Car and Driver CUV comparo: Ford Escape v. Honda CR-V v. Hyundai Tucson v. Jeep Liberty v. Nissan Rogue v. Mitsubishi Outlander v. Saturn Vue v. Suzuki Grand Vitara v.Toyota RAV4

really? have you tried all of them?

— Htay7500 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/25/2008 9:05:25 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 10   

He must have a lot of spare time

— Agent009 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/25/2008 9:06:07 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 9   

But when they put BMW on top they are spot on, right?

— _43LE (View Profile)

Posted on 1/25/2008 9:20:33 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 12   

Ha, take your little small tall girly CUVs. I'll take a Liberty anyday of the week over the others, and park on top of them at the mall, LOL.

I'm pretty sure that the new Jeep Patriot and outgoing new Compass are the comparison CUVs for this contest. FWD w/ available AWD, better fuel mileage and similar size. The Jeep Liberty compares more with slightly larger SUVs, it's not much smaller than a Jeep Grand Cherokee. It's in another segment classified as small SUV. The Jeep Liberty is not a Crossover by ANY MEANS. It's an off-road SUV! Get it right fools.

My fiance has a 2005 Jeep Liberty Renegade and I installed the light bar kit for her right after she got it. Man can that thin get through the slop. Not only that but the engine just rips with torque. Oh and it's RWD, something the others don't offer with their cutesy FWD.

Sorry folks, I'm a die hard Jeep fan and there will be one in my driveway at all times, regardless if it's mine or my soon to be wife's. Give me rugged or give me death. I wonder how many times not mentioned the Jeep had to pull the others from the muddy slop. Probably more than they mention.

— Whelan (View Profile)

Posted on 1/25/2008 9:33:46 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -6   

once upon a time a Jeep was comparable to a Land Rover product

— racinghart (View Profile)

Posted on 1/25/2008 10:13:22 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

all small suv's are a joke, they don't have 7 passenger seating, they can't haul jack squat, they don't get as good gas milage or handle like a car... so what is the POINT?

— ripper350 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/25/2008 10:31:18 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -3   

Would you have posted this if the Toyota hadn't won? Be honest.

— S4cabriofoxone (View Profile)

Posted on 1/25/2008 10:38:48 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -3   

cptamazing is an inbreed, brothers of nascardude, coming from the same "Uncle Daddy"...Congrats to the winner in this comparo-battle. Now where's Round 2? And what's that about?

— BigShow50 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/25/2008 10:55:55 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 8   

They did forget a few models. Like the above mentioned Equinox, CX-7, Ford Edge, Dodge Nitro (Jeep Liberty cousin), and Pontiac Torrent.

I feel some of these could be classified as mini-utes instead. There are like 3 classes here. A crossover to me would be something like the Pacifica, Murano, Edge, etc. A mini-ute or cute ute, would be the Mitsu, CR-V, Rav 4 and other mentioned in the comparo. And the Liberty is def. a small SUV.

— Whelan (View Profile)

Posted on 1/25/2008 11:07:53 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

What is weird for me, unfortunately I have had the dissapointemtn to drive all of these cars. Renting from enterprise a lot for work. The vehicle I thought was by far and above the best was the jeep liberty!!! I dont have an hour to spend typing my thoughts of each individual vehicle, but there is no way I would be caught dead in any of these vehicles, but the least annoying of them all was the Jeep.

— 2ndbimmer (View Profile)

Posted on 1/25/2008 11:26:45 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2   

Its a good article but the choice of trucks they chose to review is a little...off. Why include a Jeep Liberty in this comparison of CUVs(should've been the Patriot)? in that case you might as well add the Nissan Xterra(which probably would've won). The Vue is also too big, they should've gone with the Chevy Equinox/Pontiac Torrent for this.

— PlanB (View Profile)

Posted on 1/25/2008 12:20:05 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

The Jeep lost what a shocker. The only vehicle with a low range and built to go off-road. Those who say the
Jeep shouldn't be in this camparison are right. I wish Car and Driver would stop testing REAL SUV's, they just want them dumb down to be jacked-up cars.

The last line of the Jeep review tells it all,"If you want a four-wheel-drive truck, why not buy a four-wheel-drive truck?” If you don't know the benefits of a real SUV over a truck, you shouldn't go into the back country or better yet you should review 4X4's.

Me, I'll take the Jeep.

— theoptimisticpessimist (View Profile)

Posted on 1/25/2008 12:50:28 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

At least I'm not alone on this one. The Liberty by no means belongs in this comparo. The Liberty should actually be going up against the likes of the Hummer H3, Land Rover LR2, etc. If they wanted to put a like vehicle in there, they could have used the Dodge Nitro. Same car as the Jeep except it does not have the 4WD option that is available in the Liberty. Thus more of a competitor if they are thowing these cars together in a comparo.

I'd easily pick the Jeep, and yes if your going off-roading the benefits of a SUV are a multitude over a Truck. One namely being weight transfer, you get more weight on the rear axle thus the rear wheels help to push more when mucking it out. Put a truck in that spot and you need to add sandbags or cinder blocks.

— Whelan (View Profile)

Posted on 1/25/2008 2:58:57 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

This looks about right from test-driving the Toyota, the Honda, the Mitsubishi and The Hyundai, although I am kind of shocked that the Ford and the Saturn beat the Hyundai!

If only Lexus had a CUV...I bet the Hyundai would beat that according to Car and Driver.

— Anthony (View Profile)

Posted on 1/25/2008 3:25:22 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

The new Saturn VUE is definitely a better car than the Hyundai, looks better, performs better. Ever been in a Tuscon with a V6. It's a 2.7L wimp. My Matrix felt like it pulled more than this thing at WOT. I drove the Kia Sorento to which is the cousin with the same engine, totally horrid.

The VUE gives you a smooth 3.5L V6 with 260hp. And when the Redline comes out it is goin to be a looker for sure.

— Whelan (View Profile)

Posted on 1/25/2008 4:41:10 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2   

It is an imcomplete list. Too bad the new Forester is going to be a couple months too late to make it to the test. Should have tested the old one. It was their top pick of small SUVs recently for several years in a row, also, it landed on the top 10 fastest cars $25k-$30k recently. It would off-road better than all but the Liberty. All this without a pesky roll-over warning. Hmmm.

— Shredmo (View Profile)

Posted on 1/25/2008 5:29:55 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

I believe it is a fair list. Toyota and Honda have done a great job with the compact SUV segment. They designed the RAV4 and CRV to be good all around vehicles. They also know that typical drivers would never go off road or go off road a fraction of the time and concentrate on typical useage needs.

Another issue is that it is difficult to make an excellent Off-Roader and On-Road SUV cheaply. Low end SUVs are usually one or the other. Typically Land Rover is best for that due to suspension options and we all know what they cost. For off road needs I would get the Jeep.

— Porschinator (View Profile)

Posted on 1/25/2008 7:02:57 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

Would these things even see a puddle deeper than six inches? Pot hole can get that big I guess.... I see a lot of chicks drive Jeeps... why is that? Anyway people who buy these like to take this to the local grocery store or maybe put a bike rack and take it to the park. I'm sure there will be a few that gets taken out to the nearest mud hole but for the most part these thing are meant to take kids to soccer practice. Yes they are jacked up cars and drive like cars because that what a majority of the buyers look for.

— krackerhatesme (View Profile)

Posted on 1/25/2008 8:44:32 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

If the front of the rogue wasnt so ugly I would take it. The Vue is rather pleasing to the eye as well however it is way to much of a chick vehicle.

— 0to60 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/25/2008 9:48:49 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Not that im defending the Liberty, but it should not be in this comparo, my friend has one and it is simply remarkabkle off-road. The rest of these are grocery getters - or feminine mobiles. The Jeep Liberty should be compared to a Hummer H3 or that ugly Toyota FJ thing - you know that one that has the frame cracking problem - yeah that one.

— no1listensanyway (View Profile)

Posted on 1/26/2008 1:33:28 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2