sunflowerlady Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 If you own a smaller SUV, what kind is it and what do you like or hate about it? I will be shopping for a vehicle sometime next year and am considering one of these. The kind I am considering are like the Ford Escape, Dodge Journey, Chevy Equinox etc. We are a small family so I don't need room for several kids. In fact, it will often just be dh and me since dd is a teen and has a part time job and is gone several evenings a week. The reason I am considering one is that I want more room. They make sedans so small nowadays and I want more leg room and cargo space. A larger SUV would probably be too expensive. Oh, and we will be buying pre-owned. Thanks! :seeya: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lllll Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 (edited) nm Edited December 2, 2015 by ^ 022 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amsunshine Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 We have a Subaru Forester and really love it. It is roomy and reliable. When we bought it, we were also looking at the Chevy Equinox. I found that I liked the Forester better in terms of driving and being able to see clearly in all directions. I think the gas mileage was slightly better on the Forester, too, especially when comparing the numbers on Consumer Reports. eta: our Forester is a 2010. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyLittleBears Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 Smaller SUVs may not have the leg space you are looking for but it depends. We love love love our Nissan Pathfinder although I would say its leg space is smaller than a larger sedan. We used to have a Subaru outback and it seemed to have a lot more leg space and cargo room. As far as brands, we prefer Japanese models. They seem very reliable and well made. We have an older Toyota minivan with over 150,000 miles on it and its still going strong. Never had one problem with it and we bought it used. It's not that pretty to look at but probably has the most amount of leg space than any car we've had and the gas mileage is unbelievable! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alisa in Florida Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 I've had a Ford Escape since January, when I down-sized from a mini van. I love it! There is plenty of back seat room and cargo room. I've been getting about 25 mpg - all city driving. My favorite thing about it is the back up camera, but that may not be on all models. I can't think of anything I don't like about it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 We have a Saturn VUE and have really liked it. It still runs well, but it is a 2002, and you can't buy Saturns much anymore, so I wouldn't recommend getting a used one as parts are difficult to find. I would also look at a Toyota RAV 4 or Highlander. We have eyed those for a while. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carriede Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 I LOVE our Toyota 4Runner. We have a 2007 we bought in 2011 and it's still running beautifully. We travel with our family of 5 multiple times a year. The trunk space is ENORMOUS and wonderful. Spare tire is very easy to access. Absolutely no complaints. I'm SO sad it won't hold our growing family any longer. We're shopping for a monstrosity of an SUV that has 3 rows and towing ability. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Only me Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 We love our Toyota Rav but I'm not sure if it's considered small. I love the backup camera and the warning beep if someone is behind us. It also has a light that shows up on the side mirror if someone is in your blindspot. It is also great in snow. One time my daughter and I were out of town and had to drive to her hockey tournament during a snowstorm. There was at least 6 inches of snow and they hadn't plowed. After the tournament we had to drive home and a good part of the freeway was not plowed. We had no problems. I know if we had been in our civic or even our van we would have been stuck. There is plenty of room but it is so much easier to park than our van. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southern Ivy Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 Not sure if you consider these smaller ones, but I love my Hyundai Santa Fe. Dh has a Nissan Pathfinder and seems to like it too. The Pathfinder has more room in my experience, but both cars have been great for us (bought used and both still going strong). No complaints from us, thus far. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 I have rented several Ford Escapes and love driving them. We had a Subaru Forester that I loved but kids felt squished. I currently have a Honda CRV that despite driving for 5 years I only like but don't love. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmseB Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 I loved my RAV4, but it only holds 4 people unless the person in the middle back seat doesn't mind sitting on the belt buckle of the person next to them. But everything else about it, I loved. We had a 2007. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaz Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 We have a Scion XB that all of us enjoy riding in and driving more than my parent's Ford Escape. My ds is almost 6'4" and prefers the leg room in the Scion. You may want to look at one as even the price new is reasonable. It has a Camry engine, feels like a small SUV inside, but drives like a zippy car. We love it! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 I LOVE our Toyota 4Runner. We have a 2007 we bought in 2011 and it's still running beautifully. We travel with our family of 5 multiple times a year. The trunk space is ENORMOUS and wonderful. Spare tire is very easy to access. Absolutely no complaints. I'm SO sad it won't hold our growing family any longer. We're shopping for a monstrosity of an SUV that has 3 rows and towing ability. I've been looking at a highlander - but am reluctant to give up the cargo space in my minivan - 4x8 sheet of plywood laying flat. (and the 3rd row of the highlander feels squished to me. otherwise I loved it when I drove it.) so, I started looking at the 4runner. how's the mileage? how many can comfortably ride in it? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 I have a 2014 Honda CRV that I really like. I'm short but feel very comfortable driving it, and yet there's still plenty of room for all of us. What I love most about it really is simply that it's a Honda and so will (in our rather extensive experience with them) be excellent as far as reliability. It also has a very good (five star) safety rating. I guess what I like least about it is the interior finish. I think Honda's been cheaping out on their carpeting and dash/door materials for awhile now. But . . . there's that reliability. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carriede Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 I've been looking at a highlander - but am reluctant to give up the cargo space in my minivan - 4x8 sheet of plywood laying flat. (and the 3rd row of the highlander feels squished to me. otherwise I loved it when I drove it.) so, I started looking at the 4runner. how's the mileage? how many can comfortably ride in it? Well, you certainly can't fit plywood flat in the back of a 4runner. So if that's important than it wouldn't work for you. That's one of the main reasons DH kept his truck. ;) DH and I are average height and are comfortable in the front seats. We've had adults in the back seat on rare occasions - but we are able to fit 3 regular sized car seats across the back. I believe the dash counter on ours says we average 21-23 mpg and that's with highway and small town driving. Hope that helps! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 The newer Forresters are bigger. I have a 2002. I like it and have not had major problems. I do think the back seat is squished. My neighbors have had later models (2009, 2014), much roomier. I believe there's an engine problem with 2006-2012 models. If you are buying used you know to check that stuff. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jann in TX Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 Dh drives a Mazda 3-- not really an SUV but has LOTS of leg/cargo room for its size (great milage too!). We both love it-- it will probably be youngest dd's first car in a few years... Our 2003 Suburban just died (I HATED that car-- loved my 1998 Suburban though) and I chose a 2015 Mazda 9. It seats 7 and the last row is not as 'squished' as a Highlander (my original first choice). We got a great deal-- new for same price as 2yr old 'used' ones with 50,000 miles... mine was so new I had to tear the plastic off the seat to test drive it! (can you tell I'm excited about my very first new car!). I've had it a few months and I LOVE it! For a small SUV check out the Mazda 5... we are Mazda converts (they have great ratings now)-- we used to be a Honda family (but our older girls are driving our old Hondas... so no love lost --we just did not like their larger models). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reflections Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 Didn't look at the other responses, but we like the Ford Flex. It's rather affordable even when compared to SUV "lite". But my biggest advice, is don't always assume pre-owned is cheaper. We bought new and the incentives - like $1,000 to $2,000 off, and with the 0% loan through Ford was hard to beat. Our payment for a preowned vehicle would have been about $100 MORE a month and the vehicle was 2/3 years older. No warranty left either, and extended would have added to the cost. My inlaws really like their Ford Escape. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truscifi Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 I drove a Ford Escape for years and I loved it - it was fun to drive and had plenty of cargo room for all our gear for our various activities. But my tall guys with super long legs did not like it. They felt cramped in the passenger seat as well as the back seat. We went for a Ford Edge when it was time for a new car. They feel more comfortable in it, but I feel like I have to sit on top of the steering wheel to reach the pedals. The tribulations of a short person in a tall family. :glare: Other than the distance to the pedals I love the Edge though. It drives more like a sedan than the Escape but still has the room and style of an SUV. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 We recently ditched our 2000 Toyota Sienna and our 2012 Honda Pilot for Papa's Camry (we bought it from the estate when he died) and a 2013 Ford Escape and we are mostly happy with our decision. We test drove a ton of cars to make sure we got what we wanted since we were never happy with the 2012 Pilot - we had planned to buy a 2009 at the time and were happy with that, but were offered a new car for the same price and better financing, but didn't test drive. Anyway, when searching for the new car, I really wanted a Honda or a Toyota as we have had really good experiences with them reliability-wise. The RAV4 was too small in the cargo area and the leg room left something to be desired. While I liked the Honda CRX, the seats were uncomfortable - I am 5'8" and the seat bottom hit me closer to mid-thigh than near the knee, which lead to some leg discomfort. This was on a 20 minute test drive, so we knew it was not going to work for long trips. The Escape's seat bottom is about an inch longer in the part you sit on so that was much more comfortable. We can fit all 5 of us in the car for just tooling around town (dh and ds21 are 6 ft, K is 5'10", I am 5'8" and dd is 5'6".) We would not be able to manage a long trip with all of us (and the dog), but we are past the point of needing that. My only quibble about our Escape is that there is a slight rattle in the rear drivers' side door when we get on the highway. I am sensitive to noise and it bothers me. Dh doesn't notice it. The cargo room is pretty good. The shape is a little boxier than the RAV4 so that means that we can fit some more stuff on the interior. We were able to move my kid back to college and have room for all the stuff and 3 adults in the car. It works to transport stuff for my book business for 99% of what I need it to do. There is only one event a year that it will not be big enough. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeLovePassion Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 We have an Escape. Love it! I agree, some of the incentives available for new escapes are pretty good. Buying used would have only been a couple thousand cheaper, not worth it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldberry Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 We have a Sante Fe, 2004. Very reliable and very comfy. I am 5'10, and we chose the Sante Fe because it seemed roomier than the others in the category at the time. We haven't compared to others since then though. This is our second Sante Fe, 249,000 with no significant repairs. My dad (6'2") bought one also after checking ours out. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hkpiano Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 We had a CRV for a few years before getting our Oddysey. It was great, the only thing that bugged me was the road noise. It was loud on the highway. I had an older Forester before having kids and loved it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 I have a Subaru Outback. I love it! Mine is a 2015 but I also had a 2013. The 2013 was a great car also (the 2015 just has a bunch of upgrades that I wanted, so I traded up). The Outback is wider.....the Forester is taller. I wanted as much space for the kids as possible, so I went with the Outback. DD17 and I are 5'8", Dh and DS are 6" and none of us feel squished in the car. I can put 3 teens in the back row, with no problem. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 And now for something different ... I have a Mercedes station wagon that I love. It has tons of great cargo room. Drives like a car. Is built like a tank. It's all wheel drive. Is as good as new at 150k miles. My station wagon has cured me of my minivan and SUV lust. I don't how they ever went out of style! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 The Nissan Rogue is absolutely tiny and easy to park. It drives like a car. The roof rack makes it possible to bring things around. Low gas mileage and cheap. It's my partner's car, not mine. I can't stand SUVs for myself. I drive alone most of the time [insert long rant about attempts to use transport, bike, and carpool] and I hate dragging all that around, but if I were mostly driving around kids I'd feel much differently about the car. The Rogue is not spacious. It's the SUV for someone who really doesn't want an SUV and doesn't need a huge van, but has more than five people in the family. Like us. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jilly Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 We have a Scion XB that all of us enjoy riding in and driving more than my parent's Ford Escape. My ds is almost 6'4" and prefers the leg room in the Scion. You may want to look at one as even the price new is reasonable. It has a Camry engine, feels like a small SUV inside, but drives like a zippy car. We love it!We have a Scion too, and my tall son loves all the leg room. It's a great car. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunflowerlady Posted October 27, 2015 Author Share Posted October 27, 2015 Thanks everyone ! I have read all the replies and have taken notes on all of them. It is interesting that some models are not roomier in the interior than a sedan. I have not been to look at any in person yet. Online research and online window shopping are as far as I have gotten. Good to know about checking out buying new. I will do that when the time comes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 Have you considered a Jeep? We have the Sport straight 6 and it keeps on chugging away. Very maneuverable and nothing beats it in terms of all around visibility. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purplejackmama Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 My family of 6 fit comfortably in our Audi Q7. My boys are tall so the 3rd row is a little tight for them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 I just bought a Jeep Cherokee this summer. It's great. I like driving again for the first time in a long, long time. It's also been very nice on gas consumption. I'm definitely spending less $/km. Just something to consider... we were looking at pre-owned, too, but Jeep keeps having 0% financing deals. We ran the numbers on a used one we wanted and a similar new one, minus the leather seats, and the payments were the same. I decided I'd rather have new than leather. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dee22 Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 I love my 2015 Jeep Cherokee that I bought a year ago. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 I drove a Mazda 5 on vacation. I really liked it. It was the bare bones model bit still pretty good. I liked it as it was smaller but had great disability and sat up higher. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 I have a Buick Rendezvous. It isn't being made anymore and I can't recall the newer version of it...but I love it. It has a 3rd row seat but it is NOT good for 7 passengers unless 2 of them are very tiny. It is great for 5 passengers and lots of cargo. And it is nice for the times I have an extra kid or two and we actually need that third row. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 We got a Jeep Compass used (a tad less than 30,000 miles) last year and I am the primary driver. At 5'1" I can see out fine and still reach the pedals ;-) Hubby is 5'11" and fits fine, too. Out Lab fits in the back and my 6' tall son fits behind me. A shorter person fits behind hubby, as he pushes his seat back. I like being a bit higher up and with more car around me than I was in the sedan we were in before, and it is a VAST improvement over driving a mini-van. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammi K Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 You didn't mention it, but I LOVE my Toyota Rav4. It is roomy enough that my 6'2" guy can sit in the back seat and feel comfortable. It has plenty of storage and luggage space. It drives beautifully. I'm very, very happy with my baby. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
netwelladm Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 I absolutely love my 2007 ford explorer. Of course this is not a small suv. I know because car wash time is brutal. However, I love the power. I love the style. I love the roominess. I love, love, love. Never had the problems others mentioned online (reviews). With that being said, if I were in the market, it would be another ford explorer in our driveway. Maybe 2015 or 2016. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiddles Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 I LOVE my Ford Escape and have had not one mechanical issue with it since I bought it new 5 years ago. However, now that we have a Great Dane and take him on our numerous hikes, there is a problem squishing him in the back seat with my DS. He could fit in the cargo area but doesn't like it there, so I am considering buying a minivan. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Above The Rowan Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 The Nissan Rogue is absolutely tiny and easy to park. It drives like a car. The roof rack makes it possible to bring things around. Low gas mileage and cheap. It's my partner's car, not mine. I can't stand SUVs for myself. I drive alone most of the time [insert long rant about attempts to use transport, bike, and carpool] and I hate dragging all that around, but if I were mostly driving around kids I'd feel much differently about the car. The Rogue is not spacious. It's the SUV for someone who really doesn't want an SUV and doesn't need a huge van, but has more than five people in the family. Like us. :) We have the Rogue and I find it really spacious. We have two kids and two adults and the trunk space is huge! Parks and drives great, fuel economy is okay, it's a great mid sized suv in my opinion. I miss my pickup truck, but this is a great and roomy suv. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 I have a 2013 Mercedes GLK350; it replaced my 2002 Volvo V70 when Volvo made the idiotic decision to discontinue the V70 (which they have regretted and rescinded). My son now has the V70, going on 190K miles. I was sort of embarrassed that my dh got me the Mercedes--I'm a jeans and sneakers girl--but it was a wonderful replacement for the Volvo...4" higher (easier in and out), 4" shorter (but my 6'3" ds can still take road trips with us). It swallows cargo but it is still nimble and has a lot of tech gear that is very cool and helpful for an older driver. (Me.) And when my back went out earlier this year, the seats proved to be better than anything in my house, so going for a drive was actually healing. But the BEST was this summer when we went to Colorado for vacation. We showed up at my dh's life-buddy's door, and he looked at my car and asked "What's the clearance on that thing?" We looked it up, and it was 1" higher than his 4-wheeling vehicle. So we took it up Yankee Boy Basin (near Telluride), a place he had been dying to go to, but could not. And we did it with AIR CONDITIONING. I am not a four-wheeler, but that gave me a grin. In addition, I got rear-ended and the GLK did its job: no one was hurt, and the car was operational so we were not stuck in Colorado for the duration of repairs. (I love CO, but on my terms...) No one could even tell we had $2000 worth of damages. And here is my point on this one: the European Safety Tests are far more rigorous than the US ones...so if safety is a major concern for you, be sure to look at the NCAP ratings for whatever car you purchase. Top Gear did a show a number of years ago that showed the difference between the US and the European safety ratings, and between the levels of ratings within NCAP and it was sobering. If you crash a car with the best rating, you walk away from the crash. If you crash a car with the next lower rating, you go to the hospital. The next lower...the hospital or the morgue. I hesitated to post because I am a plain person and I was a little embarrassed that my dh got the Merc. But between my back, the accident, the 4-wheeling and the road trips, I have had to say, "Thank you" over and over. :0) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
threedogfarm Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Here's an off-the-wall suggestion: Toyota Prius or the Toyota Prius V. Based on your original post it sounds like you want more leg room in both front and back, but not necessarily tons of cargo space. I haven't had preteens complain about sitting three in a row in the back seat and even my son who is tall has plenty of space. We just got a used Prius (not the V) (10 years old, with only 35,000 miles on it) and I love driving around in it. It is surprisingly spacious and with the hatchback you have lots of room for cargo. My model has seats that fold down flat and so if you don't need the backseat all the time, you will have even more room. I'm used to our Volvo XC90 (which we still have) and for stuff around town, grocery shopping, bringing stuff to the barn back and forth, I don't feel like I'm tight on space at all in the Prius, even with both kids in the back seat. And I wasn't concerned about buying an older one because I knew so many people who have racked up the miles with very little maintenance issues. And you can't beat it for MPG. The Prius V will be even bigger. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrincessMommy Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 I've had a Hyundai Santa Fe and now have a Toyota Highlander. We liked the Santa Fe, but boy, oh boy, it was a gas hog! It would only seat 5 people (4 comfortably) and it was reliable in bad weather. It was all-around a great car except for the mileage. We recently bought at 2006 Highlander Hybrid. I love this car. We bought the one with the extra 3rd row because I do carpool and occasionally I need to bring my g-children along for that. It's really not a lot of extra room, but I can fit a carseat back there, or one of the boys can sit alone and stretch out since there's zero leg room for the 3rd seat. What I love is that the gas mileage is great for an SUV, it handles well, and is roomy enough for bigger kids. I also like that it sits up high like other small SUVs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 We have the Rogue and I find it really spacious. We have two kids and two adults and the trunk space is huge! Parks and drives great, fuel economy is okay, it's a great mid sized suv in my opinion. I miss my pickup truck, but this is a great and roomy suv. We have four kids. :D So there's where "spacious" goes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Above The Rowan Posted October 31, 2015 Share Posted October 31, 2015 We have four kids. :D So there's where "spacious" goes... Ahh. So you have the third row seating option? We wanted that but it cut into the cargo space too much so we opted not to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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