Recommended List% D: u: r& a; k
Compact SUVs
1 ]$ m% @ M4 X2 t! v |
Honda CR-V
4 W: C. v) X* N9 R0 z8 Y
~, b \& x, |$ y& E" V3 ]* ~
7 p8 l9 N3 e* m/ Y $ C3 \1 f" J$ i. c2 O5 X
| 2 m" Z* H" O7 [0 x
#1 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Honda CR-V:# C2 {+ \9 X6 h; L( R4 k& 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:
9 Q S7 m! |, T/ A1 \- 10th ranked on the list for cost
- Can get the Hyundai Tucson for around $4,000 less
See reviews for this model
$ `( _* O4 p3 i$ _) @ |
Hyundai Tucson 1 A6 v8 [& G9 ^5 U6 M! g
2 E q# _! @( K* h 5 g' Y; ^+ d7 {6 _, w' G1 Q
' |" A, A. }5 q0 b6 q
| #2 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Hyundai Tucson:
* X/ J9 }* A; ]% [4 A1 R
8 V9 x0 `" t, d" 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:
7 w0 ?1 o% R. D- has lower horsepower compared to rest
- want the #1 rated Honda CR-v
See reviews for this model1 |' E% G' @6 u0 w' L* w0 {
|
Toyota RAV4 / J/ c1 z4 w" L$ z* X1 V
3 Z1 _4 i6 z7 `! R: G" W
# a$ A% K2 B1 t6 _; c8 o
| #3 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Toyota RAV4:6 n4 x* v' g4 H8 E
@2 f# _" ~7 ]! g4 E1 N- #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:
% A$ H& Z6 i. m! w5 S- want the Honda CR-V
- low horsepower rating
See reviews for this model5 E+ @ t3 N6 O1 y( y' J
|
Jeep Patriot
' v) Q* X/ @5 E5 w7 [/ Q: {8 b7 ^: o8 k7 K+ p
$ n7 k5 @+ l f
+ }, y) Z3 @7 I4 v5 w
| #4 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Patriot:
; O% \7 p) G# Q6 A$ M2 J! A( H G; m8 V2 N" ^
- #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:) r+ |9 p. w7 ^3 ]' F4 ~* z$ M
- 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
7 f% Y; x- i$ J: L |
Saturn Vue9 `7 r( ~$ n* u5 X
* e1 i' L- X# h/ f

& S* o: g2 o0 h/ r& J% X
4 e3 y8 W% Z8 y6 }8 M | #5 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Saturn Vue: l) t3 K0 S0 h! \* _4 Z
9 J, R; `6 v* c0 E4 @+ T
- Great Gas Mileage
- Onstar feature
- quiet engine
- Ranked #4 on the list for price
- Good horsepower
Reasons not to buy the Saturn Vue:
B. d5 B/ z/ t' a- low rank under total value
- could get the Hyundai Tucson cheaper
See reviews for this model% I. H s5 q; q
|
Kia Sportage
. Z9 H: r$ J3 G; w9 c$ P( l- L# l1 A- v; r# m, ?

2 @9 p; |: \1 B- O( S% b6 _" ]
+ I" n" Q& `+ |2 E' b7 p" b5 V: H | #6 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Kia Sportage:
; k& W! Y! |8 S$ I4 j2 i, |; ~* U1 z9 b* V
- runner up for best price behind the Jeep Patriot
- decent gas mileage
- #3 ranked in value
Reasons not to buy the Kia Sportage:/ e5 [- O. G( m9 R+ d# A
- low ranking horsepower
- want the Jeep Patriot
See reviews for this model
( r# X+ x& S: U0 @% e& S# b+ M2 Y$ D |
Subaru Forester
( H9 l" j3 v8 O+ ^9 ]' R; q6 _" K& P8 ]* e8 _# Q
m9 O. L; s/ N9 K
| #7 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Subaru Forester:0 a: A$ ?3 |. c. R( l7 `
6 Z% {9 m, P: ?! }6 q6 _, P
- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- #3 ranked for value on list
- decent gas mileage
Reasons not to buy the Subaru Forester:
. B7 Q; h3 |8 n- No Acceleration
- road noise
- lack of leg room in rear
See reviews for this model
% ~1 T* B" ~3 U9 p% ^3 l# M* @/ o |
Kia Sorento7 P) f7 Y# w! C) s: U
1 W! v6 u5 j9 J8 L 0 `; I% q* \- D# U
3 N3 X7 m( M" `3 j! S
. w2 p! R& A+ ^+ G" n9 u | #8 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Kia Sorento:/ L1 T" ^8 Z$ j- x1 {$ _6 A
6 W; H2 o" G \5 F! [2 g- #1 ranked horsepower on list
- Value
- exterior and interior styling
Reasons not to buy the Kia Sorento:
0 c' C f# \ e% {, e+ F2 c- low rank for gas mileage
- low towing ability
See reviews for this model1 H v, A6 ^/ ~. c8 C3 y) c
|
Honda Element8 k4 W8 P2 g# G) L8 }: `
! U& u6 H. A" h2 I# O5 s; M
0 S8 h$ F* z2 b) E
$ u' R. a& h& r
| #9 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Honda Element:
7 z5 Z, J2 B6 h2 L: f. l9 R4 K! U5 }/ Z, ?
- good gas mileage
- interior space
- Lots of leg room for front and back passengers
Reasons not to buy the Honda Element:
0 x2 U* t: L# |- some road noise
- low horsepower
See reviews for this model
& F" I. f" A u/ i d+ j v* r- v" J |
Suzuki Grand Vitara
: u: K5 g% \& b9 I; m4 B' j3 r( [9 b
| #10 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Suzuki Grand Vitara:
' f" S; M* u9 L8 k* s2 D! y6 c' z9 Z( W* e( u1 f
- smooth ride
- decent pricing
- average rank in safety
Reasons not to buy the Suzuki Grand Vitara:
8 W ~, i5 o' _: `- b" v$ X7 e- ranked low on gas mileage
- sluggish acceleration
See reviews for this model
5 v9 d6 k* ]: @- g' j5 t" o! p |
Ford Freestyle 8 d, u* t. A" L
2 w- Y& a7 C: u1 a | #11 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Ford Freestyle: R* J7 {, a- @& g5 `5 y
5 j3 W) h% d7 \, C# M- M5 t. ?+ e- #1 ranked in safety on the list
- decent power balance
- car-like ride
Reasons not to buy the Ford Freestyle:# A% q; y1 m' t, N( J% f
- high priced
- low ranked in value
- could improve in gas mileage
See reviews for this model
a. y2 a7 b" Y. M2 _- } |
Pontiac Torrent
$ V, p! {0 y/ B1 h- \5 c5 h6 X4 U/ P' d1 p7 y6 ^* X* ~
| #12 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Pontiac Torrent:
4 C) ~# s, Z7 ?; V' Q
" N# j3 ]* t8 S9 x- }* f- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- Good overall value for the price
- Nice interior
Reasons not to buy the Pontiac Torrent:% v1 G9 [/ H* X- z# ~& Y
- ranked low for price
- can do better for fuel economy
|
Jeep Wrangler
" m9 D, b9 @, }- |+ x$ D2 g
% m U# ?1 Y0 Q8 l# {. D4 l* N | #13 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Wrangler:
2 u2 q* Q+ C, n2 |6 W! p2 {4 G2 z/ X+ n- h
- #1 ranked in value on the list
- high ranked in quality on the list
- good priced
Reasons not to buy the Jeep Wrangler:
2 g$ a Q# H; {0 |, d1 {1 Y- gas mileage not good
- scored low in safety
- road noise
|
Mazda CX-7
& G+ X7 y' z. l) @* l
" a# x5 P' ?% q7 H+ F | #14 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mazda CX-7:
- }4 ]. t* ]: ~2 F' w6 |! T! b* E v+ 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:
. {) g0 G4 B7 ^! Y! F' i0 L, n# C- could do better in gas mileage
- a bit pricy for the quality
|
BMW X3
' D Q( s$ z: o1 u( i1 |9 }1 N
# C7 F/ {% D* D; N | #15 Editor's PickReasons to buy the BMW X3:5 n/ U n) A, v6 S3 U
. _7 g7 t7 N, u2 q: N- great horsepower
- very good value
- comfortable
Reasons not to buy the BMW X3:( n, }3 F8 s2 _
- low ranking for safety
- could do better in gas mileage
- #22 ranked for price
See reviews for this model
1 q( d- k/ q9 k; I0 F" E" K+ ? |
Suzuki XL7
K3 {( A. \ J, E+ l0 G. R% Z2 [+ ~) |* g8 F& g5 I$ X" z7 P
| #16 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Suzuki XL7:6 u: O9 B7 w4 Q1 F5 C$ m
# Z7 z& B/ e' U- _7 D- #3 ranked for horsepower
- Smooth V6
- exterior look
- controls easy to use
Reasons not to buy the Suzuki XL7:$ b2 i; f: N3 l1 o
- low ranked in value
- low ranked in price
- can do better in gas mileage
|
Acura RDX G* n, U: r( S. t' _
* V" N! R; `4 O3 v
| #17 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Acura RDX:
/ o! J, A0 p" f: S' j9 N4 g3 A, K( c: p* E- N2 m% h' E& L6 q
- #3 ranked in value
- #6 ranked in horsepower
- luxurious interior
Reasons not to buy the Acura RDX:
Z3 e5 i" C9 Z; N. \2 r. q, c9 z0 U) o- Scored low in safety
- can do better in gas mileage
- extremely sluggish off the line
See reviews for this model
. s/ z3 b& a; d% M* J/ h/ T |
Chevrolet Equinox 0 [" ]* m# ]* S- D) \" v& p
+ J& X* C5 k4 G, i/ H$ w | #18 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Chevrolet Equinox:& n9 b8 k. y/ S9 r3 w9 y
8 h* j- Q3 m0 u3 `- D1 l
- smooth ride
- exterior styling is nice
- has decent interior space
Reasons not to buy the Chevrolet Equinox:
: g* w8 i6 m4 s8 F! i/ c- b! L- cheap interior look
- can do better on gas
See reviews for this model0 g w n# n, o$ W0 i
|
Mitsubishi Outlander
- B% z4 I! X' l9 e9 h6 r6 r! R- H6 j* S, R% L; t; P: C0 j- X. D7 q/ [7 q, T
| #19 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mitsubishi Outlander:1 U8 r8 U a; H4 ?/ O
8 E8 Q9 |7 p/ W* n4 |' \$ Q- #3 ranked in value
- has decent horsepower
- comfortable
Reasons not to buy the Mitsubishi Outlander:
: s- \* u3 e& }" L5 g5 t/ [% k. @- low safety score
- can do better on gas mileage
- a bit pricy for the quality
|
Ford Escape + S! h2 D* `. e2 J
) D$ \' Z1 _2 N4 `8 I
| #20 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Ford Escape:$ }2 Q( G0 i9 S0 Q/ L! Q
- t; K1 \- v0 R- ~- roomy
- Great mileage
- comfortable ride
- sporty look and feel
Reasons not to buy the Ford Escape:
4 }: S. c# {, E# [2 L- lacks in horsepower
- scored low in value
- can do better in safety area
- road noise
See reviews for this model
2 _& A$ n6 \5 h$ w# ^: Z: q, i |
Jeep Liberty . u4 h5 y- }$ ^2 G: J+ D/ P
0 p8 r. Y. A Y | #21 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Liberty:
T( W" W, R$ q& q: P+ u' e& Y
8 M* Z* i, z' |* \! q- good low-end torque
- decent cargo compacity
- Rugged, sporty feel
Reasons not to buy the Jeep Liberty:3 ^$ j" O9 c0 ^# d; i% r
- can do better in gas mileage
- scored low in safety
- a bit pricy compared to others
See reviews for this model0 \/ z4 N" w0 v" f# g! |
|
Mercury Mariner
7 m3 Z3 T# v8 U: C
, ]' @0 m7 m3 Q+ O0 }( j | #22 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mercury Mariner:/ B3 T0 s5 @- c8 `; B
/ Q K& x) k4 s2 e) Y
- decent quality
- ok on gas mileage
- not too bad on price
Reasons not to buy the Mercury Mariner:
3 j5 E% _& ^9 K7 _, o$ L7 A- low safety score
- lower ranked on horsepower
- scored low in overall value
|