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The Best Compact SUVs: A Top 11 Shoot-Out
Large SUVs are difficult to maneuver, use an inordinate amount of natural
resources, are more expensive to buy and maintain, and have a higher incidence
of serious accidents than other family vehicles. With this in mind many shoppers
are looking for the positive traits of SUVs such as a high seating position,
ample cargo space, and a more rugged look with those of better gas mileage,
maneuverability, ease of garage parking, and fewer maintenance items. To this
end The Car Family has tested and evaluated the best selling compact SUVs on the
market. They are easy to drive, all get above 20 mpg, and have four wheel drive
either standard or as an option. In other words, these are the station wagons of
the 21st century.
Tested were the Ford Escape/Mazda Tribute, the Subaru Forester, Toyota’s RAV,
Honda’s CR-V, Mitsubishi’s Outlander, the BMW X3, Saturn’s Vue, Suzuki XL-7,
Chevrolet’s Equinox, Jeep Liberty and Hyundai’s Tucson/Kia Sportage.
Not surprisingly, all
of these vehicles came within a whisker of each other in almost every
statistical area. Most of these are called crossover vehicles, which is a coined
name for the fact that they been created on a chassis that was originally
intended for a family sedan. This type of chassis makes for better handling and
a superior ride as well as giving them less heft so they can fit into snug
garages and parking spaces better. Of course, since most of these compact SUVs
weigh a 1000 pounds less than their larger siblings, they get much better fuel
mileage. The best government test indicates that most any compact SUV would
provide from 5 to 15 more miles per a gallon of non-renewable petroleum. In
dollars that would make it easy to save $100 a month on fuel for the average
driver and if gas prices continue to escalate that figure could easily top $2000
a year.
Handling, braking, utility, and family friendliness were what we were looking
for in this test and their pricing. Our methodology for testing was to evaluate
the base models whenever possible with the least powerful engines and two wheel
drive. We did not want to be swayed in our judgment by expensive options and
concentrated more on fuel economy, usable cargo space, real world usefulness,
handling, and safety features. The vehicles tested ranged in price room about
$27,000 to $45,000 Australian dollars. We did not specifically list prices for each model
because of the huge variation in options, dealer incentives, and reduced
interest rate offerings.
To ease your pain, the Subaru was our favorite. All of the others were highly
competent, but nothing felt as good as the Subaru or provided us with the
utility we wanted. The BMW was an exceptional handler, but expensive and its
handling a bit rugged for us. The Ford Escape was very nice, but we would
recommend the Hybrid instead and get nearly 30 mpg without sacrificing utility.
The Jeep Liberty was the most off-roadable vehicle and the best bargain was the
Hyundai Tucson/Kia Sportage. Some compact SUVs bordered on greatness. If the
Mitsubishi Outlander had a few more horses under the hood it could easily become
the Evolution of the compact SUV field and be an instant top seller. The Honda
CR-V and Toyota RAV are quality built, but many of the others in this test have
passed them by and are better priced.
However, that perception of quality gives
them high resale even when they have such notable negatives as having their
spare tires hang off the tailgate. The Saturn Vue in standard trim is very slow
and has some ergonomic limitations that offset the high dealer satisfaction
ratings. The BMW had an exemplary chassis, superior brakes, a responsive engine
and good interior room. However, its pricing is dear and its styling creates
concerns for some. The Ford Escape/Mazda Tribute are good choices and would have
been considered the best in class before the arrival of the new Subaru Forester
and Chevrolet Equinox. The Suzuki SUVs have a rough ride and their engine just
doesn’t have the steam for this outdated design. However, it ranks with the
Liberty and BMW for offroadability when properly equipped.
Before we start listing the models and their virtues two things standout from
our viewpoint on these tests. First, those SUVs that have been most recently
redone usually rated higher usually because they rode better and made better use
of the interior space. Secondly, the Subaru Forester is in a class by itself. It
comes with standard all wheel drive and yet it priced at the same level as many
two-wheel drive competitors. It is the best riding of all the models, and if you
get the base engine, it gives nearly the same miles per gallon figures as the
gas sipping Toyota RAV with only front wheel drive. We were also impressed with
the Chevrolet Equinox. On paper this is an unremarkable SUV. The engine is old
fashioned and the exterior styling looks like most every other General Motors
SUV. However, the interior is very well done, the rear seat fold down easily,
the cargo capacity is very good, and the ride and agility are much better than
any other General Motors SUV we have ever tested.
A final word about what we did not test. The Honda Element, which is indeed very
handy, the Chevrolet Blazer which is not as good as the Chevrolet Equinox, and
Nissan’s Xterra whose gas mileage was too low to meet our requirements. Also of
note, the Kia Sportage and the Hyundai Tucson use very similar major components
and so were rated together at this point, as were the Ford Escape and Mazda
Tribute.
A very important warning for buyers of these vehicles is the danger of having
the spare tire mounted on the tailgate. This has no upside and is a definite
negative. First, it reduces badly needed rear visibility. Secondly, it makes
opening the tailgate extremely difficult to open and close when on an incline.
In addition, if the vehicle has a tailgate window that opens to enable you to
place items inside the rear spare gets in the way making it very difficult to
use without getting your outfits dirty. Finally, it makes rear end collision
repairs much more expensive. All of our best choices managed to engine a place
for the spare tire to reside either inside the car or under it clearly
indicating better thinking and engineering.
Subaru's Forester
Good points: ride, handling, engine, interior space, visibility, all wheel
drive, fuel economy, and available turbocharged engine, great crash test scores
Needs improvement: high price of parts, rear legroom cramped, manual
transmission linkage, expensive options
The winner by a wide margin, the Forester was near the top in every category. It
is fun to drive, easy to park, handles very well, and just wins you over with it
manners. If you drive the BMW and the Forester back to back you would be hard
pressed to prove to yourself why the nearly ten thousand dollar more expensive
X3 is worth it. And, if you really want to have an enjoyable ride order the
turbocharged version with the manual transmission and have yourself one of the
fastest SUVs on the planet.
Chevrolet Equinox
Good points: roomy, great interior versatility, proven engine, nice ride.
Needs improvement: pricing can push it above larger GM SUVs, rear cargo area can
be a bit tight for large items, turning radius, it is too new to have reliable
resale figures.
We found the Equinox friendly and very easy to live with in all types of
weather. It did everything well and easily surpassed most of the competition in
interior room. This was our second favorite compact SUV after the Subaru based
on it ability to do so many things well. Of course, it benefited from having the
largest engine in the test, but the gas mileage penalty for such a powerful
engine was only about ten percent. If you tow this is the best engine in the
test to have under the hood and also has the highest towing weight rating. The
Equinox is the closest compact to the larger SUVs in looks, but is far more
nimble than it looks. Parking is threatening because of the large turning
radius. A great compact SUV for those who are conservative.
BMW X3
Good points: engine, brakes, suspension, interior space
Needs improvement: pricing, tires, uses premium fuel, gas mileage, turning
radius
The question we pondered is why would anyone want to buy the super expensive X5
when the X3 does almost everything as well. In fact they look quite so similar
one would need to be into BMWs to note the difference. In fact, BMW has realized
this and is busy redoing the X5 to make it more different than its upstart
younger brother. Hopefully, they’ll do something about the poor fuel mileage,
but again, BMW is the only manufacture that is seemingly willing to pay millions
to the USA government for violating it’s mandated corporate fuel averages and
apparently considers such a penalty a cost of doing business. On the other hand,
BMW is pushing the use of hydrogen-powered cars and more diesels to hopefully be
a more environmentally friendly company. Regardless, the 3 Series that the X3 is
based on is the class of the industry, one of our most favorite vehicles of all
time, and has been for many a year. So it is no surprise that the X3 would be
our choice if we needed a compact SUV that could handle.
Nonetheless, the
Mitsubishi Outlander isn’t that far behind the BMW and costs a lot less in this
regard. BMW calls these sports activity vehicles and rightly so as the X3 is
quite entertaining. It placed third in our ratings, falling below the Subaru and
the Chevrolet Equinox due to pricing. If cost were no object it would have
placed second behind the turbocharged Subaru that is even more amusing.
Hyundai Tucson/ Kia Sportage
Good points: ride, engine, value, gas mileage warranty
Needs improvement: brakes, handling, lacks 3.5-engine option
A great buy for a compact SUV that drives light on its feet and provides good
gas mileage, too. This newly designed Hyundai has a lot of standard features,
plenty of safety devices, and a terrific warranty. The only real problem is that
the Tucson steps on the pricing toes of its big sister, the Santa Fe and is
nearly as roomy. With the larger 3.5 engine this would be the best product in
this Korean manufacture’s line-up. If you have a little more cash and need a
little more room a new Santa Fe is only months away and looks pretty much like a
Honda Pilot. The Kia has a better price point and is identical in most other
statistical ways. We think the Tucson is going to have the better resale since
the Sportage name has acquired a bitter taste to some.
Honda CR-V
Good points: Well priced, 23 mpg, vast cargo area, easy to drive, good resale,
quality
Needs improvement: engine lacks energy at low rpms, old design, spare tire
mounted on rear hatch door, no V6 engine option
A little old, but nevertheless quite capable, the CR-V represents good resale,
reliability, and versatility. It has a nice ride, but when fully loaded the four
cylinder engine struggles in the hills. The spare tire hanging off the rear
tailgate tells you that this model is due for a rethink as the more modern
compact SUVs have eliminated this problem. We highly recommend you check out the
Honda Element that is much easier to load, holds more, and is priced better.
Toyota RAV
Good points: interior appearance, highway ride, quiet interior
Needs improvement: rear mounted spare tire, engine output, soft suspension
This is a much more improved RAV over the smallish first version. Nevertheless,
it is the softest of the bunch meaning it is fine for computing, but does not
like curves, reacts quite differently when fully loaded, and has an engine that
needs more power lower in the rpm range. The rear mounted spare tire is always a
bother. Clearly the RAV4 design is functional, but not the best despite the high
price. Regardless, it has the nicest interior of the bunch and it is very quiet
on the road. Easy to love for those who enjoy the Lexus type ride, it holds its
value fairly well and does not offend anyone.
Ford Escape and its Mazda Tribute
Good points: usable interior room, highway ride, usable cargo room
Needs improvement: quality control, roll over ratings, ride, interior
appearance, control layout, interior noise level, weak standard engine
We like the Tribute more than the Escape for its ride and extended warranty that
covers you for an additional year even though both vehicles are priced within a
few hundred of one another and have the same basic guts and suspensions. You do
need to test both of these vehicles because they are different in their
treatment of the driver. Recently we tested the more expensive Hybrid Escape and
found it wonderful because of the gas mileage and the responsive nature of the
electric motor and four-cylinder engine. Unfortunately, the base four cylinder
engine is simply not powerful enough to move a family loaded Escape in areas of
hills or mountains without considerable strain. We highly recommend the optional
V6 engine even though you are going to pay a premium price at the gas pump. As
it now stands the Escape/Tribute stands in the middle of the compact SUV class
with its standard engine. With the V6 it would be in the top four.
Mitsubishi Outlander
Good points: crisp ride, 22 mpg, nicely done interior, warranty, responsive
engine. A good driving SUV.
Needs improvement: limited cargo room, high lift over, can be darty to drive,
not inexpensive with all wheel drive and most options, resale lags.
This new offering from Mitsubishi has good safety scores, handles well, but does
not offer a lot of cargo capacity or rear legroom. It would be good for a young
couple with young children who enjoy a brisk ride. It is easy to get in and out
of and still has a nice seating position, although we did not like the seats.
You get plenty of standard features such as power windows, locks and mirrors, a
CD stereo, air conditioning, tilt steering, cruise control, and 16-inch rims as
well as advanced airbags and four-wheel disc brakes. This is a real handler with
a solid feel and BMW like ride. If Mitsubishi would only put that turbomotor in
this chassis they would have more showroom traffic.
Jeep Liberty
Good points: very offroadable, nice ride, responsive engine, large fuel tank
Needs improvement: cargo space, rear hatch closing handle, not as car like as
the competitors, base engine is underpowered, tight rear seats
The bumper crash scores were poor, the roller over resistance is average,
side-impact testing resulted in an excellent five-star rating for both front and
rear passengers, the crash offset rating was marginal for the Liberty. So why do
we bring these up for this Jeep? Because true to its heritage it is the most
offroadable of the bunch and might be subject to a more dangerous lifestyle than
its less adequately equipped brethren. Unfortunately, it is also the heaviest
and with the base four-cylinder engine only available with a manual transmission
we would advise you to look at an optional larger engine if you need an
automatic. Basically, the Liberty suffers from old think, as the interior does
not have the usable space as the higher rated SUVs, the spare tire hangs off the
back, and the gas mileage is unsatisfactory for such a new design. On the other
hand, it has a whopping 20 plus gallon fuel tank making 500 mile excursions a
possibility and is ideal for off-roading where there are few services available.
Suzuki XL-7
Good points: comes with V6 as standard, well loaded with standard features, has
an available transfer case for more serious off roading, pricing and warranty
are good.
Needs improvement: useable interior room, harsh ride, brakes, seats, gas
mileage.
It is time for a redo for this Suzuki, as it needs an improved ride, more
refined engine, and more attractive interior. If you want to keep this Suzuki a
long time the warranty length is five years/ 100,000 miles on some items. That
might be a good idea since resale isn’t very good. In this price range this
Suzuki is the least expensive SUV that can hold seven people. The V6 engine
pushes the truck chassis along fine once underway, but when loaded it struggles.
The ride is harsh at times and its greatest grace is its ability to go off-road.
The bottom line here is the price and the range of standard features that
include superior headlights, keyless remove, in dash CD four-speed automatic
transmission, antilock brakes, 16-inch alloy wheels, power sunroof, and more.
The XL-7 version is the one to buy if you live where dirt roads and inclement
weather are a daily event and you have need for extra seating. The foot longer
wheelbase and third row seating is going to cost you about $2000 more for the
XL-7 than the smaller Grand Vitara so you may want to consider that models, too.
Saturn Vue
Good points: customer service record, dent resistant panels, handling, good
crash scores, some panels are dent resistant, very low initial price.
Needs improvement: underpowered without expensive Honda optional engine,
difficult to close rear hatch, awkward rear seat release, poor interior
materials, hard to close rear hatch, transmission, brakes.
We tried to like the Vue, but we never could accept its limitations in this
highly competitive market. The brakes and ride are not up to today’s standards
and the interior design needs a rethink. The electric power steering provides
little feedback and isn’t a joy to drive in traffic. If you want to be among the
fastest of the compact SUV crowd order the 3.5-liter V6 built by Honda with its
250 horsepower. A good handler, but not the best. Check the resale before you
buy even though it has a very attractive price on its entry-level model.
Family conference: A good place to start looking for a new vehicle is by
checking the resale guides. After that the three most important things to check
for on a compact SUV is the interior room, turning radius, and fuel mileage.
After that a good test ride at a dealer can provide you with the seat of the
pants feeling that always makes the best decision. The reason that we selected
interior room as important as people show up for these test-drives without a
true measure of what can be stored in the vehicle.
The smallest cargo capacity on
the Outlander looks nearly as large as that on the BMW when they are not
side-by-side. A check of the statistics in this article reveals the startling
differences that could amount to several suitcases, or even having to rent a
trailer. The turning radius is something you do not notice when driving on the
road and few people practice mall parking on test drives. In the long run, a
large turning radius requires constant vigilance and is annoying. The large
radius of the Chevrolet was it greatest negative.
As for gas mileage, you are
probably never going to get the government listed fuel economy, but a quick look
at the figures can give you some insight as to how much extra that car is going
to cost you over a year.
The 10 Best Family Friendly Compact SUVs by
the Numbers:
The Best of the Compact SUVs -
Subaru Forester
turning 34.8 ft.
gas mileage 21/27/430
cargo 64 cubic feet
luggage 32 cubic feet
2.5 liters
165 horsepower
166 ft-lbs.
towing 2400 lbs.
Chevrolet Equinox
turning radius 42 feet
gas mileage 19/25/425
cargo 69 cubic feet
luggage 35.2 cubic feet
3.4 liter *
185 horsepower*
210 ft-lbs.*
towing 3500 pounds*
BMW X3
turning 38.4 ft.
gas mileage 17/24/ 425 premium fuel
cargo 71 cubic feet
luggage 33 cubic feet
2.5 liters
184 horsepower
175 ft-lbs.
towing 3500*
The Very Good Compact SUVs -
Hyundai Tucson/ Kia Sportage
turning 35.4 ft.
gas mileage 22/27/410
cargo 66 cubic feet
luggage 22.7 cubic feet
2.0 liter
140 horsepower
136 lb.ft.
towing 1500 lbs.
Honda CRV
turning 33.8 ft.*
gas mileage 21/28/400
cargo 72 cubic feet
luggage 33.5 cubic feet
Engine size 2.4 liters
160 horsepower
162 ft-lbs.
towing 1500
Toyota RAV 4
turning 35.4 ft.
gas mileage 24*/29*/440
cargo 68 cubic feet
luggage 29.2 cubic feet
2.4 liters
161 horsepower
165 ft-lbs.
towing 1500
Ford Escape/Mazda Tribute
turning 35.4 ft.
gas mileage 24*/29*/480
cargo capacity 66 cubic feet
luggage capacity 29 cubic feet
2.3 liters
153 horsepower
152 ft-lbs.
towing 1500
The sort of good SUVs -
Mitsubishi Outlander
Turning 37.5 ft.
gas mileage 22/28/440
Cargo area 60 cubic feet
Luggage 24.5 cubic feet
Engine size 2.4 liters
Horsepower 160
Torque 162 ft-lbs.
Towing 1500 pounds
The Needs Improvement SUVs -
Jeep Liberty
turning 35.9 ft.
gas mileage 21/26/533*
Cargo 69 cubic feet
luggage 29 cubic feet
2.4 liters
150 horsepower
165 ft-lbs.
Towing 2000
Saturn Vue
turning 39.4 ft.
gas mileage 23/29*/375
Engine size 2.2 liters
cargo space 64 cubic feet
luggage 31 cubic feet
143 hp
152 ft-lbs.
towing 1500
Suzuki XL-7
turning 38.9 ft.
gas mileage 17/22/370
cargo 75 cubic feet*
luggage 40.3 cubic feet*
engine 2.7 liter
185 horsepower*
184 ft-lbs.
towing 3000
__________________
* equals best in test
Written by The
Car Family |
