we drive a 2004 ford escape, not hybrid, but we like the suv very much! ' [; c" @/ s! Z9 g1 J, n' z+ vif you get a hybrid, it will make the gas cost much lower, I would say a perfect small suv for 2-4 person families!
all american cars look really cool and sporty, and they drive really smooth for the first couple of years. after that, everything falls apart... the money you'll be spending on repairs and tune ups... you'll wish you had something better... that's also why the resale values for american cars is really really low... my suggestion is to spend a little more today to save all the headaches tomorrow... toyota rav 4 is only around $30K, similarly for a honda CRV... these are all small suvs that are perfect for small families...