I have a 2005 Ford Escape that I picked up a couple of years ago. It's another small crossover, and was available with 2WD only and a stick shift, which is difficult to find on some types of crossovers. I fit 2 bikes inside (front wheels off) with 2 people in the front seats, and there's room left for cargo. Although it's not a true SUV, it has a good amount of ground clearance for mild off roading. The only drawback I've found is that first and reverse gears on the manual aren't as low of a ratio as I'd like, but that's not a serious problem.

A smaller vehicle that works really well for carrying bikes is the 2004-2008 Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe. I rented these a couple of times. The rear seat folds completely flat to make a durable cargo carrying surface. The newer Matrix may work also, but I'm less familiar with it.