The world of small SUVs are proliferating throughout every brand.
We've selected a few Mini-Utes and arbitrarily selected those that are 160-180" in length, meaning micro-minis and land barges don't count in this match-up.
Remember this is Auto STYLING News, not auto performance news, so regardless of how powerful it is under the hood (and most of these ARE quite powerful) looks, at least here, matter more.
Prices are listed here are for 2013 list prices, but bear in mind, as later model year SUVs are rolling out, you may be able to snap these up for far less coin!
We'll rate each from between one and four stars, with four being the best "lookers" of the bunch. The list is alphabetical.
*** BMW X1 175" $30,650
The branding here is excellent. One recognizes it instantly as a BMW with its kidney-shaped grille, BMW badging, and Hoffmeister kink (which BMW created) in the third window, which nonetheless doesn't obscure the driver's view - a common problem in this category, as we'll see in the other reviews. Overall a very well-wrought vehicle, though one could quibble with such a long hood length.
*** Buick Encore 168" $24,200
This is GM's Cute-Ute for the Buick brand. Some fans of this brand may not want to buy a tiny version of the venerable Buick name, but others may want to pare down and get away from the Dinosaurs that GM's rivals are portrayed as in the car's ads. The proportions are a bit Mini Cooper-like and that will scare some away, and rear visibility seems obscured a bit by a very large C-pillar, but overall a very nice design.
**** Ford Escape 178" $22,470
This is a home-run for Ford, with beautifully proportioned front-end that isn't overpowered by the upper or lower grille nor the size of the headlamps - a common error on cars these days. The lines flow nicely over the roof with "Sportage-style" rails and a nice Reverse-Hoffmeister kink that shows up on many other Sport Utes but seems to really complement the lines here.
*** Hyundai Tuscon 173" $19,245
The Tuscon has gone from a bland vehicle to a stand-out in just a few years, and this is a beautifully designed Sport Ute. The front grille, bisected with a curved bar and a small Hyundai badge, is well integrated with the short hood, which radically sweeps upward to the windscreen, giving the car a feeling of swift movement. Head lights are complimented by appropriately-sized fog lamps here. The only issue may be with visibility in the rear, with the tiny third window framed with a perhaps too-large rear panel. Still, the overall look is fantastic and is clearly identified as a Hyundai.
*** Kia Sportage 175" $19,000
The Sportage has always looked nice and so does this version. One might say this one is a bit chunky though, with a high hood, large grille and high door sills that create a "Concept Car" style greenhouse. The head and rear lights are well proportions. Though the extremely large C-Pillars must create visibility issues. Among the cheapest of the bunch reviewed here, the KIA is well worth a look.
*** Mazda CX-5 179" 21,195
The longer, shark-like hood and grille treatment that Mazda recently adopted for its entire line-up is incredibly attractive and suits its image as an innovative brand. The way the head lamps merge into the grille, with an apparent downward force, is also well done. The Reverse-Hoffmeister is present here, creating a bit of an odd shape behind it. The tail lamps are large and mimic the head lamps' style and size.
**** Mercedes-Benz GLK 178" $37,090
Riding high and with a huge greenhouse, this Mercedes is clearly a luxury brand and is unmistakably a Mercedes Benz. It's also got a Benz price tag, so it had better be worth it! The large but well proportioned grille sports the company tri-star, and the aggressive lines moving across the doors give it a sense of style and speed even while standing still. The functional roof rack adds character and an outdoorsy feel to the car, and small C-pillars in the rear give it heft but not sight-line problems for the driver.
*** Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 169" $19,170
The "Shark-like" appearance of the Outlander has offended and shocked some auto reviewers but its just that aggressiveness that gives it character and oomph. The slightly sloping side lines (shown well in this almost matte black photo) are nicely done, and it's clear that visibility isn't an issue with this Mini-SUV, either. The grille is better than the rather prissy one on the ghastly, clunky 2014 Outlander.
**** Toyota RAV4 180" $23,300
The RAV4 underwent a redesign in 2013, and it remains a very attractive vehicle - among the pioneers of the Sport-Ute style. The front end is clean and crisp, as expected from a Toyota. The greenhouse looks large and the Reverse-Hoffmeister side window is nicely done and causes less alarm than in other cars by the delicate curvature of the roofline, which, along with the rising door sills, means that visibility remains acceptable. The tail lights floating away from the rear of the car are as interesting as they are innovative.
** VW Tiguan 174" $22,995
The Tiguan, like all VWs, is an acquired taste. The snout is rather aggressive and unpleasant, while the rest of the body is oddly malformed and seems to be the creation of a committee within VW. There does appear to be great visibility from the greenhouse, however, and the lines are clean and it's certainly consistent with the brand.
And Five others...
** Fiat 500L 167" $18,000 - Larger than the other Fiat.
** Ford C-MAX 174" $25,200 - A cute Ute that looks like a Fiesta on steroids.
** Mini Cooper Countryman 162" $22,000 - Larger than the other Mini.
* Nissan Juke 162" $20,280 - If you can stand the crazy lights, buy this one. Otherwise, wait until they're gone on the 2014 version.
** Subaru XV Crosstrek 175" $21,995 - A car on stilts. Interesting tail lights. Otherwise, not interesting.
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