7. Nissan Juke Nismo RS
Take a deep breath before you hit the road in the Nissan Juke Nismo RS. You’ll have a tough time catching it once you start throwing the Nismo around. The numbers aren’t stellar – just 215 horsepower and 210 lb-ft of torque from the 1.6-liter direct-injected and turbo’d four-banger. I’ll promise you, you’ll regret going with FWD over the Torque-vectoring AWD system. The Juke Nismo RS is fast – like, really fast. Once the turbo kicks in, you’re peeling all four tires as you scream to 60 miles per hour in 6.7 seconds. That doesn’t sound fast, but take a second off for the turbo lag.
Yeah, it has an interior. High-bolstered Recaro racing seats are the best thing about it, because the rest feels like a typical Juke. Get familiar with the drive control system – if you plan on getting anything close to decent fuel mileage, pick the ECO setting.
Don’t assume the RS is meant for everyday driving. It’s more than an upper trim level. It’s bred to go fast on a budget. If you don’t mind a mundane interior for a few years, the Nissan Juke Nismo RS could be the most fun you have with your pants on.
6. Jeep Grand Cherokee
There’s a reason the Grand Cherokee has been around since 1993. It’s a fantastic combo of performance and luxury, which is why it’s also the most awarded SUV to date. For the 2017 model year, the Grand Cherokee has so many options. There’s a well-equipped Laredo trim level to start things off, then ranging up to the Limited, Overland, Trailhawk and even the SRT.
For our purposes, we’ll focus on the Laredo. For just over $30,000, you get into a 295-horsepower V6 with 2WD, although 4WD is an option. Active driver assist features are available, and a touch-screen 5.0-inch Uconnect 5.0 system is standard.
The Grand Cherokee is a selection that shouldn’t be quickly overlooked. It may be priced a little higher, sure, but the performance and dependability should factor in as well.
5. Mazda CX-9
It says something that the largest Mazda model currently made starts at just over $30,000. The Mazda CX-9 is a sharply-dressed SUV with top-notch options. Mazda’s KODO design leaves the CX-9 looking like an intelligent, athletic breath of fresh air. Three rows of seating mean room for up to seven people.
The 2017 Mazda CX-9 has great base features including tri-zone automatic climate control, push button start, 7-inch touch screen display, Bluetooth and Mazda’s Multifunction Commander Control. Upgrade can see your CX-9 equipped with navigation, heated front seats and heated side mirrors, Mazda Radar Cruise Control, LED headlights and more.
Only one choice of engines is available – a 2.5-liter turbocharged SKYACTIV-G 4-cylinder with 250 horsepower. It’s sufficient for the CX-9, but where’s our Mazdaspeed?
View on One Page
