When the cost of gasoline reached $4.00 a gallon a couple of months ago, the SUV fell out of favor with most drivers. It costs too much to fill the tank.
Still, there are families that can’t get by without a version of an SUV. Some kind of compromise has become necessary. So these families are turning to "downsized" SUVs.
What's a "downsized" SUV? Also known as crossovers, these are SUVs based off car platforms as opposed to trucks. They drive more like cars and have better gas mileage then truck-based SUVS.
Consumer Reports did a recent study of three new upscale small SUVs --the Infiniti EX35, the Land Rover LR2, and the Volkswagen Tiguan. Out of this group, the small SUV with the best handling appears to be the EX35 and the Tiguan.
In previous surveys, CR liked the Nissan Murano due to its interior and refined ride. On the other hand, the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the VW Touareg have good off road capability.
A top alternative to a downsized SUV is the Volvo XC70 wagon. It is a wagon version of the S80 sedan and includes many advanced safety features.
There are enough families out there that have just the right number of members who make the downsized SUVs viable and they seem to be selling okay.