$37,000 SUV Shootout scorecard

— -- Here's how the seven contenders finished in the $37,000 SUV Shootout, a head-to-head test of popular three-row, family-friendly crossovers at a midrange price. Included are results, key differentiating features for each, what the expert and family judges liked and disliked — and the bottom line.

How the contenders earned their finish:

Testing: A day of experts driving each over a given course, a day of testing and driving by the Kochs and a one-day, 230-mile test of each one's real-world gas mileage.

Scores: Expert ratings collectively counted for 65%, the family ratings 25% and the real-world fuel economy 10%.

Expert judges: James R. Healey, USA TODAY; Kristin Varela, Joe Wiesenfelder and David Thomas of Cars.com; and Ben Davis of the PBS TV show MotorWeek.

Family judges: The Kochs (pronounced "Cooks") — Tarek and Heather (both 38), McKenna, 8, and Bryson, 5 — of Hoffman Estates, Ill. Their current ride: Buick Enclave.

Common features: All at this price had Bluetooth phone connectivity, power windows/locks, anti-lock brakes, traction/stability control, and front-, side-impact and side-curtain air bags.

Drivetrain: All two-wheel-drive automatic.

No. 1 2012 Honda Pilot EX-L

Score out of 1,000: 752.1

As-tested price: $36,170

MPGs: 18/25/21 city/hwy./combined, 25.1 in test

What judges liked: Spaciousness.

Controls. "Switches, stalks and controls are nicely weighted and portray a high level of refinement and precision," said Davis.

Features. "I loved the large LCD screen … great iPod integration, Bluetooth audio and a DVD player in back for the kids," said Thomas."More than I'd expect of a Honda at this price," Wiesenfelder said.

Storage. "Tons of little nooks and crannies," said Varela, though she noted most "are uncovered, meaning your clutter will forever be visible."

What they didn't: Truck feel and noise. "The ride is firm, there's noticeable wind noise at highway speeds," said Wiesenfelder. Styling. "Clunky, squarish," said Healey.

Bottom line: "Pilot remains a nice balance of size, roominess, efficiency and versatility," Wiesenfelder said, "and it appears that Honda is becoming more generous with features for the money."

Key Pilot features: Seating for eight (most, tied with Traverse), backup camera (no backup warning), auto climate control for front and rear, rear entertainment system (only one with it at Shootout price limit), moonroof, leather, heated front seats, power liftgate, 115-volt house-style outlet, USB input for MP3 player, maximum towing 2,000 pounds.

No. 2: 2012 Chevrolet Traverse 1LT

Score out of 1,000: 740.05

As-tested price: $32,925

MPGs: Rated 17/24/19 city/hwy./combined, 23.5 in test

What judges liked: Quiet, smooth ride. Handling. "Light and nimble steering make the Traverse seem much smaller than it is," Davis said. Largest interior space in Shootout. Sliding second-row seats for third-row access. Kid-friendly seat belt buckle design. "Kids of all ages can buckle in easily on their own," said Varela. Cup holders in back-door armrests. "Easy to access even for kids strapped into car seats and boosters," said Varela.

What they didn't: Interior materials and fittings. "The black fabric seats are a downer," Varela said."Thomas found the handles to slide the second-row seats "flimsy." Features. It was one of the less-expensive, but some still thought it lacked expected extras, such as a backup camera. Some thought ride was too soft and steering and brakes lacked road feel. "It's a Toyota wannabe, but in the wrong way," said Healey.

Bottom line: "The Traverse does a great job providing the roominess of yesteryear's big SUVs but with better efficiency and comfort," Wiesenfelder raved. Healey more or less agreed: "Swell value, and a strong choice for those whose demands have more to do with duty than driving." But, while the Traverse "gets the job done in comfort," Thomas said, "not only didn't it stand out, it faded into the background in this group" because of its lackluster styling and interior.

Key Traverse features: 2011 IHS Top Safety Pick, only competitor with NHTSA's five-star rating, seating for eight (most, tied with Pilot), cloth unheated seats, largest cargo area (116.4 cu. ft. total, 24.4 behind third row), backup warning (no camera), maximum towing 5,200 pounds.

No. 3: 2011 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring

Score out of 1,000: 726.35

As-tested price: $36,200

MPGs: Rated 17/24/19 city/hwy./combined, 23.8 in test

What judges liked: Fun to drive. "The sports car of the bunch," said Healey. Strong brakes. "By far the best," said Thomas. Interior. "Puts some luxury SUVs to shame; definitely the richest one here," said Wiesenfelder.

What they didn't: Pricey, especially for the features, several said. "Too expensive for what you get when judged against the others," said Healey. "No air vents for the third row," noted Varela. "I know in our 320-plus days of sun in the Denver area where I live, overheating youngsters in the way back would be a regular occurrence."

Bottom line: "Very competitive in terms of styling and performance," Thomas said. "I just don't know if it has enough room for larger or taller families." Said Healey, "Extraordinarily satisfying to drive among this group, but not one I'd recommend as the best family value." The CX-9 is one of the oldest in this group, but that didn't seem to hurt it. "For a model that hasn't been redesigned since its 2007 debut, the CX-9 remains remarkably competitive," Wiesenfelder said, "with a sleek design, rich interior and overall refinement."

Key CX-9 features: Auto climate control for front and rear, backup camera (no warning), power liftgate, moonroof, leather, heated front seats, blind-spot monitoring, maximum towing capacity: 3,500 pounds.

No. 4: 2012 Dodge Durango Crew

Score out of 1,000: 714.9

As-tested price: $36,685 (most expensive)

MPGs: Rated 16/23/19 city/hwy./combined, 25.0 in test

What judges liked: Styling and interior "Definitely sports some high-end and luxury types of features. You really notice the high quality of the delicious-looking, buttery mocha leather seats," said Varela. Sliding second row for third-row access. "Was the best in terms of getting into the back, and I like the sliding second row," said Thomas. Seat comfort "Well-bolstered and long-haul supportive seating," said Davis.

What they didn't: V-6's power. "With an image of brutishness, you sure wish the Durango was faster," said Thomas."There's too much gear-hunting during passing and acceleration," said Davis. Ride comfort. "On the first bumpy road, I was confronted with an embarrassing realization as the only woman (among the experts). Maybe I should have packed a sports bra to wear while driving the Durango. … Definitely bumpier and more trucklike. Need I go into more detail?" said Varela.

Bottom line: A good-looker inside and out that needs some work (or the V-8 option) under the hood. But "once the new eight-speed automatic goes into the V-6 Durango, it's likely to drive so well that the minuses pale," Healey said.

Key Durango features: 2011 IIHS Top Safety Pick, backup camera with warning, blind-spot monitor, leather, heated front and rear seats, only remote start in test, only rear-drive in test, 115-volt house-style outlet, power liftgate, USB input for MP3 player, maximum towing: 6,200 pounds (No. 1).

No. 5: 2011 Toyota Highlander

Score out of 1,000: 692.1

As-tested price: $31,675 (least expensive)

MPGs: Rated 18/24/20 city/hwy./combined, 24.1 in test

What judges liked: Configurable second row with center stow seat. "You can convert the second row from a bench seat for three into captain's chairs with an open passageway between them for super-easy access to the third row, even if you have child-safety seats installed in the captain's chairs," Varela said. Smooth powertrain. "Snappy throttle response and strong pull from the V-6. The transmission shifts are firm," said Davis. Space.

What they didn't: Brakes. "Never got used to the spongy brakes," Thomas said. "I continued to misjudge stopping distances." Ride comfort. "Choppiest of them all," Wiesenfelder said. Interior. "From the upholstery to the dashboard materials, the interior is woefully outdated, and the backup camera display is tiny," Wiesenfelder said.

Bottom line: Judges split on styling's appeal but agreed it seems outdated in this group. "Lots of room inside for the footprint, but it's so annoying to drive that it erases itself from consideration among this group," said Healey. "You can see why the Highlander has been a huge success, but you can also see what will be its downfall if Toyota doesn't act soon," Wiesenfelder said.

Key Highlander features: IIHS Top Safety Pick, backup camera (no warning), cloth non-heated seats, USB input for MP3 player, maximum towing: 5,000 pounds.

No. 6 (tie): 2012 Kia Sorento SX

Score out of 1,000: 690.15

As-tested price: $34,650

MPGs: Rated 20/26/22 city/hwy./combined, 25.4 in test (highest)

What judges liked: For many reviewers, this was the driver's car. "Its high-revving engine and smaller footprint made for the most fun on the road," Thomas said. Features. "The air-conditioned driver's seat was beyond blissful," Varela said. "The center console was large enough for me to stash my purse, iPad or laptop." Styling. "Its looks are striking, mainly due to the D-pillar," said Healey.

What they didn't: Size. "Guess what? The smallest (SUV) was the most confining inside," Thomas said. Rear corner visibility. "That same big, slanted (rear roof pillar) that looks cool outside wrecks your ability to see out from the inside. Borders on unsafe," said Healey. Wind noise. "If it weren't for the amount of wind noise coming from the A-pillar," Varela said, "I might actually put the Sorento on my own family's potential new-car list."

Bottom line: "A decent choice for buyers who are OK with a smaller SUV," Wiesenfelder said, "and who are more interested in efficiency and features for the money."

Key Sorento features: 2011 IIHS Top Safety Pick, backup camera with warning, smallest cargo area (72.5 cu. ft., 9.1 behind third row), navigation (one of two in Shootout), USB input for MP3 player, panoramic moonroof, longest warranty (five years/60,000 miles, 10 years/100,000 powertrain), leather, heated front seats, ventilated driver's seat, maximum towing: 3,500 pounds.

No. 6 (tie): 2012 Ford Explorer XLT

Score out of 1,000: 690.15

As-tested price: $36,640

MPGs: Rated 18/25/20 city/hwy./combined, 24.4 in test

What judges liked: Driver's seat. "Incredibly comfortable, like a La-Z-Boy for the car," Varela said. Looks, in and out. "Bold styling, sporty dash and interior,"said Davis. Features. "Navigation system is good to have at this price," said Wiesenfelder. Improved MyFord Touch infotainment control system, though it took time to master and one still found it distracting.

What they didn't: Less interior room than expected for size. "The Explorer is the only model in which I felt like I needed more driver's seat legroom," Wiesenfelder said. Non-sliding second-row seats. Varela found the "flip-and-tumble operation to gain access to the third row extremely tough."

Bottom line: "While its mileage is highly competitive, it retains some of the truckiness and modest passenger space associated with earlier SUVs," Wiesenfelder said. "Styling is love it or hate it," Davis said. "But it really makes an aggressive statement."

Key Explorer features: 2011 IIHS Top Safety Pick, backup camera with warning, navigation system (one of two in Shootout), voice-activated stereo and navi system, leather, heated front seats, USB input for MP3 player, maximum towing: 5,000 pounds.