Recommended List/ M' i. {! y. ?3 `. x" M
Compact SUVs
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Honda CR-V * \4 n/ `" e- j3 B9 g& M* Y
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8 P% f! u4 ]4 f8 l8 U#1 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Honda CR-V:
$ E& S0 ?3 j0 Q. H$ N+ w/ q- #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 n8 @' u4 Q% ] [- 10th ranked on the list for cost
- Can get the Hyundai Tucson for around $4,000 less
See reviews for this model
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Hyundai Tucson ' L$ a$ q9 V/ B% G. P/ T
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4 ~3 o4 ^3 w" Z | #2 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Hyundai Tucson:& P' d$ y% y" y+ Y4 x
. y a! L1 a0 d* e+ J1 G t8 r/ D- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- One of top 3 ranked for price on the list
Reasons not to buy the Hyundai Tucson:- o2 V8 U: Q' f! W9 f
- has lower horsepower compared to rest
- want the #1 rated Honda CR-v
See reviews for this model3 f' b- @5 k7 W1 U
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Toyota RAV4
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. @! d1 E2 N: i4 p$ B: S" Z: K | #3 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Toyota RAV4:" i' `$ f) S' p' i! }8 p- F) o
" Z; l0 m# T5 \% I& e- #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:
: [/ E' s- }. U% i; R$ Y- want the Honda CR-V
- low horsepower rating
See reviews for this model
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Jeep Patriot ; K( ]6 g3 g$ E6 S4 l$ B
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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:, _4 C2 J5 g) s4 S
- 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 c/ ?# G3 T7 N2 O( o0 o
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Saturn Vue/ _7 Z" q* h& d9 v4 f
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| #5 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Saturn Vue:+ @7 w c/ n. M# @. r( z
5 x, u& K x" \0 Y% x$ F% [- Great Gas Mileage
- Onstar feature
- quiet engine
- Ranked #4 on the list for price
- Good horsepower
Reasons not to buy the Saturn Vue:
: U, Z8 R$ Z) k8 G2 |- low rank under total value
- could get the Hyundai Tucson cheaper
See reviews for this model6 L* n9 ]: ?3 W. ~
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Kia Sportage# |- d2 A: v$ A7 y
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| #6 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Kia Sportage:+ w4 q" O4 p/ l" }& z* A9 ]+ _
1 p7 [4 Q4 G# |' }, q1 r- runner up for best price behind the Jeep Patriot
- decent gas mileage
- #3 ranked in value
Reasons not to buy the Kia Sportage:
0 a0 c: m3 Q; X# n5 y- low ranking horsepower
- want the Jeep Patriot
See reviews for this model3 X3 X+ W4 V. Q5 B
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Subaru Forester0 o5 i8 m1 W9 R4 u
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| #7 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Subaru Forester:
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- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- #3 ranked for value on list
- decent gas mileage
Reasons not to buy the Subaru Forester:# |0 z x3 b; z6 e, P0 X; U& Y
- No Acceleration
- road noise
- lack of leg room in rear
See reviews for this model
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Kia Sorento: b; q1 {. `2 c" S
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. @/ v4 V7 B; `1 a- R | #8 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Kia Sorento: Y+ a" S2 N0 x$ y3 k/ W% g
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- #1 ranked horsepower on list
- Value
- exterior and interior styling
Reasons not to buy the Kia Sorento:" X, w$ g, `* Q- E
- low rank for gas mileage
- low towing ability
See reviews for this model
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Honda Element/ |# B6 b" r$ f- ~: p. {
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1 w* y# D8 Z/ w | #9 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Honda Element:2 j% q: D% w `
; w3 ?( f: M: C Z7 a( y) u- good gas mileage
- interior space
- Lots of leg room for front and back passengers
Reasons not to buy the Honda Element:7 `; w6 Z; k. j- f+ X4 F9 n& j
- 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:
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, g; n! ^. H( { y+ l- l- smooth ride
- decent pricing
- average rank in safety
Reasons not to buy the Suzuki Grand Vitara:
G* y9 B. I1 C& g- ranked low on gas mileage
- sluggish acceleration
See reviews for this model
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Ford Freestyle
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0 t$ \& l' K5 v! ^# r | #11 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Ford Freestyle:% ^% n# ?4 ]( ]7 m
8 f5 Y- U2 w2 p* j9 b! O- #1 ranked in safety on the list
- decent power balance
- car-like ride
Reasons not to buy the Ford Freestyle:2 G: S" w; _" r$ x
- high priced
- low ranked in value
- could improve in gas mileage
See reviews for this model0 y" v5 b3 |. _% \1 F8 }0 z
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Pontiac Torrent / w$ D* ~/ [' ?. ~; L$ n
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| #12 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Pontiac Torrent:
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0 H# I: _: ]9 d; H- #1 ranked for safety on the list
- Good overall value for the price
- Nice interior
Reasons not to buy the Pontiac Torrent:6 O! y) s' j0 v* m. v
- ranked low for price
- can do better for fuel economy
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Jeep Wrangler / S" ^, U) _$ f: d( M
4 v6 R$ h- Z! L& W$ E$ v | #13 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Jeep Wrangler:7 n3 E* ~: ^' R% K* _$ z) X, E
& k3 \/ ]4 J4 @. Y. f* x7 q- #1 ranked in value on the list
- high ranked in quality on the list
- good priced
Reasons not to buy the Jeep Wrangler:
0 o; O8 l( O# Q5 i* [( ^' V- gas mileage not good
- scored low in safety
- road noise
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Mazda CX-7
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% c1 P, [% ]6 T+ k* `: _ | #14 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mazda CX-7:' O' L7 K# G) A# {" l0 |
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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:
: G2 \7 D( S& _0 i2 i6 ]7 h- could do better in gas mileage
- a bit pricy for the quality
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BMW X3
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| #15 Editor's PickReasons to buy the BMW X3:- Z" T" u- E+ H: d ^- Y3 }! c
% u; L; K+ N( D- great horsepower
- very good value
- comfortable
Reasons not to buy the BMW X3: P7 I7 F0 ], u2 R5 Z/ \+ K8 Z- q
- low ranking for safety
- could do better in gas mileage
- #22 ranked for price
See reviews for this model, }+ u) |0 a& d4 _& j, L
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Suzuki XL7 # d7 F0 p; u" m2 V
5 m1 N3 z+ O7 g | #16 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Suzuki XL7:
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- Smooth V6
- exterior look
- controls easy to use
Reasons not to buy the Suzuki XL7:7 q/ C7 N. T6 `& m y2 Q
- low ranked in value
- low ranked in price
- can do better in gas mileage
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Acura RDX : |+ v% o) d" d4 D
, Z; |* G& ]. b# Z2 | | #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:
; e/ ^& ` m- Y, Z, y- 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 ; w9 K* G. `& @# [
$ k7 Y' b# n1 @! y8 G | #18 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Chevrolet Equinox:4 [: z" `: p' m' L. U1 [# e, T
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- smooth ride
- exterior styling is nice
- has decent interior space
Reasons not to buy the Chevrolet Equinox:
3 i+ z r7 ]1 f' x+ r3 _+ w( ~0 K- cheap interior look
- can do better on gas
See reviews for this model* Z2 W. |. X+ D+ o+ t( ~
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Mitsubishi Outlander 4 J6 I# z# |4 k* h2 [
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| #19 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Mitsubishi Outlander: i0 t5 }2 Y: x/ |
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- #3 ranked in value
- has decent horsepower
- comfortable
Reasons not to buy the Mitsubishi Outlander:" I1 p/ @+ k+ U* c$ V9 V
- low safety score
- can do better on gas mileage
- a bit pricy for the quality
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Ford Escape ' E0 b% ^5 p) z+ N
8 |1 z4 Q) p" j* r3 b( o | #20 Editor's PickReasons to buy the Ford Escape:& g3 H" O, Q) t% F4 ]0 Z6 i- V0 L
T2 W5 }! ? T* Q$ Q8 b- roomy
- Great mileage
- comfortable ride
- sporty look and feel
Reasons not to buy the Ford Escape:
4 L( Q- H) G2 E3 f3 `& q- 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 : N6 }0 _- O% O& c
1 v! b9 a7 W# W6 D. t6 {, J | #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:
! C; n" A" @& z3 [7 R# K" g% \/ m- can do better in gas mileage
- scored low in safety
- a bit pricy compared to others
See reviews for this model( j& a* \7 t- f( R1 K4 o
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Mercury Mariner % w2 [% c! w5 N1 y2 _3 ?" A# W
; H/ @8 w0 U8 L | #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:
/ l1 N- ]9 {# w/ y6 T- o- low safety score
- lower ranked on horsepower
- scored low in overall value
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