Recommended List
" X+ f- R5 S( j7 b. _Compact SUVs
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Honda CR-V
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#1 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Honda CR-V: l3 V, o- V" K2 `
- #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:
2 ~+ }' o1 R+ t5 N* Q- m* k$ {- 10th ranked on the list for cost
- Can get the Hyundai Tucson for around $4,000 less
See reviews for this model2 q& X7 y$ D' D" \, u
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Hyundai Tucson ; r# g2 E w/ o( m3 E8 f, ]
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| #2 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Hyundai Tucson:
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- One of top 3 ranked for price on the list
Reasons not to buy the Hyundai Tucson:, q6 p9 R9 T t3 j$ O5 p3 v
- has lower horsepower compared to rest
- want the #1 rated Honda CR-v
See reviews for this model# q1 c- z! q$ N9 k4 \ \
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Toyota RAV4 8 l' ?/ m) O. G" c# T
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| #3 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Toyota RAV4:5 Z/ x7 J5 b7 i$ r) T4 F: p
" e) M1 k9 s P9 w" G* h- #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:# y2 b' C5 H) k* @$ W
- want the Honda CR-V
- low horsepower rating
See reviews for this model
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Jeep Patriot * s5 e. j9 c' A& _5 Q5 |
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| #4 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Patriot:9 E7 b& z# j) x. k
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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:
1 a2 C- } L; z/ [- N) h- 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 model2 z7 P) n5 E/ |- m9 h
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Saturn Vue/ P2 K; I1 ~# _2 Z2 K
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| #5 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Saturn Vue:4 w, z: g+ }9 R7 ~
# n3 C) q" i* p# a; V2 X X# w& h- Great Gas Mileage
- Onstar feature
- quiet engine
- Ranked #4 on the list for price
- Good horsepower
Reasons not to buy the Saturn Vue:
6 g9 E- e) ~: S% E/ ^9 k% e- low rank under total value
- could get the Hyundai Tucson cheaper
See reviews for this model/ c% R" H+ v2 \9 n
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Kia Sportage
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| #6 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Kia Sportage:7 l0 {6 _3 G' C7 A( h- z M
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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:
. J6 e* F/ `" p' P- \ @+ o9 p- low ranking horsepower
- want the Jeep Patriot
See reviews for this model1 A: B. p- H: C: h/ L) g: q$ k
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Subaru Forester" k* R3 h. W- ?: u" C
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- e3 B; w3 c+ t/ `0 @1 h | #7 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Subaru Forester:
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- #3 ranked for value on list
- decent gas mileage
Reasons not to buy the Subaru Forester:# x9 D0 p1 F: e
- No Acceleration
- road noise
- lack of leg room in rear
See reviews for this model
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Kia Sorento a m5 D. K4 e" J
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! U' }* W; B, e6 l' ?% W4 N | #8 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Kia Sorento:( j+ M, Y! m5 ~( v6 k
$ ~) a! p0 [& _# y- #1 ranked horsepower on list
- Value
- exterior and interior styling
Reasons not to buy the Kia Sorento:
' s1 ^7 B& O! n* i- low rank for gas mileage
- low towing ability
See reviews for this model
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Honda Element3 k# l* j$ f) M5 o- R' @8 h$ L2 c+ B
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| #9 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Honda Element:3 y' o2 O$ K, o% N0 m2 O% p8 f
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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:
$ \* D& @" T2 U- some road noise
- low horsepower
See reviews for this model0 N U) h$ h; L2 N' Z
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Suzuki Grand Vitara 3 ?2 ?7 R! E# ~- J6 m; }! ?1 w
# [: x$ H) ^+ J! ]4 B | #10 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Suzuki Grand Vitara:5 j$ R8 Z c! f% q
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- smooth ride
- decent pricing
- average rank in safety
Reasons not to buy the Suzuki Grand Vitara:# w. E0 X- v0 C( h' y2 m
- ranked low on gas mileage
- sluggish acceleration
See reviews for this model% h/ l! S. L" i, X: X
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Ford Freestyle
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| #11 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Ford Freestyle:/ ~5 ^ T- N4 e& Z, ]) ~7 \3 B
3 ?% c7 j, r! S. f- #1 ranked in safety on the list
- decent power balance
- car-like ride
Reasons not to buy the Ford Freestyle:
# h. o9 K9 o+ s. t- high priced
- low ranked in value
- could improve in gas mileage
See reviews for this model
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Pontiac Torrent
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( }/ o8 Q6 {, A8 R$ u$ n3 ~ | #12 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Pontiac Torrent:
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1 e2 l4 X0 Z0 I& `# Y- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- Good overall value for the price
- Nice interior
Reasons not to buy the Pontiac Torrent:
% ]8 w) ]+ R2 p+ l; N, ]- ranked low for price
- can do better for fuel economy
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Jeep Wrangler 1 N' j# i1 r3 I" F- P' B' \% U
# A: C, }4 N/ J& l | #13 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Wrangler:
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5 s6 v% d3 M" s% y% |- #1 ranked in value on the list
- high ranked in quality on the list
- good priced
Reasons not to buy the Jeep Wrangler:0 i% W/ @, [& G! x0 E+ K# E
- 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:
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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:
8 F: R+ D% P& S1 A6 F- O; n- could do better in gas mileage
- a bit pricy for the quality
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BMW X3 8 V; K7 l" i1 d M& _
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| #15 Editor's PickReasons to buy the BMW X3:
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$ f+ z' C" R' l* s6 N* ^3 H" | A- great horsepower
- very good value
- comfortable
Reasons not to buy the BMW X3:
- @1 u* b6 e: s8 Q G) b- low ranking for safety
- could do better in gas mileage
- #22 ranked for price
See reviews for this model0 e4 k9 |; @) W) m# K
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Suzuki XL7 . P( @" P6 t @$ U! l
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| #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:
9 K- g5 F% {/ W1 w Y% I i) I- low ranked in value
- low ranked in price
- can do better in gas mileage
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Acura RDX & ~: q( t4 n) _/ d
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| #17 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Acura RDX:2 X: Y/ x( L7 o9 | }) q6 X
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- #3 ranked in value
- #6 ranked in horsepower
- luxurious interior
Reasons not to buy the Acura RDX:
' s) f! r2 c0 e7 d2 h$ j( u- 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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" P% A2 L* W! F5 M) }3 Z: U | #18 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Chevrolet Equinox:/ ]3 _& ]) G2 g& n c+ y4 K
% u% H' A; i. S/ z- smooth ride
- exterior styling is nice
- has decent interior space
Reasons not to buy the Chevrolet Equinox:
3 x6 n7 u# \4 t. r, X- cheap interior look
- can do better on gas
See reviews for this model
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Mitsubishi Outlander : x. R% ^0 ?" L' L% i; b8 q
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| #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:8 T# k$ c0 |# y
- low safety score
- can do better on gas mileage
- a bit pricy for the quality
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Ford Escape
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| #20 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Ford Escape:
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- roomy
- Great mileage
- comfortable ride
- sporty look and feel
Reasons not to buy the Ford Escape:
1 z: A, I/ b) U/ H0 H# V# [/ b2 e- lacks in horsepower
- scored low in value
- can do better in safety area
- road noise
See reviews for this model
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Jeep Liberty 1 {7 M+ Z/ J4 P4 d% z) S, h$ H
2 U G. y1 v/ L& a# Y | #21 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Liberty:
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- good low-end torque
- decent cargo compacity
- Rugged, sporty feel
Reasons not to buy the Jeep Liberty:
$ K7 p& O# f9 U! N1 L, N4 k+ f) c- can do better in gas mileage
- scored low in safety
- a bit pricy compared to others
See reviews for this model- c( A; m& _2 }" a& J: p. O- Z
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Mercury Mariner
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| #22 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mercury Mariner:3 [; G1 e/ G6 b+ c$ e9 q
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- decent quality
- ok on gas mileage
- not too bad on price
Reasons not to buy the Mercury Mariner:, {5 c: A- H7 E+ s' @1 R* v: d
- low safety score
- lower ranked on horsepower
- scored low in overall value
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