Recommended List
+ V) F; l& ?0 ~1 w4 O( f% qCompact SUVs
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Honda CR-V
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#1 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Honda CR-V:, B" z$ G. i! U, H C
- #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:# I, b, n. l! r& S6 [( ]
- 10th ranked on the list for cost
- Can get the Hyundai Tucson for around $4,000 less
See reviews for this model
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Hyundai Tucson , C$ B+ ]$ D) e; q/ f/ f- @; W
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| #2 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Hyundai Tucson:/ p/ P( e! l- @8 \7 L6 ]
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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:
+ m# o& D7 o0 {; O" @- @5 {- has lower horsepower compared to rest
- want the #1 rated Honda CR-v
See reviews for this model$ P+ h$ k" J- e3 O/ O: `* W$ g" S
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Toyota RAV4
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4 F/ N9 g; M/ \7 C. k% J9 l5 V | #3 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Toyota RAV4:( r) U4 S" ]! ?6 k3 z
8 Y+ r# O+ \ Z) C/ @; N- #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:
( D) K2 m' l2 \+ l- want the Honda CR-V
- low horsepower rating
See reviews for this model
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Jeep Patriot + Q, n* w1 K) Y% A# d
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| #4 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Patriot:- O5 F' l7 Z1 c& S- A( Y' e
8 L0 h3 y1 s' Q/ ?1 |- #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:4 e1 }: o1 n. ?3 {" b+ V
- 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 model8 L8 e+ q) r. N
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Saturn Vue) y# i* o+ P0 S+ H5 M
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8 V) j0 L8 H1 o: W6 |/ t: h+ D | #5 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Saturn Vue:! u( M+ T; S; J. L g
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- Great Gas Mileage
- Onstar feature
- quiet engine
- Ranked #4 on the list for price
- Good horsepower
Reasons not to buy the Saturn Vue:
" ~5 C. K- m) Z9 A2 t- low rank under total value
- could get the Hyundai Tucson cheaper
See reviews for this model: ~' G' v- q s4 m# u
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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:
% x9 t- [ ]6 Y! @* T& S- low ranking horsepower
- want the Jeep Patriot
See reviews for this model
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Subaru Forester
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| #7 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Subaru Forester:$ c6 r% x9 Z7 \( h2 g
) w( p2 t& ?6 P- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- #3 ranked for value on list
- decent gas mileage
Reasons not to buy the Subaru Forester:
$ `. U! w( {' v' u* v# [* L4 Y- No Acceleration
- road noise
- lack of leg room in rear
See reviews for this model8 L% G/ @7 `/ a# A* e( [ S
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Kia Sorento& ]* d' U! i, c# n& w) p
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/ K7 D3 B2 L0 }3 U H | #8 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Kia Sorento:
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# x) `+ b* i. k& d- #1 ranked horsepower on list
- Value
- exterior and interior styling
Reasons not to buy the Kia Sorento:
8 ^! }: D$ W- [2 @5 U9 e- low rank for gas mileage
- low towing ability
See reviews for this model
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Honda Element
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2 J ]( m8 u6 N V8 W6 J | #9 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Honda Element:
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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:
4 e6 g' _7 A$ h S5 N. H$ S$ U- some road noise
- low horsepower
See reviews for this model
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Suzuki Grand Vitara
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| #10 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Suzuki Grand Vitara:2 t, X2 I8 R3 B4 z+ I
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- smooth ride
- decent pricing
- average rank in safety
Reasons not to buy the Suzuki Grand Vitara:
2 S ~2 n% O. \6 p+ A0 K; |- ranked low on gas mileage
- sluggish acceleration
See reviews for this model
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Ford Freestyle 1 Z5 `* V% d1 W% \
5 D9 ^7 S; v" h1 U | #11 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Ford Freestyle:
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- #1 ranked in safety on the list
- decent power balance
- car-like ride
Reasons not to buy the Ford Freestyle:
( l0 g9 Y5 h' B8 W9 ~+ Q5 T' D- high priced
- low ranked in value
- could improve in gas mileage
See reviews for this model* f4 @7 V" W# K) I
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Pontiac Torrent
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2 c( v8 p0 X; T- \2 N | #12 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Pontiac Torrent:
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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:
- G. l& _, v/ ?8 Z! x- 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:9 ]# C d# T5 X; `3 J' D8 t
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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 K% p6 m' i) ]- gas mileage not good
- scored low in safety
- road noise
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Mazda CX-7
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, `. Q; A) L c/ v: q: Q# z! Z | #14 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mazda CX-7:! X* r- T. K, e. e6 G2 t
) i. P+ S5 j! h) I( B2 A- #1 ranked in safety on the list
- #3 ranked in expert review
- #3 ranked in value
Reasons not to buy the Mazda CX-7:
1 ]0 y1 Q; Y1 ~2 f7 {5 L- could do better in gas mileage
- a bit pricy for the quality
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BMW X3 : Z. N/ T' g' ~: g1 C
/ W; b6 ?* j) l5 Y | #15 Editor's PickReasons to buy the BMW X3:5 O! `- G9 O3 @6 h' K/ g/ n* ]8 V8 R
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- great horsepower
- very good value
- comfortable
Reasons not to buy the BMW X3:6 c: r; |! u# \- w3 G6 j
- 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
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: Y, o* m/ f! v7 T( ^ | #16 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Suzuki XL7:2 ~' F" {5 }; v( g
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- #3 ranked for horsepower
- Smooth V6
- exterior look
- controls easy to use
Reasons not to buy the Suzuki XL7:
6 j$ Y. P, E% A* g! v- low ranked in value
- low ranked in price
- can do better in gas mileage
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Acura RDX ! z) Q! E& v2 F2 K/ Y$ B) G+ T( x
$ ~2 o2 Q( C9 c4 o/ K | #17 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Acura RDX:$ v7 F* Q9 ^% v. b/ x6 O
, U$ N1 m) c# F+ }% A5 K$ T9 e2 H- #3 ranked in value
- #6 ranked in horsepower
- luxurious interior
Reasons not to buy the Acura RDX:# n: p1 Z$ v" n2 x! y
- Scored low in safety
- can do better in gas mileage
- extremely sluggish off the line
See reviews for this model% m+ m& y% j, n) p& T* }
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Chevrolet Equinox ' e2 w1 \/ l/ i! D4 Y3 j) K
! X g* r5 s) q" X1 u | #18 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Chevrolet Equinox:
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' [4 e" {& ~" S& x9 Y: r- e+ N- smooth ride
- exterior styling is nice
- has decent interior space
Reasons not to buy the Chevrolet Equinox:
9 x7 l k+ q+ W, F- cheap interior look
- can do better on gas
See reviews for this model
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Mitsubishi Outlander 1 U% C: M O8 } y/ ^
, u" [; R1 {! u7 D. q; c | #19 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mitsubishi Outlander:# P" B) U, C- c2 `" a, b& }7 V
5 [0 U3 q2 d" }$ P0 ]9 ^/ U- #3 ranked in value
- has decent horsepower
- comfortable
Reasons not to buy the Mitsubishi Outlander:
2 Q) }4 I4 I8 E: D- 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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: N0 J* n! X' f8 }+ T | #20 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Ford Escape:5 F0 M6 E+ B+ Q
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- roomy
- Great mileage
- comfortable ride
- sporty look and feel
Reasons not to buy the Ford Escape:) z7 |5 F; Y$ A8 R k
- lacks in horsepower
- scored low in value
- can do better in safety area
- road noise
See reviews for this model( d- X1 d6 H/ ]
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Jeep Liberty % }8 w% E! y+ G; D
& T. Y/ [4 j) L: { | #21 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Liberty:7 D0 |9 N% b2 ~# m) K% b/ l
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- good low-end torque
- decent cargo compacity
- Rugged, sporty feel
Reasons not to buy the Jeep Liberty:+ i5 x( S; p7 K+ Y7 a
- can do better in gas mileage
- scored low in safety
- a bit pricy compared to others
See reviews for this model0 o# l0 X! P3 ? u
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Mercury Mariner
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| #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 ?$ e" ?/ C3 S, V8 G5 L- low safety score
- lower ranked on horsepower
- scored low in overall value
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