What once was a class dominated by truck-based models has given way
almost entirely to car-based vehicles, still with the high seating
position and styling that helped make SUVs popular, but with better ride
and handling, fuel economy and interior space.
The class took a
hit when gas prices first reached $4 a gallon, but sales have roared
back. Jeep's Grand Cherokee is Chrysler's second-best-selling vehicle
this year after the Ram 1500 pickup. Ford's Edge, while not as
successful as sister SUVs Explorer and Escape, still outsells Ford's
largest and smallest cars, Taurus and Fiesta.
So
we decides put them to the test in our latest head-to-head vehicle
Challenge. To pick the best of the bunch, here's how the
Cars.com-USATODAY-Motorweek $38,000 Midsize SUV Challenge was done.
The contenders: 2013 Ford Edge, 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport, 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 2014 Kia Sorento, 2013 Nissan Murano, 2013 Toyota Venza.
The expert judges:
James R. Healey, auto critic for USA TODAY; Aaron Bragman, Detroit
bureau chief for Cars.com; Joe Bruzek, editor and car reviewer for
Cars.com; Mike Hanley, editor and car reviewer for Cars.com; Ben Davis,
producer for PBS TV's MotorWeek.
The family judges: Brian and Melissa Brown and their two children, our real-world family from suburban Chicago.
Why $38,000?: We
set a price cap of $38,000, including destination charges, after taking
into account the sales leaders in this space, consulting with J.D.
Power and Associates and looking at listing prices on Cars.com. We also
told the manufacturers that the cars had to have automatic transmissions
and either turbocharged four-cylinder or naturally aspirated V-6
engines, but otherwise they could provide what they thought was their
best configuration for the price limit. The cap resulted in a group with
a range of features. And three had all-wheel drive, two had front-wheel
drive, one had rear-wheel drive. All but one, though, had a V-6 — and
Santa Fe Sport's turbo four-cylinder produced V-6-like power numbers.
How the three-day testing was done:
A day of driving the entrants on a carefully planned route, rotating
drivers and maintaining equal loads, to observe real-world gas mileage, a
day in which each expert drove the six entrants alone and back-to-back
on the same route and a day for the real-world family of four to go over
and drive each entrant with an eye toward which features and attributes
would matter most to them in their next vehicle.
Here's how they were scored: The
experts' scores combined account for 75% of the total score; the family
evaluation is 15% and the fuel-economy ranking is 10%.
And the winner is ...
NO.1: 2014 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE
•Points: 777 out of 1,000.
• Price with shipping: $37,585
• Observed gas mileage: No. 6 of the six, 22.7 mpg (EPA city/highway/combined 17/25/20)
• Key features:
Refreshed for 2014, rear-wheel drive (only one), IIHS Top Safety Pick,
Uconnect multimedia system with smartphone app integration, only one
with year-old satellite radio subscription. USB inputs throughout cabin,
leather seats, heated front/rear seats, heated steering wheel, rear
parking sensors, configurable gauge cluster, power liftgate, fits three
child-safety seats in the second row (one of only two).
• What they liked:
Interior. "A luxury liner compared to the challengers," said Healey.
"Looks, feels, even smells like a luxury car," Bragman said. Powertrain.
"When the Eco mode is deactivated," Hanley said, "the V-6 and
eight-speed transmission are a well-matched." Visibility. "Commanding
view of the road," Bruzek noted. "Nice rear visibility helped out by
generous side mirrors," Davis said. Chrysler Uconnect system's ease of
use. "Best multimedia system of the bunch," Bragman said. Premium feel.
"It's hard to believe something this nice costs the same as the others!"
Missy Brown said.
•
What they didn't: Eco mode. "Erases
the Jeep's fun-to-drive factor," said Healey. Gas mileage. "That big
power comes with a big thirst," Bragman said. Price. "I wish the pricing
was a little lower," Davis said. At Challenge price, it's rear drive,
not AWD. Electronic gear selector. "Has a cheap feel and makes it harder
to select the gear you want," Hanley said.
• Bottom line: "The one to have if you are looking for a true SUV and not merely a car-like tall wagon," Bragman said.
Courtesy of usatoday.com
