Recommended List7 Y3 U. ~8 o& x$ r
Compact SUVs
; z- a. k y6 v& I* T( K$ m6 l2 s" T |
Honda CR-V
. M9 B. ^5 s; p7 g
! m: @9 j E) M. a8 {8 S2 P" f8 w* o' u2 l9 z
. E! R# _ X/ \# \
| / r, [! I) q: G9 `4 J1 I# `2 f
#1 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Honda CR-V:
6 L' _* E; y+ q; a6 Y7 x& P: J- #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:
# N( Q* P" X& F/ g3 p/ l2 ^- 10th ranked on the list for cost
- Can get the Hyundai Tucson for around $4,000 less
See reviews for this model
6 |* B7 M" f q% a+ a8 ^+ b |
Hyundai Tucson & Q9 p4 s/ Z7 W* a- D& x2 _$ |2 G
% ~7 B. r% F0 ?, ^$ |9 F 2 m, q5 {. n: \7 V3 y
$ _3 n" k' M* H: ~, F6 ~! x! h
| #2 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Hyundai Tucson:
; a& i6 r% ~! Y0 w2 f; O9 v q% L, D1 Y
- #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 k- h& p7 c2 \+ B, |
- has lower horsepower compared to rest
- want the #1 rated Honda CR-v
See reviews for this model/ a8 P/ F; j3 @9 O% `$ }- N
|
Toyota RAV4 . l0 Y, A4 n6 G% t* L* u
; i9 j `" Z3 z. P) v) w 
: i/ O/ Z/ O- _9 {1 ~; Y j3 F | #3 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Toyota RAV4:4 T f6 _3 G, W* p
3 m7 Z7 I/ A2 Y6 n4 s; i
- #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 RAV4:3 B8 Z1 ~1 \6 t0 L5 ?4 Y: ~1 T
- want the Honda CR-V
- low horsepower rating
See reviews for this model4 A) h6 b7 E8 ^ V5 M
|
Jeep Patriot 8 j. x% T. X6 `" |/ C! g
B; J* E6 x; V; X" I2 B' ]% T _. G* \9 v, a; _/ I
4 X: l0 i$ o8 _0 z1 w1 v; o; x4 P+ Y( w
| #4 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Patriot:
, h x' _6 w4 R, w8 F- b9 G& I: ]4 [! k/ [9 x6 O+ O `( g0 r" R
- #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:) K( Z" @0 [) P1 Z8 a: p4 F
- 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
5 a. f7 R7 _& k2 x; [; |6 Z |
Saturn Vue2 f7 `5 H' `8 o3 E8 T: }1 z9 b' d
E* w# [/ ~, o5 q 0 d: V' H" X0 {8 K3 R1 N) H
y) i4 {. R" k4 C" X* Q
| #5 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Saturn Vue:4 Q# V# ~$ H' J- M, u9 `: x
% T! D0 h% j; e- [
- Great Gas Mileage
- Onstar feature
- quiet engine
- Ranked #4 on the list for price
- Good horsepower
Reasons not to buy the Saturn Vue:$ K) V! Y% ?* i7 `) x; A
- low rank under total value
- could get the Hyundai Tucson cheaper
See reviews for this model
( U& q2 z! F6 h& \2 c$ f1 o: S |
Kia Sportage: z1 X1 F9 {5 }- R+ _ D
4 z0 S6 j+ Z: v; v" E, k; K

1 R9 c+ F; j; A6 y5 @, F7 O# N8 w- A' g/ l1 r+ E5 N0 t
| #6 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Kia Sportage:5 u: n* r+ Y4 L: S/ l
7 D3 h& ~$ h: u' [' o1 V- runner up for best price behind the Jeep Patriot
- decent gas mileage
- #3 ranked in value
Reasons not to buy the Kia Sportage: P( j! p* W4 m3 N e1 A/ q
- low ranking horsepower
- want the Jeep Patriot
See reviews for this model/ _, E3 `( G* g& f9 m" p
|
Subaru Forester3 C7 Q2 o+ h+ w4 i' j
# _+ n8 ?+ q0 D$ I! Z/ k. W9 ^! x . r) Y) d/ S0 v% _* w
| #7 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Subaru Forester:
$ n: u% \7 z+ w' H5 c
, [0 C/ R2 W) t- W$ Y ^' _8 U- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- #3 ranked for value on list
- decent gas mileage
Reasons not to buy the Subaru Forester:
' v9 ] X2 m1 E+ j2 M$ I4 R* K- No Acceleration
- road noise
- lack of leg room in rear
See reviews for this model7 P; r3 n9 q3 Z) ?+ Y9 s. s9 N
|
Kia Sorento' h; n3 I5 U' j6 R
. x2 }! ]2 I" g# y( [ A " e% `2 h! M6 w% ~2 P6 L$ M3 y p4 m
- s! y8 }' O1 u2 C$ d
9 t& \# G+ j: }0 C+ C/ Y3 _ | #8 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Kia Sorento:
- \ V8 I& L2 o+ p; ]% E
5 n( y0 u ~+ s, `# i( x7 }& P- #1 ranked horsepower on list
- Value
- exterior and interior styling
Reasons not to buy the Kia Sorento:
, K7 n- p' y+ @4 m- low rank for gas mileage
- low towing ability
See reviews for this model" c Y3 S3 T, S3 f# ?
|
Honda Element
# _* j, c* O2 Q
8 }3 `" {& A9 s3 @ s& W1 u" T5 ^
6 N% p: n/ N: c* R0 p3 [% `
_+ g. I/ [, O' y | #9 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Honda Element:! q. \3 Q' u8 n& W
3 |# l7 X/ u1 D1 a9 `/ o( u3 v- good gas mileage
- interior space
- Lots of leg room for front and back passengers
Reasons not to buy the Honda Element: y/ D0 b8 C: D6 T+ y
- some road noise
- low horsepower
See reviews for this model5 D. J0 s3 t% [/ h$ d7 C, x
|
Suzuki Grand Vitara
" C3 v2 k# g5 o/ O( W5 J7 {
' a; p% M/ ^' c: `% J3 y2 g | #10 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Suzuki Grand Vitara:# q* L* A: r9 @( q2 W. ]! J" a
5 Y5 A8 i; S" i% b- smooth ride
- decent pricing
- average rank in safety
Reasons not to buy the Suzuki Grand Vitara:
* }2 i$ m t7 a9 X# t- ranked low on gas mileage
- sluggish acceleration
See reviews for this model
% v+ i( ]; y- B2 i; W6 W/ Q |
Ford Freestyle 3 j, |* j( i6 f' K
) l7 N4 L5 t5 U* Q( C) @
| #11 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Ford Freestyle:0 e' {8 d0 R' |. f6 J
' b( M/ c# Y. D# Y" l& Q
- #1 ranked in safety on the list
- decent power balance
- car-like ride
Reasons not to buy the Ford Freestyle:
- s H% A3 c% d; c/ ]$ Z- high priced
- low ranked in value
- could improve in gas mileage
See reviews for this model& m6 I5 D3 |1 W2 q! _
|
Pontiac Torrent
! f' y) o! _; g6 D
Y) S$ c+ I8 r! O2 k2 J/ E | #12 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Pontiac Torrent:6 Z4 Z/ Z4 L. \4 Y, `
( b% i4 Z. K- k$ p
- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- Good overall value for the price
- Nice interior
Reasons not to buy the Pontiac Torrent:& b& t% {. U, `3 a, c* h
- ranked low for price
- can do better for fuel economy
|
Jeep Wrangler
; n/ s" c4 M6 S0 T! w7 y* [- W: ]0 H: L
| #13 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Wrangler:
' X2 z/ @# W+ l$ e% P' b
1 u9 c$ @: ?% r/ A# O- O- _1 n/ @% e" c- #1 ranked in value on the list
- high ranked in quality on the list
- good priced
Reasons not to buy the Jeep Wrangler:7 g* |+ O% L A9 E, P# Y, z4 h
- gas mileage not good
- scored low in safety
- road noise
|
Mazda CX-7 . g. Z6 ^, f% [0 q: x" a
* R4 D e6 }( v" K | #14 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mazda CX-7:. W# i7 o6 k( Z/ i E, Q, C9 E4 j
% L3 G. B- Q6 D( e/ Y0 s
- #1 ranked in safety on the list
- #3 ranked in expert review
- #3 ranked in value
Reasons not to buy the Mazda CX-7:- S8 A% i8 i2 a% r1 n+ k* W
- could do better in gas mileage
- a bit pricy for the quality
|
BMW X3 ' R4 N4 Z3 K7 D# Q! V- R8 B8 A
8 w2 E* D( E4 R. w | #15 Editor's PickReasons to buy the BMW X3:' `. H' N/ ^9 H8 |& v
6 ^" F9 G* m. W3 a& B m6 \# @- great horsepower
- very good value
- comfortable
Reasons not to buy the BMW X3:) s! J3 T# s1 ?9 n) Z% Q. C: G0 I
- low ranking for safety
- could do better in gas mileage
- #22 ranked for price
See reviews for this model* w3 M! V0 D% ]8 a" h$ r! f
|
Suzuki XL7 ' m f/ b0 f4 m n( s( H
+ u) ]- \" n- ~+ | | #16 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Suzuki XL7:0 `8 X9 ?0 t$ J# j
2 C8 Y! v3 |: n- K/ l
- #3 ranked for horsepower
- Smooth V6
- exterior look
- controls easy to use
Reasons not to buy the Suzuki XL7:
! `, c7 d' f2 }1 j7 }2 h- low ranked in value
- low ranked in price
- can do better in gas mileage
|
Acura RDX : G; o2 a: J5 G' J; h
2 c' m+ d+ z4 r! N3 d8 f
| #17 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Acura RDX:$ p6 t" O+ ]6 T6 L0 d
3 r8 X; |2 D& @: U. k3 b E
- #3 ranked in value
- #6 ranked in horsepower
- luxurious interior
Reasons not to buy the Acura RDX:( M& x/ c; f- k
- Scored low in safety
- can do better in gas mileage
- extremely sluggish off the line
See reviews for this model
( W0 }4 [( S: X5 _! Z" H |
Chevrolet Equinox
& }" V0 ?4 f6 }: C
8 \7 d) ^( I5 A" f: @- B | #18 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Chevrolet Equinox:
2 [, F4 G [, j$ _3 K9 n/ H: o" n' W9 Q3 B- y X5 v6 ]( {' h
- smooth ride
- exterior styling is nice
- has decent interior space
Reasons not to buy the Chevrolet Equinox:
' g& A2 {; L* J1 A$ h& _, U# Y- cheap interior look
- can do better on gas
See reviews for this model. S% S& z; F( T1 B' j( y5 `
|
Mitsubishi Outlander
$ A, S5 \" z% r( M+ o+ D+ j0 j/ i k! D8 I1 M- e
| #19 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mitsubishi Outlander:
- i, X) ]$ X* k" B# _, ~4 D0 |+ U4 ~3 r% u9 V/ R# v, @
- #3 ranked in value
- has decent horsepower
- comfortable
Reasons not to buy the Mitsubishi Outlander:3 H4 A" q% V4 M8 `
- low safety score
- can do better on gas mileage
- a bit pricy for the quality
|
Ford Escape / h- X* h D! |! i) f7 ~
( K, i+ _* ?$ @' P6 B | #20 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Ford Escape:
& `, _: @5 O4 m/ G9 R1 A4 b; J! Z' A6 g0 V
- roomy
- Great mileage
- comfortable ride
- sporty look and feel
Reasons not to buy the Ford Escape:9 O1 G7 U6 G, A O: s
- lacks in horsepower
- scored low in value
- can do better in safety area
- road noise
See reviews for this model
, T! ~ ?# `+ a" M% h. j |
Jeep Liberty , r) L% o1 o" Z3 ]" |9 U% d
0 @1 @4 K2 C5 W( Y | #21 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Liberty:
+ A" G6 ~! b$ W: x/ c. h$ `
6 [% Q9 b A9 R. ]$ N( E! y- good low-end torque
- decent cargo compacity
- Rugged, sporty feel
Reasons not to buy the Jeep Liberty:
+ o/ _8 M! a u" z& v8 n- can do better in gas mileage
- scored low in safety
- a bit pricy compared to others
See reviews for this model
, B o/ l0 O3 J8 p) h7 R: W1 K |
Mercury Mariner
2 C& ^6 \( v% R O3 ]4 M
$ X% F5 Y5 n' F. Q) h | #22 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mercury Mariner:
# m9 o9 \0 X4 N, [3 o
: E8 \6 x/ ~0 W- decent quality
- ok on gas mileage
- not too bad on price
Reasons not to buy the Mercury Mariner:
& t8 s2 w& H. j X- low safety score
- lower ranked on horsepower
- scored low in overall value
|