Honda CR-V

• With a single-month sales volume of 21,683, the Honda CR-V bumped Ford's Escape out first place as of April, 2011, but actually lagged about 3,000 units behind the Escape in 2010. The CR-V doesn't excel at any one thing aside from its good-for-an-SUV handling, but its $21,895 MSRP, 21 mpg city and 28 mpg highway ratings, excellent crash-test ratings, interior room and long list of family-friendly features makes it a good all-around choice for families on a budget. It's 180-horsepower four-cylinder is adequate for hauling around its 3,386-pound curb weight, but it's not going to power any flux capacitors any time soon. The CR-V is kind of like a toothbrush; it'll always do no more or less than exactly what you bought it to do.
  
  

Ford Escape

• With its more guy-friendly, miniature-Explorer looks, the Escape doesn't seem at first glance as though it would best Honda's CR-V in fuel economy. However, its 100-pound lower curb weight and 171-horsepower four-cylinder are capable of ushering this $21,240 (April, 2011) trucklet to a respectable 23 city and 28 highway mpg. The Escape is full of high-tech features, including anti-lock brakes, stability control, cell phone and MP3 connectivity and an optional seven-speaker, HD sound system with digital music storage. For those willing to sacrifice 6 mpg in the city and 3 mpg on the highway, Ford offers a more entertaining 240-horsepower V-6 that will deliver 0 to 60 times in 8.1 seconds. Interestingly, the four-cylinder Escape is the only SUV on this list available with a manual transmission -- a feature that may help to distract buyers from its slightly sub-par handling and brakes.
  
  

Chevrolet Equinox

• For fans of the old Pontiac Aztek, the $22,995 Chevy Equinox's looks may carry the ring of familiarity. The 2011 Equinox picks up on many of the old Aztek's proportions and smooths them out to create something fairly attractive. The effect is something like locking Carrot Top in a closet for three years and having Kirsten Dunst walk out. The Equinox is a bit heavy at 3,786 pounds, and its 182-horsepower engine is capable of pushing it to 60 mph in a fairly average 9.3 seconds. Fans of not falling asleep at the wheel may want to check the box specifying Chevy's optional 264-horsepower V-6. The Equinox's biggest draw is its newly upgraded interior and amenities, and its solidly styled exterior, both of which have proven welcome trends in the American SUV market.
  
  

Toyota RAV4

• For $22,475, Toyota offers a spacious three-row SUV with all-wheel drive, a 269-horsepower V-6 and a respectable 19 mpg city and 27 mpg highway mileage rating. Yes, you could go with the base 179-horsepower four-cylinder if you want an extra 3 mpg in the city and 1 mpg on the highway, but you'll be giving up 2.5 seconds from the V-6's very respectable 7.2-second 60 mph sprint. Looking at the prices, equipment and performance, it's hard to see why anyone would opt for the competition. Oh, wait, there it is...the RAV4, like its Camry cousin, would probably get lost in the parking lot of its own dealership. While taste is subjective, the RAV4 is an SUV for people who are more concerned with real usefulness than being noticed.
  
  

Ford Explorer

• While "America's SUV" may rank fifth on this list, some would contend that it's the only real SUV on it. The Explorer is an actual truck, with rear-wheel drive, true four-wheel drive, 7.6 inches of ground clearance, a 5,000-pound towing capacity and a standard 290-horsepower V-6. While the fact that this truck's top engine is a V-6 may seem a bit anticlimactic to some, it's worth remembering that the first-generation Explorer's V-8 came to the party with significantly fewer horses and a bit more weight than the V-6. With its tough-guy looks, laundry list of high-tech amenities and high-quality interior, the Explorer's only real drawback is that it's still a small truck among big cars. Interior space isn't quite up to par with the Honda or Toyota, and its driving dynamics more closely mirror those of an F-150 than a Camry. But like the RAV4's looks, that's all a matter of personal preference.