Time for a not-quite-midlife-crisis car(s); need recommendations

[RP]

Originally Posted by keith.rogers

We are on our 2nd CRV in 10 years (first, a 2010, lost to Hurricane Harvey in 2017). These are great cars, and the new ones are quieter, peppier, and get as good or better mileage out of a smaller engine.

We like the small SUV because it's just so darn practical. And, I've got my Miata for fun.

Wow! A CRV and an MX5 - we have the same taste....

[UncleJesse]

Originally Posted by fitness1

And one of the last remaining new cars with a CD player!

Must be a Subaru thing. I got a 2020 Impreza and it came with a CD player. I couldn't believe it! I hadn't even ever used the one in my 2015 Ford before it.

[Neil K Walk]

I appreciate the input but let me clarify: my wife is in the market for a commuter with bells and whistles so that she can sit in rush hour traffic. Her requirements are good fuel efficiency, heated steering wheel and remote starter. Leather seats would also be preferable. I see her in a luxury sedan like a Lexus or Acura. Kia is certainly an option.

In addition, she is pressuring me to get rid of our 10 year old Honda Odyssey which needs work but is otherwise more reliable than her Mazda which has half the years and mileage. SHE wants ME to get an SUV. I don’t - nor does she because of the fuel efficiency. The minivan has served us well on long trips and quite honestly I’d buy another - though I’d really like a full size van that could double as a mini RV.

FWIW we’ve had an Equinox, an Outback wagon and a Mazda CX-9 with a third row. Each have had their good points but have mostly been bad for us. I’m glad you guys like your mini coopers and miatas but such toys are 10 years away for us. I’m holding out for something vintage and as old as I am.

[Music-N-Yarn]

I like my late model Subaru Forester. Heated front seats, but no heated steering wheel. Late husband had two BMWs. Learned to take them off insurance January through March, because they were lousy in snow, ice, slush, flurries. Looks like we are in the same state.

[Chipotle]

So are you talking about two cars here? One for her and one for you? That's a different kettle of fish than one vehicle that can cover both bases, which I think everybody (or at least me) was assuming.

[Neil K Walk]

Yeah, sorry. I’m willing to wait before retiring the minivan; the interior is too far gone to get a decent trade for it anyway. The thought of two car payments also doesn’t appeal to me. I feel like my wife should lease. We don’t put a lot of miles on our vehicles. Based on how much we’ve had to put into her car this past year it makes a certain amount of sense.

[AX17609]

Originally Posted by Neil K Walk

I appreciate the input but let me clarify: my wife is in the market for a commuter with bells and whistles so that she can sit in rush hour traffic. Her requirements are good fuel efficiency, heated steering wheel and remote starter. Leather seats would also be preferable. I see her in a luxury sedan like a Lexus or Acura. Kia is certainly an option.

In addition, she is pressuring me to get rid of our 10 year old Honda Odyssey which needs work but is otherwise more reliable than her Mazda which has half the years and mileage. SHE wants ME to get an SUV. I don’t - nor does she because of the fuel efficiency. The minivan has served us well on long trips and quite honestly I’d buy another - though I’d really like a full size van that could double as a mini RV.

FWIW we’ve had an Equinox, an Outback wagon and a Mazda CX-9 with a third row. Each have had their good points but have mostly been bad for us. I’m glad you guys like your mini coopers and miatas but such toys are 10 years away for us. I’m holding out for something vintage and as old as I am.

So, we're talking two cars, not just one...right? Your wife needs a BMW 330xi. The new interior is fabulous, and the maintenance plan means you never have to worry. She will love you forever. That's the end of that discussion. Your needs, however, are more complicated.

[imwjl]

We just checked out and tested a whole lot of mostly practical vehicles with street prices under $30,000 to the $53,000 Model Y.

The 2020 Outback we expected to buy is noticeably quieter and has an improved ride and our criticisms are the electronics interface and dropping with too much black plastic. The price climbs if you get the turbo.

One interesting bit with testing many is realizing how much the fancy versions of some vehicles are still the very good platforms and like their lesser siblings. Acura against Honda, or how a Golf Alltrack is 80% of Audi siblings at (depends on incentives) 50-60% the price.

For any interest in something premium I say you have to check out a Model 3 or Y even if you don't buy.

The real sleeper and now people snapping them up are the remaining Golf Alltracks and especially the SE with convenience/appearance or SEL versions. Thoroughly modern safety and electronics and the bigger Car Play display with the option to get a manual transmission and mods that make it pretty much the R Estate available in other markets. The rona specials on them are factory incentive, 0% 72 month loans on top of that, and 6/72 warranty.

On that Odyssey, the next generation Sienna is available shortly, and so is bringing back the Venza.

The Model Y makes sense if you're looking at premium stuff. Now at 2.5 months owning it we love the Alltrack even more - a real surprise for me. It close to 1/2 the price and so much fun and so nice we said no to Model Y or anything premium and got the VW.

If your wife will sit in traffic she's got a really good argument for the Outback's EyeSight or a Model 3 or Y. Obviously the 6 speed manual VW with AEB and safety electronics can't do the stop and start the way our Outback can or a Tesla does but my brother and others put it well with "Turbo, Manual, Haldex, and Car Play... How do you not do it?".

Our conclusion was lots of great stuff out there but we're in a time when someone needs to catch up to Tesla or Tesla needs a cheaper car. We took the super fun bargain, put money into other stuff, and are waiting for more good BEV choices.

[The Watchman]

If you're going to haul anything at all (like the bikes you mention), I'll suggest you look at a Honda Ridgeline. Yes its a pickup truck, but it has all the comfort of a car, with the added benefit of a short truck bed. I had one for a few years and loved everything about it except for parking it.

I have a RAV4 now, and its OK for what it is. But I miss the convenience of that truck bed.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by Neil K Walk

Yeah, sorry. I’m willing to wait before retiring the minivan; the interior is too far gone to get a decent trade for it anyway. The thought of two car payments also doesn’t appeal to me. I feel like my wife should lease. We don’t put a lot of miles on our vehicles. Based on how much we’ve had to put into her car this past year it makes a certain amount of sense.

So does that mean you are looking for one vehicle basically for her commute ? But with some ability to comfortably haul kids and some cargo ?

If so depending on logistics what about an EV (all electric) depends on availability of Charging where she works and or the ability to set up a 220 volt circuit in your garage (can be charged in 120 volt BUT 220 v gives much faster charging) . What my son in law got was Nissan LEAF S Plus 62 KWH with the home charging option ( the model with the 226 mile range) for right around $30k with Fed tax credit (may be state incentives as well) .

[joe white]

My wife's Ford Escape Platinum started the dreaded parasitic drain that will drain the battery flat overnight without warning. After three times of this I installed an in line battery shutoff while we began our auto search. Before the Escape, my wife had two Camry SE and before those a Corolla. All three were flawless. Zero repair costs other than typical wear items (wiper blades, rotors, brake pads)

We decided to go back to Toyota for her and found a Rav4 Limited with all the goodies.it doesn't have the heated steering wheel though. It's a nice cross between a sedan and an SUV and while it lacks a little power compared to the turbo assisted Escape, the mileage is better even though it's also an all wheel drive (but that can be switched off I think)
The Escape did not fit me at all in the drivers seat. After a short time, both my knees would begin to hurt from rubbing the door panel and console but not in the Rav4. I think the Rav4 is worth a look.

[Acousticado]

Originally Posted by catdaddy

Check out the 2020 Subaru Outback. https://www.subaru.com/vehicles/outback/features.html

Heated steering wheel- check!

Heated front seats- check!

All-Wheel Drive for the hills, ice and snow in the 'burgh- check!

Good ground clearance to navigate those infamous potholes in the 'burgh which multiply like rabbits and attack cars like a rhino that's escaped from The Highland Park Zoo- check!

Roof rack for your kayaks/bikes/etc.- check!

Great cargo space for lumber, building supplies, etc.- check!

Highway gas mileage decent at 30-33mpg depending on the engine.


My brother-in-law who lives near Pittsburgh bought one two years ago and absolutely loves it.

If you need some towing capacity, most of today’s SUVs are pitiful in that respect. Iirc, the Outback is rated at 2,500 lbs., not a lot, but better than most SUVs. We’re on our second Nissan Murano (really like them), both bought used. The current is a 2014 we bought in early 2017 with very low mileage. It has 3,500 lbs. rated capacity. In 2015, the Murano was redesigned with only 1,500 rated and recommended to not even tow with it. Our next vehicle won’t be a Murano. An Outback will be given serious consideration, most likely a used one in a few years.

[Brucebubs]

Originally Posted by joe white

My wife's Ford Escape Platinum started the dreaded parasitic drain that will drain the battery flat overnight without warning. After three times of this I installed an in line battery shutoff while we began our auto search. Before the Escape, my wife had two Camry SE and before those a Corolla. All three were flawless. Zero repair costs other than typical wear items (wiper blades, rotors, brake pads)

We decided to go back to Toyota for her and found a Rav4 Limited with all the goodies.it doesn't have the heated steering wheel though. It's a nice cross between a sedan and an SUV and while it lacks a little power compared to the turbo assisted Escape, the mileage is better even though it's also an all wheel drive (but that can be switched off I think)
The Escape did not fit me at all in the drivers seat. After a short time, both my knees would begin to hurt from rubbing the door panel and console but not in the Rav4. I think the Rav4 is worth a look.

The Hybrid RAV has a 10 month waiting list here in Australia.
Good warranty, incredible mileage, fixed price services and a spare wheel.
Subaru by comparison are charging an extra $3000 for their hybrid models with minimal difference in mileage and no spare wheel.

[The Watchman]

I chose the RAV4 over the Honda CRV (which I otherwise preferred) because I will not buy another vehicle with a turbo, and only the base CRV does not have one.

[PeteCady]

We have 2 Subarus. 2015 Forester (last year you could get a standard transmission!), 2019 Impreza. Just about perfect for our needs. FWIW.