Recommended List
/ i' y6 S5 {0 w( r' W4 F# U, ECompact SUVs* v, R$ Q! C0 c$ K) H
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Honda CR-V
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2 @9 v' X- r2 W' e2 X H$ h+ I0 F#1 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Honda CR-V:2 _- I9 b/ o$ h8 }9 p7 z5 M
- #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:
: z' @8 `/ P& n- 10th ranked on the list for cost
- Can get the Hyundai Tucson for around $4,000 less
See reviews for this model
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Hyundai Tucson
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( k0 p8 G y+ t9 ]& j# n7 G: I | #2 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Hyundai Tucson:
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* \: g" x) i& I$ K- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- One of top 3 ranked for price on the list
Reasons not to buy the Hyundai Tucson:
! t0 G* C/ Q- n# v+ b# J6 g- W- has lower horsepower compared to rest
- want the #1 rated Honda CR-v
See reviews for this model$ x" k# L$ n: o2 I) _
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Toyota RAV4 2 F* N0 Q) R# }$ D
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| #3 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Toyota RAV4:4 h* v; i g' | {3 O( S4 a6 T
& c1 J, F: x; Y4 f1 A) k" y- #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:
6 x. I3 K# ?# L! i2 I- C5 [4 L- want the Honda CR-V
- low horsepower rating
See reviews for this model
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Jeep Patriot % T+ I0 f' V6 u$ Q4 ~- S
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| #4 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Patriot:
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- #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:. h5 ^1 o9 j4 r3 v: J1 Z
- 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( T! r4 J* H# b. R
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Saturn Vue
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| #5 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Saturn Vue:- \( V# o+ h! A& C" Y L4 B; z
5 X: c q( \2 ~$ u7 n4 |8 a* @- Great Gas Mileage
- Onstar feature
- quiet engine
- Ranked #4 on the list for price
- Good horsepower
Reasons not to buy the Saturn Vue:
( x9 j" D; F: y0 \$ e- low rank under total value
- could get the Hyundai Tucson cheaper
See reviews for this model* |, ]& x% b' ^6 `
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Kia Sportage8 O1 Y$ S" {" s1 d
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| #6 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Kia Sportage:1 p9 H/ T4 [% O0 ?$ X8 j( d; Y
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- runner up for best price behind the Jeep Patriot
- decent gas mileage
- #3 ranked in value
Reasons not to buy the Kia Sportage:6 g8 Q' S5 g1 C5 C6 O" x
- low ranking horsepower
- want the Jeep Patriot
See reviews for this model V. {0 i0 l9 t5 Y
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Subaru Forester
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2 ^) q$ U/ S5 ^$ X# g | #7 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Subaru Forester:
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- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- #3 ranked for value on list
- decent gas mileage
Reasons not to buy the Subaru Forester:
5 y: b5 W' ^) N$ k2 q- No Acceleration
- road noise
- lack of leg room in rear
See reviews for this model
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Kia Sorento
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| #8 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Kia Sorento:
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: H$ A' q4 D# S& ~( \9 Y- #1 ranked horsepower on list
- Value
- exterior and interior styling
Reasons not to buy the Kia Sorento:
& A4 V- _7 T8 z; B1 O- t- low rank for gas mileage
- low towing ability
See reviews for this model
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Honda Element; Z% x: t; l# m$ l/ E p/ G, k2 d1 D6 l
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| #9 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Honda Element:$ X3 j6 p' s; K1 D' [
3 H/ p. w# Y! [) B5 y- good gas mileage
- interior space
- Lots of leg room for front and back passengers
Reasons not to buy the Honda Element:4 D# o3 k7 Y U0 z) G! H" P
- some road noise
- low horsepower
See reviews for this model
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Suzuki Grand Vitara $ D, g2 O |2 ?7 q6 Z, z
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| #10 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Suzuki Grand Vitara:% I8 {% S3 q3 T, B
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- smooth ride
- decent pricing
- average rank in safety
Reasons not to buy the Suzuki Grand Vitara:
! B( l) n, ]4 E$ w5 o- ranked low on gas mileage
- sluggish acceleration
See reviews for this model
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Ford Freestyle
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| #11 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Ford Freestyle:% N9 F; P# ~; N. J3 Q9 q
: R6 H( _' [( n: x1 d* X- #1 ranked in safety on the list
- decent power balance
- car-like ride
Reasons not to buy the Ford Freestyle:
( c; A9 t) D* D- high priced
- low ranked in value
- could improve in gas mileage
See reviews for this model
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Pontiac Torrent / _ B9 j9 X/ }/ l3 e) j" Q
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| #12 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Pontiac Torrent:/ T6 e! b" h/ g! y9 r. L0 {
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- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- Good overall value for the price
- Nice interior
Reasons not to buy the Pontiac Torrent:- x1 e8 ~5 Q1 n* E. w
- ranked low for price
- can do better for fuel economy
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Jeep Wrangler 2 n0 j9 P s) w9 ~( N6 s
& [. f6 b* O- U: q5 A& u | #13 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Wrangler:
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% n- t+ r9 L/ @) f s! b$ V; A- #1 ranked in value on the list
- high ranked in quality on the list
- good priced
Reasons not to buy the Jeep Wrangler:
+ w9 {$ H8 U, I* ]9 V1 f& C- gas mileage not good
- scored low in safety
- road noise
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Mazda CX-7 " P7 q& h; k* E
6 {' s% J( @0 b( C | #14 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mazda CX-7:' c! ]8 M0 f" y# D% m7 o
: d" y6 B; q/ p! 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: Y) m, B! ^/ S. I
- could do better in gas mileage
- a bit pricy for the quality
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BMW X3 + h7 z# h7 A6 j# H6 _2 s, j2 h
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| #15 Editor's PickReasons to buy the BMW X3:" r) W& }0 }2 W) L0 K( Q' [
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- great horsepower
- very good value
- comfortable
Reasons not to buy the BMW X3:
, L5 R+ ]4 m$ w% T% ]+ I% }. f- low ranking for safety
- could do better in gas mileage
- #22 ranked for price
See reviews for this model
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Suzuki XL7 ( {& t& o8 b' f S ~
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| #16 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Suzuki XL7:$ H- J9 \, F$ Z8 L. Q6 E
: Q y5 x7 O0 |, D' R. Q- m( z- #3 ranked for horsepower
- Smooth V6
- exterior look
- controls easy to use
Reasons not to buy the Suzuki XL7:! v8 g* @7 d8 O
- low ranked in value
- low ranked in price
- can do better in gas mileage
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Acura RDX
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| #17 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Acura RDX:
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- #3 ranked in value
- #6 ranked in horsepower
- luxurious interior
Reasons not to buy the Acura RDX:
. n0 {* p9 J! a& `! j( a4 s: i- Scored low in safety
- can do better in gas mileage
- extremely sluggish off the line
See reviews for this model
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Chevrolet Equinox % k7 q0 D3 H( r% |5 r
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| #18 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Chevrolet Equinox:
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8 I' O* v8 e) S0 _4 g: R- smooth ride
- exterior styling is nice
- has decent interior space
Reasons not to buy the Chevrolet Equinox:+ F7 }8 R- ?/ U' Q* B2 z
- cheap interior look
- can do better on gas
See reviews for this model& H7 E1 P$ K* j% w" {: O
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Mitsubishi Outlander 9 i" S" G+ H' f4 v* A
0 Q, Y; h% {5 s& V: Y | #19 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mitsubishi Outlander: k) z9 v" i( @( l
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- #3 ranked in value
- has decent horsepower
- comfortable
Reasons not to buy the Mitsubishi Outlander:( u) C6 K, x" s& c
- low safety score
- can do better on gas mileage
- a bit pricy for the quality
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Ford Escape
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) x+ [0 n+ K/ v | #20 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Ford Escape:3 }, B |8 a: d4 q$ s7 p5 X& a" M5 R
; e5 S6 P3 _! o! Y* t( g2 [- roomy
- Great mileage
- comfortable ride
- sporty look and feel
Reasons not to buy the Ford Escape:9 Y l3 U* \- t3 t6 N
- lacks in horsepower
- scored low in value
- can do better in safety area
- road noise
See reviews for this model
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Jeep Liberty 5 w( `- I, c" P. |; b6 Z9 ] P3 B
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| #21 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Liberty:& W' E. y* K1 @+ x$ t k1 ~' @8 C
8 u9 ^) H% p% N X4 t% t9 ^- good low-end torque
- decent cargo compacity
- Rugged, sporty feel
Reasons not to buy the Jeep Liberty:2 F- U+ ?6 u, {4 f" T9 i
- can do better in gas mileage
- scored low in safety
- a bit pricy compared to others
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Mercury Mariner
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| #22 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mercury Mariner:
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9 C5 Z- [' z; M$ A/ a3 A6 ^- x4 {2 \1 t- decent quality
- ok on gas mileage
- not too bad on price
Reasons not to buy the Mercury Mariner:
l+ E. P3 Z: ~% ]( j7 k5 B" q- low safety score
- lower ranked on horsepower
- scored low in overall value
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