Recommended List! \7 P& S; m9 {( Y) ~
Compact SUVs7 {+ R$ S t5 u$ K
|
Honda CR-V
2 A6 Y0 l1 k& v2 {. Q5 x' z c& O: F1 [6 }
' @% E& k* [1 }5 m% V) s9 c 
4 b& a7 I4 F5 ~- n | # i5 X4 _$ O: t* k5 V: A
#1 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Honda CR-V:
( D- o+ w9 y! 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:
9 K% J% q( M9 F& l+ F- 10th ranked on the list for cost
- Can get the Hyundai Tucson for around $4,000 less
See reviews for this model
: G; _3 _( Q' u. O1 w |
Hyundai Tucson
7 D' x1 L# m8 d! y2 t! z
8 A) }8 ^ D9 ~
, y& Z* n+ b1 W! R. b) Y% W- l$ R- {5 r( h5 X
| #2 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Hyundai Tucson:
4 ^3 G5 z: k# Z% b
3 O; m7 B9 E& @0 }, V& ~7 s- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- One of top 3 ranked for price on the list
Reasons not to buy the Hyundai Tucson:
' v# y6 b, z" X+ I1 {: h* _ `- has lower horsepower compared to rest
- want the #1 rated Honda CR-v
See reviews for this model
- U, H4 L% b0 D |
Toyota RAV4 & t( ?$ K. N/ ~: W! U, x
! E d3 B8 n/ H c; y

) Y* P7 a' O! R7 h | #3 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Toyota RAV4:" |' U" P! z' ~; J& C1 L
5 S G2 G0 V# [- #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 RAV4:3 t1 f+ J2 B7 W* x, t% e
- want the Honda CR-V
- low horsepower rating
See reviews for this model5 V& n @' V9 d& T: @/ T+ K; s/ f: M
|
Jeep Patriot ! U' b! E2 e0 O" Z2 Y
# H; |" m9 u$ S; Q6 ~- z
- n0 c6 w/ G" `2 q
6 d9 E G7 G3 H
| #4 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Patriot: e# O G7 D' z. P. A) s' x
: P4 J- Y% t& F* q6 g4 V; 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:. w5 m! N5 B/ v$ K) D7 G Q/ O6 ]. 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/ `3 {. i" c8 _, a: U' \
|
Saturn Vue6 W/ Y' I( T. G- z4 l
' |6 v% j3 S2 W1 P& J$ C 9 A5 \1 ~: z! Q2 x0 I0 |) Y& r% c
( V: @: G1 Q) C6 t | #5 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Saturn Vue:+ F! C9 y, G" {
; y& K2 G) o2 W$ a1 C
- Great Gas Mileage
- Onstar feature
- quiet engine
- Ranked #4 on the list for price
- Good horsepower
Reasons not to buy the Saturn Vue:
0 ^) K4 M- Y- q& X0 a6 D" k- low rank under total value
- could get the Hyundai Tucson cheaper
See reviews for this model
" a3 J% W0 c/ F: A0 Z- [, p |
Kia Sportage
& t0 k5 Z8 K6 ^0 T5 o) t
; f6 F$ ?' {/ \% K 7 e* _8 A$ M$ c' s- Z/ ?
7 Y% Q C( _9 f% L7 k/ W | #6 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Kia Sportage:
, T' ~1 i8 p5 M; b1 c4 r% E" C: S$ n( _( r8 Y8 ^
- runner up for best price behind the Jeep Patriot
- decent gas mileage
- #3 ranked in value
Reasons not to buy the Kia Sportage:
, H, @+ h. F8 e7 t: b. y- low ranking horsepower
- want the Jeep Patriot
See reviews for this model
% n4 q6 B) k( K: U* U# e' I! @0 l |
Subaru Forester! f/ m: P3 D2 ]8 T7 E
0 }( N0 z3 g, T5 ^5 { ~7 M
! `/ S/ Q; b2 i( F! Z4 E4 P" h3 a | #7 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Subaru Forester:2 E# `' ^6 i' E! Z4 _
9 A4 y* U$ r- t8 J+ H- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- #3 ranked for value on list
- decent gas mileage
Reasons not to buy the Subaru Forester:2 k: T5 n# U$ ]) O& C( K8 A
- No Acceleration
- road noise
- lack of leg room in rear
See reviews for this model
; f; ]6 ~7 U) S |
Kia Sorento
6 V, e1 v* G* b7 I& K" [1 f) }6 m8 e9 T7 m7 y# _
- C3 v# _6 c* R& k
0 |# ^' M$ ?! a$ j0 k) m* g! ]! J) ^) K/ x! t& q/ T! W
| #8 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Kia Sorento:
, f& H, |8 o3 w/ n3 f' }8 }
: N3 F2 N: c- F. a- z- #1 ranked horsepower on list
- Value
- exterior and interior styling
Reasons not to buy the Kia Sorento:9 i) k$ |! d* M, }' l" `( s+ k' J
- low rank for gas mileage
- low towing ability
See reviews for this model
+ o6 X0 T6 J; s |
Honda Element
, @5 w+ U4 K) M( @. N, m; U @: A% T' ?6 [ r
7 M8 r+ I' |5 p" |2 y) J
' E: A& M; |3 Q- c+ F6 m | #9 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Honda Element:
5 O9 U5 |4 F3 a/ {" ]! U, v3 K( ~8 P
- good gas mileage
- interior space
- Lots of leg room for front and back passengers
Reasons not to buy the Honda Element:
3 |+ B% _: G$ Q0 Z( l2 M- some road noise
- low horsepower
See reviews for this model
+ W% s _1 Y8 I |
Suzuki Grand Vitara & d! Q5 _, y" A* u3 a
/ Y) a7 W, f/ ]( _3 s. B
| #10 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Suzuki Grand Vitara:
, U' _2 H) i6 B2 z! a) \% F2 G S* `( |) a
- smooth ride
- decent pricing
- average rank in safety
Reasons not to buy the Suzuki Grand Vitara:' ~5 D! d0 w0 e1 `2 D. W
- ranked low on gas mileage
- sluggish acceleration
See reviews for this model/ U! Z- { i* }" r
|
Ford Freestyle 5 E2 D! T% Q- Y' Q3 ?- W- K$ J3 m, I) r
2 o0 m7 R s6 m" E' | | #11 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Ford Freestyle:: K0 ?# ~2 @9 q4 X# T, }
' t2 V7 _: X X9 N$ w- #1 ranked in safety on the list
- decent power balance
- car-like ride
Reasons not to buy the Ford Freestyle:
( o$ h3 z4 f( E: p, c) z- high priced
- low ranked in value
- could improve in gas mileage
See reviews for this model7 p5 K3 t: e0 z$ `: a% p
|
Pontiac Torrent
; B& t8 y7 t; Y9 s- X
! }! B* J) c# w( \* { | #12 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Pontiac Torrent:& J, V6 A& _0 c l$ P
; H4 n7 b! Y/ R+ a8 X8 I# M
- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- Good overall value for the price
- Nice interior
Reasons not to buy the Pontiac Torrent:7 g# e3 a" l$ u- j
- ranked low for price
- can do better for fuel economy
|
Jeep Wrangler
/ q4 S- V& {, Y7 L" x' h* T$ h. V; o* ^! J- E" ~7 D1 h5 K
| #13 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Wrangler:1 w. u9 t% [/ E/ T7 r4 N
/ R- `- }- M7 r) ]
- #1 ranked in value on the list
- high ranked in quality on the list
- good priced
Reasons not to buy the Jeep Wrangler:4 k% i2 l) u* i
- gas mileage not good
- scored low in safety
- road noise
|
Mazda CX-7
5 d9 i1 I( ^; o$ i9 M* X3 c
4 h# D* ^; G+ X) u `2 M | #14 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mazda CX-7:
- _( O$ T( V7 e* `8 l+ J+ }+ O, b& F8 }3 Z( ~" y- Q. C+ F) [
- #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 j( @, ?0 O' C* k8 I- O, A$ [2 |
- could do better in gas mileage
- a bit pricy for the quality
|
BMW X3 # y, ~& G+ \/ \8 H8 C& f r0 X
7 o; z( u9 W& P7 O/ P& G
| #15 Editor's PickReasons to buy the BMW X3:4 F% k! _% I: e. {: Z
3 b% j5 _7 S* s7 F1 Q
- great horsepower
- very good value
- comfortable
Reasons not to buy the BMW X3:5 ]; G, N+ d9 U9 A6 D5 z0 C; E2 d
- low ranking for safety
- could do better in gas mileage
- #22 ranked for price
See reviews for this model% d. r+ F- F. }" c0 G$ M8 L( u/ W
|
Suzuki XL7
Z1 P- ~& a$ }% [
# h8 h. u+ c5 Z9 J5 f5 a | #16 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Suzuki XL7:
# d2 C4 D- Q1 Q* b
]# E6 }. P+ b/ c' e- #3 ranked for horsepower
- Smooth V6
- exterior look
- controls easy to use
Reasons not to buy the Suzuki XL7:
3 t1 f) W \$ `3 q2 _, \! q7 O5 ]3 V- low ranked in value
- low ranked in price
- can do better in gas mileage
|
Acura RDX ) p. {* H: Q6 @
% J" J" P* E# r( X3 i, ] O
| #17 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Acura RDX:
/ G' g" l# e7 Q$ ^$ B- d3 G' P' R
7 l( ^6 E1 n$ m' z0 U1 G- #3 ranked in value
- #6 ranked in horsepower
- luxurious interior
Reasons not to buy the Acura RDX:/ j3 G- U J& O" G8 t w2 _# ?3 p
- Scored low in safety
- can do better in gas mileage
- extremely sluggish off the line
See reviews for this model
7 _9 Q( K" V- z. J/ b |
Chevrolet Equinox ) s5 j) w7 {& C
) q% t5 e7 V7 s3 @5 t
| #18 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Chevrolet Equinox:
3 P1 s+ ~! f9 {, a5 S5 P9 Y# y+ ]
# |8 a' r3 h$ I! ?$ {- smooth ride
- exterior styling is nice
- has decent interior space
Reasons not to buy the Chevrolet Equinox:
+ Y( z' v0 R9 p: y. m: N- cheap interior look
- can do better on gas
See reviews for this model
/ ]3 t$ `5 }# B3 L |
Mitsubishi Outlander $ C8 Z6 e! p$ [ W* V6 L
. f" `6 K; a, y7 ]- r# d2 u, s | #19 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mitsubishi Outlander:/ W% X% Y3 @3 C$ u8 N: ?5 _
$ M4 b9 J. a; m0 L/ K& x- #3 ranked in value
- has decent horsepower
- comfortable
Reasons not to buy the Mitsubishi Outlander:0 @4 w( Z! A& \3 c
- low safety score
- can do better on gas mileage
- a bit pricy for the quality
|
Ford Escape
' B r) f, Z- [& W6 [6 z+ k" L0 Y, e, K+ B
| #20 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Ford Escape:" M2 n' K/ P' R0 B$ e% z4 y! |
9 p9 W( s1 C2 U: S) c4 d$ v
- roomy
- Great mileage
- comfortable ride
- sporty look and feel
Reasons not to buy the Ford Escape:% m) {4 A! D# ^( z
- lacks in horsepower
- scored low in value
- can do better in safety area
- road noise
See reviews for this model2 c. M8 \% ]. ~7 N4 G( s
|
Jeep Liberty 2 U! z8 ^) X+ G& V2 g! ?
7 k$ U4 |, R: L9 `
| #21 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Liberty:
! w# }3 w. \, B& H0 h$ G" \3 N+ {9 t% \2 T
- good low-end torque
- decent cargo compacity
- Rugged, sporty feel
Reasons not to buy the Jeep Liberty:) s% F8 n9 _0 c' @8 g
- can do better in gas mileage
- scored low in safety
- a bit pricy compared to others
See reviews for this model
2 c- x; w3 T& c/ d |
Mercury Mariner . W$ [" K5 U# I: Z
. b) [2 B+ u" L: V | #22 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mercury Mariner:
4 Y' a: A8 r& Q1 N U& B
x5 e* C& P; M4 g. ?! ~3 L- decent quality
- ok on gas mileage
- not too bad on price
Reasons not to buy the Mercury Mariner:! Y' j* i$ O1 v2 u/ y- @
- low safety score
- lower ranked on horsepower
- scored low in overall value
|