Starting to look - Recs on a small or mid SUV/Crossover/Wagon

[aphex]

Can never start looking too early I suppose. I'd like my Mazda3 to last till the end of the year if not longer, but it can never hurt to have a short list should the time come sooner or later.

With a strong possibility of my wife and I having a kid in the next 1-2 years, I would like something with a bit more room than my 3, either a small to medium sized SUV/Crossover/Wagon/Variant. I have an hour commute, but I only go into the office 2 days a week right now, so gas mileage is important but not my #1 factor, though that can change in the future were I to move up in the company.

Used is definitely a viable option. 2007 or newer, 30k or less miles, under 20k. Would like it to be reliable, sporty, comfortable ride, quiet ride and enough room to fit a decent amount of stuff.

Any recs?

 

[alfa147x]

I am in love with the Honda CRV absolutely great car!

 

[TraumaRN]

Used Ford Escape Hybrid? Great on gas and haul the family around.
Sticking with Mazda a CX-7??

Whats your price range for new? Is it still under 20k?

Otherwise I'd say the new Ford Edge comes out in the fall, 2.0L Ecoboost I-4 pushing 230HP is the fuel saving option or the 285HP 3.5L V6 that is supposed to get 28-30MPH highway? Only problem is new even midrange model would be 25K most likely.

 

[Fenixgoon]

my parents and my brother(+wife) both have a hyundai santa fe. they've been good so far.theirs are newer models (2008 and 2009 i think), so i don't know much about any older ones.

 

[Bignate603]

If you're considering AWD at all I'd start looking at Subaru. My mother and sister both live in the northeast and swear by them during the winter.

 

[Davegod75]

elantra touring?

 

[Jumpem]

Outback. It's perfect for what you want. Fits large car seats easily. Plenty of room in back for the stroller and groceries. With the CVT I get 30mpg.

Would be a bit above your budget though.

 

[obamanation]

Can never start looking too early I suppose. I'd like my Mazda3 to last till the end of the year if not longer, but it can never hurt to have a short list should the time come sooner or later.

With a strong possibility of my wife and I having a kid in the next 1-2 years, I would like something with a bit more room than my 3, either a small to medium sized SUV/Crossover/Wagon/Variant. I have an hour commute, but I only go into the office 2 days a week right now, so gas mileage is important but not my #1 factor, though that can change in the future were I to move up in the company.

Used is definitely a viable option. 2007 or newer, 30k or less miles, under 20k. Would like it to be reliable, sporty, comfortable ride, quiet ride and enough room to fit a decent amount of stuff.

Any recs?

get a prius.


/thread



Don't think you need a "bigger car" just because you're going to have a child. You realize how ridiculous that sounds? I think you've been duped by brain dead morons into thinking that having a child = buy another, larger vehicle, irrespective of your actual needs.. You're seriously overestimating what you need in a vehicle. Need a wagon? Prius fits the bill just fine. Completely absurd to think you need a vehicle that seats 4-5 fully grown adults just for ONE CHILD. For christsakes I grew up in a family of 3 other siblings and all we had was a Toyota Camry that seated 5 to take us to and from school.. My mom drove us to school every day in the Toyota Camry while my Dad drove to work in his Chevrolet Caprice. The Camry Seated 5 people and the Caprice Seated 6 people.

I have a friend who currently owns a CRV and while he likes the vehicle (his wife bought the vehicle before they got married), he is looking to get a sedan to replace the CRV because the cost of gasoline is killing him. He has one child currently and I don't know of his plans for the future but by the looks of things, a car would suffice in his case.


OP, you plan on having ONE CHILD, maybe even TWO, do you really think you need a goddamn SUV to cart TWO children around? When you have 3+ children, THEN, MAYBE buy the SUV but that could be several years from now and you won't reap the benefit of buying the SUV NOW.


======
If you plan on having 4 children over the course of 10 years, it makes absolutely no sense to buy a minivan or SUV 1 year or more before the first child is born especially if you replace your vehicle every 5 years!
======

I don't hate SUVs or Minivans but there are far too many fucking idiots driving these things on the roads despite the fact there is maybe 1 or 2 passengers. If you've got a litter of children, it makes sense but when you only have a few kids, it for the most part makes no sense.

 

[Jumpem]

get a prius.


/thread



Don't think you need a "bigger car" just because you're going to have a child. You realize how ridiculous that sounds? I think you've been duped by brain dead morons into thinking that having a child = buy another, larger vehicle, irrespective of your actual needs.. You're seriously overestimating what you need in a vehicle. Need a wagon? Prius fits the bill just fine. Completely absurd to think you need a vehicle that seats 4-5 fully grown adults just for ONE CHILD. For christsakes I grew up in a family of 3 other siblings and all we had was a Toyota Camry that seated 5 to take us to and from school.. My mom drove us to school every day in the Toyota Camry while my Dad drove to work in his Chevrolet Caprice. The Camry Seated 5 people and the Caprice Seated 6 people.

I have a friend who currently owns a CRV and while he likes the vehicle (his wife bought the vehicle before they got married), he is looking to get a sedan to replace the CRV because the cost of gasoline is killing him. He has one child currently and I don't know of his plans for the future but by the looks of things, a car would suffice in his case.


OP, you plan on having ONE CHILD, maybe even TWO, do you really think you need a goddamn SUV to cart TWO children around? When you have 3+ children, THEN, MAYBE buy the SUV but that could be several years from now and you won't reap the benefit of buying the SUV NOW.


======
If you plan on having 4 children over the course of 10 years, it makes absolutely no sense to buy a minivan or SUV 1 year or more before the first child is born especially if you replace your vehicle every 5 years!
======

I don't hate SUVs or Minivans but there are far too many fucking idiots driving these things on the roads despite the fact there is maybe 1 or 2 passengers. If you've got a litter of children, it makes sense but when you only have a few kids, it for the most part makes no sense.

Liberal troll alert!

 

[aphex]

Three things obamanation.

1. Prius is out. My parents both have them and while we like them, its too sterile a drive for me.

2. I never said I needed a bigger car, i said I wanted a bigger car. Your post is based off an incorrect premise.

3. Can you tone it down a bit? I came in asking for a simple recommendation, not a colorful/flagrant lecture of why you think too many people own big cars.

 

[Jumpem]

Not to mention many smaller cars don't have room to properly fit car seats. I have no experience with the Prius, but with our Fit the car seat would only fit in the middle rear position. The front seat backs didn't allow it to fit in the side positions.

 

[obamanation]

Liberal troll alert!

Like your post isn't trolling in of itself? Don't call me a liberal, I take offense to that - notice my user name should imply otherwise.

Not to mention many smaller cars don't have room to properly fit car seats. I have no experience with the Prius, but with our Fit the car seat would only fit in the middle rear position. The front seat backs didn't allow it to fit in the side positions.

Maybe you have a crappy car seat? Oh and what year is your Honda Fit?? How tall are you? Can you comfortably sit in the back seats of your Honda Fit? My rule for purchasing a "people carrier" is that if I can't comfortably sit in the back seat of the car, I don't consider it a "people carrier".. For a frame of reference, my height 6'4.

Three things obamanation.

Prius is out. My parents both have them and while we like them, its too sterile a drive for me.

Your parents must have the older Prius because I too have driven the Prius and while it is "quite sterile" and not an "inspirational drive" or not even have terribly comfortable seats at that, it's not that bad of a vehicle when you look at it as a whole. But that's completely beside the point, what I suggest you do is check out the 2010 Prius. The 2010 Prius is suppose to be significantly better than the older Prius in every which way. Test drive it, rent it or what ever, I had the opportunity to drive an '09 Prius for two days and definitely could see the room for improvement and from what I've read, Toyota did just that with their latest Prius. Also, I found that a "test drive" may not be good enough and that actually renting the vehicle for a day or two would not only allow for time to adjust to the vehicle, but also help point out things you do or don't like about a particular vehicle. I was totally amazed at all the little things I discovered over the course of the rental and how little one sees of a car when they can only "test drive" it. I highly recommend, if you can, renting a vehicle before buying it.

 

[Jumpem]

Maybe you have a crappy car seat? Oh and what year is your Honda Fit?? How tall are you? Can you comfortably sit in the back seats of your Honda Fit? My rule for purchasing a "people carrier" is that if I can't comfortably sit in the back seat of the car, I don't consider it a "people carrier".. For a frame of reference, my height 6'4.

We bought a Chicco KeyFit. It was the highest rated car seat at the time. The Fit was a 2007, and I'm 5'6", so the front seat wasn't exactly pushed back a lot. I could easily sit in the back of it, but rear facing car seats need a lot more room in front of the seat than someone's knees do.

 

[obamanation]

We bought a Chicco KeyFit. It was the highest rated car seat at the time. The Fit was a 2007, and I'm 5'6", so the front seat wasn't exactly pushed back a lot. I could easily sit in the back of it, but rear facing car seats need a lot more room in front of the seat than someone's knees do.

The 2007-2008 Honda Fits only have 33.70" of leg room in the rear while the 2009+ Honda Fits have 34.50" of leg room. I've found that the bare minimum leg room needed for ME to sit comfortably in the rear with the front seats pushed back all the way is around 34". However! The Prius does not have 33 or 34" of rear leg room but 38.6" for the 2004-2009 Prius and 36" for the 2010 Prius.


When Toyota designed the Prius, they definitely had car seats in mind. If you get the right car seat, one can fit three car seats side by side in a car as small as a Corolla. For those who aren't aware, the Prius is a "midsize" car.. So it isn't exactly "small"...

 

[Bignate603]

The 2007-2008 Honda Fits only have 33.70" of leg room in the rear while the 2009+ Honda Fits have 34.50" of leg room. I've found that the bare minimum leg room needed for ME to sit comfortably in the rear with the front seats pushed back all the way is around 34". However! The Prius does not have 33 or 34" of rear leg room but 38.6" for the 2004-2009 Prius and 36" for the 2010 Prius.


When Toyota designed the Prius, they definitely had car seats in mind. If you get the right car seat, one can fit three car seats side by side in a car as small as a Corolla. For those who aren't aware, the Prius is a "midsize" car.. So it isn't exactly "small"...

Yeah, apparently you haven't got the memo, he doesn't want a prius and he doesn't want something the size of a fit.

A wagon is completely reasonable. I'd love a wagon and I don't have any kids. It would let me carry stuff without needing a huge vehicle. I go camping, pick up stuff from home depot, help people move, etc. It would be incredibly useful without burning a ton of gas.

 

[desy]

Tough to be as sporty as a 3 in a CUV

Brand new Forester or used New model Equinox when they start hitting the market?
I can't speak to the reliability but the Volvo V70 Wagon is a safe solid choice

 

[Zenmervolt]

I had a Mazda CX-9 as a rental a year or so ago and I was very much impressed with how well it drove. It's definitely not truck-like at all. If you want something that still has some liveliness I think that the CX-7 or the CX-9 should be high on your list.

ZV

 

[Zenmervolt]

I had a Mazda CX-9 as a rental a year or so ago and I was very much impressed with how well it drove. It's definitely not truck-like at all. If you want something that still has some liveliness I think that the CX-7 or the CX-9 should be high on your list.

ZV

 

[PingSpike]

A new Hyundai Tucson with AWD is like $22. I think the non-AWD model comes in under $20K. I'm going to have a look at those when I next go shopping.

 

[PricklyPete]

I had a Mazda CX-9 as a rental a year or so ago and I was very much impressed with how well it drove. It's definitely not truck-like at all. If you want something that still has some liveliness I think that the CX-7 or the CX-9 should be high on your list.

ZV

My sister and her husband just bought a used 2008 CX-9 and I was impressed as well...drove very nicely for such a large vehicle.

 

[Jzero]

I have found "small SUVs" to have AWFUL "trunks." Take a careful look at those.

I think it's best to concentrate on wagon/hatch form factor...

Subaru Forester or Outback
Mazda3 Hatch (I am assuming you've got a 3 Sedan?), Mazda5
Hyundai Elantra Touring
Kia Rio5, Rondo
Toyota Matrix, Venza
Honda Fit (I'm actually serious about this one...fun to drive, small/efficient, cheap up-front...ideal for the commute but a surprisingly large and capable hauler when you need it).

 

[radioouman]

Do you really think that your Mazda 3 won't last until the end of the year? lol

I can understand not wanting to put a pregnant wife into a compact car, but otherwise your 3 will last as long as you want it to last.

The distance between the backrest in the back seat to the back of the front seat is critical for a car seat. I have a midsized Saturn and the only way that I could put a car seat in it was to put it in the middle seat. That is usually the safest place for a baby, but it is tough to climb across the seat to get to the middle to strap the baby in.

If you have family in another city and will be making frequent drives then I would look for a larger car too. By the time you add a portacrib, stroller and high chair plus all of the other stuff that babies need, you'll need a big trunk.

You get great bang-for-the-buck with a minivan. A mid-sized or larger sedan will work fine, a wagon is good for added bulky trunk space, or a small SUV. I find that the small SUVs don't have a trunk as big as a mid-sized sedan and you certainly give up a lot of privacy too.

Vehicles to check out:
- Honda Odessey
- Honda Accord
- Honda CR-V
- Honda Accord Crosstour
- Toyota Camry
- Toyota Venza
- Toyota RAV4
- Chevy Equinox
- Chevy Malibu
- Ford Fusion
- Ford Taurus
- Ford Edge
- Ford Escape
- Chrysler Town & Country
- Jeep Patriot
- Mazda CX5/CX7/CX9

 

[PhoKingGuy]

Jetta Sportwagen TDI?

 

[BurnItDwn]

I'd check out a Forester, a Legacy Wagon, and an Outback...

 

[ShawnD1]

If you're considering AWD at all I'd start looking at Subaru. My mother and sister both live in the northeast and swear by them during the winter.

This. My brother put some expensive winter tires on his STI and that thing performs as good in winter as most cars will do in summer. Subaru definitely has the best AWD system because it's always connected; none of this Honda/Toyota bullshit of waiting until it's slipping before trying to engage anything. It lowers your gas mileage quite a bit, but that's the price you pay for having a working AWD system.

The Subaru Impreza 5-door (not a WRX) is actually a very cheap car. They're about the same as a Toyota Corolla. They also have some really cool features that other cars don't have. Example: my friend's Impreza has heated cloth seats. Heated seats are nice and cloth is a million times better than leather, so why not mix the two? My friend said Subaru and Ford were the only companies that seemed to offer this. All of the other companies won't give you heated seats unless you buy leather seats, but that completely eliminates the point of having heated seats.

get a prius.

The Prius is a nice piece of technology but in practical terms it is a pile of shit. It's about $7,000 more expensive than my Corolla but it accelerates slower, has a lower maximum speed, has absolutely no towing abilities, and it looks horrible.