Best small SUVs

Freshened Subaru entry joins Toyota stalwart

Among 2009 small SUVs, the Subaru Forester (*Est. $19,995 to $28,195) benefits from a redesign that wins near-universal praise from reviewers since its introduction in the first quarter of 2008. It's taken home Motor Trend's SUV of the Year award and has been named MotherProof.com's Top Family Vehicle in its class. In addition to being overwhelmingly well received by critics, the 2009 Subaru Forester's low entry price undercuts those of some high-profile competitors.

New, more mainstream SUV styling brings the 2009 Subaru Forester in line with other top compact SUVs. Inside the small Subaru SUV's new wrapper is a roomy and comfortable passenger compartment offering more front legroom than both the Honda CR-V (*Est. $21,095 to $27,245) and Toyota RAV4 (*Est. $21,500 to $27,810) and rear legroom that's on par with both. Cargo space in the Subaru Forester trails the CR-V and RAV4 slightly, but reviewers don't cast this in a negative light. Cars.com's Kelsey Mays points out that the Subaru Forester's cargo capacity numbers "compare favorably with the segment, especially when you consider that each SUV that beats the Forester has a corresponding annoyance," such as the Toyota RAV4's side-opening cargo door or the Honda CR-V's more cumbersome second-row seats. The Subaru Forester's redesigned cockpit gets mixed feedback. In a single-vehicle review, TheTruthAboutCars.com calls the small SUV's interior "a lethal combination of upmarket aspirations and cheap materials" while The Los Angeles Times' Pulitzer Prize-winning auto critic Dan Neil takes a more favorable view, calling the Subaru Forester's new dash "sporty and sophisticated."

As with all Subaru vehicles, the '09 Forester is an all-wheel-drive-only vehicle. Power for the small Subaru SUV comes from regular or turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engines (the latter requiring premium unleaded). You can get a five-speed manual with the Subaru Forester's base engine, but the turbos are restricted to a four-speed automatic (optional on other models) that Edmunds Inside Line's Kelly Toepke says "doesn't offer the speed or fuel economy we expect." In contrast, the Honda CR-V offers a more up-to-date five-speed automatic as standard equipment.

The 2009 Toyota RAV4 (*Est. $21,500 to $27,810) joins the Subaru Forester as one of the best-reviewed small SUVs. The Toyota receives minor visual tweaks to its front and rear, as well as a new four-cylinder base engine whose 179-horsepower output outmuscles the base Subaru Forester (170 horsepower) and all Honda CR-V models (166 horsepower). What continually grabs critics' attention, however, is the Toyota RAV4's unbeatable versatility; its second-row seats slide fore and aft; it's one of few compact SUVs to offer optional third-row seating (though reviewers are quick to point out that it's best suited for kids); and the RAV4's optional 269-horsepower V-6 is the most powerful engine in the small SUV segment. Furthermore, that optional V-6 delivers a respectable Environmental Protection Agency-rated 21 to 22 mpg in mixed driving. The Toyota RAV4's base four-cylinder is only slightly better at 24 mpg. Reviews commonly repeat the mantra that the Toyota RAV4 simply does everything well. Car and Driver summarizes the RAV4 by saying, "you can't beat the RAV4's comfortable and quiet ride in this price range, and its excellent interior space, reasonably agile handling and class-leading fuel economy keep it from being a one-trick pony."

The runner-up 2009 Honda CR-V breathes down the necks of both the Subaru Forester and Toyota RAV-4. Reviewers love the small Honda SUV, which carries over completely unchanged from 2008. It's as roomy -- passenger and cargo-wise -- as anything in this class, and ConsumerGuide.com applauds its car-like ride quality and "compact-car handling." Car and Driver describes the Honda CR-V's overall fit and finish as "amazing," and fuel economy is as good as or better than the rest of the compact SUV field. But critics say the Honda CR-V's sole engine offering is underpowered; Edmunds Inside Line's Jason Kavanagh says he "could measure the CR-V's acceleration with a calendar." While interior comfort is on the level of the Toyota RAV4, there's no available third-row seat, and the second row does not fold flat into the floor like either the RAV4 or the Subaru Forester. It folds and tumbles forward instead; Cars.com's Joe Wiesenfelder says this "seems regressive in a five-seat SUV." Wiesenfelder also says that the CR-V's firm suspension gives it a rougher ride quality than small SUVs. Finally, as competitors like the Subaru Forester embrace a more conventional look, the Honda CR-V wears odd styling. "No one would accuse the CR-V of being attractive," says Edmunds Inside Line.

The only other compact SUV to offer third-row seating is the Mitsubishi Outlander (*Est. $20,580 to $25,980), but it only offers the feature in the top trim level. The Outlander's third-row seating obstructs rear visibility and isn't suitable for people taller than 5 feet, 3 inches. Other alternatives to the class leaders include the Ford Escape (*Est. $20,435 to $27,670) and its twin, the Mercury Mariner (*Est. $22,650 to $27,515). The 2009 Hyundai Tuscon (*est. $18,070 to $23,400) and similar Kia Sportage (*Est. $16,695 to $23,400) are worth a look if a low starting price matters most.

New luxury compact SUVs

We found good reviews for a few small luxury SUVs. These aim to appeal to those who want nicer interior trim and features like heated seats, leather, rear cameras and navigation, but want the better fuel economy associated with compact SUVs. Prices are more in line with larger seven-seat SUVs. Examples include the 2009 Acura RDX (*Est. $33,895), BMW X3 (*Est. $39,700) and Land Rover LR2 (*Est. $35,375), which aren't recommended anywhere near as often as the mainstream small SUV class leaders.

As of spring 2009, a pair of high-profile new arrivals has joined that group. The 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class (*Est. $33,900 to $35,900) small SUV is based on the C-Class sport sedan architecture. A powerful V-6 engine and seven-speed automatic transmission are standard, with all-wheel drive available at added cost. Big 19-inch wheels and street tires imply the GLK's positioning as a compact SUV that's geared more toward on-road driving, but its blocky, upright styling conveys a tougher SUV image. The Mercedes-Benz GLK gets a competitor in the 2010 Audi Q5 (*Est. $37,200) small luxury SUV. Like the Mercedes, the Audi Q5 gets V-6 power and is derived from a compact sports sedan's architecture -- in this case, the Audi A4. Unlike the Mercedes GLK, the Audi Q5 wears sleek, rounded styling and comes with quattro all-wheel drive standard. Both compact SUVs offer a variety of luxury and technology features, as one would expect in this segment. We'll cover the Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class and the Audi Q5 small SUVs in greater detail in a future update after a wider sampling of reviews is available for analysis.