Small SUV, BIG Payoff!

For those looking for the practical advantages of an SUV without giving up the handling and style of a car, a small SUV is right up your alley. These strong, stylish vehicles combine the space and strength of an SUV with the handling and striking looks of a smaller vehicle. With so many manufacturers jumping to join in the movement to more compact SUVs, there is a seemingly never-ending supply of choices. Rest assured, you can find just the right vehicle for you.

Mini Cooper Countryman

The Countryman is MINI's first adventure into the land of SUVs. As you would expect with MINI, the Countryman is a very compact, but very stylish SUV. Depending on the model, the Countryman's price tag ranges from $21,500 to $26,950. There are three models to choose from: Base, S, and S All4. The Countryman sports a 1.6L 4-cylinder engine with a 6-speed manual transmission. Buyers will be happy to know that the Countryman, while acting like an SUV, is no gas hog. It gets 27 mpg, 35 mpg on the highway. Countryman comes with some great features, including alloy wheels, a roof rack, cooled storage compartment, and interior air filtration. With Countryman's price tag and economical advantages, it's certain to be a small SUV that people will take to quickly.

Jeep Wrangler

When considering the Jeep Wrangler, the main word that comes to mind is "options." Wrangler comes in 8 different possible trims: Sport, Unlimited Sport, Unlimited Sport RHD, 70th Anniversary, Unlimited 70th Anniversary, Unlimited Sahara, Rubicon, and Unlimited Rubicon. This rugged classic ranges anywhere from $22,000 to around $32,000, depending on which option you go with. While considered a small SUV, Wrangler still flexes a 3.8L 202 hp V6 engine with a 6-speed manual transmission. There is an option for a 4-speed automatic transmission, but it is only available in the Unlimited Sport RHD model. That much power does come at a cost as the Wrangler gets 15/19 mpg in gas mileage. Wrangler comes standard with all-terrain tires, steel wheels, removable soft top, 4-wheel ABS, and emergency braking assist. Built rugged, the Wrangler is a compact SUV that puts the "sport" in Sport Utility Vehicle.

Ford Escape

Not usually considered a luxury vehicle, a close examination of the options available with the Ford Escape reveals big options in a small SUV. The available options include (but are not limited to) Ford's SYNC entertainment system, MyKey (this is a key that can be programmed to, among other things, set a speed limit on your car), and active park assist (this allows the car to parallel park with very little driver assistance.

One of the first compact SUVs on the market, Escape now comes in three different trims...XLS, XLT, and Limited. There is also a Hybrid model that can be bought for around $9,000 more. With this many options, there is an Escape out there for everyone.

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