Our 3 Favorite Crossovers! Not Too Big...Not Too Small

If you're confused by all the banter about crossover vehicles, you're not alone. Even the auto makers lump crossovers together with traditional SUVs. That's too bad because crossovers-which the Wall Street Journal calls "wagons that look like sport utility vehicles but ride like cars"-offer plenty of convenience and money saving extras for families and active adults who like traveling with a group.

Plenty of car dealers report that those buyers are steadily discovering crossovers-called CUV or XUVs in current lingo. The safety and ease of handling, extra roomy interiors and gas mileage that's generally much higher than that of SUVs are just part of the attraction. Consider some of the newest members of the CUV family and what they offer:

Ford Flex: At last, a car with the comfy interior of a large luxury car but with an aerodynamic design that supports fuel economy. The hot-off-the-assembly line Flex offers a cool look that includes two-tone roof options, a stylish three-bar grill and privacy glass. Inside, this car's made for comfort with such extras as the much-sought-after third row of seating and plenty of storage including a refrigerator console, ideal for post-game treats. The many safety features include an incredibly easy-to-use reverse camera system that lets the driver see behind the vehicle.

Specs: 17 mpg city/24 mpg highway; MSRP starts at $28,295

GMC Acadia: Billed as a luxury crossover SUV, the Acadia looks compact but has plenty of room to seat eight comfortably and tote around plenty of gear. In a way, it seems to be designed with Baby Boomers in mind. Consider that the front doors only require an 18.9 inch step in height and the vehicle comes with such extras as heated/cooled seats. If you haven't seen the StabliTrak electronic stability control system in action, you've missed a lot. The system not only controls the vehicle's traction but has technology to prevent rollovers.

Specs: 16 mpg city/24 mpg highway; MSRP starts at $30,140

Mazda CX-9: It's tough to quarrel with the auto maker's statement that this CUV has the "Soul of a Sports car." The vehicle's jaunty look belies its roomy interior that seats seven comfortably with plenty of space to spare. The car received raves from Motor Trend (plus the 2008 "SUV of the Year" award) and other auto enthusiasts but Mazda has made it even better with features such as a Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) system that detects areas on both sides of the car to the rear and alerts the driver to hazards. A rear seat entertainment system with DVD keeps little ones content.

Specs: 16 mpg city/22 mpg highway; MSRP starts at $29,400

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