It used to be that picking the right mid-size sedan was hard, but now the competition between compact SUVs is making it impossible to find the clear winner.
We're pleased to see that Kelley Blue Book took such a serious look at the segment that may become the biggest in America by the end of 2017 or so. These things aren't as cheap as they used to be, with prices that start above $20,000 and can push double that. Buying any of these is an investment.
The one real highlight of the test is the 2017 Ford Escape. It's got a 2-liter turbo engine making 245 horsepower. Yes, this has more guts than the BMW X1 and Mercedes GLA 250. The bad news is that the test prototype had some gremlins that are so bad they will make you think twice about buying the car.
Ford will fix that and give us the most powerful and the most expensive non-premium model in this segment. If you want a turbo engine, you can have that with the new Hyundai Tucson. Like its sister car from Kia, the Sportage, it's more of a big crossover, so practicality and interior space are between something like a Civic and a CR-V.
Speaking of which, Honda still has a fantastic package that has aged well. It's got a great ride, great fuel economy and loads of space. Really, this is the closest thing to a comparison winner you can find. But the Mazda CX-5 has something special.
If you're looking not to feel bored on your long family trips, this is going to be your best bet. There are tradeoffs, of course, starting with a bit of your ride comfort and ending with some interior space.
Looking at all the SUVs in this comparison, we are amazed by how cool they all look. Sure, the Kia Sportage is a little odd, but many people compare it to the Porsche Cayenne, thanks to those headlights. Only the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport falls short in this and many other categories, except price.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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