And it paid big dividends.

Overall, the industry's sales cooled off from July through September, as sales retreated from the near-record levels of the last few years.

Here's USA TODAY's list of the five hottest-selling vehicles of the third quarter based on a subjective analysis of sales data, momentum and industry buzz.

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1. Kia Telluride

Third-quarter sales: 16,918 (was not on sale previous year)

This new, large SUV already looks like a hit for Kia, which badly needed an SUV after sales of its passenger-car-heavy lineup slumped. The Telluride hit dealerships just a few months ago.

Demand for the U.S.-made Telluride "continues to outpace model supply," Kia said in a statement.

It even outsold its also-new, three-row sibling, the Hyundai Palisade, which notched sales of 13,074.

2. Volkswagen Atlas

Third-quarter sales: 20,790, up 40.1%

If you follow this quarterly USA TODAY hot-sellers list, you know the Atlas is becoming a staple. Maybe someday its momentum will slow, but that day has not yet come.

The three-row SUV, introduced in 2017, outsold the VW Golf, Beetle and Passat in the first nine months of the year.

What's more, the vehicle's online search share for the last 12 months peaked in the third quarter, according to the car shopping site CarGurus.

3. Ford Transit

Third-quarter sales: 55,413 (including Transit Connect), up 29.4%

Technically, the Ford Transit is a fleet vehicle, not a consumer model. But the Transit is experiencing "exceptional growth," Ford U.S. sales boss Mark LaNeve said on a conference call. That includes the Transit Connect, which is an electric model.

"Our vans have become a major beneficiary of the growth in e-commerce and the increased need for package delivery vehicles of all kinds," LaNeve said.

4. GMC Sierra

Third-quarter sales: 66,198 (including light-duty and heavy-duty), up 28.9%

The GMC Sierra was a standout for General Motors, which needed some good news after its pickups went on a cold streak.

While Fiat Chrysler's pickup rival, the Ram truck, has surged in recent months, the Sierra made up ground in the third quarter. The pickup's recent redesign may finally be gaining traction.

5. Porsche Cayenne

Third-quarter sales: 4,300, up 274.6%

The redesigned Cayenne is proving that Porsche has room to capitalize on the SUV wave.

The makeover, which Porsche calls "the sports car of SUVs," is a hit.

From a comparison standpoint, the vehicle is benefiting from a weak third quarter of 2018, when inventory was unusually low. Still, there's no mistaking that the Cayenne is on a roll. The vehicle is now easily Porsche's second-best-seller, besting the 911 sports car.

Follow USA TODAY reporter Nathan Bomey on Twitter @NathanBomey.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New cars and trucks: These 5 vehicles were summer's hottest sellers