Recommended List
! q( L2 E" I7 o5 J; DCompact SUVs
8 K2 v& V# D' s, j4 P8 t |
Honda CR-V * W: W2 n. o4 R
; r. H+ J( T- u
3 X7 E7 |% l" g5 Z1 [* y2 ~3 h

& G* x. K5 O7 n7 L |
! p( N6 q D; c# Q [" S#1 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Honda CR-V:
, G) c D/ C' E2 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:
5 V6 G% U) B1 F; p: R& F2 S1 y1 v5 j- 10th ranked on the list for cost
- Can get the Hyundai Tucson for around $4,000 less
See reviews for this model8 M1 v9 J8 N9 f l1 {1 _
|
Hyundai Tucson
: P9 y7 ]; D, `7 e0 H3 z5 s2 S# i) m5 n3 B
: z" H* H* p# ~* Y t
/ y" e2 l1 b4 U. g
| #2 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Hyundai Tucson:+ r; x4 G: j3 K& X
- b. Z$ Y/ H$ {2 O
- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- One of top 3 ranked for price on the list
Reasons not to buy the Hyundai Tucson:
/ }( b3 `7 j+ F& I- has lower horsepower compared to rest
- want the #1 rated Honda CR-v
See reviews for this model
& H9 U; o" E A, Y" |1 X2 O2 v |
Toyota RAV4 $ f5 O. W$ U0 c+ L) S% S9 T' y& T
q1 }9 X8 z5 q# z. [" \8 K 
- ]# X' A0 D( v$ S4 G | #3 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Toyota RAV4:6 [4 Q& d4 V+ D" D% G
2 s4 y& J C# x2 F: N( S/ [! o, J- #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:
_+ o1 _' q1 c Y F) }0 ^- want the Honda CR-V
- low horsepower rating
See reviews for this model( r& v, _0 b) V8 E' q5 A7 @1 G! g
|
Jeep Patriot
5 w m! V- L+ Z- N, b/ i- g7 ~* g m! a8 Q
$ s; e, l' e; Z1 r: i6 L$ Q- i. ?0 G( R. b( c5 V
| #4 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Patriot:: _# O$ B% f) o* e# H
9 p. O; o1 i8 G
- #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:
, I7 O+ f! ?. l9 ?4 C' ]! p( h- 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 I, v7 s* A2 S% g1 j7 e3 ^* X2 ~* h2 J |
Saturn Vue5 v2 p6 K: ]0 f7 K
7 V" Z' N- e M0 H4 n! E

6 O4 w0 L; U- [8 z x1 |. H" o* a' d* A7 @) s2 X4 v8 K# r+ R
| #5 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Saturn Vue:+ \9 e g3 _1 _* h2 [' J
- X* t" x7 \1 F# v; Q
- Great Gas Mileage
- Onstar feature
- quiet engine
- Ranked #4 on the list for price
- Good horsepower
Reasons not to buy the Saturn Vue:
0 m7 ^8 S2 A8 N- low rank under total value
- could get the Hyundai Tucson cheaper
See reviews for this model
3 E6 `2 @% q" G* Q! C5 _$ Z. W |
Kia Sportage
' X. k/ c9 _$ k2 }5 _& p3 Y" F
5 r& `9 \2 k! ?$ G% @3 Z 6 |0 X( Y& I5 n. ?) J& \
0 |1 k5 M/ w8 u: P' Z
| #6 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Kia Sportage:
) r9 R, y: e L# B. i9 c2 I# D7 K. T, [ i
- runner up for best price behind the Jeep Patriot
- decent gas mileage
- #3 ranked in value
Reasons not to buy the Kia Sportage:0 Q6 ~1 b0 S b- ?& i
- low ranking horsepower
- want the Jeep Patriot
See reviews for this model
" K* H) }! H0 P1 ?% Z6 T |
Subaru Forester1 x! E+ y) k' v; y4 Y! {0 C
r( N' H2 E6 k4 y9 k) \
4 `! b& ~2 T/ ]" F- X+ V. H
| #7 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Subaru Forester:9 l7 z$ m/ [. \3 t- U$ V( N" i" L
; a: t# Z; X4 X& Z* _4 X- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- #3 ranked for value on list
- decent gas mileage
Reasons not to buy the Subaru Forester:
' L& i0 D0 x$ H" {- No Acceleration
- road noise
- lack of leg room in rear
See reviews for this model
+ L( u4 X1 Q0 C h% X |
Kia Sorento
* z* U8 V, I& s, z3 U
& P) U; P, d ~2 v
8 `, A, S9 C. N( k6 ^7 x5 X* H# u V X5 w! [
. f6 \4 b! v$ Z$ k u | #8 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Kia Sorento: l5 x- N9 u5 ~- O+ D* j: K
' {: Z/ I* B( u" K4 A- #1 ranked horsepower on list
- Value
- exterior and interior styling
Reasons not to buy the Kia Sorento:
3 O3 x4 A3 }8 F5 E- low rank for gas mileage
- low towing ability
See reviews for this model E7 ?$ o3 P7 \( J2 Z' y$ l
|
Honda Element
1 w: T- x! }; d( S! W
8 T M9 q: }! v1 p
" }8 @$ {' R; F( G! n5 d
6 w# c7 o( N' G1 V' I | #9 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Honda Element:
3 u Q( D7 t, {7 ?
6 _3 V" p) E* O, a- good gas mileage
- interior space
- Lots of leg room for front and back passengers
Reasons not to buy the Honda Element:
$ L/ D: j6 Q) s" r$ G6 u- some road noise
- low horsepower
See reviews for this model
8 x D7 _' d N' |- Q6 o |
Suzuki Grand Vitara
% I/ H; r8 z; s* l4 j
" J' v" S$ n' N2 s [ z | #10 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Suzuki Grand Vitara:# N* W: `8 r8 ?$ h5 X ~
+ b' r8 F6 P4 }9 _
- smooth ride
- decent pricing
- average rank in safety
Reasons not to buy the Suzuki Grand Vitara:: j% \+ ]% } s) z1 u- J7 A# J
- ranked low on gas mileage
- sluggish acceleration
See reviews for this model1 S3 j6 d" ?( z) p& `
|
Ford Freestyle c! T/ B) _. }0 k" Z' C
$ o! v- w _" U: J u | #11 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Ford Freestyle:9 k% \' P; c1 F8 ?7 Y. |
; t' T ~& }8 ?) P }9 J- #1 ranked in safety on the list
- decent power balance
- car-like ride
Reasons not to buy the Ford Freestyle:
' c! w: ~4 b) `! k: M- high priced
- low ranked in value
- could improve in gas mileage
See reviews for this model
' Q L7 F' I6 J ]4 ~' z! ] |
Pontiac Torrent " t \) S. _* y! r# P, E$ Q
" v* R8 z) s9 e+ {. ?# V
| #12 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Pontiac Torrent:
4 g K6 T. f9 d7 t c! H3 S' K# V# O
' y) z n- B& m- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- Good overall value for the price
- Nice interior
Reasons not to buy the Pontiac Torrent:2 F& Z6 ?5 E6 M8 J0 R* ~
- ranked low for price
- can do better for fuel economy
|
Jeep Wrangler
* g# M A' G& `. h2 o8 a$ X3 @5 W/ D* j8 z6 Q
| #13 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Wrangler:
6 Z. o5 I+ H/ u. Y9 A1 L; z3 W
$ y5 Z; K, E3 l/ G" y3 v- #1 ranked in value on the list
- high ranked in quality on the list
- good priced
Reasons not to buy the Jeep Wrangler:% R2 ]0 f- g& X' U) o
- gas mileage not good
- scored low in safety
- road noise
|
Mazda CX-7 # v% B/ j0 X2 z/ {8 Q
2 R' d* v n: y$ Y | #14 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mazda CX-7:
& m" \" k$ G2 G5 N7 { k; Q. d, }& f3 E# M& H" X; |8 R/ \
- #1 ranked in safety on the list
- #3 ranked in expert review
- #3 ranked in value
Reasons not to buy the Mazda CX-7:9 x6 T" @9 a8 m$ b/ u
- could do better in gas mileage
- a bit pricy for the quality
|
BMW X3 , W" _' m( Z# c# p% P' h
. Q L2 ^! f; L- n# L5 z' V
| #15 Editor's PickReasons to buy the BMW X3:
+ o% s( m2 W3 r, T! V _6 l# G: H% R
- great horsepower
- very good value
- comfortable
Reasons not to buy the BMW X3:
: i. [& h% |: E8 Z, d- m- low ranking for safety
- could do better in gas mileage
- #22 ranked for price
See reviews for this model
% a# U0 X# | ?' p |
Suzuki XL7 3 O0 {# N; i) f0 j" y. ]1 V7 K
: L: b3 F8 m7 p
| #16 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Suzuki XL7:8 t5 W: {: r& b1 x
; ~! @# ]3 ~' P* o) \- #3 ranked for horsepower
- Smooth V6
- exterior look
- controls easy to use
Reasons not to buy the Suzuki XL7:
( Z1 i* a! W2 @; R! ^- low ranked in value
- low ranked in price
- can do better in gas mileage
|
Acura RDX
+ z5 E3 G! _7 j; }! Q
- t# Y0 m# {9 |4 o1 s | #17 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Acura RDX:
1 J4 }: E0 {( |+ q0 i! `
) H5 W1 k( R7 u3 ^- #3 ranked in value
- #6 ranked in horsepower
- luxurious interior
Reasons not to buy the Acura RDX:
3 L0 L3 p+ a0 k; q- Scored low in safety
- can do better in gas mileage
- extremely sluggish off the line
See reviews for this model
* @5 s' a9 J# b4 f# `+ z |
Chevrolet Equinox
2 q7 ]7 l' ]" ^' T$ O# t, ], G
; N( g+ N# \) C5 F" _4 u6 M | #18 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Chevrolet Equinox:( K' r: o# d3 w v6 }2 @- s
4 m4 ~8 c8 H- h8 d3 i
- smooth ride
- exterior styling is nice
- has decent interior space
Reasons not to buy the Chevrolet Equinox:$ p9 w7 P, }; U3 p8 j
- cheap interior look
- can do better on gas
See reviews for this model+ u H2 @1 c. y/ Z/ p
|
Mitsubishi Outlander
. e7 R1 h( {% o% w. z9 M6 B0 T9 P5 T, J e# h8 E
| #19 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mitsubishi Outlander:
8 O3 m; S) y' v+ A; C: l; } p3 k9 w m3 z
- #3 ranked in value
- has decent horsepower
- comfortable
Reasons not to buy the Mitsubishi Outlander:6 Q3 u8 X2 T" _! B+ k- Z# G u/ r
- low safety score
- can do better on gas mileage
- a bit pricy for the quality
|
Ford Escape
+ v; R5 l. M1 c5 r
+ L1 Z4 p% y/ z/ z) v- x | #20 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Ford Escape:5 D% P; L' C' ^" C! H5 ]
0 ?2 x9 j& s) D7 A' p
- roomy
- Great mileage
- comfortable ride
- sporty look and feel
Reasons not to buy the Ford Escape:) t. y) M% E* H: w2 z
- lacks in horsepower
- scored low in value
- can do better in safety area
- road noise
See reviews for this model' Q" p3 f7 r" y) f/ S I! `$ \. Y
|
Jeep Liberty
% k& E+ t [6 N: I# t$ J! X z7 W& }" a i
| #21 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Liberty:9 I. g7 t: q- r! G* i
9 k! |# D8 G6 Z/ g( s
- good low-end torque
- decent cargo compacity
- Rugged, sporty feel
Reasons not to buy the Jeep Liberty:
& e0 l; X3 h# X- can do better in gas mileage
- scored low in safety
- a bit pricy compared to others
See reviews for this model
2 A: W& D( O# G5 X: d |
Mercury Mariner 3 b5 D9 \* _' n% h/ D
* J( V/ _0 M) D | #22 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mercury Mariner:" E$ [% Y# T/ A6 P! O3 w
8 \" `! I( f+ b; C s
- decent quality
- ok on gas mileage
- not too bad on price
Reasons not to buy the Mercury Mariner:
7 v* D5 l! U+ d( G8 y! F I- low safety score
- lower ranked on horsepower
- scored low in overall value
|