Crossover vehicles are perfect if you are outgrowing your sedan but are not ready to jump into a min-van. This vehicle class includes sport wagons and small to mid-size SUVs. With every car maker getting in on this market segment, one is sure to be right for you.
Honda CR-V
The Honda CR-V is agile, user-friendly, spacious, and has excellent crash test ratings. It can haul plenty with its seventy-three cubic feet of cargo space (seats down) or nearly thirty-six cubic feet with the seats up. It seats five, and parents enjoy the wide opening rear doors and the ‘conversation mirror’ to keep an easy eye on the backseat. Passengers will appreciate the sliding and reclining rear seat. The CR-V offers fuel economy at an estimated 21mpg city/28 mpg highway.
Toyota RAV4
The RAV4 is a great choice if you are looking for additional passenger space, as it offers a child-friendly third row seating option. Like the CR-V, the RAV4 has excellent safety ratings and overall good quality. Cargo wise, the RAV4 offers over thirty-six cubic feet of space with the seats up, and seventy-three with the seats down. Maximum seating capacity is seven and the second row of seats slides and reclines. Fuel economy is 22 mpg city/28 mpg highway.
Subaru Forester
If all-wheel drive is something you are after, then consider the Forester. It also has excellent safety scores and plenty of cargo room. Passengers will enjoy the backseat, which reclines and is built high to look down on the front seat. Cargo capacity with the seats up is nearly 34 cubic feet and 68 cubic feet with the seats down. For those of you who enjoy power, Subaru offers a turbo engine that should suit you and it does not do much damage to fuel economy. With the non-turbo engine, expect to get 22 mpg city/26 mpg highway and 19 mpg city/24 mpg highway with the turbo.
GMC Terrain
The Terrain is a stylish entrant into the crossover class. It also has good safety ratings and impressive fuel economy. It seats five, with the rear seat able to slide and recline. For those who do not really like the wagon look of some crossovers, the Terrain looks more like an SUV. Interior styling is reminiscent of the Cadillac SRX and has appealing high-tech options. Cargo space is nearly thirty-two cubic feet with the seats up and sixty-four with them down. The 4-cylinder engine offers an estimated fuel economy of 22 mpg city/32 mpg highway.
Mazda 5
The 5 looks most like a mini-van, but offers better handling than a true mini-van. Like a mini-van the 5 has sliding rear doors, a nice convenience. It can seat six and offers nearly forty-five cubic feet of storage space with the third row down. Captain chairs in the second row make it easy to install a car-seat. Fuel economy is not bad, with 21 mpg city/ 27 mpg highway.
The crossover car segment makes it easy to transition to a larger vehicle without having to jump into a mini-van. This growing class offers something for every driver and family needs. Start test driving – you might just surprise yourself.
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