Best Family Cars for Downsizing

2009 Mazda Mazda5 “We’re seeing people come in with SUVs, trading out and getting, say, a Mazda5 because it still offers the room,” says Nacir Assaadi, general manager of Rosenthal Arlington Mazda, in Arlington, Va. “You can have six adults in the car and it is still fairly efficient, with gas mileage in the high 20s.”

2009 Scion xB
The Scion xB is the bargain of the bunch, with a base price of $15,750. The most expensive is the Toyota RAV4, which starts at $21,500.

Even decked out with popular options and advanced safety features, most models on our list can be had for around $25,000, which is where many midsize SUVs just get started.

2009 Toyota 4Runner Trail Edition

Looking at two Toyota models as an example, the midsize base 4Runner SUV will cost $9,091 more to own over five years than the compact base RAV4 crossover, according to data compiled by Vincentric, a research firm in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. That’s because the 4Runner is more expensive to operate and will cost owners $878 more in maintenance and $2,450 more in fuel over five years, for example.

2009 Toyota RAV4 Limited

Looking at the two Toyotas again, the 4Runner will lose $18,978 of its value over five years, versus $13,483 for the smaller RAV4, according to Vincentric. Part of that is because the pricier 4Runner has more value to lose.

In short, the advantages of stepping down in size go far beyond just gas mileage.

2009 Kia Rondo

2009 Toyota 4Runner Trail Edition

2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen
That said, the 2009 Jetta SportWagen offers comparable cargo space, much better fuel economy and a lower price than the Volkswagen Tiguan crossover. In fact, an optional diesel engine makes it the most fuel-efficient model on our list. The Jetta SportWagen TDI gets an estimated 30 mpg in the city and 41 mpg on the highway when equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission.

2009 Subaru Outback
The only other wagon to meet all of our criteria is the Subaru Outback. It’s a good choice and worth considering, but the Subaru Forester beat it by virtue of a slight cargo-carrying advantage, and we chose not to include more than one vehicle from any manufacturer.