Recommended List
- d! g7 p, _4 w$ Y9 x$ i9 LCompact SUVs
" D3 J; c- l0 ]+ U7 k$ `2 G8 Q7 U |
Honda CR-V ' p( E1 U& B+ `
5 A. Z+ L8 I, r- H
+ I s) n& h4 [; _# B' K" o, M9 l 
8 G+ j! Q+ g- H& b, F( s |
$ J3 O+ _8 K* s0 b#1 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Honda CR-V:
4 ?: Y, J$ H5 g. m& U- #1 Ranked for safety on the list
- #1 Ranked for quality on the list
- #1 Ranked for Expert Review on the list
- One of the top 3 ranked for gas milage
Reasons not to buy the Honda CR-V:
# ] [% _" V/ g& P, v- 10th ranked on the list for cost
- Can get the Hyundai Tucson for around $4,000 less
See reviews for this model
( ~: O ~4 d. I& k d! |/ L |
Hyundai Tucson ! N) g' p' s" ?4 V" {6 i
$ G& Y% ~% R4 I$ R3 [' n
" K& a6 U* C* i/ {) Q. y
5 R6 G/ A5 k6 D7 T | #2 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Hyundai Tucson:
2 D% r: V0 R, R3 p$ f( x4 }6 |" p7 O8 t
- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- One of top 3 ranked for price on the list
Reasons not to buy the Hyundai Tucson:2 b# ^3 Z9 ]8 Z j# Q
- has lower horsepower compared to rest
- want the #1 rated Honda CR-v
See reviews for this model5 g2 \( W5 V6 C
|
Toyota RAV4 / a! ?' R4 q# p
( G% ?8 K% ]; M) J Y
6 A* J" W# {" G" R
| #3 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Toyota RAV4:
: G" }4 t$ h. f3 z7 E+ x6 {+ ^8 P* j+ a% s- l4 i6 V5 e
- #1 ranked fuel economy on the list
- runner up next to Honda CR-V for quality
- runner up for expert review
- #1 ranked for value on the list
- Agile and economical
Reasons not to buy the Toyota RAV4:
8 }9 C0 M5 x: Y4 n' U- want the Honda CR-V
- low horsepower rating
See reviews for this model7 d$ q0 J4 O# r
|
Jeep Patriot & f) O! u" t* ^' o! Y- E
m& }" H+ R* M& t3 K
8 X5 J3 V5 c- m9 m! d
- u, e5 e2 h$ x7 Q. k2 B! s
| #4 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Patriot:% p) h* S$ W. w, L7 M+ C
9 S$ Z' v7 } ]/ k$ R7 s0 N! N
- #1 ranked for gas mileage
- #1 ranked for price
- One of the top ten for safety
- good off road capability
Reasons not to buy the Jeep Patriot:& E, K/ X! @' @% a: W8 i# x
- Cab is pretty noisy
- comes standard with just a one cd system
- small fuel tank
- not a great deal of cargo space in rear
See reviews for this model
! o: ]) Z! Y) V4 A |
Saturn Vue
$ w. `7 m5 a$ ~9 ?4 S" M* {3 P3 q6 H) R/ d! \- U( e
" Y) P$ n; i; _6 n+ y$ p
6 w( F( N, \5 Z3 p w& D$ \
| #5 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Saturn Vue:1 w( Y& e# J1 G! F4 C
0 M* j, E3 G( M+ C8 b8 h/ W: e0 k- Great Gas Mileage
- Onstar feature
- quiet engine
- Ranked #4 on the list for price
- Good horsepower
Reasons not to buy the Saturn Vue:
+ L/ D. q* ?) ?3 s6 g3 C9 N2 K6 B- low rank under total value
- could get the Hyundai Tucson cheaper
See reviews for this model8 Y8 K+ v! v& B( W, |3 J
|
Kia Sportage
$ j2 \; P. C/ D; S8 p
. W4 h# n; h/ i2 L7 Y3 t n/ m & H1 u d* V# R1 o
( ?8 T9 J( n" ?
| #6 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Kia Sportage:
$ c X6 G1 N1 U8 P4 ^* v1 P6 Z& r; _! ^& Z' Y" L
- runner up for best price behind the Jeep Patriot
- decent gas mileage
- #3 ranked in value
Reasons not to buy the Kia Sportage:% ^, b; W) ]& I4 E
- low ranking horsepower
- want the Jeep Patriot
See reviews for this model
' c0 {; v7 d. Z" o* S" r- H2 ] |
Subaru Forester
3 k4 p2 K+ s- b. z+ D8 ~ y1 }. N: m5 i& b% k8 G
% j8 q4 Z3 p; ]" x/ F3 I5 Y1 d
| #7 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Subaru Forester:
4 D) l8 G' W$ @1 C, R: o/ D9 J! T( [1 H2 T/ t7 F/ }; i
- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- #3 ranked for value on list
- decent gas mileage
Reasons not to buy the Subaru Forester:& q7 v" k5 I; r0 k# l
- No Acceleration
- road noise
- lack of leg room in rear
See reviews for this model% N8 o* {$ T0 x5 _, l
|
Kia Sorento; G' X$ \7 M1 Q; o1 A3 h; l0 k ^
6 p4 ~ [1 q! R0 i: n4 n6 D

" l& r9 h% U4 {/ y5 ~9 Q# L7 m, z6 v' u3 E( }# z
& F0 E7 @1 E) [ m' v | #8 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Kia Sorento:8 F2 [; ~' y+ u0 j2 [, t1 }
9 |0 W) O7 q: O' L$ q
- #1 ranked horsepower on list
- Value
- exterior and interior styling
Reasons not to buy the Kia Sorento:$ B- g$ M7 E2 _; ?* H' m9 b
- low rank for gas mileage
- low towing ability
See reviews for this model
( j$ Z! M2 _1 e. O! q7 N( L" }; S. P |
Honda Element7 A& S0 h7 R" v* r% Q5 Y
V" L6 j3 J4 P
* Q& a: C" j7 M
# t7 O! X7 k) C1 q0 v( g U% z6 p* c
| #9 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Honda Element:4 @& }1 E' x0 i
9 D. j8 l: K) J: x Y- good gas mileage
- interior space
- Lots of leg room for front and back passengers
Reasons not to buy the Honda Element:& Y) b5 W6 j1 n9 L) t
- some road noise
- low horsepower
See reviews for this model0 f8 a( U; y+ q# n4 Q
|
Suzuki Grand Vitara
& Q9 v0 Z0 _: E( k# r% V! l
t3 D- Y8 c: F$ j! w: q | #10 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Suzuki Grand Vitara:. Q$ i Y E$ m! E# y7 j% x& m4 D
5 J: a. r# [& J8 _2 T7 ]- smooth ride
- decent pricing
- average rank in safety
Reasons not to buy the Suzuki Grand Vitara:
`, t$ S& h2 C5 Y5 @7 S% ~4 U- ranked low on gas mileage
- sluggish acceleration
See reviews for this model
0 ?- z0 ]% Q) W0 c8 N0 i |
Ford Freestyle , ]) L% L" N4 C5 \2 [" C7 l
. y9 i B* C2 Z5 `$ A | #11 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Ford Freestyle:
1 h( D1 ~9 I' z- f" @( s; J7 y
- F. R y; e4 i! P' n- #1 ranked in safety on the list
- decent power balance
- car-like ride
Reasons not to buy the Ford Freestyle:
# }! l1 o' ]8 n- high priced
- low ranked in value
- could improve in gas mileage
See reviews for this model
D- B# p2 ~9 ^8 n8 }& @. |0 _% Z& [ |
Pontiac Torrent
* m. B( u! N$ b$ v
4 {' ?+ f1 N* X) x/ H. H | #12 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Pontiac Torrent:
5 z3 Y& q0 m8 T$ s! [: ~6 ~
+ E9 S* r% V6 b* L& W4 S- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- Good overall value for the price
- Nice interior
Reasons not to buy the Pontiac Torrent:
, ]- i% w5 s W( h5 { u! @) b8 x" _* \- ranked low for price
- can do better for fuel economy
|
Jeep Wrangler U" @: ]( d% p) x+ ]9 r; v5 c p
b6 f8 i& k! r1 E& O; \6 z
| #13 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Wrangler:* H# \4 ?4 }8 H! m# m
) B- a% }& R. X6 k- #1 ranked in value on the list
- high ranked in quality on the list
- good priced
Reasons not to buy the Jeep Wrangler:2 d" v+ Z `$ k. U5 S
- gas mileage not good
- scored low in safety
- road noise
|
Mazda CX-7
) j6 t# Q, |- y$ E
. m7 `5 K- d4 Z | #14 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mazda CX-7:
* |4 P3 M/ `0 T" S
- O$ ^& Q) e! I- #1 ranked in safety on the list
- #3 ranked in expert review
- #3 ranked in value
Reasons not to buy the Mazda CX-7:! e% x1 o3 Y& N+ p1 O9 a
- could do better in gas mileage
- a bit pricy for the quality
|
BMW X3 % E" Z' t$ p8 z$ W: ~
- M2 g& u" i. i# C# T) K, F | #15 Editor's PickReasons to buy the BMW X3:5 q0 t* p% S1 b. O
/ P' U l J. u/ K, y
- great horsepower
- very good value
- comfortable
Reasons not to buy the BMW X3:
2 ~2 y L( S A c- low ranking for safety
- could do better in gas mileage
- #22 ranked for price
See reviews for this model
# A8 L- |9 X$ {/ A5 G5 ] |
Suzuki XL7
" l" C! I/ D' E9 @
" K9 I# H p) {" h* N | #16 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Suzuki XL7:9 ]0 J# i3 T) C; [! g5 q+ x
- G7 k5 w: m; E6 y, K& k
- #3 ranked for horsepower
- Smooth V6
- exterior look
- controls easy to use
Reasons not to buy the Suzuki XL7:
2 W# m; J! Y. G; U, U) d8 g% t- low ranked in value
- low ranked in price
- can do better in gas mileage
|
Acura RDX + X" S) }; R& R- ]
; `6 n3 J) V& I4 Z
| #17 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Acura RDX:
- }! U1 O y! M% O4 U5 K
, [! _* N$ v+ g5 g1 n5 T/ e- #3 ranked in value
- #6 ranked in horsepower
- luxurious interior
Reasons not to buy the Acura RDX:8 @* n/ M0 R8 L- V8 t
- Scored low in safety
- can do better in gas mileage
- extremely sluggish off the line
See reviews for this model$ h7 N' \) [: W
|
Chevrolet Equinox * l: g6 c1 M6 J% C5 `0 N
2 @3 X% l+ Q& {
| #18 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Chevrolet Equinox:
; d9 [" W1 e( Y$ V: |3 J
2 L5 x- [3 T4 a- smooth ride
- exterior styling is nice
- has decent interior space
Reasons not to buy the Chevrolet Equinox:) v: P, v7 A& M# T/ x. X
- cheap interior look
- can do better on gas
See reviews for this model
0 I) }2 }+ J6 C |
Mitsubishi Outlander
Q& v* y+ z' u. a" r
V. x6 i/ s: p2 n2 [% G. I* O- u0 { | #19 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mitsubishi Outlander:' i) w3 {7 ]" y" P/ v
9 q0 E5 S+ M3 X' b$ d
- #3 ranked in value
- has decent horsepower
- comfortable
Reasons not to buy the Mitsubishi Outlander:
6 v9 [& u: _* B+ c- low safety score
- can do better on gas mileage
- a bit pricy for the quality
|
Ford Escape 1 f* A3 x2 a8 a. ~! G: Q' \
1 P2 }: h5 T1 d( w/ L- A
| #20 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Ford Escape:) g& T0 d: m1 M: Z8 \% S
& r. Q$ c. L! W) g% O! V+ ~" @- roomy
- Great mileage
- comfortable ride
- sporty look and feel
Reasons not to buy the Ford Escape:
, i# I1 _1 k5 h0 s' U, t- lacks in horsepower
- scored low in value
- can do better in safety area
- road noise
See reviews for this model
, d2 P* l7 Y8 E$ t' w, f* d* l |
Jeep Liberty % Q: Q! |& L8 I8 k: B
" @" W4 {: I: j( `' @% | | #21 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Liberty:1 G9 G6 W( a2 S t
" t1 b; W- z1 \) W# S S9 L
- good low-end torque
- decent cargo compacity
- Rugged, sporty feel
Reasons not to buy the Jeep Liberty:
6 r3 N$ O: r9 }) `0 d4 ^3 E+ |7 G- can do better in gas mileage
- scored low in safety
- a bit pricy compared to others
See reviews for this model
6 o! [; C( s1 p' I |
Mercury Mariner
2 F; N, q& q* b2 a4 d: {) U/ K! h' S7 t4 V% ^# ?
| #22 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mercury Mariner:
: ?9 [9 a0 b, K% J2 F* S
- Z5 D$ L. O7 J* \3 H- decent quality
- ok on gas mileage
- not too bad on price
Reasons not to buy the Mercury Mariner:
4 m z5 u5 G* W; U( V- low safety score
- lower ranked on horsepower
- scored low in overall value
|