Best Bang for the Buck: Crossovers

Price: $23,530

Bow Tie fans will appreciate the versatility of the Equinox. It gets great highway mileage, has a roomy interior featuring standard Bluetooth connectivity, and it comes with Chevy's Multiflex rear seats, which slide back and forth up to 8 inches to get the best balance of legroom and cargo capacity. Beyond the efficiency of the 2.4-liter 4-cylinder Ecotec engine, the sleek-bodied Equinox can be also be outfitted with a brutish 3.0-liter 264-horsepower V6 in LT and LTZ trims. Buyers can also opt for all-wheel drive in all trims for an additional $2,500.

Watch Video:  2012 Chevrolet Equinox

Price: $22,650

The Toyota is the heavy hauler of the group, offering the most cargo volume. We are keen on the uplevel V6 engine, which pumps out 269 horsepower while still generating a fuel-efficient 19 mpg city/27 mpg highway. The RAV4 is offered in three trims: Base, Sport and Limited. We love the Sport, with its performance-oriented suspension. Families will be interested in the Base and luxury-minded Limited trims, which can be ordered with third-row seating. The RAV4 is a tasty pie that can be sliced in a multitude of interesting ways.

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Price: $20,695

The zoom-zoom candidate on our list is an all-new model from Mazda, the CX-5. The 2013 CX-5 features Mazda's new 2.0-liter engine with SkyActiv technology, athletic styling derived from its "soul of motion" Kodo design philosophy, and an interior that uses Karakuri, or "clever mechanisms," to enhance comfort and convenience. The crossover has an optional Tom Tom navigation system that features premium North American maps, advanced lane guidance and real-time traffic. All-wheel drive is optional.

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Price: $22,495

All-new for 2012, Honda's CR-V is the technological leader of the group, offering an unprecedented array of personal communication and computing features, including Bluetooth, Pandora Internet radio, SMS text messaging and a rear-view camera. The CR-V is a solid performer with more power and better mileage for 2012, and it offers the second-best cargo capacity on the list. The CR-V is a benchmark vehicle, and with the momentum of a fresh redesign in its sails, the compact SUV remains a prime-time player. The cost of all-wheel drive is $23,745.

Watch Video:  2012 Honda CR-V

Price: $20,595

The Forester represents the most cost-effective route to all-wheel drive on this list — it's a standard feature. Always ready for treacherous weather, the Forester's Symmetrical AWD is an admirable performer in loose rock as well, making it the most rugged of our 10 contenders. There are six distinctive trims; uplevel versions get a turbocharged version of a boxer engine producing 224 horsepower, and with fuel efficiency rated at 19 mpg city/24 mpg highway. The Forester is the outdoor adventurer of the group, with the skills needed to seek the thrills and return home safe.

Compare: Subaru Forester vs. Ford Escape vs. Mazda Mazda5

Price: $19,990

The Juke makes no bones about its beat-the-street, fun-to-drive persona. This turbocharged thrill machine is powered by Nissan's nifty direct-injected 1.6-liter engine. Buyers need to decide on front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, and between a 6-speed manual or Nissan's Xtronic continuously variable transmission. The design is quirky, to say the least, and the Juke has the least cargo area on the list, but the agile, supremely tossable crossover offers a driving experience unmatched by any of these value leaders, making it one of the more stimulating rides on this list. The cost of AWD is $21,650.

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Price: $18,995

The Dodge Journey makes a good first impression, offering 7-passenger capability on the cheap in its American Value Package trim. The big point of departure is the SE trim, which, like the AVP, is available only in front-wheel-drive configuration with the base 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine. The uplevel SXT, Crew and R/T trims are motivated by the stout 3.6-liter 283-horsepower Pentastar V6 exclusively, and can be ordered with optional all-wheel drive. Intimidating, muscular design and flexible seating and cargo options make the Journey an interesting proposition. The cost of AWD is $26,295.

See: New SUVs Under $25,000

Price: $18,500

The Sportage is the best value for a traditional, SUV-style crossover. It's available in four trims: Base, LX, EX, SX. Base front-wheel-drive models offer 6-speed manual transmissions, while uplevel models feature 6-speed automatics exclusively. Kia offers an optional turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine that belts out 260 horsepower in the SX. Uplevel models start as FWD but can be upgraded with Kia's optional DynaMax all-wheel drive. The Sportage is a sharp-looking, multitalented, mechanically sound SUV that can be ordered as a miserly commuter or as a zippy road warrior. The cost of AWD is $22,300.

Watch Video:  2012 Kia Sportage

Price: $16,300

The xB, the original boxy-wagon design, is midway through its second generation but received a face lift in 2011. Scion is known for packing a lot of standard equipment into its products, and the xB is no exception, featuring power accessories, cruise control, keyless entry, advanced gauges and a hard-hitting Pioneer stereo system. The xB is also known for its interior room for both passengers and gear, which defies its exterior dimensions. The xB is offered with only one engine, the 2.4-liter 4-cylinder. All-wheel drive is not an option.

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Price: $13,900

The cheapest way into the crossover club is the freshened-for-2012 Soul, a hip, people-moving urban CUV engineered for the pavement, not the trail. Available in up-level Soul + and Soul ! trims, the optional 2.0-liter direct-injected 4-cylinder engine generates 164 horsepower, a 22-horsepower bump over 2011's engine. Mated to a 6-speed automatic, this drivetrain delivers 26 mpg city/34 mpg highway. The Kia's lines are extreme, but if you feel the visual funk, the Soul may be worth a look in the highly competitive crossover segment. All-wheel drive is not an option.

Bing: Kia Accessories

For more information on any vehicle in this slideshow, click the links below:

- Chevrolet Equinox
- Toyota RAV4
- Mazda CX-5
- Honda CR-V
- Subaru Forester
- Nissan Juke
- Dodge Journey
- Kia Sportage
- Scion xB
- Kia Soul

Compare: The 9 cars

Evan Griffey served as an editor of Turbo & High Tech Performance, a pioneering publication about sport-compact tuning. Today Griffey freelances for Import Tuner, Sport Compact Car, Car Audio and Siphon.

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