Vehicle shopping...need opinions

[GLC1968]

We are a couple of weeks away from closing on our farm, so we will no longer need the pickup with camper to haul hay, animals, etc. It's overkill for our needs now and even though it is paid for, it gets lousy mileage and it's really inconvenient. It a model that is very much in demand right now, so we will get more for it than what we bought it for (not counting all the work we put into it, of course).

We are thinking about a new car. We want something that will fit three large dogs in the cargo area with the seat still up, gets decent mileage and has AWD. Decent clearance for mountain/dirt/gravel/potholed/rutted roads would be a plus. Other than that, we don't really care about fancy features like Navigation, heated seats or rain sensing wipers. We have a newer MINI Cooper Clubman that is set up with a heavy duty roof rack to carry sea kayaks and bikes, so we don't really have to worry about that either.

The new car will be primarily for transporting dogs (sometimes dirty ones!), towing a light dirt bike trailer and carting hiking gear and possibly additional hikers on trips. The MINI is also our daily driver, so this one won't rack up the miles either.

We have narrowed it down based on price, MPG, horsepower, reviews and cargo space to the following 4 vehicles (prices are approx):

Ford Escape Titanium I4 - AWD with towing package - 21/28 MPG - $32K
Subaru XV Crosstrek 2.0i Limited - AWD - 25/33 MPG - $27K
VW Tiguan 2.0T SEL $Motion - AWD w/ towing - 20/26 MPG - $37K
Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring - AWD 25/31 MPG - $29K

Anyone have any experience with any of these four vehicles and care to offer an opinion?

We've only driven the Ford so far, and we were surprised at how much we both liked it. It is my least favorite in terms of exterior looks, but I can get over that if it ends up being the best choice for us. We hope to drive the other three this coming week/weekend.

Thanks!

[Becky]

Isn't the Crosstrek built on the Impreza platform? We can barely fit one large dog (80 pounds) in the cargo area of our Impreza Sport Premium. (Sorry to sound like a party pooper...)

There was a really good discussion about the Crosstrek on the forums at MTBR.com if you're looking for more feedback.

Good luck with the car search!

[GLC1968]

Becky - you are right! It's the Impreza but with more ground clearance. Hmmm, we only liked it better than the Forester for the better MPG, but yeah, the cargo space might be an issue. Thanks for pointing that out.

Though, I should clarify, when I say 'fit all three big dogs in there with the seat up", I mean for super short trips like to the vet or the dog park. For longer trips, we'll put the seat down for them of course! ;-)

[tulip]

Any reason you are not looking at a Subaru Forester or Outback? Or a Honda Fit?

[GLC1968]

Tulip - we originally ruled out the Forester and the Outback in favor of the XV Crosstrek just because their MPG is so much worse. If we look at the Crosstrek in person and see that it is too small, we may consider one of the others.

The Fit is too small and really, too close to the ground. I don't think it offers anything different than what we have in our Clubman (which we will be keeping).

[tulip]

Tulip - we originally ruled out the Forester and the Outback in favor of the XV Crosstrek just because their MPG is so much worse. If we look at the Crosstrek in person and see that it is too small, we may consider one of the others.

The Fit is too small and really, too close to the ground. I don't think it offers anything different than what we have in our Clubman (which we will be keeping).

Oh, right, the Fit isn't AWD either. I'm partial to the Audi A3 Sportwagon, but I don't think I'd want to get it muddy...

[GLC1968]

I think we are also going to look at the Honda CR-V as well.

We've owned 4 different Toyota's since we got married and we weren't enough impressed with any of them to want another one so we have ruled out the RAV-4. Besides, it's up for a redesign anyway.

[GLC1968]

Oh, right, the Fit isn't AWD either. I'm partial to the Audi A3 Sportwagon, but I don't think I'd want to get it muddy...

Oh, yeah...I'm drooling over the Audi Q5 but we can't justify the price tag when it really is just our secondary car. Plus, I'd be terrified to take it on gravel roads...it might get dinged!

[maillotpois]

We were just looking at those and ruled out the crosstrek because it was too small for our dogs (two 90 pounders). I think the A3 would be too small as well. The Escape wasn't flashy, but it did meet all our other needs - we had similar ambivalence as you seem to about the looks. The Tiguan seemed a little small as well, but would probably be my top choice of the ones you listed.

We ended up with a Jetta sportwagon TDI which we LOVE (28k). The diesel gets great MPG (40), but it isn't AWD, which is the one bummer about it.

I'm actually intrigued by the brand new BMW X1 which comes in AWD and the smaller engine gets great MPG. We looked at it for fun, and the rear is definitely large enough for dogs. It's more $ than the ones you listed, but not as much as I would have thought - I think you can do it for low 40k.

[GLC1968]

We hadn't considered the Jetta sportwagon because good friends of ours have one and we don't want to be copy-cats. ;-) Actually, perhaps we will. Our closest Mazda dealer is also a VW dealer, so we will definitely do some looking around when we are there!

Off to investigate the BMW - maybe we can get a deal since we bought our MINI there?! ;-)

[Crankin]

GLC, I was seriously considering the A3 wagon, to replace my BMW 325X sedan. I could fit my (small sized) bike in the back of that, with the seats down, but it was a bit of a pain. So, we went to the dealer, where we get a special deal as DH's company supplies the software to help build Audi. I drove the A3 and the A4 wagon. While I liked the A3, it didn't feel that great to drive. But, the clincher was, they are not making them after 2012/13 and I didn't want to buy a car that was no longer being made. It also had a tiny rear space, not much bigger than the small sedan I had. The A4 wagon drove just like my BMW and has a huge rear space when the seats are down. We got a great deal and I bought it.
So, it's been almost a year and my take is that it drives awesomely and the AWD works well on the steep hills I need to get up in the snow. But, there's some things about the way the car fits me I hate. Almost all of these things are in all new cars, especially luxury cars. The side panels obstruct my vision because I am short (extra space for the side air bags), and I gave myself a permanent lump on my forehead and 2 months of whiplash when I opened the door into my head, because the door is so much bigger than what I am used to. And, I can't remember how to operate half of the normal stuff, like the radio and the temperature controls, as it is so weird and unintuitive. I've been told all new cars have this stuff, but I wonder if Japanese cars are different.
The car rides fine and my bike has lots of room in the rear. The gas mileage is OK. I had my BMW for 10 years and I do not think I will keep this car that long.... probably 5 years, as I drive so much now because of my job. So, whatever you get, take it for a long test drive. I made a big mistake.

[Blueberry]

MP - I didn't know you had a sportwagen too?? Funny!

Another vote for the TDI Sportwagen. I'm perfectly happy with mine. It's fun to drive, and I really love the range (great mileage + big tank = 450 miles between fill-ups routinely). Don't know about ground clearance, but haven't run into an issue with it. I will say I took my FWD Golf a lot of places it probably shouldn't have gone without a problem. It's definitely higher off the ground than something like a Fit.

[Irulan]

Honda FIT is really an entry level car, especially with some of the other brands and styles being kicked around here. When I test drove one it was noisy as hell, and there really weren't any decent upgrades. I think it even had roll up windows.

Mazda will give you a lot of nice features for less money than a Beemer.

[GLC1968]

OK, I've been doing some comparisons. One of the main reasons for this new car is to allow my husband to tow his dual sport motorcycle on a light trailer instead of having to put it in the back of a truck bed. None of the sport wagons have available tow hitches, so they are out. I've seen the back of the VW sportwagon and I don't recall it being tall enough for Sara (our ridiculously tall and lanky Giant Schnoodle), so that just adds to the decision (and one of the reasons we are considering SUV's).

The X1 looks very cool and with the options we'd want, would still be in our price range, but it also doesn't have a tow hitch as an option, so it's out too.

That leaves us with the Escape, the CX-5, the CR-V, the Tiguan and a Subaru of some sort. Decisions, decisions!
(Good thing I enjoy car shopping!)

[maillotpois]

We hadn't considered the Jetta sportwagon because good friends of ours has one and we don't want to be copy-cats. ;-) Actually, perhaps we will. Our closest Mazda dealer is also a VW dealer, so we will definitely do some looking around when we are there!

Off to investigate the BMW - maybe we can get a deal since we bought our MINI there?! ;-)

You need to look at the smaller engine BMW X1 that's AWD - there are a BUNCH of different versions, but the smaller engine one is cheaper and gets better MPG and I bet you anything that it's got plenty of power. It gets 30's MPG which is decent for a car that size. Dealer loyalty!!!


MP - I didn't know you had a sportwagen too?? Funny!

Another vote for the TDI Sportwagen. I'm perfectly happy with mine. It's fun to drive, and I really love the range (great mileage + big tank = 450 miles between fill-ups routinely). Don't know about ground clearance, but haven't run into an issue with it. I will say I took my FWD Golf a lot of places it probably shouldn't have gone without a problem. It's definitely higher off the ground than something like a Fit.

Funny! Yeah we got it in December. Em had been driving DH's old Audi S4 which had over 200,000 miles on it and the (original) clutch was starting to go. We wanted her to have something safe that could also double as a family/dog vacation car. It's great. So many bells and whistles for a car in that price range.

The lack of AWD is the only bummer, as putting chains on in the snow isn't fun. It really depends on how much time you think you will be spending in the snow. We spent the Christmas/New Year holiday week in the snow, and ended up leaving the chains on for most of the time. I'd have no worries about taking it on dirt roads, etc. The clearance is good.

[GLC1968]

You need to look at the smaller engine BMW X1 that's AWD - there are a BUNCH of different versions, but the smaller engine one is cheaper and gets better MPG and I bet you anything that it's got plenty of power. It gets 30's MPG which is decent for a car that size. Dealer loyalty!!!


I think we are going to have to look at it. I know how a BMW drives and I am assuming none of these other cars will compare! It has a ton more HP and torque than the other options we are looking at as well, so it will definitely have no problem with towing. AND, it's got the best standard warranty as well.

I know we can get an aftermarket hitch added as well, so I am going to put it on the list. :D

[Irulan]

My Beemer loving buddy ( has 5 if you count the parts cars and the one in progress) was very impressed with my mazda 3

[GLC1968]

My Beemer loving buddy ( has 5 if you count the parts cars and the one in progress) was very impressed with my mazda 3

I've heard really good things about the Mazda, so it will definitely get a fair shake. Car and Driver did a comparison of all of these (minus the BMW) and the Mazda won, so it's near the top of our list.

[Catrin]

Good luck with your search!

[Koronin]

Good luck with the search. Can't help with the type of vehicle you're looking for though. We have 2 cars Monte Carlo SS (which is my toy and I love dearly), Nissan Versa (my work car and gets good gas milage and has good storage capacity), and 2 Ford Rangers (1 with well over 300,000 miles and the newer one that is 4 wheel drive). The Nissan we got a good deal on used, if we were to buy new it would most likely be a Ford.

[maillotpois]

I think we are going to have to look at it. I know how a BMW drives and I am assuming none of these other cars will compare! It has a ton more HP and torque than the other options we are looking at as well, so it will definitely have no problem with towing. AND, it's got the best standard warranty as well.

I know we can get an aftermarket hitch added as well, so I am going to put it on the list. :D

If you drive it, please tell us how you like it. We are seriously considering it for either (1) when DHs lease is up or (2) once I have paid off my car and if Em takes the Jetta to college.

[TrekDianna]

I had a 2001 Subaru Outback that got decent gas mileage. I did a lot of shopping when I decided to get something new -- I drive over the mountain pass a couple of times a month and really wanted 4-wheel drive. I also live on 4 miles of dirt roads including the last 1 mile that goes from 200 to just under 1000 feet elevation. There were times that I slid down that hill. I finally gave up and just went with a Jeep Wrangler. I've wanted one my whole life. The other car is a Toyota Yaris - affectionately known as "the clown car".

[Crankin]

I had a hitch on my BMW 325X... it was only for a bike rack, never towed anything, but I didn't realize it was an after market thing. DH ordered it on line and installed it himself, but he generally does everything like that.

[indysteel]

We have had hitches installed on two of our vehicles where it wasn't a standard option. At least according to my husband, who is completely obsessed with all things motorized, it's not that big of a deal for either a dealer or someone like U-Haul to install a hitch. Assuming the vehicle can actually tow what you want to tow, he suggests not ruling out a vehicle just because a tow hitch isn't a standard option.

[GLC1968]

We were talking about this last night and realized that with the exception of our MINI, all of our cars have had hitches and all of them were aftermarket!

Sarah - I'll definitely report back! I think we are going to drive the BMW tonight and if there is time, either the CR-V or the CX-5. I know car dealers will allow buyers to test-fit bikes...think they'll let us test-fit our dogs? ;)

TrekDianna - I've owned 5 Jeeps in my lifetime included a CJ-7 all through college (back when I could get gas for less than a $1/gal). I loved them all but they just don't fit our lifestyle anymore unless we wanted a bigger one and then we can kiss good gas mileage goodbye. Fun to drive though!

[maillotpois]

Sarah - I'll definitely report back! I think we are going to drive the BMW tonight and if there is time, either the CR-V or the CX-5. I know car dealers will allow buyers to test-fit bikes...think they'll let us test-fit our dogs? ;)

Oh goody! It comes in a spectacular orange.... :)

[GLC1968]

Oh goody! It comes in a spectacular orange.... :)

I know! That's definitely the color we'll pick if we end up with the BMW. In fact, that is one of the reasons my H initially liked the CrossTrek - it also comes in orange! :D

[maillotpois]

Yes - Em also loved the orange cross-trek when we were looking. But too small.

I've seen the orange BMW in person and it's really cool.

[emily_in_nc]

We just bought a 2013 CR-V EX and love it! I don't know how it compares to the others you're considering, and we didn't buy the AWD model, but there is a ton of storage room with the back seats down, and I am absolutely loving the back-up camera. Gas mileage is better than advertised as well (we're getting 30-35 mpg in mixed driving), at least here in flat Florida, and we're digging the real-time mpg display. We weren't sure we'd find something we liked as much as the Element we sold when we moved to Belize, and this does have less cargo space, but it's just way nicer, rides much more quietly and smoothly, and doesn't have the huge blind spots the Element does. And the gas mileage is much better.

Enjoy your car shopping!

[OakLeaf]

I am absolutely loving the back-up camera.

Funny, that's one of the handful of things I really hate about the Prius. I know I could just ignore it, but I find that it's a huge temptation to NOT look where I'm going, and rely on the stupid screen instead. Danger, Will Robinson. Even if I start off looking where I'm going, if I want to turn my head to look over the other shoulder or out the side window, the screen is there distracting me...

It would be nice if it defaulted to off, so I could turn it on when I knew there were, say, stanchions or stuff like that nearby. But I honestly think that screen really increases the likelihood that I'm going to back into something someday, because it tempts me not to pay attention. Or worse, back into some*one,* because looking at that screen makes it impossible for me to see people walking toward the car from the side, as so often happens when I'm backing out of a parking space.



Anyway enjoy your shopping!

[Roadtrip]

We have a 2011 Tiguan that we've had for two years and love it!! Have a hitch mount bike rack for our bikes and the cargo area is pretty large. Not sure three large dog "large" however.

[nuliajuk]

Subaru has a good reputation for reliability, so that's a point in the Subaru's favour. I wouldn't put too much weight on the supposed mpg ratings of vehicles, as they're often calculated under idealized conditions and the buyer doesn't come close to betting that sort of gas mileage anyway.

[OakLeaf]

I dunno ... we got 25.5 overall with both our Subarus, 46 in the old Prius and 47 so far in the new one, which is right smack what the EPA says all of them are/were supposed to. And our driving habits and conditions are far from "ideal."

[Irulan]

Hs Subaru changed their seats yet? Worst ever for back support on lengthy trips....

[GLC1968]

A few years back, the EPA was forced to change the way they rate new cars so that the MPG was more 'real-life' accurate, so while I think they used to be reported way high, I think now they are a little closer to realistic.

Thanks for the feedback on the CR-V, Emily. We haven't seen one at a dealer, but there was one parked next to us at dinner last night so we may have put a few proverbial nose prints on it! It's definitely in the running as that cargo space looks massive compared to some of the other cars we are considering.

Last night we drove the Mazda CX-5. I really, really liked it. Customers complained about the lack of acceleration on the 2013 model but raved about everything else, so Mazda released their 2014 early and put a slightly larger engine in it. We drove the 2014 and while it's no drag racer, it has plenty of pep. I was expecting it to accelerate like a PT Cruiser, but it's way better and has no problem getting out of its own way. I liked the feel, the trim, the features, the size and the look of it and it handled extremely well on the winding roads we test drove it on (purposely!). My H was not as impressed, unfortunately.

Then we drove down to the BMW dealer even though it was closed, to check out the X1. It's certainly attractive, but it's quite small. We couldn't open it up, of course, but standing next to it was not much different than standing next to our old Matrix. There is no way 3 dogs will fit in the back with the seat up. And then we started thinking about leaving a BMW at a trail head for 3 days and we aren't sure that's such a good idea. I kind of still want to drive it, but I think we may have to rule it out on size alone. There was an X6 right next to it and I think I actually drooled on it. ;)

On our way back, we pulled into a Subaru dealer to look at the Crosstrek. We parked and walked around but couldn't find one right away (lots of Outbacks though!). As we were looking a salesman asked if he could answer any questions (they were still open!). We asked about the Crosstrek and he showed us one just a little past where we were looking. It was very cool. Oddly enough, one of the features we liked the best was that the cargo area has no carpet on the side walls, a rubber all-weather tray and the same type of all-weather cover on the backs of the seats to protect them. When you put the seats down, the whole cargo area is protected from slobber, muddy paws and dog hair!! Size-wise, there is again, no way the dogs will fit in with the seat up, but my H was willing to look past that because he really liked the rest of it. Then we opened up an Outback and looked at that. The MPG on the 2.5L is similar to the other vehicles we are looking at so it was worth investigating. Size was GREAT, features were great, exterior looks are only OK (I still like the Mazda for looks). We can get those same all-weather mats/covers for the Outback, too. We are going back on Friday to test drive them both. I did drive a 2012 Outback as a rental when I was in New England in Feb and I was impressed with it's handling for what felt like a big car. Still not much for acceleration, but we'll see how it is on a new one (as opposed to a rental).

Saturday, we'll check out the Honda and if I can convince my H, the BMW just because I'm curious.

If we get into a tough decision, dog fit is going to be the deciding factor and any dealer that doesn't let us try putting Sara in the back will lose out. Subaru already said it was totally fine. :p

Now I need to work on convincing my husband that the Mazda beats out the Escape (I like the Mazda, he liked the Escape). Or, with any luck, we'll both love either one of the Subaru's or the Honda!

[GLC1968]

Funny, that's one of the handful of things I really hate about the Prius. I know I could just ignore it, but I find that it's a huge temptation to NOT look where I'm going, and rely on the stupid screen instead. Danger, Will Robinson. Even if I start off looking where I'm going, if I want to turn my head to look over the other shoulder or out the side window, the screen is there distracting me...

It would be nice if it defaulted to off, so I could turn it on when I knew there were, say, stanchions or stuff like that nearby. But I honestly think that screen really increases the likelihood that I'm going to back into something someday, because it tempts me not to pay attention. Or worse, back into some*one,* because looking at that screen makes it impossible for me to see people walking toward the car from the side, as so often happens when I'm backing out of a parking space.

Anyway enjoy your shopping!

Every car we've looked at has had the backup camera thing. I guess it's pretty standard when you are basically picking the highest trim level for these vehicles. I assume the BMW will not have one since we won't be putting a lot of options on it.

I didn't mind it. I actually used it on the Mazda to get close to the curb when I was parking it and it was pretty cool. The Mazda has a nice feature (or potentially annoying feature) with a blind spot monitor. The car has sensors all around it so if you go to move in the direction of something (be it a tree, a person, another car) it will beep at you. I'm not sure I like that for every day use, but it sure was helpful when passing on the highway with that big ole dealer sticker on the window blocking my view!

Personally, the less fancy electronics, the better as far as I'm concerned. Unfortunately, my H feels differently.

[indysteel]

I have nothing to add but a bit of envy. I'm driving a 2001 vehicle that arguably still has some life in it. I promised myself and DH that I wouldn't even start looking at new cars until my job situation is clear--probably summer, 2014. And even then, I might talk myself out of it if my car is still working as well as it currently is (it pays to be married to a car-crazy engineer who can do most of his own repair work). All this talk of new cars, test drives, and all these high tech features has me itching to start the process. Can I just live vicariously through you for a bit?

[GLC1968]

I have nothing to add but a bit of envy. I'm driving a 2001 vehicle that arguably still has some life in it. I promised myself and DH that I wouldn't even start looking at new cars until my job situation is clear--probably summer, 2014. And even then, I might talk myself out of it if my car is still working as well as it currently is (it pays to be married to a car-crazy engineer who can do most of his own repair work). All this talk of new cars, test drives, and all these high tech features has me itching to start the process. Can I just live vicariously through you for a bit?

Sure!

Really, we didn't plan on this at all. We figured we'd keep the truck for awhile since it's running wonderfully and it's paid off. The problem that prompted this whole thing is that my DH is now getting into trail riding but has a motorcycle that doesn't do well on highways (even though it is a dual-sport). This means that he needs a way to transport it to the trails. When we had a yard, we just pulled the camper top off the truck, left it off to the side and he put the bike in the bed. Now we have no place for the camper top and we didn't think about that when opting for a house with no yard.

We weighed the idea of getting some type of pulley system to store the camper top from the garage ceiling, or...getting a little trailer for his bike that will fold up small enough to store some place when not in use. The trailer won.

Then we realized that we really don't need a pickup that only gets about 17 mpg and that has horrible visibility when the camper top is on it, anymore. With the sale of the farm and the drastically reduced mortgage, we can afford a car payment without affecting our financial plans so we figured 'why not'? Then we started thinking of all the situations we'd use this new vehicle in and ended up with the idea for a small SUV. If it weren't for the dogs, I'd be pushing for an Audi A4 and we could use the MINI as our play car (it's already outfitted for it), but three dogs in the mini is a pretty miserable situation (mostly because it's only a two and a 1/2 door so the dogs must slobber out of our windows and down our shoulders).

Our MINI is only a 2011, so I do feel a little guilty for buying another new car when the truck runs perfectly fine. BUT, it is kinda fun. :o :D

[indysteel]

Sounds like good reasoning to me.

I'm leaning toward a hatchback for some reason. I've had a sedan for a long time now, and I'd like to drive something a little different I guess. Mazda, Ford and Kia (they're releasing a redesigned hatch in the fall that I think I'll like) have cars that will be in the running. I drive 50 miles each work day at a minimum, so MPG is important, too.

[Catrin]

Subaru has a good reputation for reliability, so that's a point in the Subaru's favour. I wouldn't put too much weight on the supposed mpg ratings of vehicles, as they're often calculated under idealized conditions and the buyer doesn't come close to betting that sort of gas mileage anyway.

I get better mileage in my Kia Soul than it is rated for. It DOES have a manual transmission and that can make a difference, am unsure if that really has anything to do with it or not.

I am enjoying reading about the vehicle search, I don't know much about the vehicles in question but it is an interesting discussion. Indy - for years I drove a hatchback, and my Kia Soul is a return to that. I really prefer that to a more traditional trunk, for me it allows me to use what space I have more...creatively?

[Crankin]

I loved having the hatchback on my 325Xi and if I get another sedan, that will be a must.
Another thing I didn't check closely enough on my A4 wagon is how high the hatch goes up. As in, I can barely reach it to grab the top to pull it down when I need to close it. It's definitely not built for a short person. My DH bought a new car in December; he really wanted another Lexus SUV, but was not impressed with the new one (his was 9 years old and needed some major work). He ended up getting a Mercedes SUV (no comments, please :)) that has every imaginable bell and whistle, including the fricking back up screen. I have been resistant to even getting in the car and "learning" how to operate it. My car is going in for service in a couple of weeks, but it 's on a day when I don't need it until very late in the PM, so I doubt I'll have to drive DH's. I hate this kind of change and am yearning for a car with actual buttons and dials, with no touch screen.

[Jolt]

Ditto on the awesomeness of hatchbacks...I have one now (Suzuki SX4) after driving sedans before and would find it hard to go back. It's much easier to transport awkward or large items than with a regular trunk (even one where the seat folds down).

[emily_in_nc]

It would be nice if it defaulted to off, so I could turn it on when I knew there were, say, stanchions or stuff like that nearby. But I honestly think that screen really increases the likelihood that I'm going to back into something someday, because it tempts me not to pay attention. Or worse, back into some*one,* because looking at that screen makes it impossible for me to see people walking toward the car from the side, as so often happens when I'm backing out of a parking space.


The CR-V backup camera has three modes -- normal, curb (looking down) and wide-angle view. The WAV would prevent backing up into people. I mostly use the backup camera, so far, for backing INTO parking places, where I'm unlikely to hit anyone, but it sure helps me line up. I definitely feel like it makes me safer rather than less safe.

Our CR-V also came with a cargo liner insert thing, which is great for a dog back there. Maybe not three large dogs, but it's a pretty spacious back area even with the back seats up. However, the back seats do not fold down totally flat, and if that is a dealbreaker, then the CR-V will probably not work for you, GLC.

We're also getting mileage better than the CR-V is rated for, not worse. Gotta love that! :)

[Possegal]

My niece has the newest Mazda3 hatchback, and she loves it!
I'll be in need of a new car before long. I'd get the same car I have now, except they no longer make that model in a manual. I get annoyed that less and less of the affordable, yet with some bells and whistles, cars come as manuals.

[Catrin]

My niece has the newest Mazda3 hatchback, and she loves it!
I'll be in need of a new car before long. I'd get the same car I have now, except they no longer make that model in a manual. I get annoyed that less and less of the affordable, yet with some bells and whistles, cars come as manuals.

I hear you, I won't buy an automatic either. I did once and hated it...that car only lasted one year before I replaced it. It was a very nice car, I just don't care for automatic transmissions. Thankfully the Kia Soul does come with a manual transmission and I've a few bells and whistles. Not as many as the Gallant GTZ did (it was used), or the Lancer (manual) that followed it, but it suits me much better. When I purchased my Soul, they had to actually bring one in from Ohio, none of the Indianapolis dealers had a manual in stock... I've hopes my green machine will last many years :)

[OakLeaf]

I get annoyed that less and less of the affordable, yet with some bells and whistles, cars come as manuals.

I'm guessing that all cars will have CVT sooner than later, if they actually let the proposed fuel economy standards go into effect. It's a pretty simple way to maximize efficiency.

The funny thing about the Prius is that when the gas engine kicks on and off, it basically feels just like a regular AT shifting. So you still get those klunks, just for a different reason. :p

[maillotpois]

Then we drove down to the BMW dealer even though it was closed, to check out the X1. It's certainly attractive, but it's quite small. We couldn't open it up, of course, but standing next to it was not much different than standing next to our old Matrix. There is no way 3 dogs will fit in the back with the seat up. And then we started thinking about leaving a BMW at a trail head for 3 days and we aren't sure that's such a good idea. I kind of still want to drive it, but I think we may have to rule it out on size alone. There was an X6 right next to it and I think I actually drooled on it. ;)


Do go back and look inside the X1 when you can. We thought the back was really similar to our sportwagen, and definitely bigger than the crosstrek. We've only got 2 dogs, but they're 90 pounders and they wouldn't have any trouble in the X1. I do get what you mean about the trailhead, though.

[GLC1968]

We are a manual car kind of family ourselves. In fact, except for one time when manual wasn't an option, I've always avoided automatic transmissions. That said, last year when I had my foot problem and had to buy an automatic to use for a few months, it got me thinking. Sometimes, if you've got more than one car in the family, having one of them as a automatic for emergencies is not a bad idea.

I'm having issues with my husband on all of this. I swear that he is looking for a sports car SUV. He likes the Escape because it had 'balls', so to speak. He didn't like the Mazda for that reason. I assume he won't like the Subaru or the CR-V for the same reasons. He says he understands that fuel efficiency and space are more important in this particular car but I am getting the impression that's not really what he believes. Ugh.

When I left for work, he was watching videos of the 2014 Subaru Forester where they added a turbo option and CVT for better MPG. Men!

[BikeDutchess]

I bought a 2013 Subaru Forester and love it. This is actually our 2nd Forester, we have a 2002 also. I bought the base model because I'm not into bells and whistles (sun roofs and such just seem to me like things that will malfunction at some point), and the price was right at under $23K. I test drove the CR-V as well, and it had some nice touches that the Subaru lacked, but the Forester has the best visibility by far. My DH's Mazda 3 annoys me because of its blind spots. And for some reason the CR-V seemed larger than the Forester, in a way that I didn't like. I got an automatic this time (my first), and while it lacks some of the "oomph" I can get out of a manual, for city driving (and even busy freeway driving) it is so nice. The Outbacks are nice too, but I didn't want to pay that much more. Installing an after-market hitch on the Forester was no big deal (U-Haul).

[Koronin]

My current work car is a hatchback. Being a hatchback it's great for the type of work I do and gets pretty good gas mileage, also needed, as I do a lot of driving for work. (Not a 50 miles each work day, usually more just from store to store in town. However there are times I do drive over an hour to another city for some work, that's around 70 miles or more each way on those days, but that's not a weekly thing). However, mine is an automatic. I do not know how to drive a manual and unless we can afford a Ferrari or or some other European high end car with paddle shifters I have no interest whatsoever in ever learning how to drive a manual. My husband does know how to drive them and the one we were given by his sister we got rid of after a year as he was sick and tired of driving it in Charlotte rush hour traffic. The other issue I get extremely sick riding in vehicles with manual transmissions no matter how good the driver is at shifting. (Yep get motion sick fairly easily, and can get motion sick in automatic transmission vehicles, hence the reason we will never own a van of any type.)

Anyway very interesting thread, fun to read and learn about others looking and testing different vehicles.

[Crankin]

I learned to drive a stick in 1981 when my DH severely sprained his left foot and couldn't drive his 1980 Rabbit. I went out at 6 AM on a Sunday morning and drove to Manhattan Bagels (corner of Baseline and Lakeshore in Tempe, AZ) to force myself to master it.
The next day I had to drive in my carpool, where 4 other adults were forced to squeeze in that car on a 30 mile drive to west Phoenix. One of the guys was so big, I used to call him "the simian."
DH had manual cars until 1999, when DS#1 promptly cracked up DH's first automatic, an Audi A6, when he had his permit.

[Jolt]

I never did learn to drive a stick...might not be a bad idea to know how just for emergencies (having to drive somebody else's car if we're out together and they get into a situation where they need me to drive, and they have a stick) but don't think I'd ever be interested in owning one. Too much multitasking, which I am not good at. There's enough to worry about when driving without adding shifting and trying not to roll backwards on hills to the mix.

[GLC1968]

I never did learn to drive a stick...might not be a bad idea to know how just for emergencies (having to drive somebody else's car if we're out together and they get into a situation where they need me to drive, and they have a stick) but don't think I'd ever be interested in owning one. Too much multitasking, which I am not good at. There's enough to worry about when driving without adding shifting and trying not to roll backwards on hills to the mix.

Our MINI has a sweet feature where when you depress the brake, it stays engaged for a few seconds once you release it or until you move forward...even on a hill. It makes hill starts ridiculously easy!

OK...so we bought a car! I cannot believe it because we had no intention of doing this until after we'd closed on the house because our debt to income ratio is lousy right now (two mortgages) but they didn't even run our credit. Just based on salary alone, they gave us the lowest rate. We actually considered leasing it, but when we did the numbers, it just seemed like a mistake in the long run so we financed it.

So...drumroll please....

We ended up with a 2014 Subaru Forester in the 2.5L engine, Touring trim. We really both are really happy with it!

On Friday, we drove the Outback and the Forester with the turbo. We ruled out the Crosstrek on size alone. We just didn't want to have to always put down the seats for the dogs. We liked both cars well enough. Then on Saturday, we drove the CR-V. The CR-V was nice, but kind of boring. I can see why it's the most popular crossover for people with families though - it had a lot of good features for managing kids in the back seat. Good solid car, but not the one for us.

We went to BMW and looked in the X1 and it was just too small. We didn't even drive it because we didn't want to compromise on size just because we loved how it drove! Really, the X3 would have been the best option for us, but it was out of our price range. Considering how little we will be driving this car, it just didn't make sense to spend that kind of money.

So we went back to Subaru that afternoon and drove the Forester without the turbo. At that point, we both agreed that we liked the Subaru's the best so then we proceeded to hem and haw for quite awhile about which one. We ruled out the Outback when we put both cars side by side. The Forester was taller with more dog space vertically, but it was shorter than the Outback in length which is good if we ever want to put it in our overly utilized garage! They got similar MPG and when we were honest with ourselves, driving the Forester was more fun. I also loved the incredibly visibility on all sides that wasn't quite as good on the Outback. My DH liked that the Forester seats were a bit longer, giving him better leg support (my hobbit legs didn't care one way or another!). Then we spent entirely too much time trying to decide on color and if we wanted Turbo or not. We ended up without it just because it wasn't THAT much better and it cost quite a bit more. The non-turbo version had plenty of pep and still got better MPG. The two versions had slightly different grill configurations as well and we liked the look of the non-turbo one there, too.

We balked pretty hard at the upcharge for living in the PNW, but there didn't appear to be any way around that. We did get them to throw in the paint and interior protection treatment for free because of it, but it was still a little painful to swallow.

For those that don't know, if you buy a Subaru in the PNW, you pay (in this case) $3500 more than MSRP just because of where we live. They are the most popular type of car here and they sell better here than anywhere else in the country, so they can rape you for it. He tried to tell us that we were getting a 2014 for the up-charge early in 2013, but when we pointed out that we'd happily take a 2013 except that they had none available, he didn't have an answer for us. When I asked how being the best selling car maker in the PNW cost them more (therefore justifying charging us more), he visible squirmed in his seat. Unfortunately, there was no budging and he basically let us know that if we didn't buy this car, someone else would, so tough toenails (he as clearly nicer about it than that, but you get the picture). If we hadn't spent so much time shopping around and if we hadn't been so thrilled that we both settled on the same car (finally!), we might have changed our minds. But, we knew that we couldn't agree on what would have even been the runner up option, so we figured that $3500 was worth a happy marriage at least. ;)

We do love it. It's a beautiful pearl white with light grey leather interior and we got them to throw in the plastic covers for the backs of the back seat to protect them from dog paws/fur/slobber. It drives like a dream, too.

[indysteel]

Congrats on your new baby, I mean car, GLC! Sounds like a good choice for you and the dogs. I'd never heard of the Suburu upcharge though. I guess it pays to be a Suburu dealer!

[tulip]

Congratulations! Is it a manual? My neighbor had a manual Forester (2013) and really liked it. But she had to get a minivan to accommodate her Irish Wolfhound--talk about a big dog!

(off-topic, but manual transmissions really put the driver in touch with driving, not just being on autopilot. You cannot eat a burger or text when you have to pay attention to actually driving--shifting gears. I'm delighted there are those here who appreciate manual transmissions. It also keeps many people from borrowing the car--another plus, as otherwise I would get requests to borrow my hatchback for this and that if it were auto. AND it makes it easier and cheaper to rent a car in Europe...just something to consider if anyone is curious about learning how)

[GLC1968]

No, manual was not an option on this particular trim level. But, we wanted an automatic anyway. Since we can keep two cars, I wanted one to be automatic in case of emergencies.

I don't know why we didn't consider the Forester from the beginning. I guess it was because we didn't realize that Subaru had improved their MPG so much. And that AWD makes this thing a dream to drive. It's got a better turning radius than our MINI!

[Catrin]

Congratulations on your new car! It sounds like the two of you put in a lot of time and effort to find the best choice for you :)

[tulip]

This thread has got me thinking about my next car, which won't be for another 3 years at least (I hope). My Rabbit is great, but I really want TDI, and now I'm really liking the Tiguan TDI manual...except that it's not sold in the US (yet). Perhaps by the time I'm ready to buy, it will be here. If not, there's always the Golf TDI manual here, and the GDT next year.

I hope you enjoy your subaru.

[jobob]

For those that don't know, if you buy a Subaru in the PNW, you pay (in this case) $3500 more than MSRP just because of where we live. Even more than in CA? I assume everything costs more in CA, perhaps this is the one exception to the rule. I haven't been SubyShopping since 2003 so I don't know if there's a CA "because you're here" upcharge as well. Heh, I wouldn't be surprised.

[Blueberry]

This thread has got me thinking about my next car, which won't be for another 3 years at least (I hope). My Rabbit is great, but I really want TDI, and now I'm really liking the Tiguan TDI manual...except that it's not sold in the US (yet). Perhaps by the time I'm ready to buy, it will be here. If not, there's always the Golf TDI manual here, and the GDT next year.

I hope you enjoy your subaru.

Or the TDI Sportwagen with a manual. I can actually fit a lot more in my car than I could when I had a loaner Tiguan.

[GLC1968]

Even more than in CA? I assume everything costs more in CA, perhaps this is the one exception to the rule. I haven't been SubyShopping since 2003 so I don't know if there's a CA "because you're here" upcharge as well. Heh, I wouldn't be surprised.

Yep, even more than in CA...but don't feel left out, you have an up-charge too. It's just not as large as ours!

I'm going to be in FL at the end of the month. I had a brief moment where I thought - I'll just buy one down there and drive it back! Then I came to my senses. ;)

[tulip]

Or the TDI Sportwagen with a manual. I can actually fit a lot more in my car than I could when I had a loaner Tiguan.

I might try one but I'd probably get the Golf over the Jetta wagon. I don't need alot of space--just enough. My Rabbit has just enough. If I move to the mountains, I might want 4WD, although that's so totally overkill since I've never needed 4WD ever before, so the Tiguan is really pretty silly for me, actually. I like the small size of the Golf. I have a while to think on it.

[maillotpois]

Congratulations! And thanks for letting us vicariously experience the new car smell.....

[Koronin]

Congratulations on your vehicle!

Tulip, intersting about Europe and manuals, although I guess that does make sense. However, for us it would make sense to spend the extra for the automatic. I prefer to not live on motion sickness medication and I have never been in a manual transmission vechile that didn't make me sick. Both my friend and my husband can drive them very well. I told my husband the only way I'm learning how to drive a manul is I'd have to be able to afford a Ferrari and it would have to have paddle shifters otherwise I've got no interest in learning. He was like, so if I can a manual Mustang you don't intend to learn how to drive it? My responce was nope and I also don't plan to ride in it, since I'll be sick before we get out of the neighborhood.

[BikeDutchess]

Congrats, and welcome to the Forester family! ;)

[VeganBikeChick]

Congrats on your Forester! I have a 2011 manual Forester, and couldn't be happier. It's been a lifesaver in the snow here - handles incredibly well and I'm not afraid to go anywhere. Enjoy the ride!