Recommended List
) M/ }! }' e9 h" F. J" ZCompact SUVs
: D4 v" F% I, Z% S( B l/ B$ B/ Y |
Honda CR-V
1 v, h4 F: g3 t5 T% P2 p' F: \8 F, f" H7 c4 N# V
& Y4 z3 y* g, w2 w6 J" i 
" J$ z' c# t! n | " O A2 C5 {" f5 s& X- a
#1 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Honda CR-V:
; D. r* ^ R, f4 D& t; S- #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:) [+ p7 d- \2 }$ z. D5 O
- 10th ranked on the list for cost
- Can get the Hyundai Tucson for around $4,000 less
See reviews for this model' f: Y6 O* y( f; U( {% a% b( Q
|
Hyundai Tucson
; E' `# K/ h( o9 Y- q
# a. [9 c6 {) R& E4 u8 l# O
' y. Q, X6 a% ^0 B" e" U
1 r; Q [$ G! ^2 Y! N& | | #2 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Hyundai Tucson:
$ l) V6 p2 W, q, C& F; c4 n- k& w! C" G7 _( I
- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- One of top 3 ranked for price on the list
Reasons not to buy the Hyundai Tucson:
4 v! b" G/ {2 B/ Q- has lower horsepower compared to rest
- want the #1 rated Honda CR-v
See reviews for this model8 a1 E/ L' K d: x& ]9 a3 n, Z1 Z
|
Toyota RAV4 " H6 k0 \* P% f4 i6 P& M1 B9 g! m
) @. y% c' F V- D/ q4 }7 R: O
+ p+ Q: u( v! r. U1 s
| #3 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Toyota RAV4:
^' U4 f* l1 v* @2 s; r! M) I! w& b: E0 l
- #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:( `5 u* g7 B. e: I8 H- }
- want the Honda CR-V
- low horsepower rating
See reviews for this model
; \- J1 @3 b4 T6 }/ }* X" S8 y# x |
Jeep Patriot
" i, C* k& I2 k$ O, W9 ~
2 v1 n) b5 ~2 \; V, ]& W- r# d# P+ X% u4 ^
6 M7 d7 K7 m1 t' h& c5 m6 |# L
| #4 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Patriot:$ O$ O* F9 L O. X) ~
: b4 [& W- X" A, s
- #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:' J$ [7 V' B* H1 v4 \, T' P
- 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 model3 I6 l# J$ |5 V$ ~" k8 x" U T2 ~
|
Saturn Vue1 G2 ?6 R. K" ^% ~' e0 J! i
$ F n2 c! X) [ R9 _* t( C r- T4 a
+ f- }# r% O5 a2 s
' ^8 `0 \6 a5 w/ F
| #5 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Saturn Vue:
^0 W6 [8 `6 }! `- ^" M
3 Z: Z5 d8 q2 R% C- Great Gas Mileage
- Onstar feature
- quiet engine
- Ranked #4 on the list for price
- Good horsepower
Reasons not to buy the Saturn Vue:
/ j. [: M$ k: i& U7 l- low rank under total value
- could get the Hyundai Tucson cheaper
See reviews for this model0 F& k7 i9 R5 H- F- ^: e2 N% J7 ]" M
|
Kia Sportage
9 L$ y. I4 M) a4 p3 ?; a; ^0 r+ `6 N( ]- j

7 y" f$ l& C. K( z5 {4 Q, T+ b$ N/ Y& A! R5 y" [1 ?
| #6 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Kia Sportage:( k, e: j( }. ?3 c6 K/ M0 O
4 O" X; S. N3 B2 C1 j1 L- runner up for best price behind the Jeep Patriot
- decent gas mileage
- #3 ranked in value
Reasons not to buy the Kia Sportage:: t1 y+ H" N0 L1 Z$ f( R, g
- low ranking horsepower
- want the Jeep Patriot
See reviews for this model: o6 C4 t2 o7 @ S; C1 L. S
|
Subaru Forester% Q! m) {; |" y: Q
% L1 h3 ?7 {; q% t0 Q; o3 [8 c
2 X b' ]% @2 a0 h' q
| #7 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Subaru Forester:# X* }1 t0 q9 f9 o
% f& b4 \5 V. q! ~8 W
- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- #3 ranked for value on list
- decent gas mileage
Reasons not to buy the Subaru Forester:
4 E8 m# j' }% A- No Acceleration
- road noise
- lack of leg room in rear
See reviews for this model2 L6 l, ^0 \' R' Q& e( q
|
Kia Sorento
; `/ w: y& w5 g6 c% [" `4 a
3 X5 b, b1 d3 I) D& g! L # P8 }! I* i5 Z9 R* w
" f' |6 y! p' A, c* v2 E+ z4 z' g
% W! n1 J( K0 M( s! z
| #8 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Kia Sorento:
( O# D$ q& C$ C9 r; I- ^
" Q' H1 @0 ]- t$ w- #1 ranked horsepower on list
- Value
- exterior and interior styling
Reasons not to buy the Kia Sorento:
% z* ?' b" F( Z" v, o' b5 _- low rank for gas mileage
- low towing ability
See reviews for this model( W5 h; u5 ]5 z# g3 f4 h5 m
|
Honda Element6 C' a. y! d9 K. j
5 i3 b( x. s! z: e

0 t0 {3 E1 M, ]. E* I" C
) ~. D7 W3 I J: C; x | #9 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Honda Element:: f1 b& b4 ^( i+ f3 f9 n
- P! H5 ^9 Q$ s" p! R. @/ {* o. n
- good gas mileage
- interior space
- Lots of leg room for front and back passengers
Reasons not to buy the Honda Element:
8 G; U6 k8 O& d4 }3 ^- some road noise
- low horsepower
See reviews for this model
8 a/ c6 w# s. q/ W, R1 d |
Suzuki Grand Vitara
3 P, \, [+ u! C
; |7 P' l d' `& d( q$ ]/ G3 H | #10 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Suzuki Grand Vitara:$ u% `# [ x+ u5 G- O# E, N5 M
& ~& N2 }8 k, @8 v- smooth ride
- decent pricing
- average rank in safety
Reasons not to buy the Suzuki Grand Vitara:
# q; J8 P( P( V8 p+ |- ranked low on gas mileage
- sluggish acceleration
See reviews for this model
5 H g0 @( b4 x* p1 q/ O |
Ford Freestyle % o0 B/ H( r, d8 Q# }' ?3 B7 I
+ V, c0 \" n1 p4 C | #11 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Ford Freestyle:
; a1 k5 h$ M" }9 a4 z
; R5 w7 r% I" }" r7 @4 h- #1 ranked in safety on the list
- decent power balance
- car-like ride
Reasons not to buy the Ford Freestyle:
( Z3 f2 {0 x' y4 m% [- high priced
- low ranked in value
- could improve in gas mileage
See reviews for this model
' S+ F9 D9 c' I |
Pontiac Torrent ! m5 J! D' o& B5 {0 V8 M! `
8 j ~# G7 I0 q J$ {" Z
| #12 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Pontiac Torrent:
# z$ j1 ^+ S, S& g' _; J" y2 d# O5 p. h$ N' h
- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- Good overall value for the price
- Nice interior
Reasons not to buy the Pontiac Torrent:
7 u7 h6 l( V# J- ranked low for price
- can do better for fuel economy
|
Jeep Wrangler % a" i( ^! F' T9 M; U3 Q
8 r# R2 k1 ~# [& j5 | | #13 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Wrangler:3 u* c6 z: C% c% d& g* b( C) c7 {
5 G2 I+ ?" M* F- #1 ranked in value on the list
- high ranked in quality on the list
- good priced
Reasons not to buy the Jeep Wrangler:
. S4 T3 {: h- G/ [' u- gas mileage not good
- scored low in safety
- road noise
|
Mazda CX-7 # d2 J% k* J: `1 e* e9 m
: r# r% m: }3 g
| #14 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mazda CX-7:6 s9 V& j2 X2 D7 Y! J0 X7 \
3 }* N6 o: f4 e# b' N; H
- #1 ranked in safety on the list
- #3 ranked in expert review
- #3 ranked in value
Reasons not to buy the Mazda CX-7:
2 E: Y1 W2 D2 R/ J1 y; u+ j7 X( E- could do better in gas mileage
- a bit pricy for the quality
|
BMW X3
1 Y; {5 p# c/ c: [) A& ^
: u% g G+ ?' l6 ~' \, c6 U; m5 `, P0 Y: t | #15 Editor's PickReasons to buy the BMW X3:; d' F0 g4 c% U9 T9 |* A0 H
/ t% Y+ `0 a4 y- h2 k
- great horsepower
- very good value
- comfortable
Reasons not to buy the BMW X3:
6 v8 `0 Q, Q( L8 d- low ranking for safety
- could do better in gas mileage
- #22 ranked for price
See reviews for this model0 D( }& _% a, p z/ p
|
Suzuki XL7 % Q5 K8 _# O' {& v& V3 J4 r8 }
- \- ~0 h, b0 ]3 ]+ R b | #16 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Suzuki XL7:
+ Y' ~+ q+ k- {, k A+ T; R) K" K/ ?1 {; C4 Z- I- O
- #3 ranked for horsepower
- Smooth V6
- exterior look
- controls easy to use
Reasons not to buy the Suzuki XL7:* d0 B2 l5 U K* l
- low ranked in value
- low ranked in price
- can do better in gas mileage
|
Acura RDX
' M8 y# X+ d: n0 ^
- | c3 T- i5 c; Q; w | #17 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Acura RDX:3 ^1 R) I3 a7 \2 v, t2 B
1 O) j5 l+ \) |" o& {5 p" z3 f& `
- #3 ranked in value
- #6 ranked in horsepower
- luxurious interior
Reasons not to buy the Acura RDX:
# H, L' f8 p8 s& D0 h; ~. ~+ [- Scored low in safety
- can do better in gas mileage
- extremely sluggish off the line
See reviews for this model9 x* T; r9 f" z5 b
|
Chevrolet Equinox ; G2 `( M( o" V& s
/ ?- i8 S6 z1 n0 t2 H0 }. h
| #18 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Chevrolet Equinox:5 o& n1 j+ \8 ?0 ], w+ }& X
! J( v# T1 r0 l' s# l5 G- smooth ride
- exterior styling is nice
- has decent interior space
Reasons not to buy the Chevrolet Equinox:
7 {, P8 z+ u9 o; | o1 G4 p- cheap interior look
- can do better on gas
See reviews for this model
$ M7 D* S- g, t. {$ Z" x6 n5 j7 t) O |
Mitsubishi Outlander
# _7 O' z) a' Q* N6 v+ x6 n% h+ W7 E: |% [6 S
| #19 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mitsubishi Outlander:
/ z% u9 w6 g9 ]# z" P \! I
( V. |3 b' z1 |- #3 ranked in value
- has decent horsepower
- comfortable
Reasons not to buy the Mitsubishi Outlander:% p+ {7 l' X1 r5 T3 ^- N/ p
- low safety score
- can do better on gas mileage
- a bit pricy for the quality
|
Ford Escape % {. E3 m' U; L9 P$ S6 @
: n( D2 @6 R9 @4 V | #20 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Ford Escape:
3 I, a+ i, E/ {( G
5 X2 t( p% X/ k# [0 h( i& o- roomy
- Great mileage
- comfortable ride
- sporty look and feel
Reasons not to buy the Ford Escape:
. o" E _+ A0 A* P: Y' d$ @6 J4 K- lacks in horsepower
- scored low in value
- can do better in safety area
- road noise
See reviews for this model9 x3 W# a+ J$ X; n6 E0 s& X+ c
|
Jeep Liberty & C( F6 W6 `% I$ N. [
/ p4 X: J* T' L( W3 C | #21 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Liberty:! V! r6 D% g* {7 q3 N8 ]3 V
# e4 W" ]/ l$ Y6 M4 i+ k+ X
- good low-end torque
- decent cargo compacity
- Rugged, sporty feel
Reasons not to buy the Jeep Liberty:3 t& Q1 H5 Z' f9 ~6 e+ _
- can do better in gas mileage
- scored low in safety
- a bit pricy compared to others
See reviews for this model' c& `3 i8 F0 V3 s+ l( q
|
Mercury Mariner ' C0 V3 s# ~: Q
A! \! {# ~' |3 @/ C
| #22 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mercury Mariner:
! V9 k: P( W' g. _2 |1 q) g- l0 l: W- f: y8 ?9 c$ E( r0 N
- decent quality
- ok on gas mileage
- not too bad on price
Reasons not to buy the Mercury Mariner:
5 Y: N3 A8 O; R) [" H- L$ Z- low safety score
- lower ranked on horsepower
- scored low in overall value
|