Recommended List
5 s' m9 k5 }( C% x$ uCompact SUVs3 t3 f0 C; ]7 b
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Honda CR-V
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. n9 H l" w# r- o#1 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Honda CR-V:
# z- N. L C6 W9 k. N- #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:
& t4 \- b) M, g6 y- 10th ranked on the list for cost
- Can get the Hyundai Tucson for around $4,000 less
See reviews for this model
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Hyundai Tucson
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! Q. a, N. H0 W8 e; K | #2 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Hyundai Tucson:
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0 ?) R7 R+ N; h8 R1 |: F- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- One of top 3 ranked for price on the list
Reasons not to buy the Hyundai Tucson:
* R% F1 N. k( {9 }- has lower horsepower compared to rest
- want the #1 rated Honda CR-v
See reviews for this model
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Toyota RAV4 & C7 G4 y5 p; p) d' D0 J0 R, J, Y
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| #3 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Toyota RAV4:
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0 v' M1 v! s0 b- #1 ranked fuel economy on the list
- runner up next to Honda CR-V for quality
- runner up for expert review
- #1 ranked for value on the list
- Agile and economical
Reasons not to buy the Toyota RAV4:
4 x2 w* o2 U @' @' Q) p- b( [- want the Honda CR-V
- low horsepower rating
See reviews for this model
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Jeep Patriot
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# j# \+ U. c6 O. X! s1 | | #4 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Patriot:8 n4 |8 s6 q0 v! g. W! }
. Z; G% K9 v4 ?. Z! o- #1 ranked for gas mileage
- #1 ranked for price
- One of the top ten for safety
- good off road capability
Reasons not to buy the Jeep Patriot:
2 J! I' x z3 P5 t" L( z- Cab is pretty noisy
- comes standard with just a one cd system
- small fuel tank
- not a great deal of cargo space in rear
See reviews for this model
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Saturn Vue2 F' @& P8 Q' |
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$ @# z/ b7 @2 C: m @ | #5 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Saturn Vue:" R. j) ^& |) x1 D |$ `
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- Great Gas Mileage
- Onstar feature
- quiet engine
- Ranked #4 on the list for price
- Good horsepower
Reasons not to buy the Saturn Vue:
+ Z2 h1 z$ Y. w- low rank under total value
- could get the Hyundai Tucson cheaper
See reviews for this model: M( u2 ~8 X" C, `* s" v* W
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Kia Sportage9 z6 M& F; [) q2 Q# Q5 r$ X
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4 `. L! D5 Q. K% `8 b* }. w | #6 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Kia Sportage:
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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:& E q' w( n+ {9 }7 ~
- low ranking horsepower
- want the Jeep Patriot
See reviews for this model" K% T# a% v7 @' G0 t [
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Subaru Forester" }$ g: C0 | T! O2 Q* w
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| #7 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Subaru Forester:2 |2 q/ l6 d# f0 c. I
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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:( Z5 z3 K0 [% h; _" l. 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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| #8 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Kia Sorento:5 K1 ^. \" ^) I2 J6 P% ~
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- #1 ranked horsepower on list
- Value
- exterior and interior styling
Reasons not to buy the Kia Sorento:$ Y9 [! n& b4 ]; t3 l
- low rank for gas mileage
- low towing ability
See reviews for this model/ f+ u/ ?$ _$ t' {7 ]
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Honda Element
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| #9 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Honda Element:
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- good gas mileage
- interior space
- Lots of leg room for front and back passengers
Reasons not to buy the Honda Element:+ y6 j+ b; m7 ^( _) P% V. K2 H
- some road noise
- low horsepower
See reviews for this model
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Suzuki Grand Vitara
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- [$ ?) U5 D/ M0 f/ } | #10 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Suzuki Grand Vitara:" }' x7 I2 Q5 w) t& ^4 ^) w# K
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- smooth ride
- decent pricing
- average rank in safety
Reasons not to buy the Suzuki Grand Vitara:
, P' \5 l+ z8 ^/ U8 Q/ o" x# _- ranked low on gas mileage
- sluggish acceleration
See reviews for this model
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Ford Freestyle
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% ^$ |/ V' O+ e8 z# X1 x | #11 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Ford Freestyle:
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- #1 ranked in safety on the list
- decent power balance
- car-like ride
Reasons not to buy the Ford Freestyle:5 S/ F, x6 l0 y( t
- high priced
- low ranked in value
- could improve in gas mileage
See reviews for this model
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Pontiac Torrent E' i" b0 q( z: q* N
7 Z+ Q* j7 j1 S$ p | #12 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Pontiac Torrent:+ G- ]( P; f6 J! O' R6 k) K" j
6 Z9 @' o% ]/ `- G7 [2 [$ C# s- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- Good overall value for the price
- Nice interior
Reasons not to buy the Pontiac Torrent:1 J/ m+ R0 w" c1 C
- ranked low for price
- can do better for fuel economy
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Jeep Wrangler 7 o' X. ] S, p# V$ q" D: H1 D
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| #13 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Wrangler:0 ^4 N2 i# L+ m% i$ D* [6 _% u
2 U- W4 X' g" C8 [- #1 ranked in value on the list
- high ranked in quality on the list
- good priced
Reasons not to buy the Jeep Wrangler:
0 m" L. O1 Z4 ?7 i) L- gas mileage not good
- scored low in safety
- road noise
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Mazda CX-7
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| #14 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mazda CX-7:0 E2 w& ?6 ^# d# H' X/ F
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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:
, q7 m7 B1 W; |2 a- could do better in gas mileage
- a bit pricy for the quality
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BMW X3 , n$ I4 U$ ~3 M# n/ R
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| #15 Editor's PickReasons to buy the BMW X3:3 c. O+ E) k0 J# Y1 j
) a" W$ W7 G+ U. n' U0 H* m- f+ R- great horsepower
- very good value
- comfortable
Reasons not to buy the BMW X3:+ u+ i7 |# a. N$ c) u0 p- W! X
- 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 0 ~, T& h, L& @. n, r
d$ e/ l) i9 ^$ v2 q1 e | #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: d8 b' b7 G" c5 z- low ranked in value
- low ranked in price
- can do better in gas mileage
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Acura RDX * F6 z" A8 t" s1 m4 h0 F( [
0 Y3 L/ o z, {+ L; o( E | #17 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Acura RDX:" J. L( X! l, d+ L v8 g* l; [
5 x+ j$ `& e( Q2 O# K5 @- #3 ranked in value
- #6 ranked in horsepower
- luxurious interior
Reasons not to buy the Acura RDX:; P2 `/ |5 a0 K& U% G6 C
- 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
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| #18 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Chevrolet Equinox:& Z2 ^2 t5 r1 A; w4 x6 Q) V$ L
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- smooth ride
- exterior styling is nice
- has decent interior space
Reasons not to buy the Chevrolet Equinox:
8 X& _- n, u: r- j- cheap interior look
- can do better on gas
See reviews for this model
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Mitsubishi Outlander * v( W4 ~* b5 Z! m
$ ^' j( G2 e+ R% P( F | #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:
. _% K7 e1 G/ j" d/ E+ }7 X- low safety score
- can do better on gas mileage
- a bit pricy for the quality
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Ford Escape 4 B& ^, @$ w* _# P+ M
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| #20 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Ford Escape:
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, D8 W6 g: _! {" @$ Q% W' [- roomy
- Great mileage
- comfortable ride
- sporty look and feel
Reasons not to buy the Ford Escape:
1 K3 }9 ^! M! [+ T% l$ z! N- lacks in horsepower
- scored low in value
- can do better in safety area
- road noise
See reviews for this model l1 g0 b) K% _% U
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Jeep Liberty
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| #21 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Liberty:
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4 Y& e. I1 B' q& \5 c- good low-end torque
- decent cargo compacity
- Rugged, sporty feel
Reasons not to buy the Jeep Liberty:( {- c" d# f; e' [
- can do better in gas mileage
- scored low in safety
- a bit pricy compared to others
See reviews for this model. v8 s+ d) {% t: O; U
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Mercury Mariner
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| #22 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mercury Mariner:
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- decent quality
- ok on gas mileage
- not too bad on price
Reasons not to buy the Mercury Mariner:$ \+ \+ N. a0 G8 f) ~
- low safety score
- lower ranked on horsepower
- scored low in overall value
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