pridemom
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Post by pridemom on May 5, 2020 16:02:38 GMT
My Prius is a great car, but it is uncomfortable for long trips and has lots of road noise. I love my Sienna, but don’t want a van anymore. I want good mileage and dependability. We are considering a Camry Hybrid, as long as the increased mileage is worth the higher cost. The RAV4 really doesn’t make sense dollar vs. improved mileage for the Hybrid.
We are almost empty nesters, so a van isn’t needed anymore. I do like hatch back/wagon styles, though.
Help!
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Post by pattyraindrops on May 5, 2020 16:06:19 GMT
Some of it is really going to depend on your body shape. The car that is comfortable to me is not always comfortable for my husband and vice versa.
That said, I really like how comfortable our 2016 Camry is. Can't tell you about newer cars and hybrids.
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keithurbanlovinpea
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Post by keithurbanlovinpea on May 5, 2020 16:21:37 GMT
Sedan - Get a Camry otherwise look at the Highlander if you want something larger. You might also look at Lexus as it is a Toyota product but cushier.
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Post by dewryce on May 5, 2020 16:24:29 GMT
Highlander lover here. And I agree about comfort depending on your body type. Subaru Out ack is supposed to be a really great wagonstyle vehicle. It was too small and not comfortable for DH and I. He’s tall and fat, I’m just fat  . |
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Post by 950nancy on May 5, 2020 16:25:25 GMT
I have a 4Runner. It sits up pretty tall and most of my friends grunt a bit when they get in. I have no problem with it. I love the feel of my seats and the position of my body is tall enough behind the wheel. It might depend on how tall you are for the comfort of the ride as well as how comfy the seats are.
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Post by hop2 on May 5, 2020 16:27:50 GMT
I have a Prius V and I love it. It is very comfortable. It has such great head height even in the rear seat my 6’-3” DS is comfortable in it. But I don’t think they make that model Prius anymore. Which Prius did you have?
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Post by ntsf on May 5, 2020 16:29:42 GMT
I love my subaru impressa hatchback. drives like a sedan, easy to park.. lots of geezer features. and comfy on long trips. my dh has an outback.
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Post by flanz on May 5, 2020 16:30:51 GMT
Love, love, love my 2018 Camry Hybrid, EXCEPT for the crappy Entune navigation system. I'd heard all sorts of horror stories about it and never had it enabled. But I get constant reminders to do so. Constant. I've tried having the mechanics at the dealership disable it. I've also been waiting for an improved option for those of us stuck with this crappy system.... had been told they were working on it. ugh. But everything else about the car I positively love. We find the seats extremely comfortable.
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SweetieBsMom
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Post by SweetieBsMom on May 5, 2020 16:31:07 GMT
Highlander lover here. And I agree about comfort depending on your body type. Subaru Out ack is supposed to be a really great wagonstyle vehicle. It was too small and not comfortable for DH and I. He’s tall and fat, I’m just fat . Another Highlander lover. On my second. |
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Post by dewryce on May 5, 2020 16:34:42 GMT
Highlander lover here. And I agree about comfort depending on your body type. Subaru Out ack is supposed to be a really great wagonstyle vehicle. It was too small and not comfortable for DH and I. He’s tall and fat, I’m just fat . Another Highlander lover. On my second.  We are on our third, with 2 currently sitting in the driveway. We do/did road trips and I have a bad back and lots of other pain issues. This vehicle was a lifesaver. Last year we took at least a dozen shorter trips (3-6 hours away), and we also went from San Antonio to Oklahoma, Boulder, and Las Vegas (3 separate long ass trips). |
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Post by cindyupnorth on May 5, 2020 16:44:42 GMT
I have a Toyota Highlander also. My 1st one, and 1st brand new, drove off the lot car. I like it. There are a few things that make me leery about it, ie. all the sensors, and safety features, etc, that I can just see breaking down the road and causing mega bucks to fix. but we will see.
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Post by dewryce on May 5, 2020 16:51:22 GMT
I have a Toyota Highlander also. My 1st one, and 1st brand new, drove off the lot car. I like it. There are a few things that make me leery about it, ie. all the sensors, and safety features, etc, that I can just see breaking down the road and causing mega bucks to fix. but we will see. Highlander is always rated super high for reliability, as is Toyota, so I wouldn’t worry too much. The year we bought our first or second one they were ranked the highest of SUVs in their class in this category and had been for years. |
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keithurbanlovinpea
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Flowing with the go...
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Post by keithurbanlovinpea on May 5, 2020 17:13:19 GMT
I have a Toyota Highlander also. My 1st one, and 1st brand new, drove off the lot car. I like it. There are a few things that make me leery about it, ie. all the sensors, and safety features, etc, that I can just see breaking down the road and causing mega bucks to fix. but we will see. Toyotas are not expensive to fix relative to other cars. Lots of them on the road mean parts are easier to obtain and mechanics who know how to fix them abound. DH has been in auto repair for 30+ years. He always recommends Toyota and Lexus |
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CeeScraps
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Post by CeeScraps on May 5, 2020 17:14:20 GMT
I have a 4Runner. It sits up pretty tall and most of my friends grunt a bit when they get in. I have no problem with it. I love the feel of my seats and the position of my body is tall enough behind the wheel. It might depend on how tall you are for the comfort of the ride as well as how comfy the seats are. I had a 4Runner years ago. I loved it!! I love how it is so high off the ground. We are considering a new suv. I may go back to a 4Runner. |
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pridemom
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Post by pridemom on May 5, 2020 17:22:20 GMT
I have RA, so comfort is key. I have ridden in my friend’s 2017 Highlander and like how it’s not too high. My concern is comfort while driving. I have DDD in my neck and it cannot get fixed until COVID restrictions are lifted on elective surgeries. I may see if we can test a car over the weekend and see how I do on an hour long drive.
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Post by hop2 on May 5, 2020 17:38:04 GMT
While I loved our highlander, when I started driving it for long periods for work it was rough on my right knee for some reason. I could never figure out why or adjust the seat to alleviate that. I’d drive for an hour and I’d get out lumping on my right knee. We had had the sat for 7 years by that time but it was great & very comfortable until I drove it for 60-90 miles a day every day. Then it wasn’t so comfy for my right leg
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Post by dewryce on May 5, 2020 17:44:06 GMT
I have RA, so comfort is key. I have ridden in my friend’s 2017 Highlander and like how it’s not too high. My concern is comfort while driving. I have DDD in my neck and it cannot get fixed until COVID restrictions are lifted on elective surgeries. I may see if we can test a car over the weekend and see how I do on an hour long drive. I have PsA (really affects ankle, knees and hips the most), DDD and fibro and my driving comfort is the main reason we bought a new vehicle. But, we had to go with the Limited to get the seat I really wanted; 8-way electric adjustable, heated (and cooled but the heated is my savior), with memory buttons. When I’m in a lot of pain I can’t bend over to do push the buttons to change seat positions from when DH drove it last. That was 2017 though so these options may be available on less expensive models now. It has been worth every stinking penny. 16 or 17 hours home from LV without stopping (after having a very busy 6 days there) and pain wasn’t an issue. Other features that really help me are push button open and close for the back, steering wheel controls for almost everything so i don’t have to bend/stretch to reach the dash, and rearview cameras (no twisting my back and neck on my worst days). The dash also has a shelf, which I thought I’d hate, but it stores the phone much closer to me than the 2nd cup holder would. The vehicle height is great for when I tighten up on the drive, very easy to get out. The heat helps a lot with that, but as I’m sure you know sometimes that’s just not enough. Let me know if you have any specific questions, especially related to pain and usability. |
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Post by dewryce on May 5, 2020 17:44:50 GMT
While I loved our highlander, when I started driving it for long periods for work it was rough on my right knee for some reason. I could never figure out why or adjust the seat to alleviate that. I’d drive for an hour and I’d get out lumping on my right knee. We had had the sat for 7 years by that time but it was great & very comfortable until I drove it for 60-90 miles a day every day. Then it wasn’t so comfy for my right leg Did you try and adjust the pedals? |
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Post by hop2 on May 5, 2020 17:46:31 GMT
While I loved our highlander, when I started driving it for long periods for work it was rough on my right knee for some reason. I could never figure out why or adjust the seat to alleviate that. I’d drive for an hour and I’d get out lumping on my right knee. We had had the sat for 7 years by that time but it was great & very comfortable until I drove it for 60-90 miles a day every day. Then it wasn’t so comfy for my right leg Did you try and adjust the pedals? yes didn’t work But adjusting my Toyota did 👍🏻 Lol |
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Post by dewryce on May 5, 2020 17:51:31 GMT
Did you try and adjust the pedals? yes didn’t work But adjusting my Toyota did 👍🏻 Lol  What did you buy? That does surprise me though, as I have arthritis and hypermobility in my knees and have zero issues with my vehicle. And before the 2017 I was in the older 2008 model without problems. |
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pridemom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,843
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Post by pridemom on May 5, 2020 17:56:05 GMT
I have RA, so comfort is key. I have ridden in my friend’s 2017 Highlander and like how it’s not too high. My concern is comfort while driving. I have DDD in my neck and it cannot get fixed until COVID restrictions are lifted on elective surgeries. I may see if we can test a car over the weekend and see how I do on an hour long drive. I have PsA (really affects ankle, knees and hips the most), DDD and fibro and my driving comfort is the main reason we bought a new vehicle. But, we had to go with the Limited to get the seat I really wanted; 8-way electric adjustable, heated (and cooled but the heated is my savior), with memory buttons. When I’m in a lot of pain I can’t bend over to do push the buttons to change seat positions from when DH drove it last. That was 2017 though so these options may be available on less expensive models now. It has been worth every stinking penny. 16 or 17 hours home from LV without stopping (after having a very busy 6 days there) and pain wasn’t an issue. Other features that really help me are push button open and close for the back, steering wheel controls for almost everything so i don’t have to bend/stretch to reach the dash, and rearview cameras (no twisting my back and neck on my worst days). The dash also has a shelf, which I thought I’d hate, but it stores the phone much closer to me than the 2nd cup holder would. The vehicle height is great for when I tighten up on the drive, very easy to get out. The heat helps a lot with that, but as I’m sure you know sometimes that’s just not enough. Let me know if you have any specific questions, especially related to pain and usability. That’s exactly the type of information I need. Adjusting the seat easily is very important. I also must have rear camera, push button start, and near hip height seat for easy in and out. My DDD is in my neck, with AS bone growth over the nerve, so my ROM is limited until I get my neck cleaned out and fixed. I really do like driving trips, but it’s getting to be torturous. |
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Post by hop2 on May 5, 2020 18:15:10 GMT
yes didn’t work But adjusting my Toyota did 👍🏻 Lol What did you buy? That does surprise me though, as I have arthritis and hypomobility in my knees and have zero with my vehicle. And before the 2017 I was in the older 2008 model without problems. the Prius V I mentioned above. I fell in love with it the moment I got in. I want a newer one but they don’t sell the V anymore. |
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Post by 950nancy on May 5, 2020 18:58:05 GMT
I have a 4Runner. It sits up pretty tall and most of my friends grunt a bit when they get in. I have no problem with it. I love the feel of my seats and the position of my body is tall enough behind the wheel. It might depend on how tall you are for the comfort of the ride as well as how comfy the seats are. I had a 4Runner years ago. I loved it!! I love how it is so high off the ground. We are considering a new suv. I may go back to a 4Runner. We leased ours (first time doing that). I'll buy it in November. I like the gas mileage, the comfort, and it is a snazzy bright red. |
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Post by dewryce on May 5, 2020 18:59:45 GMT
I have PsA (really affects ankle, knees and hips the most), DDD and fibro and my driving comfort is the main reason we bought a new vehicle. But, we had to go with the Limited to get the seat I really wanted; 8-way electric adjustable, heated (and cooled but the heated is my savior), with memory buttons. When I’m in a lot of pain I can’t bend over to do push the buttons to change seat positions from when DH drove it last. That was 2017 though so these options may be available on less expensive models now. It has been worth every stinking penny. 16 or 17 hours home from LV without stopping (after having a very busy 6 days there) and pain wasn’t an issue. Other features that really help me are push button open and close for the back, steering wheel controls for almost everything so i don’t have to bend/stretch to reach the dash, and rearview cameras (no twisting my back and neck on my worst days). The dash also has a shelf, which I thought I’d hate, but it stores the phone much closer to me than the 2nd cup holder would. The vehicle height is great for when I tighten up on the drive, very easy to get out. The heat helps a lot with that, but as I’m sure you know sometimes that’s just not enough. Let me know if you have any specific questions, especially related to pain and usability. That’s exactly the type of information I need. Adjusting the seat easily is very important. I also must have rear camera, push button start, and near hip height seat for easy in and out. My DDD is in my neck, with AS bone growth over the nerve, so my ROM is limited until I get my neck cleaned out and fixed. I really do like driving trips, but it’s getting to be torturous.That sounds really, really painful. I understand this completely, we had stopped going out of town for the most part for a while. And I had stopped driving anywhere over 30 minutes away because my sciatica got so bad that several times I had to pull over for DH to drive, and had a hard time pushing the pedals to stop. If I had been on my own it would have been really bad. This vehicle changed that completely for me. I’m 5’4” with relatively short arms (I get a lot of t-rex gifs, memes, and cards from DH cause he’s an ass like that  ) and DH is 6’5” and we are both very comfortable in it if that helps. The seat can raise and lower. Something else I’d recommend you look for, no matter the vehicle you choose, is a flashing signal that indicates if you have room when you want to change lanes. Basically I turn on the blinker (or, in DH’s case just starts to move over) and a light on the side mirrors will show up if there is someone in the lane. It really helps with blind spots, without having to turn your head much. Let me see if I can find the name of the feature. Okay, was just on the site, love the new look of it! They also have a digital rearview mirror available now, which will help with your neck. Oh, and part of the rear view detection system, if you are in reverse it beeps if a vehicle or person is coming up towards you. I’m not really sure how we used to drive without all of this. Kidding, I know how. Painfully! And some of us *coughs*DH*coughs* drove into trees and other objects. Oh, fair warning. There is leather on the dashboard. I don’t know if that’s common now or they just think it’s fancy but it’s stupid. Apparently the designers never had to deal with the southern sun. |
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Post by bc2ca on May 5, 2020 19:19:24 GMT
I went from a Sienna to a Camry. We test drove the hybrid but found it too noisy. I don't do nearly as much driving as my Prius owning DH, so having a hybrid wasn't a deal breaker.
The trunk space is a challenge if all four of us a traveling.
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pridemom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,843
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Post by pridemom on May 5, 2020 19:37:27 GMT
That’s exactly the type of information I need. Adjusting the seat easily is very important. I also must have rear camera, push button start, and near hip height seat for easy in and out. My DDD is in my neck, with AS bone growth over the nerve, so my ROM is limited until I get my neck cleaned out and fixed. I really do like driving trips, but it’s getting to be torturous.That sounds really, really painful. I understand this completely, we had stopped going out of town for the most part for a while. And I had stopped driving anywhere over 30 minutes away because my sciatica got so bad that several times I had to pull over for DH to drive, and had a hard time pushing the pedals to stop. If I had been on my own it would have been really bad. This vehicle changed that completely for me. I’m 5’4” with relatively short arms (I get a lot of t-rex gifs, memes, and cards from DH cause he’s an ass like that  ) and DH is 6’5” and we are both very comfortable in it if that helps. The seat can raise and lower. Something else I’d recommend you look for, no matter the vehicle you choose, is a flashing signal that indicates if you have room when you want to change lanes. Basically I turn on the blinker (or, in DH’s case just starts to move over) and a light on the side mirrors will show up if there is someone in the lane. It really helps with blind spots, without having to turn your head much. Let me see if I can find the name of the feature. View AttachmentOkay, was just on the site, love the new look of it! They also have a digital rearview mirror available now, which will help with your neck. Oh, and part of the rear view detection system, if you are in reverse it beeps if a vehicle or person is coming up towards you. I’m not really sure how we used to drive without all of this. Kidding, I know how. Painfully! And some of us *coughs*DH*coughs* drove into trees and other objects. Oh, fair warning. There is leather on the dashboard. I don’t know if that’s common now or they just think it’s fancy but it’s stupid. Apparently the designers never had to deal with the southern sun. You’re built like me, lol. The lane change alert sounds great for me. I know I told my dd that is legally blind in one eye to look for that in her next car. We move in a few weeks and my commute will be cut by 45 minutes. I don’t know how long I will be working from home as my doctor will most likely have me out of the office due to my immune suppressants. |
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pridemom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,843
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Post by pridemom on May 5, 2020 19:38:26 GMT
I went from a Sienna to a Camry. We test drove the hybrid but found it too noisy. I don't do nearly as much driving as my Prius owning DH, so having a hybrid wasn't a deal breaker. The trunk space is a challenge if all four of us a traveling. I am kind of torn about no longer having a van. I love the ability to haul stuff. |
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Post by dewryce on May 5, 2020 19:47:25 GMT
That sounds really, really painful. I understand this completely, we had stopped going out of town for the most part for a while. And I had stopped driving anywhere over 30 minutes away because my sciatica got so bad that several times I had to pull over for DH to drive, and had a hard time pushing the pedals to stop. If I had been on my own it would have been really bad. This vehicle changed that completely for me. I’m 5’4” with relatively short arms (I get a lot of t-rex gifs, memes, and cards from DH cause he’s an ass like that ) and DH is 6’5” and we are both very comfortable in it if that helps. The seat can raise and lower. Something else I’d recommend you look for, no matter the vehicle you choose, is a flashing signal that indicates if you have room when you want to change lanes. Basically I turn on the blinker (or, in DH’s case just starts to move over) and a light on the side mirrors will show up if there is someone in the lane. It really helps with blind spots, without having to turn your head much. Let me see if I can find the name of the feature. Okay, was just on the site, love the new look of it! They also have a digital rearview mirror available now, which will help with your neck. Oh, and part of the rear view detection system, if you are in reverse it beeps if a vehicle or person is coming up towards you. I’m not really sure how we used to drive without all of this. Kidding, I know how. Painfully! And some of us *coughs*DH*coughs* drove into trees and other objects. Oh, fair warning. There is leather on the dashboard. I don’t know if that’s common now or they just think it’s fancy but it’s stupid. Apparently the designers never had to deal with the southern sun. You’re built like me, lol. The lane change alert sounds great for me. I know [b]I told my dd that is legally blind in one eye to look for that in her next car. [/b]We move in a few weeks and my commute will be cut by 45 minutes. I don’t know how long I will be working from home as my doctor will most likely have me out of the office due to my immune suppressants. Oh, have her look for lane assist as well, it helps keep you in your lane and will move the car slightly and alert you if you move out of it. And there is another safety feature that will stop you from getting too close to the vehicle in front of you. I’m not sure if I have that one, but I turn the lane assist off unless my vision is particularly bad that day. Losing 45 minutes sounds awesome. Not going back to the office sounds better! |
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Post by cadoodlebug on May 5, 2020 20:00:45 GMT
I LOVE my Highlander! It rides/drives like a sedan but gives us the space when we need to haul stuff to the Bay Area. Did I mention I LOVE it?
DH says he loves driving it when we go out of town because it is so smooth.
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Post by mrgiedrnkr on May 5, 2020 20:06:33 GMT
We just got a Highlander Hybrid in March. I did test drive a RAV4 and I would have been happy with the size of it. I liked the drive in it. However, when we switched seats, I hated the passenger side getting in. I had to duck. I am 6’ so a bit taller than most, so far, I love my Highlander. It met our two main requirements (hybrid for me and 3rd row for my hubby). However, it was close to the price of my first home. Big pill to swallow. I LOVE the cooled seats. I can put that on and my husband can put the heated on and there a few less temperature wars  Stacy |
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We are on our third, with 2 currently sitting in the driveway. We do/did road trips and I have a bad back and lots of other pain issues. This vehicle was a lifesaver. Last year we took at least a dozen shorter trips (3-6 hours away), and we also went from San Antonio to Oklahoma, Boulder, and Las Vegas (3 separate long ass trips).
What did you buy?
) and DH is 6’5” and we are both very comfortable in it if that helps. The seat can raise and lower. Something else I’d recommend you look for, no matter the vehicle you choose, is a flashing signal that indicates if you have room when you want to change lanes. Basically I turn on the blinker (or, in DH’s case just starts to move over) and a light on the side mirrors will show up if there is someone in the lane. It really helps with blind spots, without having to turn your head much. Let me see if I can find the name of the feature.
) and DH is 6’5” and we are both very comfortable in it if that helps. The seat can raise and lower. Something else I’d recommend you look for, no matter the vehicle you choose, is a flashing signal that indicates if you have room when you want to change lanes. Basically I turn on the blinker (or, in DH’s case just starts to move over) and a light on the side mirrors will show up if there is someone in the lane. It really helps with blind spots, without having to turn your head much. Let me see if I can find the name of the feature.
