luckyjune
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,687 
Location: In the rainy, rainy WA
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Post by luckyjune on Jan 17, 2022 0:11:12 GMT
We have a '19 CRV and a '12 Pilot. Love both. Both feel like I'm driving a smaller car, even though the CRV seats 5 and the Pilot seats 8. The only things I don't like about the CRV are the back up camera in the dark/rain and the material that backs the back seats. The camera is super fuzzy when it is both dark and rainy, which is a lot of the time in WA. We tried cleaning it to see if that helped and it didn't. In clear weather, the camera is amazing in its scope and clarity. Dark and rainy night...not so much. The fabric on the seat backs is flimsy, at best. I had to have it reattached at one point. Other than that, it's a fantastic car! I'd road trip in it!
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Post by playingcinderella on Jan 17, 2022 0:23:48 GMT
I bought my Forester in June and I love her. I hadn't even considered a Subaru until I went searching for pea reviews. I drove midsized SUVs from Toyota and Honda and didn't like any of them. My Subaru handles so nicely that DH is considering one when its time to replace his much beloved Tacoma.
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pyccku
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,817
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Post by pyccku on Jan 17, 2022 1:45:39 GMT
We are also looking at Foresters, it sounds like there are a lot of happy drivers and they did come in top of the list for consumer reports.
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huskergal
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,322
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Post by huskergal on Jan 17, 2022 1:48:24 GMT
My 5 were:
Honda CRV
Toyota Rav 4
Mazda CX-5
Nissan Rogue
Subaru Forrester
I read a lot of reviews before narrowing the list.
I did not like the Rav 4 at all. The onside felt cheap.
I loved the CRV, but dh already had one at the time. They also had 1.9% financing at the time. The others had 0%.
The Forrester was too much of a mom car. I was currently driving a Honda Odyssey. I didn’t want another mom car.
I loved the Nissan features, but it felt like driving a truck.
I ended ip with the CX-5. It is a 2020! I love it!
You can’t go wrong with a CRV either.
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Post by SallyPA on Jan 17, 2022 1:50:03 GMT
I’ve got a Mazda CX-5 and I love it. It drives nice, rides nice, and gets fantastic gas mileage. We are a family of 3, with one gone at college. If we all go to shopping and hit costco and get both paper towels and toilet paper plus our other costco items, it’s fills up the back real fast. It’s great for our family size. I agree it has blind spots.
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Post by ~summer~ on Jan 17, 2022 1:55:45 GMT
My 5 were: Honda CRV Toyota Rav 4 Mazda CX-5 Nissan Rogue Subaru Forrester I read a lot of reviews before narrowing the list. I did not like the Rav 4 at all. The onside felt cheap. I loved the CRV, but dh already had one at the time. They also had 1.9% financing at the time. The others had 0%. The Forrester was too much of a mom car. I was currently driving a Honda Odyssey. I didn’t want another mom car. I loved the Nissan features, but it felt like driving a truck. I ended ip with the CX-5. It is a 2020! I love it! You can’t go wrong with a CRV either. i also loved the outside of the Rav4 but once I sat in it I had a super strong negative reaction - it also felt cheap or plasticky to me - it’s a very sporty car - not really plush and comfy. I test drove the Forrester which I liked but the exterior is too boxy/minivan-ish for me. I do really like the Crosstrek and the Outback. |
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Post by mncmom on Jan 17, 2022 2:02:28 GMT
I absolutely love my Subaru Crosstrek! I've had it 4 years and it drives so great and is really comfortable. I also looked at Prius and Honda models but decided on the Subaru. They have great reputations and safety features.
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Post by peano on Jan 17, 2022 2:03:56 GMT
I have a 2020 Honda CR-V that I bought new because in 2020 there were no used CR-Vs with features that I wanted. My previous car was a 2008 CR-V that I got in 2010 that was super-reliable until it suddenly needed pricey repairs. My 2020 ticked almost all my boxes--leather heated seats, smooth ride. The only thing I wasn't happy with was that Bluetooth didn't link automatically with my model; I had to link manually. But I did an aftermarket workaround and I'm happy. I also would have preferred Honda's green color, but they didn't make it in the CR-V for 2020.
DH has an older model Rav-4. I don't know if things have changed since he bought that car, but I can't stand the ride. It's like driving on a rutted road in a pickup.
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mich5481
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,719
Member is Online
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Post by mich5481 on Jan 17, 2022 2:18:20 GMT
I bought a new car in October 2020. I test drove the Subaru Forrester, Ford Escape, Chevy Equinox, Honda CR-V, and a used Audi Q3. My mom had rented a Toyota Rav4 a few weeks before, and it just felt cheap.
Going into it, I thought I'd be getting the Forrester, but it just didn't feel right. The CR-V was the last car I drove, and it just felt right. I have fewer than 9,000 miles on it, so I'm sure I could get a great deal if I decided to sell it.
It's roomy - when I first got it, my six foot tall coworker sat in the back seat and said he was comfortable. LOL, our 6'6" coworker could not get his knees to fit in the driver's seat though! 😂
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Post by Merge on Jan 17, 2022 2:26:08 GMT
Hyundai doesn’t get enough love IMO. I have the model even smaller than the Tucson (the Kona - it’s a subcompact) and it’s a great car. Awesome mileage, extremely reliable, all the bells and whistles for a lower price than Toyota/Honda. I’m a fan. It’s not a luxury vehicle by any means, but it’s a great commuting and bumming around car.
As long as the back of the Tucson holds your hockey bags, I’d go with that. The back of the Kona holds all our music gear (two big instruments, two amps, assorted stands and microphones) without trouble.
One of the nice things about Hyundai is that Hertz rents the heck out of them, so there are almost always a variety of low-mileage used options available in excellent condition. I bought a 2019 and it’s like new.
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Post by Texas Scrap on Jan 17, 2022 2:29:10 GMT
My daughter has a CX-5 and my son just got a bronco sport. Safety was a huge play for my husband in researching small suvs for our kids. I’ve driven both myself and find both super comfortable and easy to drive, use cruise control, etc. apply play also works great and I’ve sat in back and front seats of both.. I would be 100% happy driving either, although I really love the quirky vibe of the bronco.
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Post by monicad on Jan 17, 2022 3:39:19 GMT
I bought a 2022 Tucson last June, so I’ve had it almost 7 months. I have the AWD model with all the bells and whistles, and so far I’ve been happy with it (haven’t taken it to the snow yet). Dh and I went on a road trip last October and it was very comfortable. On the freeway, I can get the MPG close to 30; around town it’s between 19-25. It also came with Sirius XM for three months, and three years of oil changes, Blue Link, and Auto Butler paint protection (2x per year). I had really wanted a plug in hybrid, but with the chip shortage I just couldn’t afford it. Let me know if you have any questions!
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Post by monicad on Jan 17, 2022 3:42:51 GMT
Not on your list, but I bought a Ford Bronco Sport Outerbanks model. I freaking love this car so much. The new Broncos are sweet... saw a couple off-roading in Sedona and I loved them! |
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Post by taylortroop on Jan 17, 2022 5:12:37 GMT
I just bought a 2022 Chevrolet Trailblazer. I've only had it 2 days but I love it. I traded my 2019 Chevrolet Colorado truck because there wasn't enough room in it for my grandbabies - a car seat and 2 booster seats.
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smartypants71
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,834
Location: Houston, TX
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Post by smartypants71 on Jan 17, 2022 5:32:24 GMT
I have a 2019 Tucson AWD. Not sure about hockey bags but my 100+ lb dog fits in the back comfortably. SO and I were just saying that my car is more comfortable than his Audi for traveling. I will have had mine for 3 years in April, and I’ve never had a single issue with it. My favorite feature is the heated steering wheel.
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pancakes
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,002
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Post by pancakes on Jan 17, 2022 5:42:03 GMT
Not mentioned — have you looked into the Buick Encore? We’ve driven it as a rental car a few times (and the Enclave once) and really enjoyed it.
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Post by jenjie on Jan 17, 2022 13:23:17 GMT
I downsized my Honda Pilot to a 2019 CRV in August. I was really pleased with Honda already so this was the first and only car I looked at. I’m really happy with it. I can’t compare it to others its size, but in comparison to the larger pilot, I find it easier to get in and out of (I don’t have to climb in), the door isn’t as heavy and I don’t need to reach so far to open it (bad shoulder) it’s easier to maneuver and better in general. Way better gas mileage. Others have mentioned the center console. The storage compartment there and on the door are tiny compared to what I’m used to. Because the car is so much smaller. Things I’m especially appreciating in the newer vehicle are the remote start, automatic lift for the tailgate, and GPS on the console. re cargo space, I don’t know if they all do this, but on mine you can “drop” the floor. It makes a well and adds several inches of depth to the storage area. Also the seats are super easy to flip down and back up, as opposed to my Pilot where I had to remove the head restraints to put the seats down. Logan is 5’11” and has no problem sitting in the back seat. alsomsknit Ryann those are incredibly detailed reviews! 👍 |
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Post by quinlove on Jan 17, 2022 13:38:12 GMT
Hyundai doesn’t get enough love IMO. I have the model even smaller than the Tucson (the Kona - it’s a subcompact) and it’s a great car. Awesome mileage, extremely reliable, all the bells and whistles for a lower price than Toyota/Honda. I’m a fan. It’s not a luxury vehicle by any means, but it’s a great commuting and bumming around car. As long as the back of the Tucson holds your hockey bags, I’d go with that. The back of the Kona holds all our music gear (two big instruments, two amps, assorted stands and microphones) without trouble. One of the nice things about Hyundai is that Hertz rents the heck out of them, so there are almost always a variety of low-mileage used options available in excellent condition. I bought a 2019 and it’s like new. I too love Hyundai. For years I had a Sonata, a great dependable car. In September, I bought a 2022 Hyundai Kona - love, love, love it ! Doesn’t have a huge amount of storage space, but it sits high enough. Their warranty is outstanding. |
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paigepea
Drama Llama
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Posts: 5,609
Location: BC, Canada
Jun 26, 2014 4:28:55 GMT
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Post by paigepea on Jan 17, 2022 13:39:07 GMT
We downsized from our mini van 3 years ago. We drove 3 of the cars. They all drove fine so I compared the style, interiors and size.
I drove the rav 4 but didn’t like it. It drove fine. I just didn’t like the interior. I felt like even the higher end model had exposed poles and wires.
The crv was ok. It felt small.
I quite liked the Mazda. Drove well and stylish. Felt luxurious inside.
Dh wanted me to love the Acura but I couldn’t. At the time it had a double screen (don’t know if it still does) and I found that distracting.
I fell in love with the BMW X5. It was the easiest to drive due to all of the cameras, safety features, etc. It’s a great size. I got the optional 3rd row that comes in handy. Dh wanted me to get the x3 but I wanted the bigger x5. If money was no object I would have gotten the Audi Q7 but it was too expensive. We bought a used car and the older q7 was a diff body whereas the x5 wasn’t. The Audi drove the best out of all of them. If I’d wanted a smaller q5 we could have managed it but I wanted the larger. (The larger small suv 😂).
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huskergal
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,322
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Post by huskergal on Jan 17, 2022 15:53:22 GMT
My 5 were: Honda CRV Toyota Rav 4 Mazda CX-5 Nissan Rogue Subaru Forrester I read a lot of reviews before narrowing the list. I did not like the Rav 4 at all. The onside felt cheap. I loved the CRV, but dh already had one at the time. They also had 1.9% financing at the time. The others had 0%. The Forrester was too much of a mom car. I was currently driving a Honda Odyssey. I didn’t want another mom car. I loved the Nissan features, but it felt like driving a truck. I ended ip with the CX-5. It is a 2020! I love it! You can’t go wrong with a CRV either. i also loved the outside of the Rav4 but once I sat in it I had a super strong negative reaction - it also felt cheap or plasticky to me - it’s a very sporty car - not really plush and comfy. I test drove the Forrester which I liked but the exterior is too boxy/minivan-ish for me. I do really like the Crosstrek and the Outback. I loved the Crosstrek. It was just too small for me. |
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carhoch
Pearl Clutcher
Be yourself everybody else is already taken
Posts: 3,036
Location: We’re RV’s so It change all the time .
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Post by carhoch on Jan 17, 2022 16:04:03 GMT
I went from a CRV to a jeep Cherokee and I am surprised how much I enjoy that Jeep and I am not a car person.
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Post by Skellinton on Jan 17, 2022 16:58:57 GMT
I figured since you didn’t list Forrester it wasn’t on your list so didn’t expound on why I chose it myself.
I looked at all the cars you listed, as I said I didn’t like the RAV4 at all and I went car shopping 100% sure that is what I was going to get. There were many things I didn’t like about it, but they have been pretty much listed here.
When I bought the Mazda was too small, my mom bought one just last year and it is bigger then the model I looked at just a year before, or it would have been more of a contender.
Hondas are incredibly uncomfortable for me, the second I sit in then they make my back hurt, so they were out too.
What it ultimately came down to between all the cars was cost and safety features. The safety features, reliability and rating of the Subaru swayed me totally. The other cars were just going to cost more to get all the features the Subaru provided. Subaru was also the highest rated for safety and reliability when I purchased.
I love the blind spot detection, lane assist, automatic braking, back up camera (it is much more sensitive then my husband’s on his Toyota) and all weather interior.
For reliability and resale you can’t beat a Subaru if that is important to you as well.
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Post by chaosisapony on Jan 17, 2022 17:27:32 GMT
I keep seeing advertisements for a Corolla Cross that's a smaller SUV with a lower price point than the Rav 4. I like what I'm reading about it so if you're considering a Rav 4 you might consider looking at the Corolla Cross too.
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Post by cakediva on Jan 17, 2022 17:36:32 GMT
It isn't on your list - but I have a Ford Escape, 2017.
I love it.
It was my first "brand new off the lot" car in over 25 years since I bought my first car in the 90s.
One of the only things I don't love, is that while it has remote start, I have to use the app on my phone, it isn't on the key fob.
But this car holds a lot and the seats fold fairly flat in the back. I can manage to take 8-10 wedding cakes plus all my booth stuff for a wedding show.
The only upgrade I wanted was the back hatch opening with my foot under the back bumper. It wasn't available on the non-4 wheel drive model, so I had to settle for the key fob opener.
Seats are comfortable, even the back ones (so say my adult kids).
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Gigi42
Junior Member
Posts: 87
Location: In my own little happy place
Sept 26, 2018 17:51:35 GMT
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Post by Gigi42 on Jan 17, 2022 17:42:57 GMT
I leased a 2018 CR-V and when the lease was up got a 2021 CR-V - loved them both. I feel very safe in it and the backseat holds 2 booster seats for the grand kids very comfortably. Lots of space in the back cargo area also.
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