Recommended List
9 J$ _" J y, |$ u1 ^Compact SUVs) o. _! ^$ i9 h, W+ Y8 `7 o! P
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Honda CR-V
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. H1 m6 P3 Z. F! e2 h2 y" v. M- W#1 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Honda CR-V:+ K1 m X: B+ _1 u0 r; F) r# r
- #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:
+ r* E( p, `: Q" U0 s" B) w2 `- 10th ranked on the list for cost
- Can get the Hyundai Tucson for around $4,000 less
See reviews for this model
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Hyundai Tucson
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2 m6 s$ @. T7 |, B; O5 d0 K: n | #2 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Hyundai Tucson:
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( O% H+ C; }$ F- C- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- One of top 3 ranked for price on the list
Reasons not to buy the Hyundai Tucson:
" V8 H+ e3 ~3 A7 {& Y- has lower horsepower compared to rest
- want the #1 rated Honda CR-v
See reviews for this model9 F5 V, E. K# X P9 X* z
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Toyota RAV4 4 s. ~6 \% J3 x. ?& z
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8 ?' O0 |: A" w3 T+ @) a | #3 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Toyota RAV4:
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6 A" T, q1 S {& ~- #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 RAV4:6 F# L0 ~$ n, P- T' K- f3 H
- want the Honda CR-V
- low horsepower rating
See reviews for this model. Q+ O9 V# B7 \ p9 D" X
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Jeep Patriot
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| #4 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Patriot:
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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:7 o9 {. g2 ?( @) C5 v( N( ]
- 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# W& p4 X5 z0 s: _
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Saturn Vue
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| #5 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Saturn Vue:5 p# s3 Y# n# k- A3 d& l
$ g, B! Z* {& z6 Q$ N. |/ A* r- Great Gas Mileage
- Onstar feature
- quiet engine
- Ranked #4 on the list for price
- Good horsepower
Reasons not to buy the Saturn Vue:
, @7 _4 n, V( V6 i1 p: E- 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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| #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:! U# w; l2 u, J& B& x0 D
- low ranking horsepower
- want the Jeep Patriot
See reviews for this model. T& z; J5 {+ K. B/ x* G6 @- w- G( s
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Subaru Forester3 e5 i' x$ G4 o1 D+ E# U( v
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( K* c4 [" s* k& p a$ c | #7 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Subaru Forester:/ d0 j7 w9 {9 O! p
, |) A# P& {0 z' Z3 ^6 Y! |- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- #3 ranked for value on list
- decent gas mileage
Reasons not to buy the Subaru Forester:
1 S' X7 p& ]7 X* c r- No Acceleration
- road noise
- lack of leg room in rear
See reviews for this model$ l: V6 C+ a* ]
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Kia Sorento& e6 E G0 P1 o7 p6 `
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2 x" j1 |: b/ `8 J3 f7 W% Q3 ^, { | #8 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Kia Sorento:
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4 L: d3 x' q: b' Y8 h- #1 ranked horsepower on list
- Value
- exterior and interior styling
Reasons not to buy the Kia Sorento:3 T5 j# n8 [8 f2 h0 _" x: A5 N/ b3 X$ ^
- low rank for gas mileage
- low towing ability
See reviews for this model5 N0 S- W$ |5 v, H9 f
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Honda Element: u/ @/ d" M4 C9 o- u7 _. r
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+ E9 t6 d* ]! c$ m; s$ S5 d | #9 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Honda Element:; g+ M( }: }8 e
- j3 O3 R0 f* }* p2 E) X- good gas mileage
- interior space
- Lots of leg room for front and back passengers
Reasons not to buy the Honda Element:( ]: b: i, Y/ ~3 p- [: A8 T
- some road noise
- low horsepower
See reviews for this model
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Suzuki Grand Vitara
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0 @$ B' o; x! k M Z | #10 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Suzuki Grand Vitara:3 ~8 x9 v% K9 |$ i
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- smooth ride
- decent pricing
- average rank in safety
Reasons not to buy the Suzuki Grand Vitara:* E/ q0 L. t, J8 O" I" V7 \) t
- ranked low on gas mileage
- sluggish acceleration
See reviews for this model. [. }0 q1 O8 g- Y7 V9 w
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Ford Freestyle
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| #11 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Ford Freestyle:9 N9 d: h! X# B& C8 e
* o( Q; A+ M% F" U6 f- #1 ranked in safety on the list
- decent power balance
- car-like ride
Reasons not to buy the Ford Freestyle:/ z3 r+ J2 N2 s, z
- high priced
- low ranked in value
- could improve in gas mileage
See reviews for this model1 c! R, ` x! Y" K6 ?
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Pontiac Torrent 7 R2 b2 d+ Y4 [, o8 \3 J6 j
8 @1 c. N, r3 B | #12 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Pontiac Torrent:; V* ?! V% l2 M
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- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- Good overall value for the price
- Nice interior
Reasons not to buy the Pontiac Torrent:
& @) a- E! b1 J0 F- ranked low for price
- can do better for fuel economy
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Jeep Wrangler 9 i" L, m! f# Q6 T2 _
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| #13 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Wrangler:7 n/ L9 j @& c$ M! L( W
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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:
) h7 a3 H" `" A4 W2 Y- gas mileage not good
- scored low in safety
- road noise
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Mazda CX-7 0 d! S& O% F% b
8 h* l: o C" E | #14 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mazda CX-7:7 l! Z0 w/ _- O) q
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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:
}7 C! b X5 E* @" r, ~# V- could do better in gas mileage
- a bit pricy for the quality
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BMW X3
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: g' \' |3 {6 n! q% r; l H2 u | #15 Editor's PickReasons to buy the BMW X3:9 k! ]. z% T+ x
: ~. i& x& k% e$ [4 {- great horsepower
- very good value
- comfortable
Reasons not to buy the BMW X3:3 j+ Y; d j, [, `, y
- low ranking for safety
- could do better in gas mileage
- #22 ranked for price
See reviews for this model8 A7 j7 x& i2 A1 W2 D
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Suzuki XL7
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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:
" Z4 {; M$ u8 T- low ranked in value
- low ranked in price
- can do better in gas mileage
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Acura RDX
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0 r0 u# Y; n! w4 f- g | #17 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Acura RDX:
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- #3 ranked in value
- #6 ranked in horsepower
- luxurious interior
Reasons not to buy the Acura RDX:+ p3 s2 p1 u" A4 M& S m2 \
- Scored low in safety
- can do better in gas mileage
- extremely sluggish off the line
See reviews for this model4 f* f5 W) d5 [# R9 u' g6 b; ~: D9 a
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Chevrolet Equinox + P* d0 K0 n( U* A
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| #18 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Chevrolet Equinox:; h; i- X p7 M5 j/ r( `7 f/ z
# J/ v" i' h) B3 O- smooth ride
- exterior styling is nice
- has decent interior space
Reasons not to buy the Chevrolet Equinox:
8 O- z9 t) M' L. h/ ~; ^- cheap interior look
- can do better on gas
See reviews for this model% R% T9 v1 C8 S' W! T
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Mitsubishi Outlander $ B% l8 k) N- w( t
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| #19 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mitsubishi Outlander:# W( C# o: r8 J
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- #3 ranked in value
- has decent horsepower
- comfortable
Reasons not to buy the Mitsubishi Outlander:
3 y: W0 C& L. x7 F6 y7 y% }- low safety score
- can do better on gas mileage
- a bit pricy for the quality
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Ford Escape f( y( ]' P% j# b
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| #20 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Ford Escape:4 d9 [2 j5 l7 J+ `2 F( l
5 t, ?7 n' Q9 {, a- i' L- roomy
- Great mileage
- comfortable ride
- sporty look and feel
Reasons not to buy the Ford Escape:
* j" S: v: g/ _6 C- lacks in horsepower
- scored low in value
- can do better in safety area
- road noise
See reviews for this model3 V3 q) D% s2 c% R4 C
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Jeep Liberty . q% X- l6 _/ m- l% U8 k( z
- ?: h; b7 V# R9 S | #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:9 Z) z! m: `- ?; X: x3 [
- can do better in gas mileage
- scored low in safety
- a bit pricy compared to others
See reviews for this model' _$ h3 D7 p" K- t( C' R
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Mercury Mariner f4 n2 @* W2 w: X+ U# _
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| #22 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mercury Mariner:. s/ o8 n3 J' w" I* k' Q
- U6 m$ C( J7 p) x- decent quality
- ok on gas mileage
- not too bad on price
Reasons not to buy the Mercury Mariner:( {- q9 F! `6 j
- low safety score
- lower ranked on horsepower
- scored low in overall value
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