This one’s pretty easy. Because there’s only one. One compact crossover SUV with a four-cylinder engine and a $15k starting price that’s available with a two-speed transaxle and Low range gearing. One small SUV that has the gear to go off-road – but won’t eat you alive with gas bills on-road. It’s the Jeep...
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Hey Eric, Let me start by saying how much I enjoy your website and reviews. I have a question for you – I am looking to buy a SUV, 4WD manual transmission, preferably at least 6 cylinder, reasonably priced, and one that will last. I have a RWD Jeep Grand Cherokee with 120,000 miles,...
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The Ford Excursion and Explorer (the real one, with a V-8 and real 4WD) were done in by doubling gas prices, 16 MPG and a tailspinning economy. Lighter-duty (car-based) FWD/AWD crossovers like the Escape went from second-stringers to game-day players, in part because of the perception that they cost less to own and operate...
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The circle is now complete. The very first “SUV” – the vehicle that almost singlehandedly turned the market for passenger cars into a market for trucks - and truck-based vehicles called SUVs – is now a car. Or at least it’s built on a car’s underthings. The previous Explorer’s truck-based frame – and truck-based...
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The Dodge Nitro isn’t a favorite of car journalists. Google reviews of this chunky little SUV and you’ll see it gets slammed a lot. It has a silly name (ok, fair enough). It’s got “vague steering” and “trucky handling.” Well, yeah. But that’s because it is trucky – unlike virtually all the car-based, light-duty...
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