the Rogue, which may serve urban families with very
small children well.
The sporty and fuel-efficient Mazda CX-5 was also
awarded a Consumer Guide Compact Crossover Best Buy
for 2017.
TOYOTA HIGHLANDER – Midsize Crossover
Base Price: $29,765
Passenger capacity: Up to 8 with 2nd-row bench seat
Toyota’s midsize crossover earned a Consumer Guide
Best Buy for its spacious cabin, ride and handling
balance, and refined drivetrain when equipped with the
available V-6 engine. Highlander prices can rise quickly
as options are added, but a nicely equipped midlevel
LE Plus example with all-wheel drive can still be
had for around $38,000. The Honda Pilot, as well as
Hyundai’s Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport, are also 2017
Consumer Guide Midsize Crossover Best Buys.
CHRYSLER PACIFICA – Minivan
Base Price: $28,595
Passenger capacity: 6 in comfort, 8 in a pinch
Typically equipped with three rows of seats, two
sliding side doors, and a huge cargo hold in back, the
minivan is the
quintessential family hauler. Chrysler — now Fiat
Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) — invented the category
back in 1984, and has continually improved on the
concept since then.
Pacifica is all-new for 2017 and it replaces the Town &
Country in Chrysler showrooms. The new van still boasts
all the amenities that minivan customers expect, including
Chrysler’s Stow ‘n Go folding 2nd- and 3rd- row seats,
but now packages them in a remarkably stylish and
refined package.
Pacifica is at the head of the minivan class in both
horsepower and fuel economy, and is one of the
smoothest-riding vehicles in any class. In addition to
earning a Best Buy in the minivan category, this classy
grocery getter nabbed Consumer Guide’s first-ever
Family Vehicle Best Buy award.
VOLKSWAGEN GTI – Sporty/Performance Car
Base Price: $24,995
Passenger capacity: 4 in comfort, 5 in a pinch
We’re including the Volkswagen GTI not because it
should be any family’s
first choice
when
looking for
transportation, but
because it is an excellent second-
car option for families with a commuting parent
who still wants to have fun behind the wheel.
The GTI is a Consumer Guide Sporty/
Performance Best Buy because it’s fun
to drive and relatively affordable. That
said, this tidy hot hatchback has four
doors, a reasonably roomy cabin for
a compact, and is relatively easy
on the gas. For families already in
possession of a spacious crossover
or minivan, a GTI could be the
perfect supplement to the household
motor pool.
CHICAGO AUTO SHOW 2017
15
More Car, Les s Money : The LEASE you can do!
