- In this report
- Family-friendly vehicles
- Fuel-efficient vehicles
- Fun-to-drive cars
- Luxury sedans & SUVs
- Owner satisfaction
- Safety
- SUVs, wagons & pickups
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Consumer Reports helps you make informed purchase decisions with: Detailed road-test reports Safety, reliability and performance Ratings Easy-to-use vehicle comparison tools Consumer Opinions What makes Consumer Reports different?  We accept no advertising We accept no free samples We buy every car we test and drive each thousands of miles
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Best in class: SUVs, wagons & pickups
These vehicles are among Consumer Reports' top recommended models in their categories.
Consumer Reports has the most comprehensive, consumer-oriented autos-test program in the U.S. We anonymously buy our test cars from dealerships and conduct more than 50 evaluations on each vehicle, focusing on performance, safety, comfort, convenience, interior quality, fuel economy, cargo capacity, and
more.
Below, we've listed the SUVs, wagons, and pickups that are among the top recommended vehicles in their categories. Not only did each of these vehicles earn a high overall score in their class, but they also meet our stringent requirements to be recommended.
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Below, we've listed the SUVs, wagons, and pickups that are among the top recommended vehicles in their categories. Not only did each of these vehicles earn a high overall score in their class, but they also meet our stringent requirements to be recommended.
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SMALL WAGONS Mazda5 Touring You can call it a wagon, or you can call it a mini-minivan. Either way, the Mazda5 is an unique and appealing package at an attractive price. It offers good fuel economy, seating for six in three rows, and offers about as much space inside as a medium-sized wagon. Its versatile interior features large, handy storage bins under the second-row seats, and third-row seats that fold flat into the floor. The ride is comfortable, visibility and access are excellent, and its agile handling makes it enjoyable to drive. More wagons |
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MIDSIZED WAGONS Subaru Outback 2.5 Limited x/VDC Comfortable and versatile, the all-wheel-drive Outback is essentially a Subaru Legacy wagon with more ground clearance and SUV styling cues. It has agile handling, with good steering feel, and the ride is supple. The wagon has a useful cargo area, but rear seat is on the tight side. A light freshening for 2008 eliminates the Outback sedan and makes stability control available on more models, but the system was slow-to-react in our tests. More wagons |
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HATCHBACKS Mazda3 The Mazda3 is a small and sporty car, available in sedan and hatchback configurations. The standard 2.0-liter engine is relatively quick, refined, and sparing with fuel, and the 2.3-liter engine is punchy. The slick manual transmission adds to the car's sporty character. The 3 also has precise, responsive handling and a firm, relatively comfortable ride, though road noise is pronounced. Interior quality is very good. The 3 hatchback is also available as the Mazdaspeed3 with stronger powertrain and a sport-oriented suspension. More hatchbacks |
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SMALL SUVs Toyota RAV4 The Toyota RAV4 is our highest-rated small SUV. Despite being larger than the previous-generation model, the RAV4 four-cylinder returns better fuel economy, 23 mpg overall. The optional 269-hp, six-cylinder engine returns an impressive 22 mpg overall. The roomy interior is quiet and comfortable, and the RAV4 has agile and secure handling. More SUVs |
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MIDSIZED SUVs Lexus RX hybrid The AWD Lexus RX400h hybrid combines the 3.3-liter V6 with three electric motors and a battery system to produce 268 hp; this combination produced 23 mpg overall in our tests. However, the gains in performance and fuel economy cost about $5,000 more than the standard RX. More SUVs |
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3-ROW SUVS Honda Pilot The eight-passenger Pilot has a smooth and quiet V6 engine, and is available with a full-time all-wheel-drive system. Fuel economy is reasonable. It has a comfortable ride and secure handling. Although the Pilot is quiet overall, road noise is pronounced. The standard split third-row seat folds flat, creating ample cargo space. Cabin access is easy, and fit and finish is very good. Crash-test results are impressive. More SUVs |
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FULL-SIZED PICKUPS Chevrolet Silverado 1500 The redesigned Silverado has improved considerably over the previous model. It has more responsive handling, a steadier ride, and better interior fit and finish. The 315-hp, 5.3-liter V8 delivers good performance and the fuel economy of our tested crew-cab returned 14 mpg. The new Silverado retains the selectable, full-time, four-wheel-drive system and generous load capacity. Electronic stability control is standard in the crew-cab model. More pickups |
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