So I'm shopping for a new car

[Phoenix84]

Sometime in the spring, after the winter weather is mostly passed, I will likely be purchasing a new vehicle.

Yeah, yeah, I know, I'm a horrible YM'er.  I should buy a clunker and drive it into the ground, but I'm doing it anyway.  If it's any consolation, I plan to keep the car for 10 years minimum.

Anyway, I wanted something a bit more spacious than my Corolla.  I plan on getting a crossover SUV, or in other words, a small SUV.  Something in the line of a Ford Escape, Toyota Rav4, Honda CRV ect.

I've been test driving the cars and doing research online.  Right now the top two picks are the Subaru Forester and the Mazda CX-5, but I'm open to other suggestions if anyone has any.

So does anyone have any experience with late model crossovers?  How do they work for you?  Any recommendations on cars to get, or any car buying tips in general?

[kittensaver]

I LOVE my Ford Escape. The year I bought it, only the Subaru was more highly rated in the class (the Escape was very close). I just couldn't pull the trigger and get the Subaru because (for me, YMMV) it sat too "low" on the road - it felt like a station wagon, not a small SUV. Personally, I like "sitting tall" on the road, and being able to see what's ahead, instead of being stuck behind some monster truck with no visual ahead and wondering what's up.

If you drive a lot of freeways/expressways, I'd definitely lean toward a small SUV. You have more of a "presence" on the road but without being a monster gas-guzzler.

Good luck whatever you decide. 

[Phoenix84]

Dec 23, 2014 18:33:54 GMT -5 kittensaver said:

I LOVE my Ford Escape. The year I bought it, only the Subaru was more highly rated in the class (the Escape was very close). I just couldn't pull the trigger and get the Subaru because (for me, YMMV) it sat too "low" on the road - it felt like a station wagon, not a small SUV. Personally, I like "sitting tall" on the road, and being able to see what's ahead, instead of being stuck behind some monster truck with no visual ahead and wondering what's up.

If you drive a lot of freeways/expressways, I'd definitely lean toward a small SUV. You have more of a "presence" on the road but without being a monster gas-guzzler.

Good luck whatever you decide. 

I was a bit worried about the "lowness" of the Foresters too initially, but I test drove them last weekend and they were as high as any other SUV.  They redesigned them a couple of years ago to be more "modern" and less station wagon like.

When did you get your Escape?  I considered an Escape, but consumer reports rated them below average for reliability, there wasn't a lot of backseat room, and was a bit more expensive, at least for the options I was looking at.  I plan to get one fairly loaded out.

My overall price goal is 30k.  I plan to put 20k down and finance the rest.

[kittensaver]

Well yes - mine is a 2004 and has 194,000 + on it. I know that things can and have changed in the last 10 years . I can't speak for the world, but mine has been very reliable. I'm hoping to keep it to at least 250,000 and if I can squeak out 300k +, so much the better

I think the Honda CRV won the ratings war for small SUV's this model year?

[Peace Of Mind]

I think your idea of getting a crossover is excellent - as long as you can afford it which I believe you can.

We've been looking for about a year now and want a crossover but I've not found one that makes me want to get rid of my paid off, reliable, adorable sporty car yet. 

My top 5:

Subaru Outback - DH wasn't impressed and he's more luxury inclined than I am.  I'm more sporty.
Mazda CX-5 - This one drove like a dream and had a lot of room and is gorgeous but I couldn't see at night and backing up made me nervous even with the fancy backup camera because visibility was so bad.  It also had reviews that after about 5 years it becomes a rust bucket.  That really put the breaks on us purchasing it as much as the visibility issues.
Honda CRV - Not loving it enough.
Toyota Rav 4 - Not loving it enough.
and Hundai has one that I've not looked at yet.

ETA:  I forgot to mention the Nissan Rogue.  The vehicle we tested was gorgeous, had all the bells and whistles and drove really nice but the reviews and tests and MPG were awful.  And the salesman was so sleazy it turned me off on Nissan altogether. He even pulled the kept our car keys and wouldn't give them back trick until I said sternly and loudly "Give me my keys NOW!" for the 3rd time.  So I didn't even want to list this vehicle since it's not in my running. 

I may just get the Lexus when I'm ready to buy so I've not test drove it yet because I'm afraid I will love it too much and plunk down more than I really want to spend.

I'm hoping that while I drag my feet they come out with something even better but if I had to choose today it would be the 2015 Subaru Outback.  In red with black interior which is non existent in Central Florida and all the way to Tampa. 

Good luck and I look forward to hearing what you decide on and why you chose it. 

[alabamagal]

Not a comment on the model you are choosing, but we have bought out last 2 "new" cars when they are 1 year old, probably lease cars.  My truck was a model year 2002 and was bought in late 2002.  Still have it and targeting for a new to me car next year

Got really good deals that way.  First owner is basically paying the high rate of depreciation.

[justme]

The Lexus RXs are really nice. I've tried to talk my uncle into giving me his for free or deeply discounted whenever he mentioned maybe trading it in. And it's prob a 2004 version so the new ones are prob even better.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

I have a Forester and love it.  I bought mine new, as in many parts of the US, people tend to hold onto their Subarus until they die....so it is not easy finding one, and when you do it has very high miles or if it has low miles, you ay slightly less than new.  The other day, I saw my year/model for sale and they wanted $15k for it.  I have a 2007 and paid $21k in 2007!

It is not low to the ground....when I bought it, I had been driving a Sentra and I was having difficulty getting in and out of it because it was too low.  Foresters are higher than your basic sedan/station wagon.

[kent]

Problems can arise with ANY car brand. With that said, my neighbor has a Forester and it's been a problem child - burns oil like crazy and all he gets is the standard BS, "That's the way they are built."

They keep trying to convince him that boxer engines, by virtue of being "horizontal" have more oil resting in the cylinders at start up and that's why they burn oil.  Kind of makes sense on one hand but, come on, this is 2014....  

Here's a description of a boxer type engine:

www.enginebuildermag.com/2014/09/boxer-engine-novel-technology-dying-fad/

[Deleted]

I like CRV but it more expensive than Forester. They more like family car. You need sporty BMW.

[motherto2]

I am going to replace my car with a small SUV about the time I retire in another 3 years, so I'm curious to see the recommendations.  I currently have a 2008 Nissan Altima. I love the car, but it's had it's quirks, which is why I probably wouldn't consider the Rogue.  Plus the local dealership has pissed me off for the last time.  I am leaning towards the Mazda CX5 also.  My daughter has a Mazda 3, and I love the way it drives.  I also like the gas mileage the CX5 gets.  But since I'm still a few years out, I'm hoping changes to other models will mean better gas mileage.  My ex's wife has a RAV4 and for the price, I feel like it's kind of generic and hard riding.  Same with the Honda CRV, although I owned a 1999 CRV years ago and loved it.  Gas mileage isn't great either.  I haven't driven a CX5 because I know I'd get the bug.  The Chevy Equinox is a great car.  A coworker had one and I loved the way it drove.  She and her husband sold it this spring, and I seriously thought about it, but couldn't convince myself I needed to take on a car payment and I had a perfectly good car.  They get good gas mileage and are pretty roomy.

[Phoenix84]

Dec 23, 2014 19:25:21 GMT -5 kittensaver said:

Well yes - mine is a 2004 and has 194,000 + on it. I know that things can and have changed in the last 10 years . I can't speak for the world, but mine has been very reliable. I'm hoping to keep it to at least 250,000 and if I can squeak out 300k +, so much the better

I think the Honda CRV won the ratings war for small SUV's this model year?

Yeah, it seemed to be the most highly rated on paper, but I test drove one, and wasn't that impressed with it.

Granted the only one the dealer had was the bare bones model, so maybe I'll give it another chance.

[violagirl]

I bought a new Rogue this year. It is great for gas mileage. There obviously have been some improvements since 2009 when I bought my last car. 

It's not too big and not too small. It's big enough and high enough to be above the crowd, but I don't feel like it is a boat pulling it into tight parking spaces.

It also has surround cameras which are handy. I have the SL AWD with leather seats. Only weird thing about the new Rogues is, if you want to get the technology package which includes the GPS, side cameras etc - the middle of the road car comes with an extra row of jump seats and runflat tires, so you lose storage space in the back for seats which, no adult wlill be able to use. Now I can see it sort of being useful if you had a couple of kids and you could fit their friends in for a short ride, but the jumpseat did not look comfortable for long rides. 

But if you get the higher model, you get the tech package with none of that jumpseat crap. Maybe different in US, but I thought it was weird. 

[Phoenix84]

Dec 23, 2014 19:43:59 GMT -5 Peace Of Mind said:

Mazda CX-5 - This one drove like a dream and had a lot of room and is gorgeous but I couldn't see at night and backing up made me nervous even with the fancy backup camera because visibility was so bad.  It also had reviews that after about 5 years it becomes a rust bucket.  That really put the breaks on us purchasing it as much as the visibility issues.

Hmm. that was near the top of my list, but maybe I'll read some more user reviews and see if that's an issue. Consumer reports said it was a very reliable vehicle, so I didn't think I would be an issue. What do you mean by a "rust bucket?" Just falling apart?

[Phoenix84]

Dec 23, 2014 20:08:03 GMT -5 justme said:

The Lexus RXs are really nice. I've tried to talk my uncle into giving me his for free or deeply discounted whenever he mentioned maybe trading it in. And it's prob a 2004 version so the new ones are prob even better.

Well, I haven't even considered the luxury models because I am sure they are out of my price range. I'm a government employee, remember.   I do okay for myself, but I'm not rolling in cash either.

If I did get something like a Lexus, it would probably be one that's at least a few years old.

[Phoenix84]

Dec 23, 2014 22:33:14 GMT -5 @taliare said:

I like CRV but it more expensive than Forester. They more like family car. You need sporty BMW.

Yeah, maybe that's why I didn't like the CRV, it felt like something a soccer mom would drive. Nothing against soccer moms.

I am looking at everything, but an engine with at least a little spirit is something I prefer, and a little personality.

[Peace Of Mind]

Dec 23, 2014 23:07:13 GMT -5 Phoenix84 said:

Dec 23, 2014 19:43:59 GMT -5 Peace Of Mind said:

Mazda CX-5 - This one drove like a dream and had a lot of room and is gorgeous but I couldn't see at night and backing up made me nervous even with the fancy backup camera because visibility was so bad.  It also had reviews that after about 5 years it becomes a rust bucket.  That really put the breaks on us purchasing it as much as the visibility issues.

Hmm. that was near the top of my list, but maybe I'll read some more user reviews and see if that's an issue. Consumer reports said it was a very reliable vehicle, so I didn't think I would be an issue. What do you mean by a "rust bucket?" Just falling apart?

People had said on the reviews that it started rusting out after a few years where they salt the roads (up north/cold areas) and being a beach goer that wouldn't work for us.  They said if you wanted the vehicle for over 5 years don't waste your money as it wouldn't last as the floor, etc. would rust out.  I read it more than a few times so that stuck with me. 

Honestly - it was the best drive out of all of them and I loved it otherwise but felt I'd run over some kid or animal (poor visibility when backing up even with the cameras) and the windshield would white wash out at night in the rain.  Yes, I came back to test drive it again in the dark while raining.  When other car headlights hit the windshield I could see absolutely nothing at all.  It had some tinting on the windows or something but it was really weird and really scary.  When you back up in the dark there was no lights like most vehicles and you were backing up in the pitch dark.  I just didn't like that at all.  When I read about the rust (I keep vehicles forever!) that was the final straw for me so I didn't buy it. I had cash and it was the end of the month and I think the guy said he'd get his bonus had we bought it. I'm pretty sure we are on his hit list now if he has one.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

When I went looking, the prices were Forester<RAV4<CRV.  I started with Subaru, but the lot had a used CRV on the lot that I took out.  I really didn't like the way it handled, which was about the same as my friend's earlier model CRV.  But she loved that car....so different strokes.

CR usually has all 3 models similarly rated, and they normally flip flop which one is #1, but the rating points are normally too close to be significant, it becomes personal preference.

If I bought my Forester now, I would have likely bought he turbo model.  While mine does seem pretty peppy, after I drove TD's STi, it lost something in the translation.

I do like the way it drives on wet/snowy roads....

[Phoenix84]

I don't recall the visibility being an issue out of the CX5, but I'll pay attention to that next time I test drive it. Maybe you test drove a different model year that was worse, or maybe it's because drivers come in all shapes and sizes, or maybe I just didn't notice it.  And I'll take a look at consumer reviews in regards to rusting.

That is a good suggestion to test drive at night and in inclement weather.

[Phoenix84]

Dec 23, 2014 23:24:04 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

When I went looking, the prices were Forester<RAV4<CRV.  I started with Subaru, but the lot had a used CRV on the lot that I took out.  I really didn't like the way it handled, which was about the same as my friend's earlier model CRV.  But she loved that car....so different strokes.

CR usually has all 3 models similarly rated, and they normally flip flop which one is #1, but the rating points are normally too close to be significant, it becomes personal preference.

If I bought my Forester now, I would have likely bought he turbo model.  While mine does seem pretty peppy, after I drove TD's STi, it lost something in the translation.

I do like the way it drives on wet/snowy roads....

I was wondering if it was worth getting the turbo engine. It's 3k more, so the total price would come to about 37k, kind of pricy. And it strongly recommends premium gas with the turbo engine. But it does really have some pep in the engine, that's for sure.

I plan on test driving a turbo Subaru before I make my final decision. I only tested the base model.

[Peace Of Mind]

Dec 23, 2014 23:34:13 GMT -5 Phoenix84 said:

I don't recall the visibility being an issue out of the CX5, but I'll pay attention to that next time I test drive it. Maybe you test drove a different model year that was worse, or maybe it's because drivers come in all shapes and sizes, or maybe I just didn't notice it.  And I'll take a look at consumer reviews in regards to rusting.

That is a good suggestion to test drive at night and in inclement weather.

It was the 2015 and DH and I both drove it and he's just barely over 6 ft. tall.  It freaked him out too but not as much as it did me. 

I really loved the C3? (the smaller one) until I drove the CX5.  After driving the CX5 the C3 was crap.  LOL!

Oh - and the CX5 I wanted was the step up or two with the 2.5 liter engine.  Seriously, that vehicle was the best ride I can recall ever loving that much.  It was so smooth and handled so well and I was heartbroken because 1.  I HATE car shopping and 2.  I thought it was "the one". 

[busymom]

I just bought a new Chevy Equinox, & I mostly love it. We moved DD home from college this month (she'll be doing in internship next semester) & by folding down the back seats, everything fit with room to spare. (Moving her is usually a 2-car job.)  Mine is equipped with the back-up camera, which is fabulous!  The gas tank is small, but the mileage is great.

My only complaints are: I bought the 4-cyl, & probably should have gotten the 6-cyl, as it doesn't have as much "get up & go" as I'm used to when merging into highway traffic. But, with it's size, you do get more respect from other drivers than from a car. My only other gripe is, of course I run the heater (this IS the Midwest, after all...), and after awhile the touch-screen gets a little too hot to the touch. I've got a major trip coming up, & hope that isn't going to be a big problem.

Overall, I love it, & given the choice I would buy one again.  Plenty of room for hauling stuff if you don't want to buy a pick-up. The only other vehicle we ever bought new was a Chevy pick-up for DH, & that one lasted over 20 years. I hope to keep this SUV for the long term.

[imanangel]

Have you looked at the Kia Sportage?  I had one as a rental car before we moved to Italy, and I really liked it.  

[giramomma]

I Subaru.

[Phoenix84]

Dec 24, 2014 7:59:54 GMT -5 @tbird said:

oh - so - no grief for Phoenix, either then?

I know right! YM is going soft these days.

[wvugurl26]

I test drove a 2014 CX-5. My only complaint was you really had to stay on the gas pedal. That was also the complaint I saw when researching them. The higher trim packages had a bigger engine so that would fix it. You can also get them with AWD.

That said previously I had a 2009 Subaru Impreza and loved it. If I went the 7k miles between oil changes it would use about a quart of oil. I don't consider that using oil like crazy.

My aunt has a 2008 Mazda CX-9 and it doesn't have a speck of rust on it. And she's in a state that salts.

I bought a 2014 Mazda 6 last February.

[wvugurl26]

Dec 24, 2014 8:32:09 GMT -5 Phoenix84 said:

Dec 24, 2014 7:59:54 GMT -5 @tbird said:

oh - so - no grief for Phoenix, either then?

I know right! YM is going soft these days.

Maybe it's the Christmas spirit. And I think there is a huge difference in replacing a hand me down car you've been driving for years and wanting to replace a 2 year old vehicle brought brand new.

[chiver78]

Dec 23, 2014 22:58:49 GMT -5 Phoenix84 said:

Dec 23, 2014 19:25:21 GMT -5 kittensaver said:

Well yes - mine is a 2004 and has 194,000 + on it. I know that things can and have changed in the last 10 years . I can't speak for the world, but mine has been very reliable. I'm hoping to keep it to at least 250,000 and if I can squeak out 300k +, so much the better

I think the Honda CRV won the ratings war for small SUV's this model year?

Yeah, it seemed to be the most highly rated on paper, but I test drove one, and wasn't that impressed with it.

Granted the only one the dealer had was the bare bones model, so maybe I'll give it another chance.

I was about to say CRV, but if you don't like it...? since you said you'd give it another shot, I'll put out there that two friends of mine have each bought more than one in the model's history. I guess it's reliable enough for them, if they went back and bought another.

about the Rogue - I had one as a rental a couple years back. IMHO, it felt more like I was driving a truck. you're seated really high to the road. of course, I drive a little 2-door coupe and am looking at replacing it with the same, so take my advice with a grain of salt. another larger vehicle I felt drove like a truck was the Kia Soul, although my cousin sure loves hers. I'm just of the opinion that if I wanted to drive a truck, I'd buy a truck.

[Deleted]

Dec 24, 2014 8:34:26 GMT -5 wvugurl26 said:

Dec 24, 2014 8:32:09 GMT -5 Phoenix84 said:

I know right! YM is going soft these days.

Maybe it's the Christmas spirit. And I think there is a huge difference in replacing a hand me down car you've been driving for years and wanting to replace a 2 year old vehicle brought brand new.

...with the same thing.

[wvugurl26]

If I didn't have a 70 mile round trip commute I would buy something more SUV like and sitting up higher. I had a rental Ford Edge in September and I loved it. Of course loaded out like that made it $37k so I should probably love it. A little 2 door car would just make me too nervous. People drive like they have no sense around DC.