Comparison review: eight compact SUVs (conclusion)

April 22, 8:41 AMAutos ExaminerBrady Holt

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The 2009 Toyota RAV4 is a winner for its advantages in comfort, refinement, space, and fuel economy over the competition.

If you just skim through them, the results of this comparison could leave you with two common misconceptions: that popular Japanese models are always the best and that the winners are interchangeable. 

To start with #1:

The small SUVs from Toyota, Subaru, and Honda were the podium finishers in this comparison, beating out American competitors and a few other Japanese models.

But this does not mean that you can count on those trusted brands -- or any other -- to give you the best product. In many cases, dealers and automakers know if they have a product with a great reputation and charge extra for it. Sometimes a good car just isn't good enough to be worth that higher cost; other times its reputation is completely undeserved. It was only after hours of research and test drives that the Toyota RAV4, Subaru Forester, and Honda CR-V emerged as winners of this comparison. 

In two past comparisons conducted here -- of economical sedans and midsize sedans -- the podium held other automakers' products: Nissan, Toyota, and Hyundai in the former, Hyundai, Ford, and Mazda in the latter. No one automaker has every product as best-in-class, and sometimes the best car for you is from an automaker that seems to have done a good job by mistake, with one competitive product sold alongside total dreck. You need to look carefully in whatever market class you're shopping. 

As to the other point, there have been many comparisons of small SUVs, and the winners frequently swap around. I have seen some consumers to interpret this as meaning that the cars that are always near the top are all pretty much the same thing. That's rarely the case.

The Toyota RAV4 won because of its interior space, ride comfort, handling agility, refinement, and fuel economy. The Subaru Forester was right behind its value and safety ratings, despite a cheap-feeling interior and harsh engine note. The CR-V offers strong resale value, feels nicer than the Forester, and has more cargo space, but it's not much quieter, has an almost stiff ride, and didn't do as well in crash-testing. 

Are those three products interchangeable? Absolutely not. Again, shop carefully based on what you specifically want.

However, in this particular class, a few characteristics apply to all the cars. None of the eight cost over $23,000, and half were between $20,000 and $21,000 out the door when comparably-equipped with all-wheel-drive. None has a poor record for reliability from either Consumer Reports or TrueDelta.com. 

But bear in mind that the eight vehicles in this comparison are not the only eight vehicles on the market. Extend your search to other vehicles, too. Several of the vehicles in this group have available V6s, which are worth considering if you want extra zip. The boxy Honda Element has top-notch crash test scores, a versatile interior, and reasonable pricing, but it's unrefined, seats just four passengers, and has a low payload capacity that limits its utility. The Subaru Impreza, Suzuki SX4, and Pontiac Vibe / Toyota Matrix are compact hatchbacks that offer all-wheel-drive and aren't expensive, but none of those match the interior volume of a good small SUV and they lack refinement.

If you don't want to pay extra for all-wheel-drive but still want the versatility of a compact SUV, there are some other vehicles to consider. The Kia Rondo wagon is value-priced, fuel-efficient, refined, and very spacious (seven passengers fit better than in many pricey midsize SUVs), but comes only in front-wheel-drive, lacking that extra all-weather protection. The Mazda5 is similar but focuses on sporty driving dynamics instead of maximum comfort and refinement and seats just two passengers in its middle row of seats. And a compact station wagon like the Hyundai Elantra Touring I'm driving this week offers as much passenger space yet has averaged over 30 miles per gallon and is less expensive than these SUVs, though its total cargo space is less than an SUV's and you don't get the same high seating position.

Another choice would be a two-wheel-drive small SUV; four-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive costs extra in all but the Subaru Forester of these eight. The refined but heavy Saturn Vue, which offers AWD only with its V6 versions, would be another product to consider if you don't go with AWD in your SUV.

See the full ranking of this comparison's eight SUVs in today's slideshow, and check back through the previous days' articles for the full details on each.