2015 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

2015 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

Starting price: $30,665

The Toyota Highlander is one of the larger SUVs on the market that can fit at least seven passengers (rated for eight). Toyota provides drivers with the ability to swap out the auto’s second row bench and install captain’s chairs as desired to go with a total of 83.7 cubic feet of overall cargo capacity. The base engine is a 2.7 liter V-4 engine rated at 185 horsepower, but many consumers prefer to upgrade to the 3.5 liter V-6 engine rated at 270 horsepower. The upgraded engine only gets one MPG less than the base engine with a 20 MPG (city) and 25 MPG (highway) overall rating. Toyota sells the SUV with an option to upgrade to all-wheel drive, and all models are sold with a six-speed automatic transmission.  The car can travel from zero to 60 MPH in 7.6 seconds, and it has a top overall speed of 115 MPH.

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2015 FORD FLEX

2015 FORD FLEX

Starting price: $29,995

The Ford Flex is one of the most affordable 7 passenger SUVs on the road today. The SUV features a box-like style differentiating it from other models of the same class, and it sports 83 cubic feet of cargo space. The Flex is rated as an above-average handler, and the base engine is a 3.5 liter V-6 rated at 287 horsepower and 254 lb-ft of torque. Consumers can also choose to upgrade to a turbocharged V-6 that is rated at 365 horsepower and comes standard with all-wheel drive. The Flex fuel economy is rated at 18 MPG (city) and 25 MPG (highway), and if consumers are buying the model with the stock engine must choose to upgrade to all-wheel drive.

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2015 HYUNDAI SANTA FE

2015 HYUNDAI SANTA FE

Starting price: $31,295

The Hyundai Santa Fe is one of the top seven passenger SUVs on the market today. Hyundai made significant updates to the auto for the 2015 model year, and it is powered by a 3.3 liter V-6 engine rated at 290 horsepower. The vehicle uses a six-speed automatic transmission, and is sold with the choice of all-wheel or front-wheel drive with front-wheel coming standard on the SUV. Hyundai also sells a trailer prep package for the vehicle that delivers a 5,000 pound towing capacity. The Santa Fe’s fuel economy is rated at 18 MPG (city) and 24 MPG (highway), and it can go from zero to 60 MPH in 7.1 seconds with a top overall speed of 128 MPH.

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2015 NISSAN PATHFINDER

2015 NISSAN PATHFINDER

Starting price: $30,395

The Nissan Pathfinder underwent a significant redesign over the past several years, and is one of the best 7 passenger SUVs on the road today. The Pathfinder features more than 80 cubic feet of cargo space if the rear row of seats is folded down, and the stock engine on the vehicle is the 3.5 liter V-6 engine rated at 260 horsepower. The stock transmission on the SUV is a continuously-variable automatic transmission that gets above average fuel economy with a 19 MPG (city) and 25 MPG (highway) overall rating. Front-wheel drive comes installed standard on the car, and consumers can choose to upgrade to all-wheel drive if desiring additional control over the vehicle. The Pathfinder can go from zero to 60 MPH in 7.2 seconds, and its top overall speed is 121 MPH.

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2015 DODGE DURANGO

2015 DODGE DURANGO

Starting price: $31,490

The Dodge Durango is one of the most established 7 passenger SUV models on the market today. The Durango also features above average cargo space with a total of 84.5 cubic feet when compared to other models of the class. Consumers also have the choice to upgrade from the standard rear-wheel drive on the auto to four-wheel or all-wheel drive. The stock engine in the vehicle is the 3.6 liter V-6 rated at 290 horsepower. Dodge also makes a 5.7 liter HEMI V-8 rated at 360 horsepower available for those who need to purchase a SUV capable of towing loads up to 7,400 pounds. The Durango comes stock with an eight-speed automatic transmission that was developed on the Jeep line of automobiles, and the stock engine gets decent fuel economy for the auto’s size with a 16 MPG (city) and 23 MPG (highway) overall rating.  The vehicle can go from zero to 60 MPH in just 6.4 seconds, and its top overall speed is 119 MPH.

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