Can you say four wheels on the fly for around $20 grand?

While some of you may be getting fat checks from Uncle Sam this summer, others will be forking over the fat checks. For those who may not have the bucks after that to purchase one of the highly recommended Mercedes, Lexus, or BMW SUV’s, don’t fret, you can still have your own brand of fun this summer!

Both the Jeep Compass and Nissan Rogue come in great packages, are highly recommended by consumers, and are in a price range where to today’s standards you would be wondering if this actually has an engine, or just the Flintstones cut-outs!

Consumer wise, you would find that both the Rogue and Compass have a fairly high rating. Most consumers like the power output, drivability, styling, interior layout, and over all economy rating. However, once you add the automotive reviewer in the mix, the Rogue begins to come out on top.

While we are not saying that you shouldn’t listen the opinions of professional reviewers, but they are quite honestly just people like you and me with their own opinions, likes, dislikes, and prejudices. We are offering you today a true apples to apples comparison of these low-buck 4X4’s.

For around $21,300, you could walk away with a well packaged 2008 Rogue S with their standard 2.5- liter DOHC, 16-valve 4-cylinder rated at 170 horsepower and 175 lbs torque. We have added the optional AWD (All Wheel Drive) to this package, raising the price from its base $19,000.

At this price you are also receiving the renowned Nissan CVT (Continuous Variable Transmission), which offers one of the smoothest shifts and highest gas economy ratings you could buy in an automatic transmission today.

While some consumers may prefer manual transmissions, this is one thing that the Rogue does not currently offer. But in its place they do have formula one inspired paddle shifters of the sides of the steering wheel, which allow manual-like gear changes for the enthusiast.

The Rogue also offers a nifty computer controlled AWD system that monitors your driving conditions and decides when all four wheels are needed. For example, normal cruising will use 2-wheel drive for best economy, while tight cornering will initiate all-wheel drive to give you better grip and control.

Keeping opinions at bay, the Rogues interior is actually rather simple and sporty by nature. It offers a very “car-like” cockpit with reasonably comfortable seats and about all the options and conveniences you should really need.

One note against the Rogue is that is does have a somewhat impaired visibility due to design. But it is actually still quite livable and safe by most consumers standards.

The 2008 Jeep Compass comes at an amazing $17,000 base price, and when you add in their 4X4 package, you still find yourself under the $20 grand mark at around $18,800. This is an impressive 4-wheel drive vehicle price by most anyones standards.

For $3,000 under the Rogue, the Compass has a very comparable 2.4 liter 16-valve 4-cylinder rated at 172 horsepower and 165 lbs torque. The real difference in the engine you will find is the option to go with the manual transmission, which is what we chose for this comparison.

For another $1,100 the consumer can choose the Jeep clutchless “auto stick” (Continuously Variable Transaxle), that provides the option between full automatic or driver initiated manual shifting. The Jeep provides a much more traditional feel of a 4X4 for the purist.

Almost the cost of gold, Jeep also offers a FULL tank of gas with every purchase… never thought I’d see the day where this would be a viable equipment addition, but it certainly is today! Another great feature of the Jeep is a limited lifetime warranty on its drivetrain. That is confidence for you…

On the inside, the Compass has lots of room, particularly in the head region. On the down side, the cockpit is a bit less refined and sporty than the Rogue. It also has a lot of low quality hard plastics that are featured throughout the dash.

The low quality stops at the seats, which are rated by most consumers to be fairly cushioned and comfortable. The head restraints however are a bit cumbersome and impair visibility much the same as the Rogue, albeit in a different way.

The Compass also has its own brand of ESP (Electronic Stability Program) that monitors driving conditions and if it senses extreme steering maneuvers, it will adjusts both throttle and brake to help the driver bring the vehicle back under control. While not quite as advanced as the system used by the Rogue, it has proven itself effective none-the-less.

Both cars are a great buy at around $20,000, so choose your passion… you really can’t go wrong either way!

While minivan’s are said to be on a downward curve in comparison with the sports touring SUV’s, they are still a force to reckon with in some areas. For our final segment of the BrandIntel Consumer Voice Awards, we asked Alan Dean and Vince Bucciachio what consumers are saying about which sports tourer and minivan is the best buy for 2008. You just might be in for a surprise, because guess what? The Honda Odyssey does not take center stage this year… and neither does the Mazda CX-9.

For the Minivan Segment, the Overall Bread-Winner is the — Dodge Grand Caravan

Consumer Comments: What’s that you say, another American car beating out several top selling imports? Yes indeed, Dodge is on fire this year and their redesigned Caravan appears to be a winner. Last year if you’d dropped into a consumer forum discussing the Dodge Grand Caravan you might have heard words such as “boring” and “standard”, but while styling alone does not make a minivan, the redesigned Caravan does more than just create a slight facelift to win back the hearts of its old customers.

Consumers love the “feel of the new Swivel ‘n Go seating system”, which allows the captain chairs to spin clear around to face the third seat passengers. Consumers like the overall comfortability of the Caravan, it’s smooth ride, roominess, and conveniences such as a three-zone video entertainment system which allows front, middle and rear-seat passengers to view and listen to separate entertainment sources (Sirius Backseat Television).

Share of Consumer Discussion — 45% of all discussion (that is close to half folks)

Sentiment — High

Consumers Like — Seating, Value, Comfort, Interior Roominess, and Overall Ride

Consumers Dislike — Exterior Styling, Quality, and Engine (which lags in comparison to some of its competition with its 175 to 251 horsepower rating)

Most Significant Rival is the — Chrysler Town & Country

Consumer Comments: There is a notable trend with the minivan today, and that is the consumer is much more impressed with their comfort than their pure brawn. Once again we find that the runner-up of this class is not a real performer (175 to 251 horsepower), but more of a luxury tourer. The Town & Country is basically the twin sister of the Grand Caravan, albeit slightly more blocky and less refined on the outside. And while consumers are still not real fond of its “brick-like shape”, they do like the fact that it translates into a lot more room and comfort to speak of.

The overall most popular and liked vehicles among consumers in the Minivan segment:

10^th Place— Chevrolet Uplander 9% popularity, high sentiment

9^th Place— Nissan Quest 3% popularity, medium sentiment

8^th Place— Mercury Montery 1% popularity, high sentiment

7^th Place— Buick Terraza 1% popularity, medium-low sentiment

6^th Place— Toyota Sienna 1% popularity, very high sentiment

5^th Place— Kia Sedona 1% popularity, high sentiment

4^th Place— Hyundai Entourage 1% popularity, medium sentiment

3^rd Place— Honda Odyssey 16% popularity, medium sentiment

2^nd Place— Chrysler T&C 20% popularity, low sentiment

1^st Place— Dodge Grand Caravan 45% popularity, high sentiment

For the Mid-Size Sports Tourer Segment, the Overall Bread-Winner is the — Nissan Rogue

Consumer Comments: It would be easy to pass over the success rate of the all new Nissan Rouge as being out of its newness alone, but there are just far too many keys that lead to its appeal to pass it over without a real glance at what it has to offer its consumer. Receiving one of the highest sentiment scores of all the segments, what most consumers seem to like about the new Rogue is its standard Nissan Xtronic CVTâ„¢ (transmission), which they say “makes the vehicle very smooth and fun to drive.” On the negative side, some performance enthusiasts claim the CVT takes away from the performance feel of a “clunkier” transmission and some also complained about its poor rear visibility… but nothing’s perfect!

Share of Consumer Discussion — 13%

Sentiment — Very, Very High

Consumers Like — Appeal, Comfort, Fun, Suspension, Transmission, and overall Value

Consumers Dislike — Poor Visibility in Spots

Most Significant Rival is the — Subaru Forester

Consumer Comments: Subaru has gained a wealth of happy consumers due to the quality build of their Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive systems and this is one of the most talked about features of the 2008 Forester. Consumers also like the latest styling additions to the Forester, specifically the new STI-style front bumper, and the 6-spoke 16-inch alloy wheels. Add in the zippy finesse of its turbo-charged 2.5-liter, 230 horsepower version and it is easy to see why the Forester captures the hearts of so many of its buyers.

The overall most popular and liked vehicles among consumers in the Sports Tourer segment:

10^th Place— Ford Edge 9% popularity, medium-low sentiment

9^th Place— Ford Freestyle 1% popularity, medium-high sentiment

8^th Place— Cadillac SRX 3% popularity, very high sentiment

7^th Place— Saturn Outlook 4% popularity, high sentiment

6^th Place— Infinity FX35/45 5% popularity, very very high sentiment

5^th Place— Mazda Mazda5 6% popularity, very high sentiment

4^th Place— Volvo XC70 6% popularity, very high sentiment

3^rd Place— Mazda CX-7 7% popularity, very high sentiment

2^nd Place— Subaru Forester 8% popularity, high sentiment

1^st Place— Nissan Rogue 14% popularity, very very high sentiment

Taking to the streets in your new compact or luxury sedan is one thing, but what about off the streets in a new pickup or mid-sized SUV. Which work vehicles and family haulers have taken center stage for consumers so far for 2008? Alan Dean and Vince Bucciachio from BrandIntel.com offer their insight through their 2008 Consumer Voice Awards.

For the Large Pickup Truck Segment, the Overall Bread-Winner is the — Nissan Titan

Consumer Comments: Most consumers are commenting, “The Titan’s 5.6 liter, 317 horsepower, V8 engine provides ample and responsive power.” But with size comes more gas, so there is also a fair amount of complaints that the Titan uses too much gas (12 mpg city/17 highway). But so do most of the other large pickups in this class, so they are far from being alone.

The one aspect that they could stand to listen to consumers and experts about is offering a diesel engine. But even with this handicap, the Titan is by far and away the most highly praised truck for 2008.

Share of Consumer Discussion — 15%

Sentiment — Very High

Consumers Like — The Engine and Performance

Consumers Dislike — The Low Fuel Economy

Most Significant Rival is the — Dodge Ram

The Dodge Ram has been on top of many consumers list for years now. They comment on its, “Bold and aggressive exterior”. But what has also captured their attention is its improvements in “torque, horsepower, and better fuel economy”. It is hard to believe that the words more horsepower and better fuel economy could be used in the same sentence, but in the case of the 5.7 liter Hemi Dodge, they can. The Hemi V-8 gets an improved 345 horsepower, which is significantly over the Titan, while maintaining a 15 mpg city/19 mpg highway.

While the Dodge Ram is by no means a “new” release (the Titan was released in 2004), it has “made the most significant ground in 2008” according to most consumers who still stand behind their Dodge’s.

The overall most popular and liked vehicles among consumers in the Large Pickup Truck segment:

9^th Place— Lincoln Mark LT 1% popularity, low sentiment

8^th Place— Cadillac Escalade EXT 1% popularity, low sentiment

7^th Place— Toyota Tundra 20% popularity, low sentiment

6^th Place— Ford F-Series 42% popularity, medium sentiment

5^th Place— Chevrolet Avalanche 1% popularity, high sentiment

4^th Place— GMC Sierra 5% popularity, very high sentiment

3^rd Place— Chevrolet Silverado 8% popularity, high sentiment

2^nd Place— Dodge Ram 9% popularity, high sentiment

1^st Place— Nissan Titan 15% popularity, high sentiment

For the Mid-Size SUV Segment, the Overall Bread-Winner is the — Mercury Mariner

Consumer Comments: Consumer who have driven the new Mercury Mariner rave about its, “comfortable, high-quality and luxurious interior”. They also have a very high opinion of the external updates that the Mariner received for 2008, in particular its “expanded ‘waterfall’ grille and larger Mercury badge”.

To Mercury’s credit, consumers online were not found to really have any significant dislikes about the Mariner worth mentioning. This is one of the rare SUV’s that have made it through a release without at least some negative criticism.

Share of Consumer Discussion — 9%

Sentiment — Very High

Consumers Like — Exterior Styling, Comfort, Interior Styling, Performance, and Overall Quality

Consumers Dislike — Nothing to Speak of

Most Significant Rival is the — Toyota RAV4

Consumer Comments: The engine of the RAV4 is really what has stood out for consumers so far this year. The 3.5 liter V-6 has proven itself with both the enthusiasts and daily drivers alike. While it produces 269 horsepower, 246 lb-ft of torque, and can launch from 0-60 in just 7.2 seconds, the RAV4’s V-6 gets close to the same fuel economy as a much less powerful four-cylinder. It is capable of 19 mpg city/27 mpg highway and all consumers certainly could appreciate that.

The RAV4 was not as lucky as the Mariner in that it did appear to have a significant drawback for the consumer, and that was its, “quality of interior materials which both felt and looked cheap”.

The overall most popular and liked vehicles among consumers in the Large Pickup Truck segment:

10^th Place— KIA Sorento 1% popularity, very high sentiment

9^th Place— Suzuki XL-7 1% popularity, very high sentiment

8^th Place— Mitsubishi Outlander 1% popularity, very high sentiment

7^th Place— Nissan Xterra 2% popularity, high sentiment

6^th Place— Hyundai Santa Fe 2% popularity, high sentiment

5^th Place— Honda Element 3% popularity, medium sentiment

4^th Place— Mazda Tribute 3% popularity, high sentiment

3^rd Place— Jeep Wrangler 5% popularity, very high sentiment

2^nd Place— Toyota RAV4 7% popularity, medium-high sentiment

1^st Place— Mercury Mariner 9% popularity, very high sentiment