This is by far the hottest market segment right now. Crowded with more than 20 vehicles, midsize SUVs vary in size and type but nearly all seat five adults and offer V6 or V8 engines. Our Best Buys include the Ford Explorer, the Lexus RX 300, and Mercedes-Benz M-Class. Explorer and M-Class are more traditional SUVs with full off-road capability and V6 and V8 engines. RX 300 is a car-based SUV that lacks a low range in 4WD mode, but is the most carlike to drive.

Our Recommended choices are all traditional SUVs: the Dodge Durango, which offers optional third-row seating; the slightly more expensive Explorer clone Mercury Mountaineer; the utilitarian Nissan Xterra; and the refined but expensive Toyota 4Runner.

If you are on a Budget take a look at the old standby Jeep Cherokee. It is cruder than the rest but offers go-anywhere ability, utility, and a low price.

If you've seen the Mountaineer concept vehicle at a major 2000 auto show near you, you've basically seen the redesigned production model. But though Mercury's SUV will soon stand more clearly apart from its Ford parent, the new Mountaineer will also likely be delayed from its planned launch this fall as a 2001 model to the first quarter of '01, when it will go on sale as an '02. A Ford spokesman recently cited "normal quality and fit and finish issues" as the reason for the schedule change.

That aside, the new Mountaineer rides the same slightly enlarged platform as the next Explorer, with width inceasing 2 inches on a more sharply lined body announced by a toothy satin-finish grille and trapezoidal headlamps. Lower-body side cladding remains standard, but should be finished for a more expensive look. Judging by the concept, 17-inch wheels and tires will be a first-time Mountaineer option. Underneath, the rear suspension abandons a solid axle for a fully independent setup that promises a smoother on-road ride and may also enhance off-road capability. We expect current powertrains to carry over with detail refinements, and interiors should be spruced-up with a redesigned dash and more upscale materials.