Need insight on smallish-midsize suv/cuv

[Dusten]

In laws currently have an 03ish escape. They want a new rig.
MIL says 25-30k, FIL says 40k
They want something the size of a ford edge. Reasonable mpg's, reliable. needs to be new, or CPO. Who own's what and has insight into ownership.
No brand is off the table. FIL wants a 3rd row(they have 6 grand kids) but the MIL doesn't care.

Shoot me your ideas.

 

[Mpoitrast87]

Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-5, Buick Encore are like small crossovers. all 3 look pretty good IMO. No idea if they are 3rd row.

 

[BlueSnake01]

GMC Acadia, Ford Explorer, Chevy Traverse, Dodge Durango.

All of these have a 3rd row seat, can be bought for under 40k and avg at or close to mid 20’s on highway.

 

[Dusten]

I know what rigs exist. Was more looking from input from people who either sell them, work on them, or own them.

The explorer and the durango are likely going to be bigger than she wants, as she's looked at the edge and likes it, along with the santa fe(I think)

 

[black92]

First pick would be a used Lincoln MKC with the 2.3 AWD. Next would be a 2016 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring AWD.

 

[awful knawful]

My mother loves her new rav4 limited awd. No third row though. Highlander is larger and I believe has 3rd row. New highlander is a beautiful suv.

 

[ssj4sadie]

Dusten, did you see my reply or do i need to retype it?

 

[Dusten]

Dusten, did you see my reply or do i need to retype it?

First pick would be a used Lincoln MKC with the 2.3 AWD. Next would be a 2016 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring AWD.

Based on my mother in law's taste, the lincoln isn't going to happen. She lives ona 350 acre farm, and refuses to even us AC. a luxury SUV would be wasted. I'll look at the mazda. She is showing interest in the GMC Acadia and the Hyundai Santa Fe.

My mother loves her new rav4 limited awd. No third row though. Highlander is larger and I believe has 3rd row. New highlander is a beautiful suv.

I think the RAV4 is on the small side, but I will look at the highlander.

Dusten, did you see my reply or do i need to retype it?

Didn't see it

 

[ssj4sadie]

So i had a 2015 Sant Fe last year for a week as a rental. I hate to say it...but overall I was impressed. It was well equipped for a base model, it was peppy for it's size, a good amount of room inside, the list goes on. Downside is that there is very little room in the back with the 3rd row up. But again overall I was impressed with it.

Had a 2015 Buick Encore for a week last year. Everything about that vehicle I hated. It is so small as to the 2nd row seats being useless for adults, it had very little power, tons of torque steer, shitty MPGs, and looked like poop. Hated the entire week I had that car.

So the Sante Fe is around the same size of an Explorer if you were not aware.

 

[kevinatfms]

It seems every magazine and video review blogger absolutely rave about the Mazda CX3 and CX5. Sporty feel along with best in class cargo capacity. I dont know about the 3rd row option but I would assume knowing the older Mazda CX series that at least one of them offers the 3rd row.

As for the Edge, my wife has the Edge Sport and its incredible. Power, handling, tech features out the wazoo along with the looks to back it all up. The price is quite a bit higher than most of the others listed but we got her original(was recalled due to body mold) for right at 42k out the door. When they bought back the first one, Ford gave us the same truck but added all the option parts that we didnt get the first time for free(just the 21" wheels and air bag seat belts).

Worth the money if they can stretch the budget a bit.

 

[Dusten]

So i had a 2015 Sant Fe last year for a week as a rental. I hate to say it...but overall I was impressed. It was well equipped for a base model, it was peppy for it's size, a good amount of room inside, the list goes on. Downside is that there is very little room in the back with the 3rd row up. But again overall I was impressed with it.

Had a 2015 Buick Encore for a week last year. Everything about that vehicle I hated. It is so small as to the 2nd row seats being useless for adults, it had very little power, tons of torque steer, shitty MPGs, and looked like poop. Hated the entire week I had that car.

So the Sante Fe is around the same size of an Explorer if you were not aware.

Good to hear. We've had great luck with our 2015 Sonata, and the Santa Fe seems like a front running candidate for her.

It seems every magazine and video review blogger absolutely rave about the Mazda CX3 and CX5. Sporty feel along with best in class cargo capacity. I don't know about the 3rd row option but I would assume knowing the older Mazda CX series that at least one of them offers the 3rd row.

As for the Edge, my wife has the Edge Sport and its incredible. Power, handling, tech features out the wazoo along with the looks to back it all up. The price is quite a bit higher than most of the others listed but we got her original(was recalled due to body mold) for right at 42k out the door. When they bought back the first one, Ford gave us the same truck but added all the option parts that we didnt get the first time for free(just the 21" wheels and air bag seat belts).

Worth the money if they can stretch the budget a bit.

My father in law went with us to look at a CX-5 today, an its to small. The front seats aren't large enough for him(275+ lbs) so they are out. The CX-9 might have been big enough, but the price is higher than they want to spend. Tech features out the wazoo aren't a selling point. My in laws might as well be cave people. Flip phones, no internet at home, they live 25 miles from a town. She just wants roomy, reliable, attractive to look at, and leather.


We looked into the highlander, and for the money, its lacking compared to the rest of the field(which is the same feeling i have about the Tacoma.)

 

[Teethy]

I went out with my girlfriend looking at these types of things two weeks ago. We got in a RAV4, Escape, CX-5, Tucson, CRV- All similarly equipped and either 2016 or 2017. Here are my thoughts...

RAV4 - Behind the times IMO. Interior desperately needs revamped and their technology wasn't up to par with the rest of the field.

CRV- Also behind the times. They made some changes but they are all meaningless. The interface to the driver is weird, and the only technology they've added is all the self driving crap which sounds like your target audience wouldn't care for.

CX-5- I have no idea why bloggers rave about this thing. It sucks. The interior is cheesy, and it has a weird trackball mouse type interface for all of the on-board controls. The interior felt cheap and it hardly had any of the tech options of the competition. The performance was marginally better than the others especially in tight turns, but I wasn't impressed.

Escape- Very classy, a little light on tech options but everything it had was well executed. I feel like of everything, this one drove the nicest. A close 2nd in my book.

Tucson- This was a total surprise. I expected to be very underwhelmed and instead I left really amazed at the vehicles these guys were putting out. Lots of functional tech, decent ride quality, nice interior- and a 6/60 and 10/100 warranty is a huge selling point. Of the bunch, I have to give this one a slight edge.

 

[the gillz]

My wife has a 15 rogue and I hate it. Nissans have been pretty good to us over the years but this cuv isn't what I thought it would be when I got it. Well be trading it in soon for something else.

 

[Dusten]

I went out with my girlfriend looking at these types of things two weeks ago. We got in a RAV4, Escape, CX-5, Tucson, CRV- All similarly equipped and either 2016 or 2017. Here are my thoughts...

RAV4 - Behind the times IMO. Interior desperately needs revamped and their technology wasn't up to par with the rest of the field.

CRV- Also behind the times. They made some changes but they are all meaningless. The interface to the driver is weird, and the only technology they've added is all the self driving crap which sounds like your target audience wouldn't care for.

CX-5- I have no idea why bloggers rave about this thing. It sucks. The interior is cheesy, and it has a weird trackball mouse type interface for all of the on-board controls. The interior felt cheap and it hardly had any of the tech options of the competition. The performance was marginally better than the others especially in tight turns, but I wasn't impressed.

Escape- Very classy, a little light on tech options but everything it had was well executed. I feel like of everything, this one drove the nicest. A close 2nd in my book.

Tucson- This was a total surprise. I expected to be very underwhelmed and instead I left really amazed at the vehicles these guys were putting out. Lots of functional tech, decent ride quality, nice interior- and a 6/60 and 10/100 warranty is a huge selling point. Of the bunch, I have to give this one a slight edge.

Based on the few SUV's that my FIL checked out over the weekend, anything in that class is going to be to small. He's a big boy and didn't like the room up front for him.