We all want to climb into a Range Rover Sport or BMW X5. But let's face it; those cost as much as a new house, if not more. But most buyers, especially the ladies, will still be happy with these tiny SUVs for a fifth of the price.
Supermini-based models are dead-easy to park, sip fuel instead of gulping it down and have the looks to match. These three have been lined up to see which one is the best. From Japan (actually, Hungary) comes the Suzuki Vitara, followed by another Japanese contender (made in Britain), the Honda HR-V. The French also have a representative in the form of the recently refreshed Peugeot 2008.
Mat from CarWow says the Juke, Captur and CX-3 weren't invited because they're not as good as these cars. And while we disagree, getting the ones we see together is a commendable effort.
Forget what he says about the starting prices of these cars. Base models are as hard to swallow as fish bones. In general, Peugeots are quite expensive, while the Suzuki was designed to be a budget car that competes directly with the Dacia Duster.
I don't think there's been a CarWow comparison test where all three cars have horrible interior flaws. But you could see them as quirks and adapt. Based on the cabin alone, we'd pick the 2008 because it's eventful and can mirror your smartphone on the screen. The French are good at that stuff.
The Suzuki Vitara has a Range Rover-like flat trunk with no load lip. It also looks the most like a real SUV from the outside, which some people attribute its success to. We drove it and can tell you it's the real deal, with great ground clearance and trail crawling capabilities. You know that it comes from a company with decades of 4x4 experience.
Meanwhile, the Peugeot and Honda are FWD-only. However, most customers won't even care about that. The Vitara we tested had a 1.6-liter base engine, yet was lots of fun. So we can understand why Mat thinks the one turbocharged one he's got is fun.
So, what's the conclusion? According to Mat, the Suzuki Vitara is the clear winner. As a personal choice, it's also the one we'd put in our driveway. But if a lady friend asked for advice, we would never be able to explain why the Vitara is great. Yeah, the Peugeot does some things well, like looking posh.
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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