Second the Forester. I own one (2001 model), it’s going on 100,000 miles, and it’s had very few problems; mostly the oxygen sensor going bad, causing the “check engine” idiot light to display for no reason. It has a reputation as a “liberal hippiemobile” or “lesbian utility vehicle”, but as long as it gets great gas mileage, handles well, and stays out of the shop, who cares?
Thank you all, this is exactly th kind of information I was looking for.
Third the Subaru Forester - we went from a large Ford to the Forester and it handles better, gets great MPG and has more room, plus excellent resale value.
I just bought a PT Cruiser. I’ve started selling the jewelry I make at art and crafts fairs, and part of my set-up includes a 6-foot tall folding screen. Some Cruisers, like the one I bought, have a fold-flat front passenger seat. The back seats fold or can be removed entirely. In other words, the interior space is very flexible.
Our other car is a Subaru Legacy wagon, which also could accommodate the screen. (I think the only difference between the Legacy and the Outback is the suspension and the two-tone paint job.) Knock on wood, but in seven years, we’ve had nothing other than routine maintenance on it. AWD rocks in shitty winter weather.
I’ll put in another vote for the Honda CR-V. They can be a bit difficult to find used, since people tend to hold on to them forever. They also are a bit more expensive than other used cars since they hold their value. But both of these signs, to me, point out that it is a good SUV that people like. If you keep an eye out you can still get a good deal on them, high mileage is not worrisome on Hondas. The rear seats fold down flat so you can get a good amount of stuff in there.
We used to have a Jeep Libery as well. It’s a pretty good all-around ute. Fold down the rear seats, and you can fit a surprising amount of stuff into it. It’s got a fairly short wheelbase and is fairly short overall, so it maneuvers very well at parking lot speeds and fits into most “compact” parking spots.
It’s got some guts under the hood as well - add a hitch, and it can pull two tons.
Buick Rendezvous have the worst crash test rating of any SUV or crossover SUV. I say this as a Rendezvous owner. (Actually it’s my wife’s daily driver, but I feel the payment as much as she does.) We have also had fit and finish issues. (the strap that you pull to close the hatch broke, and a piece of trim behind one of the rear passenger windows fell off in the car wash.)
I am not dis-satisfied with the car, but if I had known then what I know now, I would have been a bit more forceful in my argument against buying it. I’d have steered her toward a Ford Escape instead. (oh - and the resale value for the Rendezvous is terrible as well.)
Cheers,
Indyvet
Similar to the Ford Escape, I have a Mazda Tribute. 2002, bought it used in 2004. I put a lot of miles on it in the first two years I owed it (88K) but I have had zero problems with it. Routine maintenance, new set of tires, and brakes have been my only expenses so far. I love the way it looks, the way it handles, it has good power (V6 4x4) and it has good room for a small-class SUV. Mileage is in the low 20s which is not terrible but not great either.
Subarus have the best resale value, aren’t even considered “broken-in” until they have 100,000 miles, and my Forester gets 28mpg.
Motor Trend has named the Forester the best small SUV for the last 3 years.
What do you need that is, specifically, SUVish? High ground clearance? Four-wheel drive? The look? Because it seems to me that if you just need a hauler, you could choose from a larger field of candidates if you also looked at minivans, on the larger end, and small wagons or hatches on the smaller end (Honda Fit, etc).
My friend has a GMC Jimmy (a smallish to medium SUV), and somehow it does not nearly have the space inside it that its size might suggest. It’s cramped in the front, awkward to get into in the rear, and has lousy gas mileage.
Granted, it’s almost ten years old, so presumably the state of the art has improved, but if I was looking for a hauler, the Fit would be far closer to the top of my list.
Like MeanJoe, I have a used Tribute. I’m very happy with it. It’s good for family camping trips with two kids in car seats and a lot of junk or one of many expeditions to Home Depot. I like the way it handles - it’s not hard to maneuver. It’s not my primary commuting vehicle so I don’t mind the mileage, which isn’t bad but doesn’t touch my little 4cyl Altima. The interior space is comfy and well laid out, although I wish the driver’s seat had a right arm rest.
My husband wanted the 4-wheel drive. I still really don’t know why. We live in suburbia. We’ve yet to need it.
When shopping for this vehicle a few years ago, I didn’t see a lot of wagons to chose from. The cross-overs like the Murano and the Equinox were new enough to be too expensive, but given an unlimited budget that’s likely the route I would have gone.
My only complaint is that I can’t get a full sheet of drywall or plywood in it. Sometimes I wish we had a pickup truck.
I still hate minivians.
Our small SUV is a 2002 Land Rover Discovery. Apparently they aren’t making them anymore ( 
), but a used one will still be good.
And contrary to some CW, our 2000 Disco performed like a champ in a bad accident while I was pregnant. I have never felt safer (except in the “big one,” our Range Rover).
Hahaha EJsGirl, Land Rover wouldn’t like you to call the Disco a “small SUV” that’s the Freelander’s job!
As a former Discovery owner I would agree that they are pretty small on the interior, but you can’t call a vehicle with a GVWR of 2 tons a “small SUV”.
The LR3 is what replaced the Discovery, by the way.
Another plug for the Ford Escape. I have a 2002 XLT (bought new in 2001) and I just love it. I haven’t had any problems with it at all. For me it’s just the right size. Big enough to fit a bunch of stuff in (I even slept in the back once), small enough to find parking spaces in the city. It’s got decent pick up and I think it’s just fun to drive.
In certain types of accidents they are quite safe. However, they are worse in other types and have a significantly higher accident rate than a similar passenger car. They do feel safe, I am sure, but you’d be safer in a Volvo, for example. LR also currently has the very very lowest reliabity rate according to JD Powers. And, when someone can buy a Hyundai for less than half what even a Discovery goes for, and the Hyundai has about half as many defects (and a better safety rating), there’s a problem somewhere.
Lexus, Buick, Cadillac, Mercuy and Honda are the top 5 (Subara rates a very respectable 9th, and has very good safety ratings). Landrover is at the bottom (by a **huge **margin, too), along with Suzuki, Isuzu , Saab and VW. VW has been hemmorraging quality for some 5 years, and it so sad, they used to be top. Mazda and Kia are not far fom the bottom either.
Does LR even provide vehicles for tests anymore? They didn’t for a long time, IIRC…
Well, I can’t argue against the general reliability knock- shit falls off of these things after 100K faster than a 1980’s Volkswagon… 
They go through brakes and tires like nobody’s business, too.
Our accident was what would probably be considered a high-speed evasive maneuver (hard right turn at almost 30 mph, IIRC) to avoid an illegally turning car ahead of us. I suppose it would have been a classic rollover scenario, but we were rock solid, all four wheels firmly on the ground. Everyone walked away without a scratch, and I believe that if we had been driving our old Ford Explorer, people would have died. Anecdotal, of course, and maybe we were just lucky.
And August West, that LR3 ain’t no Disco! And it’s only the “small” one for us, compared to the Range.
I’ll throw in another vote for a Subaru of some sort. I owned a WRX Sports Wagon and even that could fit a pretty good amount of assorted junk into the back. It went real good too. 
Another suggestion would be a Volvo wagon. Going from history, the suckers will run forever, and they definitely have a lot of space in the back.
I’m really just looking for a hauler. My preference for driving is cars, but there’s no way I can pack all of my knick knacks + cat carriers in my Neon. I assumed a light SUV because the RAV4 is the first car that I’m familiar with that’s got the right balance of size/space. It’s just me and my husband, so a minivan doesn’t seem suitable, but I’d be perfectly happy with a wagon. I need to steer clear of anything where the seats should be taken out to really have good storage space, since this is a one way trip.
The PT Cruiser may then be your best choice, they have scads of room, assuming you can’t afford the Subaru. If you don’t need FWD/AWD, why pay for it- not only in purchase price but in gas milage and higher insurance?