The new "family car" star of the auto showroom is technically not a car. It's a compact crossover SUV. By Ian Merritt, Cars.com
The Lawrence family, Chandie, Joey (not pictured) and daughter Charli are part of our USATODAY/ MotorWeek/ Cars.com SUV Shootout.
No. 1 2011 Chevrolet Equinox; 797.3 points
(See the scorecard or Monroney sticker)
GM's most recent SUV (along with its GMC Terrain sibling), the Equinox wowed both our experts and our family. "The Equinox is the clear winner in my book," Varela wrote, "seemingly belonging to a completely different category of cars: the luxury category." Even a mildly sluggish engine couldn't slow down the praise.
Pros: "For $28,500, this car is loaded with family-friendly features," Newman wrote. Among them were dual fold-up DVD screens, a backup camera that could be viewed in the rearview mirror and the only powered liftgate in the group. "There's a real premium feel throughout the interior," Robinson wrote. Varela agreed: "The fit and finish go way above and beyond the others." "The Equinox is one of the most comfortable of the bunch from the driver's seat," Thomas wrote. "For a four-cylinder, it's great," Lawrence said. "It's so much more substantial."
Cons: Given its high EPA-rated 32 mpg highway estimate, it was no surprise that acceleration was where the Equinox, er, lagged. "There's a real delay when you press on the gas pedal that I find incredibly annoying," Robinson wrote, and it "felt a little boaty at times,"
- As-tested price: $28,560
- 22/32 mpg city/highway, 26 mpg combined
- IIHS Top Safety Pick
- Leather seating
- Industry Exclusive Turn-by-Turn directions through OnStar
- Rear DVD system
- Backup camera
- Bluetooth connectivity
Sales are booming for small-to-midsize vehicles that have the space of a truck but the driving ease and lighter weight of a car. They are roomy but not gargantuan. Engines are peppy but not guzzlers. "Small crossovers are becoming the new family car," says Alexander Edwards, president of consulting firm Strategic Vision. "With strong styling cues and added innovative features ... it is definitely a segment of vehicles here to stay and one that will continue to grow."
That's why we picked the segment for our latest family-focused vehicle showdown:the $29,000 SUV Shootout, sponsored by auto information site Cars.com, USA TODAY and PBS' MotorWeek automotive magazine program.
The testing by experts and a family aimed to see which compact crossover offers the best value — the best package of convenience, features and performance at a price within reach of middle-class families of no more than $29,000.
That's a higher window sticker than a typical midsize sedan, but families seem to be voting with their wallets for the added space and features. The goal in the $29,000 SUV Shootout was to pit nine of the most popular models against each other to see which one has the best combination of ride, room, family-friendly features and handling. The scoring was tight, but the top scorer was the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox, followed by the Dodge Journey, Kia Sportage, Subaru Forester, Hyundai Tucson, Honda CR-V, Nissan Rogue, Ford Escape and Toyota RAV4.
General Motors says compact crossover sales industrywide rose 74% last year. The segment's best seller, the CR-V, has broken into the top 10 U.S. sales list over the past few months. Crossovers overall have risen in sales share from 14.2% in 2007 to 21.2% last year, IHS Automotive says. "The vehicle itself is what Americans are looking for because they can carry people, carry stuff, have good visibility and versatility," says Charlie Vogelheim, executive editor for IntelliChoice.com. Surprisingly, at that price they came with a variety of family-friendly features previously found only on larger vehicles. Many had backup cameras. Four had back-seat DVD systems for kids.Becaue they weigh less than traditional SUVs, smaller crossovers don't need big power. Eight of the nine crossovers tested had four-cylinder engines.
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