Honda CR-V

This mini-ute tops J.D. Power's 3-year dependability ratings and its resale ratings, which makes sense. The CR-V is affordable yet spacious for a small SUV, and has a gleaming reputation for quality. Since the 1990s this 4-cylinder ute has offered a winning combination of a carlike ride and truck utility, while still posting respectable fuel-economy numbers. This vehicle depreciates slowly, which is part of its appeal, but the sweet spot on price seems to be the 2005-2006 model years, where the CR-V (which retails starting at $21,545 new) can be had for between $11,200 and $16,100. Before 2005, however, we'd recommend sticking with EX trims, since base LX CR-Vs didn't come with anti-lock brakes.