Recommended List
5 ^0 [3 d6 Z) UCompact SUVs" s. v% P- A$ {+ S9 Z% V
|
Honda CR-V 0 m- V4 u$ D3 b( h, `- G
( n) r8 {. |/ m9 i B/ A# n
# S- u* i( T6 v$ n2 g
. ^9 Q9 E/ x$ r# k
| " O; T8 ]1 w0 U5 {' _" E
#1 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Honda CR-V:" f$ W/ P7 y1 f) V
- #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:
( Q2 u* k+ ^1 ^* t( P% t- 10th ranked on the list for cost
- Can get the Hyundai Tucson for around $4,000 less
See reviews for this model6 ^' b4 A' c8 Q* g* r7 k
|
Hyundai Tucson
1 W2 e" j9 T4 A0 u6 z; y0 M% q
9 w9 {4 ~9 |2 } 5 d0 x! Z: t- l7 C8 t" x" {" ^
9 B B) m/ H) N' J9 ?8 Q
| #2 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Hyundai Tucson:
1 v: E: M3 }) L1 o1 ?0 e
/ M$ B# } ]6 `- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- One of top 3 ranked for price on the list
Reasons not to buy the Hyundai Tucson:8 b- J( x p; k. o
- has lower horsepower compared to rest
- want the #1 rated Honda CR-v
See reviews for this model# k; h) }; S. k6 j$ E+ u
|
Toyota RAV4
+ k) c! P0 B& [7 a5 Z; @. p! F! t/ }) ~' ]
: h# }0 k9 z J9 Z, h7 q
| #3 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Toyota RAV4:
1 p8 `& g$ l: F) \- e8 s' \1 o" U5 w! i
. }& ^# @4 @9 D, s; ^, 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:
( b3 R, [6 I& c9 h; ? z+ z- want the Honda CR-V
- low horsepower rating
See reviews for this model1 |; |% @6 M- K! e; i( C
|
Jeep Patriot : L( r2 h. Q7 e; I9 ]: D
/ r G, x; j6 G) e9 H+ Z/ I! N
! O! J5 a! d7 X7 B, l: C& T
" K- f: h% M. N7 @# `* ~4 |/ W2 Q | #4 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Patriot:
: C/ w- i F) A6 G5 M) s4 T K5 _ I; C2 d6 b* X% w- ~% H
- #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:1 z1 [" {9 }- M0 }5 G
- 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 c% T! R' A5 v6 ]
|
Saturn Vue( C5 e7 h+ |5 @% k3 N: e
. W5 k% }6 f3 E. {

8 H- d! U h8 u- z; ?5 Y% `; h7 h$ C# p: e8 d
| #5 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Saturn Vue:% _5 k0 S" Z& B* H
$ `" i; V/ K' w( K2 Q. w$ i$ E. c- Great Gas Mileage
- Onstar feature
- quiet engine
- Ranked #4 on the list for price
- Good horsepower
Reasons not to buy the Saturn Vue:
5 ` Y! [/ V, Y8 Y g: A# L- low rank under total value
- could get the Hyundai Tucson cheaper
See reviews for this model
1 k2 L0 Q: J7 _+ \) @, I |
Kia Sportage
. B! _' Z7 ?' R. g4 Q
4 p- z2 U: R; m8 p @. i, j* O 6 s- O/ g' `* M/ ~& F* M, n
- O9 c8 K& L& o: [" | | #6 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Kia Sportage:
. e. |8 P Z8 j; {" z; |8 N2 ~, }( D6 g+ g
- runner up for best price behind the Jeep Patriot
- decent gas mileage
- #3 ranked in value
Reasons not to buy the Kia Sportage:
" c5 @% G. I: q4 L1 L6 a- low ranking horsepower
- want the Jeep Patriot
See reviews for this model
: u4 Q' f- _) m' U+ X/ P l |
Subaru Forester9 V5 ], c6 F) U. T/ d1 U5 R- z
, K3 @ V) g% S, ^5 q

- Q6 o6 f7 d' D. F( o5 ] | #7 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Subaru Forester:& E! q1 @. R Q, _2 M
- J& W6 i& z5 y; M" `) \+ ~- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- #3 ranked for value on list
- decent gas mileage
Reasons not to buy the Subaru Forester:# f- V3 E; w5 {: R) e) e' a
- No Acceleration
- road noise
- lack of leg room in rear
See reviews for this model
" t( W o4 L& F8 j' } |
Kia Sorento
/ D; u5 l* Y$ Z/ E% U9 D+ a% _
% K) T9 r# B# y$ @ / J. s; K0 `6 _9 D
! ]6 |7 q6 b$ K# Q9 A2 h( w0 @4 r
| #8 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Kia Sorento:
: v- k' ]% m- \5 }/ e7 M; ^" W1 i/ M7 U0 a$ c/ ?/ b0 P
- #1 ranked horsepower on list
- Value
- exterior and interior styling
Reasons not to buy the Kia Sorento:# p* x% K$ U; ?% L! }( a
- low rank for gas mileage
- low towing ability
See reviews for this model
+ I# O h# q4 `: W |
Honda Element3 T p# l0 w( [$ `4 M
; y2 k; R$ h. o, i, x6 r9 w

2 p) `. r6 K+ a# u% t; h( W7 d4 `4 P$ w1 B/ C6 z2 C; k
| #9 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Honda Element:2 l3 v2 _' ~! y! h, h2 \
3 U7 }1 r: Q& V9 ]& h6 O3 }; T# H
- good gas mileage
- interior space
- Lots of leg room for front and back passengers
Reasons not to buy the Honda Element:$ C. P0 F3 V; P$ s5 K
- some road noise
- low horsepower
See reviews for this model
- B Q8 P8 `0 r4 B0 E |
Suzuki Grand Vitara
7 i' q; i' m! q$ W+ r" d {1 ~, I9 B% p& a8 [4 t0 b, p0 P# l2 j
| #10 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Suzuki Grand Vitara:+ A. J" e# @3 A7 V$ J
: |8 m7 K( N" n6 s" y
- smooth ride
- decent pricing
- average rank in safety
Reasons not to buy the Suzuki Grand Vitara:6 q. K- V# d& B( A1 J
- ranked low on gas mileage
- sluggish acceleration
See reviews for this model
$ `! ?/ ?) m, o+ A h3 j- K: C |
Ford Freestyle
2 u0 R4 }1 b, s }
5 J, [8 a- P9 \9 A* U | #11 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Ford Freestyle:
" u+ l% z4 J+ @
" M: F6 V! K0 A* j4 ^& K- #1 ranked in safety on the list
- decent power balance
- car-like ride
Reasons not to buy the Ford Freestyle:( m4 P; P$ k" w
- high priced
- low ranked in value
- could improve in gas mileage
See reviews for this model
' Z$ y# j7 I- d8 t' q |
Pontiac Torrent
4 l! {5 [6 L5 J
! m' N: W& `+ G; J( ^# N | #12 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Pontiac Torrent:
+ P8 v& d" |0 ^9 c, P; k3 h0 X7 L% y) B" {% T! O6 k
- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- Good overall value for the price
- Nice interior
Reasons not to buy the Pontiac Torrent:
) Q4 T9 F4 c( a [& Q- ranked low for price
- can do better for fuel economy
|
Jeep Wrangler & A* q4 j0 L" Y5 X0 Y
- b3 t" ^# {! o | #13 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Wrangler:
0 g& L N# C; P! r5 o
# F9 M$ x% D, O- #1 ranked in value on the list
- high ranked in quality on the list
- good priced
Reasons not to buy the Jeep Wrangler:$ g/ S3 S2 j0 O/ a' {. [0 C( n
- gas mileage not good
- scored low in safety
- road noise
|
Mazda CX-7 . l* L7 ~* q: ]* ]
. ]9 X' \8 {8 w+ K
| #14 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mazda CX-7:
; J& x4 e; k6 Y) i4 G
2 B5 r& R) B6 y/ i$ t" O! _- #1 ranked in safety on the list
- #3 ranked in expert review
- #3 ranked in value
Reasons not to buy the Mazda CX-7:
8 I# _0 j" s/ A) h- could do better in gas mileage
- a bit pricy for the quality
|
BMW X3
8 `3 G. s& N4 e( D
3 ^0 l5 o: k2 L% t6 Q | #15 Editor's PickReasons to buy the BMW X3:
& s M' S* p8 W9 `) _: J. s3 q2 j* w$ {) E
- great horsepower
- very good value
- comfortable
Reasons not to buy the BMW X3:
9 U# S3 _( r6 H: Z8 p4 G- low ranking for safety
- could do better in gas mileage
- #22 ranked for price
See reviews for this model
7 O& D6 L+ r/ f7 J6 G( G |
Suzuki XL7 7 C$ u. U' C2 h
& G4 g, H! Z* z+ F2 I3 V | #16 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Suzuki XL7:) h* L4 ^$ D8 K( k" X+ s
2 M, ~5 i2 `0 S' r% t5 P- #3 ranked for horsepower
- Smooth V6
- exterior look
- controls easy to use
Reasons not to buy the Suzuki XL7:
6 {; X4 @$ \2 R) I" U, }- low ranked in value
- low ranked in price
- can do better in gas mileage
|
Acura RDX $ C5 b0 C" b- z }
! \( s( C! |! ?* }0 z
| #17 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Acura RDX:7 e" }( q5 _4 R. M$ {; \, ?& z+ T
' ?% N" e& S' l( s c: _7 _3 X' g
- #3 ranked in value
- #6 ranked in horsepower
- luxurious interior
Reasons not to buy the Acura RDX:
( p$ G2 ] H6 V5 ^% F- Scored low in safety
- can do better in gas mileage
- extremely sluggish off the line
See reviews for this model
c& h8 _ C2 u7 X' T2 x |
Chevrolet Equinox
K+ z9 ~2 M' R. X6 Q: V) @4 L1 j7 _; p, e2 D6 P H8 ^1 r7 J( v5 z
| #18 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Chevrolet Equinox:
- A5 W% ]/ q3 w: }+ d4 S- e; o4 n% k& N+ N
- smooth ride
- exterior styling is nice
- has decent interior space
Reasons not to buy the Chevrolet Equinox:. u% J& ^7 j8 C z% q# o: \
- cheap interior look
- can do better on gas
See reviews for this model5 b4 k! Q1 ]6 C2 p- w
|
Mitsubishi Outlander
# p. _* _1 E6 z0 q- }& z. s! _4 P4 Z; \+ `/ z" X& C
| #19 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mitsubishi Outlander:' y5 A+ E1 ]( j
2 `+ ]- _, O3 Q! f1 h
- #3 ranked in value
- has decent horsepower
- comfortable
Reasons not to buy the Mitsubishi Outlander:$ f2 H) G( \1 U, M ]
- low safety score
- can do better on gas mileage
- a bit pricy for the quality
|
Ford Escape
/ k& [9 G# H4 T. g0 a6 ^; F6 @7 E, t! S5 M- z: R$ |1 y, s0 d
| #20 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Ford Escape:1 R2 D+ F6 U2 n
% b) w5 b1 h, d1 L2 c2 r4 p
- roomy
- Great mileage
- comfortable ride
- sporty look and feel
Reasons not to buy the Ford Escape:, A, x3 `4 K) m2 I+ B0 I1 j
- lacks in horsepower
- scored low in value
- can do better in safety area
- road noise
See reviews for this model
* f; d1 |% T3 s9 d8 j: O3 v |
Jeep Liberty ) A6 a3 F% T1 s8 U2 U0 g' }
& ?, K3 t" a1 u1 B; H
| #21 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Liberty:
; x1 d W; h& c) u
$ r- x0 h( f9 K! D Z! @) {- good low-end torque
- decent cargo compacity
- Rugged, sporty feel
Reasons not to buy the Jeep Liberty:
6 I% e& I5 i; V: e7 B6 D$ R) h- can do better in gas mileage
- scored low in safety
- a bit pricy compared to others
See reviews for this model- y5 t2 m/ b) V8 B( Y1 A
|
Mercury Mariner 2 z' G0 A( p& Q4 l3 t
3 o0 I, g1 o# \: `
| #22 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mercury Mariner:% g/ J$ `% H! H1 C: c6 B( R- v
! z) E% E# b) a- decent quality
- ok on gas mileage
- not too bad on price
Reasons not to buy the Mercury Mariner:$ c' g; i% s6 s- d( d
- low safety score
- lower ranked on horsepower
- scored low in overall value
|