Recommended List
. ]) Y# h/ P; [ ECompact SUVs
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Honda CR-V - K0 D2 ]! i. r
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#1 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Honda CR-V:6 D1 q4 w u* G
- #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:
* }6 Q/ G( F+ ]! q. C- 10th ranked on the list for cost
- Can get the Hyundai Tucson for around $4,000 less
See reviews for this model- G1 p( K2 e3 T! u9 S* i" I/ Y7 K5 m" e
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Hyundai Tucson : p) L8 C1 M; g+ c1 K* n
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) y: ~ v. `7 Q- A% B/ e | #2 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Hyundai Tucson: z! }) S4 o; k1 d6 B
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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:
# f3 F+ X8 W0 j F; { Y- 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 p9 Z4 j3 R9 n! P: Y. q8 X1 l
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- #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:
% o& D0 j" G2 n: k# i+ z. m# n- want the Honda CR-V
- low horsepower rating
See reviews for this model
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Jeep Patriot
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# E# [- b8 U0 H* {/ w | #4 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Patriot:
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2 F# o3 X: C2 i8 u d- #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:& ^, h' b' u* }
- 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 model5 t5 V7 ~% j" W" K+ t( _
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Saturn Vue# X7 K/ e( d7 p
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5 S5 `, T' g4 O D: U | #5 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Saturn Vue:& o& r; F! ^- i/ j7 b
2 }* R6 h1 c! s1 k+ Z6 M' d- Great Gas Mileage
- Onstar feature
- quiet engine
- Ranked #4 on the list for price
- Good horsepower
Reasons not to buy the Saturn Vue:
7 M8 x" _, I5 {- low rank under total value
- could get the Hyundai Tucson cheaper
See reviews for this model
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Kia Sportage
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1 ^7 B& D% Q3 T3 K. m: V | #6 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Kia Sportage:- p$ p4 B# p* d+ R0 s4 M
8 M8 q3 W4 i! m) l( ?4 k# |/ K$ v4 U" k- runner up for best price behind the Jeep Patriot
- decent gas mileage
- #3 ranked in value
Reasons not to buy the Kia Sportage:
) ~5 P: Q% {- }0 b% t, l- low ranking horsepower
- want the Jeep Patriot
See reviews for this model
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Subaru Forester
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9 X+ l. [* B+ k4 w+ i | #7 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Subaru Forester:
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4 a9 g: n0 ~9 n4 C- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- #3 ranked for value on list
- decent gas mileage
Reasons not to buy the Subaru Forester:
. N; V, @6 C0 `8 K- No Acceleration
- road noise
- lack of leg room in rear
See reviews for this model
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Kia Sorento9 `* o+ F0 z2 g% f- t: R+ Y
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% L+ ~* G/ U. S8 f+ x' b | #8 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Kia Sorento:) |" A2 X, p6 S) S) x1 _
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- #1 ranked horsepower on list
- Value
- exterior and interior styling
Reasons not to buy the Kia Sorento:
, ]- O+ I9 g' u- low rank for gas mileage
- low towing ability
See reviews for this model
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Honda Element9 R, a* H" b" i" e' B- Z6 \
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| #9 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Honda Element:
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( _( J2 Y r0 G7 E. j9 T! \. q8 f- good gas mileage
- interior space
- Lots of leg room for front and back passengers
Reasons not to buy the Honda Element:
& W# F0 {* l! C7 g- some road noise
- low horsepower
See reviews for this model
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Suzuki Grand Vitara - |- N( s( b8 n# ~
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| #10 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Suzuki Grand Vitara:% O* G$ Z4 ], [6 ^! w# i
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- smooth ride
- decent pricing
- average rank in safety
Reasons not to buy the Suzuki Grand Vitara:9 r+ L- V! t( v0 a- K+ }
- ranked low on gas mileage
- sluggish acceleration
See reviews for this model ^3 Q7 i) s1 S" }* y0 f" ?. ?
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Ford Freestyle
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| #11 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Ford Freestyle:
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r# b; ?% A7 [7 W- F4 r- #1 ranked in safety on the list
- decent power balance
- car-like ride
Reasons not to buy the Ford Freestyle:
( e# G: d. T! T9 A0 n- high priced
- low ranked in value
- could improve in gas mileage
See reviews for this model
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Pontiac Torrent # J* b1 |' P# l) y# Q) O
0 D/ F( q8 t* A6 n/ ^, A | #12 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Pontiac Torrent:
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" L! [3 ^. o% B* X! u* B1 V: e- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- Good overall value for the price
- Nice interior
Reasons not to buy the Pontiac Torrent:' `( ?1 f5 W. L8 s: W
- ranked low for price
- can do better for fuel economy
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Jeep Wrangler
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| #13 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Wrangler:
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- #1 ranked in value on the list
- high ranked in quality on the list
- good priced
Reasons not to buy the Jeep Wrangler:" @2 \) F! N+ i. U* e+ f
- 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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2 S. C2 `. T, q# H/ @- #1 ranked in safety on the list
- #3 ranked in expert review
- #3 ranked in value
Reasons not to buy the Mazda CX-7:
. ~# N9 _' E$ ]& o- u/ t, C# y- could do better in gas mileage
- a bit pricy for the quality
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BMW X3
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! i; N/ ]% L2 v y- {9 _ | #15 Editor's PickReasons to buy the BMW X3:! A6 r& h/ g# ^/ i0 W
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- great horsepower
- very good value
- comfortable
Reasons not to buy the BMW X3:
9 ]; \8 s! q" x( N2 ~- 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 Z% C ?" I# b( f- c
6 I" U2 Z8 n! U/ b | #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:& Z. `" v' R' V, R& O
- low ranked in value
- low ranked in price
- can do better in gas mileage
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Acura RDX 7 z% N0 |2 T$ _. S, j
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| #17 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Acura RDX:
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- #6 ranked in horsepower
- luxurious interior
Reasons not to buy the Acura RDX:1 J; ^) ]- ?3 Z. }! A7 G: ^+ |
- Scored low in safety
- can do better in gas mileage
- extremely sluggish off the line
See reviews for this model* v! O1 f! c# ]$ n, i5 w9 C. F% v
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Chevrolet Equinox / [7 X/ f' M& i$ u+ ^
8 }$ w, g! A! f, f9 D+ L: t6 B! @# ]8 x | #18 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Chevrolet Equinox:( V, Y. _; o T6 D2 q9 |
( K7 k) h! h$ e. K1 o- smooth ride
- exterior styling is nice
- has decent interior space
Reasons not to buy the Chevrolet Equinox:! b2 X' y* S ^: }$ T
- cheap interior look
- can do better on gas
See reviews for this model
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Mitsubishi Outlander - ~7 X! N) F" ?7 l
3 p$ h' o3 g- P | #19 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mitsubishi Outlander: K9 g: `2 s; ]
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- #3 ranked in value
- has decent horsepower
- comfortable
Reasons not to buy the Mitsubishi Outlander:
" T; Z3 n2 @& d+ @0 t3 Q, ~( o- 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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; f2 y. Q6 `' u' r7 W! N: }" b9 B! b | #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:
7 S7 F( w2 k1 D$ {4 x* J! I8 x- 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
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- B% g6 W% G- f( o- k | #21 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Liberty:, e, E4 f4 D6 @7 e0 x
3 [; x7 A7 j0 [( Z) B' c2 h- good low-end torque
- decent cargo compacity
- Rugged, sporty feel
Reasons not to buy the Jeep Liberty:
* b" F$ s5 O7 r- 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 2 d6 s* V# N4 t6 C- F
& M9 B. H' h5 A' h; m0 M, ~ | #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:
2 F+ i& x* K$ D: \5 l" m' e- low safety score
- lower ranked on horsepower
- scored low in overall value
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