Best in class: SUVs
under $25,000
By Terry
Jackson • Bankrate.com
The axiom of the American automobile industry is that
more -- and more expensive -- is always better, and that thinking
prevails even at the compact end of the sport-utility vehicle market.
For example, the Chevrolet Tracker has given way to the larger,
more expensive Chevrolet Equinox. Even the class-leading Toyota
RAV4 and Honda CR-V have become more sophisticated and more expensive
than when they debuted in the mid 1990s.
There's no arguing that the RAV4 and the CR-V are
the best all-around compact SUVs, but when equipped with the options
most people want, their prices are at the high end of our category.
Fortunately for shoppers looking to save a few bucks, there are
other choices that rival the RAV4 and CR-V.
Honda Element
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Honda Element: Designed
with young buyers in mind, the Element has appeal beyond the college-age
set. It's roomy for passengers and has interior flexibility to carry
as much gear as many larger SUVs. The front and rear seats also can
be folded down to create twin beds for camping. Power comes from a
2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 160 horsepower. A five-speed
manual gearbox is standard, and a four-speed automatic is optional.
It's available in front-wheel-drive or permanent all-wheel-drive form.
Essentially the Element is a re-bodied CR-V, but the Element costs
less than a CR-V because it has a more Spartan interior. On the downside,
the Element styling is quirky and may turn off some people. But with
prices starting at less than $17,000, the Element is a bargain for
those shopping for a vehicle that has all the elements of a compact
SUV.
Toyota RAV4
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Toyota RAV4: If you
tack on the options, the RAV4 is a pricey competitor to larger,
more powerful SUVs. But if you can live with the front-wheel-drive
version and do without a sunroof, heated seats and a simulated
carbon-fiber instrument panel -- which should keep the list price
under $22,000 -- the RAV4 is a classy ride with an impeccable
reliability record.
Hyundai Tucson
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Hyundai Tucson:
Based on the Elantra sedan platform, this crossover SUV continues
Hyundai's tradition of offering a lot for the money. At prices
starting around $18,000, the Tucson is the lowest-priced vehicle
to offer a standard stability control and side curtain airbags.
It's also different from its competitors in that it offers an
optional 2.7-liter, 173 horsepower V6. Its major negative is that
it has less cargo room than some other compact SUVs.
-- Posted: Feb. 15, 2005
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