Recommended List
3 i( u8 V7 Y. F! _- s9 ?: d1 pCompact SUVs
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Honda CR-V
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2 ~- u; s2 ~; D/ Y( _/ N#1 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Honda CR-V:. x6 G1 V1 U3 q# Q$ W% T1 \9 q
- #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:
( A6 M/ l3 ~- f) M* r! J! y- 10th ranked on the list for cost
- Can get the Hyundai Tucson for around $4,000 less
See reviews for this model. p+ U& r+ G9 a, h1 I# x, e
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Hyundai Tucson
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| #2 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Hyundai Tucson:. y" y& b) r. w" m
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- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- One of top 3 ranked for price on the list
Reasons not to buy the Hyundai Tucson:
/ n' P4 R2 [' k5 F- has lower horsepower compared to rest
- want the #1 rated Honda CR-v
See reviews for this model
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Toyota RAV4
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| #3 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Toyota RAV4:9 H7 `- a: x% Q( G( U: S
1 C% h2 `! @2 [, m0 S' v( B- #1 ranked fuel economy on the list
- runner up next to Honda CR-V for quality
- runner up for expert review
- #1 ranked for value on the list
- Agile and economical
Reasons not to buy the Toyota RAV4:
7 x, n5 x' }0 p! B3 X4 ^- want the Honda CR-V
- low horsepower rating
See reviews for this model
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Jeep Patriot
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. D! g" m9 B- S# S | #4 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Patriot:2 B: s" P. ~ }2 S+ \/ f: v; M
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- #1 ranked for gas mileage
- #1 ranked for price
- One of the top ten for safety
- good off road capability
Reasons not to buy the Jeep Patriot:
. V& f: }5 E; K8 p3 p6 t2 k3 S. O- Cab is pretty noisy
- comes standard with just a one cd system
- small fuel tank
- not a great deal of cargo space in rear
See reviews for this model+ }% {" u7 A p# E
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Saturn Vue/ w4 j7 L7 S4 F: p' a
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| #5 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Saturn Vue:& J" @( `) X5 } \7 T
, g$ o) R+ V7 T: Z7 w0 H: J- Great Gas Mileage
- Onstar feature
- quiet engine
- Ranked #4 on the list for price
- Good horsepower
Reasons not to buy the Saturn Vue:' t, g) ~1 q$ o+ |# a- V0 K/ O8 S
- low rank under total value
- could get the Hyundai Tucson cheaper
See reviews for this model
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Kia Sportage) \. D5 ~, ^3 v/ R
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2 a& N5 I7 a" K% m9 a | #6 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Kia Sportage:3 w0 Z9 F* Z7 d! s! h
0 P) V$ r5 d6 i- runner up for best price behind the Jeep Patriot
- decent gas mileage
- #3 ranked in value
Reasons not to buy the Kia Sportage:
+ S% M4 f' v5 |, V- low ranking horsepower
- want the Jeep Patriot
See reviews for this model
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Subaru Forester
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( K% D, P/ R. m8 X' `4 L | #7 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Subaru Forester:2 C4 F4 \: D. `# l7 }
( P, P# \+ C% h d7 p- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- #3 ranked for value on list
- decent gas mileage
Reasons not to buy the Subaru Forester:- e1 p5 O# ? T. z# \5 G9 d. a& D
- 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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- l3 R9 E8 B2 N+ [ | #8 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Kia Sorento:
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; t/ @! R; K# J* q- #1 ranked horsepower on list
- Value
- exterior and interior styling
Reasons not to buy the Kia Sorento:
" }; R) j7 V! d3 w( v- low rank for gas mileage
- low towing ability
See reviews for this model
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Honda Element& _' w' |2 X3 c. i
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- r% v6 y1 W; r3 x' y. r7 o | #9 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Honda Element:; l" h6 q, s) ]$ x1 \ s
0 `$ c s* l9 n2 c& E1 O8 i% a" @- good gas mileage
- interior space
- Lots of leg room for front and back passengers
Reasons not to buy the Honda Element:5 t% R. m6 B4 _6 R; ^
- some road noise
- low horsepower
See reviews for this model
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Suzuki Grand Vitara
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3 `" T: n. R; e* Q8 t | #10 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Suzuki Grand Vitara:
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- smooth ride
- decent pricing
- average rank in safety
Reasons not to buy the Suzuki Grand Vitara:9 j4 S) i- B# [ M0 D5 }( m
- ranked low on gas mileage
- sluggish acceleration
See reviews for this model0 w2 P9 m6 c& p8 @$ W
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Ford Freestyle
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+ O* R/ o/ w* u% B3 \ | #11 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Ford Freestyle:, M0 {0 H4 O* S7 G& y* d5 R
( a ?7 j/ H8 A* B9 i- #1 ranked in safety on the list
- decent power balance
- car-like ride
Reasons not to buy the Ford Freestyle: _2 I3 E% f" h# p5 i7 ~
- high priced
- low ranked in value
- could improve in gas mileage
See reviews for this model
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Pontiac Torrent * D7 F& C3 h6 s8 O% u. j" Y* t. _! c
7 Z# k) P7 t W | #12 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Pontiac Torrent:
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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:
* }- d9 \5 e4 ~$ }1 y' G" g- ~- ranked low for price
- can do better for fuel economy
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Jeep Wrangler ' Q% F& {& i) X! U; @
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| #13 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Wrangler:
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- high ranked in quality on the list
- good priced
Reasons not to buy the Jeep Wrangler:* B" H/ p8 |& j" O# o
- gas mileage not good
- scored low in safety
- road noise
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Mazda CX-7 * z+ l9 d) @% ]2 F/ V/ |
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| #14 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mazda CX-7:1 B9 Y! z: G( Q0 V4 }2 F( P
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- #1 ranked in safety on the list
- #3 ranked in expert review
- #3 ranked in value
Reasons not to buy the Mazda CX-7:
' x, W3 J& ~ q" K) g, q! w- could do better in gas mileage
- a bit pricy for the quality
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BMW X3
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) h* e# t/ g& A6 w: i' k5 A | #15 Editor's PickReasons to buy the BMW X3:
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- great horsepower
- very good value
- comfortable
Reasons not to buy the BMW X3:
8 a1 Y" {/ s/ C! |) ^" R* k9 h: m+ C- 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
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, ?$ ~- G" F7 X# V! W2 a9 c | #16 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Suzuki XL7:
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- #3 ranked for horsepower
- Smooth V6
- exterior look
- controls easy to use
Reasons not to buy the Suzuki XL7:
r' f' e: L( j& G- 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:# e1 _: A5 P8 X* j! J
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- #3 ranked in value
- #6 ranked in horsepower
- luxurious interior
Reasons not to buy the Acura RDX:
( k$ m; C( c5 a# K- Scored low in safety
- can do better in gas mileage
- extremely sluggish off the line
See reviews for this model4 d' @$ Y% B [. ~, ]6 B" c
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Chevrolet Equinox
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J: ^- u( X3 |* z | #18 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Chevrolet Equinox:
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- smooth ride
- exterior styling is nice
- has decent interior space
Reasons not to buy the Chevrolet Equinox:
" J% r1 v3 H& ?! B. U* i- cheap interior look
- can do better on gas
See reviews for this model
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Mitsubishi Outlander
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3 d1 L5 f; m" D2 U | #19 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mitsubishi Outlander:
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- #3 ranked in value
- has decent horsepower
- comfortable
Reasons not to buy the Mitsubishi Outlander:2 v( ]/ a, I& f
- low safety score
- can do better on gas mileage
- a bit pricy for the quality
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Ford Escape 6 O- E) U8 \$ u- v' C3 S s8 ^8 j6 f( B
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| #20 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Ford Escape:: y' I) [+ G5 \: y. H
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- roomy
- Great mileage
- comfortable ride
- sporty look and feel
Reasons not to buy the Ford Escape:
' D8 q# Y# R( N1 `, e' p9 }# [- lacks in horsepower
- scored low in value
- can do better in safety area
- road noise
See reviews for this model4 b! i6 a% N8 Q7 v
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Jeep Liberty
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5 H+ t% O! x& q7 G& d$ H | #21 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Liberty:( j. `/ z" r0 e5 g/ ~+ E
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- good low-end torque
- decent cargo compacity
- Rugged, sporty feel
Reasons not to buy the Jeep Liberty:* r% e! O: N+ d# \6 _# X# v) L! f; T
- can do better in gas mileage
- scored low in safety
- a bit pricy compared to others
See reviews for this model
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Mercury Mariner $ `1 @; z+ \# `" O" j; _. `
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| #22 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mercury Mariner:0 B# w0 ?! c a; a
( E5 f; U0 b3 U# r% N- decent quality
- ok on gas mileage
- not too bad on price
Reasons not to buy the Mercury Mariner:
* P6 z3 Q* {4 p& f9 t2 m, {9 |- low safety score
- lower ranked on horsepower
- scored low in overall value
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