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From the May 2020 issue of Car and Driver.



Fifty years ago, nothing screamed "family car" like a long, low station wagon plastered with fake-wood siding. But then the look fell out of style and carmakers largely stopped building them for the U.S. Well, the station wagon is back, only now it's standing on tiptoe and we call it a crossover.

Tall is the new normal. Americans bought roughly 8.5 million SUVs in 2019, making it by far the biggest single vehicle category. Some 2.9 million of those were compact crossovers from mainstream manufacturers, and no wonder: They're reasonably priced and good for just about every domestic task, from the dreaded family road trip to a weekend Home Depot run. There's a reason why there are now 16 vehicles in the segment, and that's reason enough to sort out the best from the rest.

We structured the test to experience this fleet as any family might.

We assembled our five top-ranked compact crossovers, which we had not previously reviewed en masse. Then we added the all-new Ford Escape to see if it might shake up the established order. We structured the test to experience this fleet as any family might. And we resisted any whining from Car and Driver family members who'd hoped to use this comparo as an excuse to escape the office for a quasi-exotic locale. We stayed local, driving on familiar roads where we live and work. We drove stretches of nearby Interstate 94 to get a sense of how these modern station wagons would behave on trips. Then we hit our favorite two-lane loop searching for glimmers of inspiration behind the wheel.

We ran laps through the big little city of Ann Arbor, too, bumping across its chunky downtown pavement and squeezing through its narrow side streets while dodging buses, garbage trucks, and University of Michigan students more engaged with their phones than their surroundings. We maneuvered into and out of parking spots at the local Whole Foods lot. And then we spent an afternoon in the C/D garage, flipping rear seats up and down and stuffing the vehicles with editors and strollers, golf clubs and child seats, and large boxes because, well, that's what you do with these workhorses.

A scan of the specifications chart reveals how close this group is in every attribute from horsepower to interior room.

Since we wanted the outcome to be as family friendly (read: financially responsible) as possible, we asked the manufacturers on the invite list to supply base engines and all-wheel drive. While there was some variance between trims, the vehicles that arrived were equipped similarly enough for us to draw solid comparisons.

To gauge this class, we started with the current leader, the 10Best-winning Mazda CX-5—this one in Grand Touring trim. Against it we pitched a Honda CR-V in Touring spec, a Subaru Forester Limited, a Toyota RAV4 Limited, a Volkswagen Tiguan SEL, and the Escape SE. A scan of the specifications chart reveals how close this group is in every attribute from horsepower to interior room.

Conducting this comparison forced us to overcome some dysfunction. Not within the C/D family. We, ahem, never argue. No, it was a series of events out of our control: An underbody panel tearing loose on the CX-5 forced a mid-test repair, a gas station ran out of fuel just as we showed up, and the RAV4's logbook mysteriously disappeared for about a week. And maybe we had to massage a bruised ego or two when certain editors didn't see the finishing order they wanted. But we worked through the tough stuff because that's what families do.

6th Place:

2020 Ford Escape

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Highs: Best in braking, cornering, and observed fuel economy.

Lows: Cheap-looking interior materials; an engine so boomy, it makes you wish for earplugs.

Verdict: Feels as if it were built to a price, rather than to impress.

The Escape SE wasn't as thoroughly equipped as the other vehicles in this test—the next-step-up SEL trim would have been more appropriate—but that's not what landed it in the basement. Nor did its preproduction status have any effect on its score. The Ford just doesn't possess the all-around goodness required to shoulder its way into the top five.

In this talented group, everything counts, and the Escape's interior design and materials are uninspired and inconsistent. Some areas, such as the instrument panel and tablet-style infotainment screen, look like high-quality pieces, but others come off as chintzy: The door-trim panels are spare, hard plastic surfaces abound, and even the gauges look cheap.

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The Escape's cabin is a study in contrast. The shift knob feels expensive, but the embossed flourishes can't hide that the door panels are hard and cheap.

That initial impression is matched by the way the Escape drives. Its steering is sharp, but its handling is loose-limbed rather than precise. And its ride gets bouncy on sine-wave roads.

But the Escape's engine, the only three-cylinder in the group, is the big offender here. In town, the Escape's transmission insists on upshifting early, dropping the revs to about 1500 rpm. There, the engine booms so obnoxiously that you'd swear you were being tailed by a low-flying chopper. Stepping off from stoplights, there's an odd surge. "Pretty saggy and laggy at low speeds," reported staff editor Annie White. We did find a workaround, though: Toggling the drive-mode selector to Sport keeps the engine above 2000 rpm or so, where it changes character completely—go figure—and emits a rich V-6-like snort.

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Unfortunately, the Escape does not make up for its deficiencies with superi­or utility. Seating three across in any of these vehicles is a squeeze, if not downright uncomfortable. While the Ford's rear-seat kneeroom is decent for a pair of six-footers, it holds the least cargo of the group. Only eight of our test boxes, which are the size of airline carry-on bags, fit with the rear seats up; 21 with them folded. A higher trim level wouldn't have changed this.

The Escape is home to one world-class feature, though: its console-mounted rotary shift knob. Its beautiful appearance and expensively damped action would be appropriate in a Mercedes-Benz S-class. If only the rest of the vehicle were that impressive.

5th Place:

2020 Subaru Forester



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Highs: Enough room for a family reunion, cushy ride, well-appointed cabin.

Lows: Edgy power delivery in town, driver engagement not on the menu.

Verdict: A tasty dish for those who don't like their food or their cars spicy.

The Forester is nice. It is capable, comfortable, handsomely appointed, easy to drive, well built, and very practical. That might sound like high praise for the car that came in fifth, but it illustrates the strength at the bottom of the test.



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The Forester sells on simplicity. It offers plenty of space and comfort but little in the way of dynamic verve or personality.

This SUV is one to consider if roominess is a priority. It leads the pack with 59 cubic feet of space for front passengers. And in the rear, staff editor Connor Hoffman—who stands six feet, seven and three-quarter inches tall—fits comfortably behind a six-foot driver. Plus, the Forester has the most glass area in this group, which contributes to the sense of roominess and makes maneuvering into and out of a tight parking spot a cinch. The large windshield affords a panoramic view, and the low cowl and instrument panel make it feel more like you're driving a car than a tallish SUV. The hatch opening is wide, too, and the cargo area holds plenty of boxes: 11 with the rear seat up and 23 with it down.

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This is a very practical family hauler, but the Subaru is not the go-to if you're hoping for a little driving spice with your utility. Throttle response is jumpy in town and sleepy elsewhere; the engine can sound labored. The steering is slow-witted, the handling relaxed, and the ride cushy. "It's very isolated," assistant videographer Brad Fick said. "Many people would be happy with that."

"The Forester is almost completely devoid of character," said Annie White, who likened driving it "to eating a Saltine cracker." A lot of people actually like Saltine crackers, though. Which is why we think plenty of shoppers in this segment would be happy to park this compact crossover in their driveway.

4th Place:

2020 Toyota RAV4



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Highs: Refined road manners, chunky off-roady looks.

Lows: Grating engine note, what's with the faux-leather seats at this price?

Verdict: Tries hard to be all things to all buyers and largely succeeds.

The RAV4's $40,785 as-tested price, the highest here by far, worked against it. So did its engine. Drop down to the XLE Premium model and you'd save several thousand dollars and give up navigation and a few niceties like ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, and a panoramic sunroof. But there's nothing you can do about the engine—unless you opt for the quieter hybrid powertrain. Everyone who drove this almost luxury version of the RAV4 complained about its powerplant's coarseness: Even when accelerating moderately, the four-cylinder squawks like a murder of crows. And for all the underhood commotion, the Toyota's 8.2-second 60-mph time is merely average for the group.

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The Toyota handles better than you probably expect. No amount of tan leatherette can cover for the gruff noises emitted by the RAV4's engine, though.

Otherwise, the RAV4 is affable and accommodating. It offers a well-sorted chassis that delivers taut ride motions along with good-enough handling chops that encourage hustling it on two-lanes. Inside, the seats are comfy and big-guy Hoffman could sit in the back without much trouble. Oddly, a rear-facing child seat is a tight fit: We had to move the front passenger's chair forward a bit to clip it into place. What's more, cargo room is solidly midpack.

The Limited trim tries hard to feel luxurious. Seemingly every surface of our test vehicle is covered in the same show-the-dirt, softly padded, French-seamed leatherette. "I'd be annoyed if my kid spilled something in here," executive editor Ryan White said.

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"It looks a little dated," said road test editor Becca Hackett. That's particularly true of the infotainment system and its low-resolution graphics. At least the audio system offers good sound and has both a volume and a tuning knob.

In the end, though, it was the Toyo­ta's more engaging driving character that enabled it to nose ahead of the Su­baru in a photo finish.

3rd Place:

2020 Honda CR-V

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Highs: Clever storage, roomy cabin, solid driving dynamics.

Lows: Quickest but doesn't feel it, interior lacks deluxe materials, dated infotainment.

Verdict: A highly adaptable tool with solid engineering and thoughtful solutions.

Honda is not into change for change's sake. The current CR-V evolved only modestly from the last generation, so it's conservative in both its design and execution. "Climbing into the CR-V is like getting into any Honda," Hoffman said. In other words, it has the basics right but doesn't brag.

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If you're looking for the best box, it's hard to beat the expertly packaged Honda. If you want that box to be spirited or luxurious, look elsewhere.

Those essentials begin with comfortable seats and generous second-row kneeroom. A child seat is an easy fit. The CR-V also accommodates the most boxes with the rear seats folded. The cargo floor has two positions, the higher of which enables a flat load floor from the liftgate opening to the front seatbacks (once you've folded the second row, of course). The center console has a lot of storage space and can be configured several different ways to best handle your stuff.

The interior's ambience doesn't quite match its practicality, though. The materials are handsome but far from upscale, and the design is not bleeding-edge modern. The tablet-like center-stack screen contains Honda's last-generation infotainment system. It's fussy and lacks a tuning knob, and the navigation display is small. Plus, the mechanical shifter protruding from the dashboard clacks inexpensively.

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But the CR-V is a solid driver. Its 60-mph time of 7.6 seconds is the quickest of the group, but it doesn't feel it, due at least in part to the slushy response of its CVT. "I was surprised to see it had 190 horsepower," said Annie White. "It feels sluggish getting up to speed." Bursts of throttle also result in some moaning under the hood before the engine settles down to a quiet cruise.

Otherwise, the CR-V is a confident, capable over-the-road machine with direct steering and well-damped body motions. It's rife with good qualities, which makes it feel like a trusted friend. It's just that the two crossovers that finished ahead of it have those qualities, too, plus a big dollop of driver engagement, something the CR-V simply doesn't have.

2nd Place:

2020 Volkswagen Tiguan

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Highs: Go-for-it handling, refined engine, generous cargo space.

Lows: Cabin might be a little too minimalist for some, hits the bumps harder than most.

Verdict: VW finally builds a broad- appeal crossover that also honors the brand's sporty side.

The Tiguan feels like a GTI for responsible adults. That's how it managed to claw its way into second place. Of course, it isn't a GTI—it's not nearly as quick or as agile as its road-hugging, hot-hatch stablemate. Physical laws haven't been suspended here. But the Tig does a commendable job of offering both utility and playfulness.

Immediately noticeable are its light, quick steering and nimble, firmly controlled chassis, which encourage you to dig into two-lanes—though it is sometimes stiff-legged on uneven pavement. The engine hums expensively. It was the quietest at wide-open throttle and the most refined of the group.

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The Tiguan also lives up to its family responsibilities. It has plenty of rear kneeroom, and only the CR-V hauls more boxes with the rear seat folded. The VW's leather-covered seats are among the firmest we've encountered in a long time, but they're nonetheless comfortable and supportive. They're appropriate in an interior that's so businesslike, it's almost spartan. Even that starkness adds to the hot-hatch vibe. The infotainment screen is reasonably large and operates in a straightforward manner, and there are volume and tuning knobs for the audio system.

Volkswagen's journey to understanding American tastes has been bumpy, but it's definitely on the right road with this latest Tiguan. It's sized right, dressed for success, and blessed with the driver-friendly DNA of the company's best cars. That's why it's the salutatorian of this class.

1st Place:

2020 Mazda CX-5



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Highs: Handsome exterior, luxe interior, expertly tuned chassis and powertrain.

Lows: Worst observed fuel economy, short on rear legroom.

Verdict: As luxurious as it is fun to drive, a combination yet to be equaled in this class.

The upscale and light-footed Mazda CX-5 does everything well as long as your kids aren't six feet tall. If space is a priority, the Tiguan would make a fine consolation.

Once again, the 10Best-winning CX-5 emerges on top, and once again, the story is quality over quantity. Based solely on the objective results, the CX-5 would be dead last, but the data doesn't define greatness. It's the subjective categories—its design, interior materials, and driving character—that propel the Mazda into the winner's circle.

The CX-5 is special from the moment you climb in. Sleek shapes, delicate brightwork, and top-grade materials give you the sense that this crossover comes from a luxury brand rather than a mainstream automaker. Attention is paid to every detail. The shifter moves with expensive precision, the classic white-on-black gauge faces on the cluster are crisp, and the steering wheel is upscale. It's also the only wheel of the lot with shift paddles. The infotainment screen is small, but its audio and nav functions are controlled via a pair of knobs conveniently located on the center console.

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No vehicle could win a comparison test on aesthetics alone, of course. The CX-5 is also good to drive—very good. Its body motions are carefully honed, firmly damped over rough pavement but never brutal. Its steering is true and progressive. This ute moves with surprising grace and hangs tough even when you bend it into quick corners. Near perfect throttle response makes it feel more powerful than it is. The Mazda is the second quickest to 60 mph in this relatively lethargic group. And it ties the RAV4 for quietest at 70 mph, registering a mere 66 decibels.

"Driven back-to-back with the competitors, the CX-5 is a revelation," said Annie White. "It's lighter and nimbler than you'd expect." This Mazda fetes you with a sophisticated, engaging, and always fun driving experience—the kind typically associated with cars from Audi and BMW.

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The one place the CX-5 doesn't measure up—literally—is interior space. Though the specs claim otherwise, the Mazda's back seat feels the smallest here. And the CX-5's cargo hold is average, at best, among this group.

The CX-5 is not a car that wows on paper but disappoints in person. Just the opposite, in fact. But as good as it is, the competition is closing in. It won this comparison test by a slim margin. Setting aside the Escape, each of the other rivals that trailed it to the finish line has a trait or two—be it sportiness, roominess, cargo volume, or feature count—that matches or betters what the CX-5 brings to the fight. But none of them put it all together in an equally compelling package. At least not yet. We'll see how much longer the CX-5 can hold its advantage.

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