Recommended List$ ^; q, l8 G" }" k) l& q# {
Compact SUVs+ K; v: s( W" I7 u x, J
|
Honda CR-V 1 h+ r3 n+ C& @- g8 \3 \
7 j* Q3 x& P P& R" e6 R0 d( N" A) q
5 c- J9 I3 g: K, b
|
. q0 u) A+ {" P9 ]/ n! V#1 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Honda CR-V:7 T$ p- V( v, c6 V1 ^! e. 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:
0 E/ [4 \4 ?& F Q. }. @" l- 10th ranked on the list for cost
- Can get the Hyundai Tucson for around $4,000 less
See reviews for this model5 M' h5 {9 z7 q+ ?/ ?4 q
|
Hyundai Tucson + Q& _0 \3 b7 Q2 v: e
# R- K& ]) R$ ~. H3 R& x: O
$ v5 `0 z, I( {2 Y, l$ y; P) |3 P; ~. r+ N& ^& T! k
| #2 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Hyundai Tucson:
' @6 _3 D% c- G/ @' g' J* D; z$ T, W7 l# k3 Z1 T
- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- One of top 3 ranked for price on the list
Reasons not to buy the Hyundai Tucson:
; e0 K. {$ I4 O& S6 E- has lower horsepower compared to rest
- want the #1 rated Honda CR-v
See reviews for this model
: y% v8 O/ F+ F( l( S% g |
Toyota RAV4 ! Q/ h' Q+ i: {% e* M. d
5 y( A( Y4 q8 c5 T" f0 @
# `' |% B8 s7 l+ j# f3 x2 M
| #3 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Toyota RAV4:8 J! h3 x+ x# e) s F
3 y# V/ o, F" l
- #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:+ w' @! ^1 a) k; Y7 ?& p* Q" v# {
- want the Honda CR-V
- low horsepower rating
See reviews for this model
- L! ?% H! v' S6 Q9 @# j, K/ N0 ~ |
Jeep Patriot . y5 C& `, v' \* a6 {! @) p) B
' N7 S; n$ b$ d! @2 M/ m$ f: \/ e: l( \
/ N+ v0 S8 h8 p/ a) a0 m
! u$ C8 B% t. @* \( Q# b- O | #4 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Patriot:1 O, L: l9 f1 A/ N: w% y& Q, z
& x( p4 V! J9 [6 M) `1 B+ n! W# j- #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:! p8 G% l- a4 Y+ x
- 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
# V% H4 I+ Q z1 X7 ]3 a3 | |
Saturn Vue
2 Q3 O% r& J, k( k1 M z4 `) c( i( S8 `/ w7 r. |% Z" m' h% U( \8 Z

) L! n7 T& h. g( \
: X% E" |7 S% T n' e$ [, l) o | #5 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Saturn Vue:
; J" V. ]% E5 G$ A
8 J' {! @0 E0 @0 b* R; ~7 {, P- Great Gas Mileage
- Onstar feature
- quiet engine
- Ranked #4 on the list for price
- Good horsepower
Reasons not to buy the Saturn Vue:' q8 z( K: C( H" s6 H5 |$ @
- low rank under total value
- could get the Hyundai Tucson cheaper
See reviews for this model
7 E( p( \9 R+ s. \" T2 k& } F9 |: Q |
Kia Sportage% E; c! `9 _5 y. A( g
/ Q) _+ _# s) Y2 ~/ H% U, Q7 q9 M* F / \+ g! ]6 `# P7 H5 b) {1 `
: r& @6 W l/ a: W6 C, b
| #6 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Kia Sportage:
8 B* {; x. e# J+ L2 k; _ @$ {
1 U* C1 E* T0 P1 Z3 e% }1 a1 P- runner up for best price behind the Jeep Patriot
- decent gas mileage
- #3 ranked in value
Reasons not to buy the Kia Sportage:
+ F8 }/ B8 L( a f) T- low ranking horsepower
- want the Jeep Patriot
See reviews for this model! i: Q4 a' \$ U3 V
|
Subaru Forester
$ p, ?, J# U- X: }+ X. p
; Q" l) ?& ~; \ 2 v% I+ r I3 W2 t/ \; t- Z0 P
| #7 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Subaru Forester:
/ G5 F9 c9 T) n: ^* _4 r; y( S) H4 e* j) @3 G8 D
- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- #3 ranked for value on list
- decent gas mileage
Reasons not to buy the Subaru Forester:
+ {! R/ c- A6 {- No Acceleration
- road noise
- lack of leg room in rear
See reviews for this model& l* X9 Z4 A7 u: S) ~% }
|
Kia Sorento7 c3 M& I$ S. r
$ `$ w( Z1 b; o; @: x $ e1 k7 u; V- d5 v0 v" V
# R( G+ W1 F2 d- ~/ k
6 H9 Z) d6 r3 n( |6 b | #8 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Kia Sorento:& s9 e3 ?! n! s4 s$ ?
~; k% s- ~: E8 c4 }- #1 ranked horsepower on list
- Value
- exterior and interior styling
Reasons not to buy the Kia Sorento:
) v: h9 n8 \! J3 `, y3 V- low rank for gas mileage
- low towing ability
See reviews for this model
) n4 V+ i* z$ f3 l- P V+ ^' U' } |
Honda Element
. Y" q" [ [9 c7 n" R+ U5 r2 ~8 ^2 n% p1 @+ x2 a

7 H1 n. N: o; x v8 d& U* {# ~% f
| #9 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Honda Element:
- m/ c# [5 B8 c3 W2 V# l
5 H3 i' N% u6 ~- j6 K- good gas mileage
- interior space
- Lots of leg room for front and back passengers
Reasons not to buy the Honda Element:' K; v a2 B/ [& N2 T" J
- some road noise
- low horsepower
See reviews for this model J2 u4 M; t. \5 k
|
Suzuki Grand Vitara
* x! p5 @2 ?1 t) u: A* v; a: I# A w6 y L6 O
| #10 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Suzuki Grand Vitara:
" w' t3 x4 l4 f" R Y7 D' k$ [8 E; S6 @7 g
- smooth ride
- decent pricing
- average rank in safety
Reasons not to buy the Suzuki Grand Vitara:* h7 y9 l o/ I9 ^
- ranked low on gas mileage
- sluggish acceleration
See reviews for this model1 Z0 O9 [8 J4 I0 ~& ^# Q
|
Ford Freestyle
( ~$ `- @3 q. [6 ]% _4 _3 S( P9 e$ j1 @- o3 X8 \7 J
| #11 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Ford Freestyle:
; O+ t* E# i& n; _; Z( Z6 y3 m2 W4 G+ n
- #1 ranked in safety on the list
- decent power balance
- car-like ride
Reasons not to buy the Ford Freestyle:: s1 F0 F! `# h* g* N
- high priced
- low ranked in value
- could improve in gas mileage
See reviews for this model+ \6 H4 A5 a+ _5 @ N# o) p
|
Pontiac Torrent # ~: j& j0 f2 n; a: P* I
" C7 c% D( H, |( @ w$ D: i
| #12 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Pontiac Torrent:
0 d" S' P# O& b- g6 T. I7 x5 @: V) L$ ]8 \" F
- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- Good overall value for the price
- Nice interior
Reasons not to buy the Pontiac Torrent:
O- k2 P y" p. v- ranked low for price
- can do better for fuel economy
|
Jeep Wrangler ) h8 C: i3 R- @0 N% |
! m* W1 N- O4 D
| #13 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Wrangler:
9 H9 N3 c1 j8 O! H3 o# }
m% |1 E& X) I: V0 }- #1 ranked in value on the list
- high ranked in quality on the list
- good priced
Reasons not to buy the Jeep Wrangler:+ g, t7 m+ G3 A+ Z
- gas mileage not good
- scored low in safety
- road noise
|
Mazda CX-7
8 b8 t! ? ~/ z: t2 }0 Y
6 M: d1 w B n% J | #14 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mazda CX-7:
2 I+ {, A7 I' ?4 s) V' z, w5 D" H6 j9 `# G* p4 `
- #1 ranked in safety on the list
- #3 ranked in expert review
- #3 ranked in value
Reasons not to buy the Mazda CX-7:' o$ C& k2 O+ ^+ j
- could do better in gas mileage
- a bit pricy for the quality
|
BMW X3
* l! b- L4 m" W# J' s" B! G+ h+ u. u6 m5 n; ?& a$ g1 [
| #15 Editor's PickReasons to buy the BMW X3:
0 h l$ f2 l) } l1 v, ~% F k* G; B* @' p) x. o6 P, b$ S
- great horsepower
- very good value
- comfortable
Reasons not to buy the BMW X3:
c! ], b1 N% l/ F; c1 U- @% A2 D- low ranking for safety
- could do better in gas mileage
- #22 ranked for price
See reviews for this model
% g H( n# x4 D9 X |
Suzuki XL7
- Y! }3 n! N+ o* e( p3 y9 d0 A( u T$ T8 s
| #16 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Suzuki XL7:
& k6 R+ k, B0 m7 J. b: M G6 C1 `9 d8 }, S; V! K2 C
- #3 ranked for horsepower
- Smooth V6
- exterior look
- controls easy to use
Reasons not to buy the Suzuki XL7:" N9 Q4 U) Y3 f( [$ `3 W7 R
- low ranked in value
- low ranked in price
- can do better in gas mileage
|
Acura RDX ) J. V( W8 L% `! F
: N& e/ |; i9 X v% J | #17 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Acura RDX:1 G3 R n7 S3 Y* e |* o T6 u
" K/ U% J0 U4 K0 k6 A: d- #3 ranked in value
- #6 ranked in horsepower
- luxurious interior
Reasons not to buy the Acura RDX:
4 u5 t1 |. H( z; V- Scored low in safety
- can do better in gas mileage
- extremely sluggish off the line
See reviews for this model' o1 L6 ?3 l9 [. y7 b, B9 ^
|
Chevrolet Equinox 9 A; ^2 E- l' N2 y7 r* a
. r5 f0 @( B, f4 a4 I
| #18 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Chevrolet Equinox:$ a6 Q. M; p3 p! W" [
1 {- C4 K! t7 S$ ]6 x- smooth ride
- exterior styling is nice
- has decent interior space
Reasons not to buy the Chevrolet Equinox:
! E9 S8 B9 \6 f8 @, T: o2 k+ C/ @- cheap interior look
- can do better on gas
See reviews for this model- a) H+ K( O/ I+ C! x' x& W2 q7 D
|
Mitsubishi Outlander ! O8 Y! k: `4 \* _- Z
6 {+ x4 e2 @8 w& i3 L% a9 f3 s | #19 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mitsubishi Outlander:
8 X/ p/ \7 p9 Z& [+ D
9 P3 E! _% e; n" i8 g- #3 ranked in value
- has decent horsepower
- comfortable
Reasons not to buy the Mitsubishi Outlander:) z* L. N0 h! Y7 t3 r. g: f
- low safety score
- can do better on gas mileage
- a bit pricy for the quality
|
Ford Escape . e0 I7 D' v. u& ~& o
; p+ }+ |: g7 S5 u$ i | #20 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Ford Escape:
0 E5 `' A* _9 \6 }0 e" e. q+ p. _, E5 r( f1 O& o
- roomy
- Great mileage
- comfortable ride
- sporty look and feel
Reasons not to buy the Ford Escape:
( |- V7 m& V3 j$ u5 `6 Y0 j- G- lacks in horsepower
- scored low in value
- can do better in safety area
- road noise
See reviews for this model
# b: ?0 q' x8 v |
Jeep Liberty
! _( ]2 a- A& t/ p5 v+ G: t9 T# W4 _4 |7 z% E
| #21 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Liberty:2 _9 a* S8 d2 ]" M
C( T2 e& u- d& Z- good low-end torque
- decent cargo compacity
- Rugged, sporty feel
Reasons not to buy the Jeep Liberty:- J) W& K* Q% F9 ]0 z8 ^2 q4 v
- can do better in gas mileage
- scored low in safety
- a bit pricy compared to others
See reviews for this model: K6 A) l+ q& ], H& ~* ]2 p$ E) M8 {
|
Mercury Mariner
& u6 c9 I1 n/ o7 i. S
$ b/ p0 P5 m9 X* U( y6 r | #22 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mercury Mariner:
^3 Y# Q/ c& G; f& h/ K: O3 f- V
- decent quality
- ok on gas mileage
- not too bad on price
Reasons not to buy the Mercury Mariner:
& j7 T6 w& \/ z; I8 C) `- N! t, Q- p- low safety score
- lower ranked on horsepower
- scored low in overall value
|