Consumer Guide® Automotive places each vehicle into one of 17 classes based on size, price, and market position. Among utility vehicles, Compact SUVs are the least costly and offer the best fuel economy. Most utilize a car-type chassis and are not designed for heavy-duty, off-road use. Nearly all are five-passenger vehicles.

Our Best Buys include Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Mazda Tribute, and Mercury Mariner. Our Recommended picks are Honda Element, Hyundai Tucson, Jeep Liberty, Kia Sportage, and Subaru Forester.

Suzuki Grand Vitara and Toyota Rav4 are new or significantly redesigned.

Wrangler is redesigned for 2007 with increased size and power, carefully evolved styling, and a first-ever 4-dr body style. Both the new Unlimited and the traditional 2-dr Wrangler come in X, Sahara and Rubicon trim. All use a 205-hp 3.8-liter V6, replacing a standard 4-cyl and optional 4.0-liter inline-6. Transmissions comprise a new 6-speed manual and an optional 4-speed automatic. Two-dr models grow five inches longer and wider on a 2-inch longer, 95.4-inch wheelbase. The 4-dr Unlimited, replacing a like-named 2006 2-dr, rides a 116-inch wheelbase and is 20.6 inches longer overall. Standard wheels go from 15 to 16 inches, with 17s and 18s newly available. Stability control with rollover sensors debuts on the options list. As usual, there's a choice of 2WD and on-demand 4WD with low-range gearing but no on-road capability. Jeep claims significantly better frame and body stiffness for the new Wranglers, which retain Jeep-traditional solid axles at each end. Pricing won't be announced until shortly before this fall's on-sale date. Keep checking back with us for further details.

Meantime, Jeep is apparently still mulling a pickup truck like the recent Gladiator concept. It would probably be built on the new 4-dr Unlimited chassis. If approved, the pickup would be a 2008 or '09 model, sources say. Jeep last offered a pickup in 1992.