Nissan Juke
Love it or hate it for its unusual looks, the Nissan Juke is a decent choice for city life. It’s compact and has great visibility, and surprisingly nimble on the roads. The Juke feels more like a car than an SUV, but it’s a forgivable situation because of the decent space behind the front seats.
A turbocharged 1.6-liter direct injection 4-cylinder is standard equipment, which has plenty of spunk for most metropolitan transportation. If you want to live life in the passing lane, don’t abandon the Juke just yet. The Juke Nismo RS ramps up power to 215 horses from a tuned-up 1.6-liter turbo. It’s blisteringly fast for a cute ute.
Honda CR-V
The newest Honda CR-V foregoes the bland box that it used to be. Some attitude is injected, and none too soon. A distinctively sporty visage and some awesome wheel options are just the tip of the iceberg. Honda Sensing technologies make the Honda CR-V one of the safest SUVs around, and the inside is comfortable and modern (gasp!).
You won’t find the CR-V to be your top performer. It plods along like a stalwart choice, and it’s plenty powerful enough if you’ve never experienced more. Honestly, though – you’re buying a Honda CR-V for its 26 miles per gallon in the city, aren’t you? It’s one of the most fuel efficient SUVs, and it’s definitely a contender for best city SUV.
Toyota RAV4
The direct competition for the Honda CR-V is, and always has been, the Toyota RAV4. The RAV4 is a good choice for city folk, and it’s probably where they hang their hat. It’s definitely not because they’re the most powerful – it’s just 176 horsepower for the gas-powered version and 194 net horsepower for the hybrid.
Again, it’s about the fuel efficiency. The RAV4 has just enough class and accessories to justify the lowered performance expectations, and the result is 34 mpg in the city for the hybrid and 23 mpg for the gas version. There are nicer options, but the RAV4 is among the most reliable.
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