With the bulk of Americans clustered outside cities, it makes sense that a suburban newspaper should rate SUVs.
And that’s exactly what Suburban Chicago News did recently. The journal took a look at the small SUVs in the market and then divided them into two categories -- Sporty and Off-Road. Testers ran the vehicles through a performance test and also took into account any independent crash and rollover assessments, then they came up with a conclusion. In the Sporty Category, only the Acura RDX (pictured) earned the reviewers recommendation. They concluded that the RDX competes directly with the BMW X3 but is considerably cheaper. While, impressed with the vehicle’s 240 horsepower, turbocharged 2.3-liter four that, the newspaper said, “delivers plenty of power," they commented, “Still, the engine lacks refinement of a six-cylinder and doesn’t deliver any fuel economy advantage.” The RDX got 18 miles to the gallon in mixed city and highway driving on premium gas. Comfort of the vehicle? “The ride is stiff and unsettled.” However, they did find the handling responsive and top-notched assembly and space. The BMW X3, which had been refreshed this year, they found powerful and nearly worth the $43,120 price. However, the ride, which has improved somewhat, still feels nervous and choppy. However, reliability for the vehicle has fallen to below average. More details of the vehicles, including others like the CX-7 can be found at the link. The reviewers recommended the Toyota RAV4 (cost out at $30,328 for the li mited version with a V6), the Nissan Murano (cost $36,390 for the SL), and the Infiniti FX35 ($39,960 with V6). For the Off-Road Category, they recommended three vehicles -- the Nissan Xterra (their tested S version costs $28,000), the Kia Sorento (tested the LX which costs $24,865), and the Jeep Liberty (tested the sports version with a V6, cost $24,310). our take? All the vehicles are excellent choices. What's "right" for you really depends on your needs and how much you like the road pounding into your chair.
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