What is the Best SUV For me?

chelentano · December 2007

I personally like the Outlander out of the bunch. You can get V6 XLS 2wd with standard bluetooh, ipod jack, FAST key for only 23K. Then you can get dealer installed hard drive based NAV with 30GB digital music server for 1.5-2K to bring the total to $25K. I think this should give you lease payments below $400/m. For only 28K you can get it loaded with leather, premium 650 watt stereo, Xenons, Sirius radio, sunroof etc. And you get 10y warranty/5y roadside.

But if you like Jeeps and Edge, go for it. I personally would prefer Edge. It has better styling, reliability ratings and better ride vs. Jeeps. The problem is that the 2wd Edge SEL will cost you about $31K with NAV and bluetooth (and Vista roof + 18" wheels which are typical equipment). If you want to learn more about cost related issues, I would suggest to visit Edge and Jeep threads which specifically discuss "prices paid" and lease issues.

chigirlintexas · December 2007

Thanks for your help. I tried to work quite a few deals. One of the problems I had was trying to find a vehicle with Nav in my area--it was next to impossible. I was able to get a Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland 2WD for quite a good deal, although above my target figure of $400. The Edge--while I loved it--I couldn't get even close to $500 a month, let alone $400. I got the JGC for $474 on a 39 month/15K lease. I will post my numbers on the prices paid/lease forum, but just thought I'd share...those incentives were a big factor!

It's really great to use the online "tools" to build your own vehicle, but quite another to actually find the one you configured in local dealer lots. I did a lot of test drives and hours searching for my vehicle, and I am happy with what I ended up with. I know I would have ended up paying more if I hadn't used the info I got from these forums!

chelentano · December 2007

glad you are happy with your purchase. Congrats and enjoy!

mperez4 · December 2007

We are interested in a used 7 passenger SUV. We want safety and reasonable fuel economy. Are interests are the Acura MDX, Honda Pilot and Volvo XC 90. Which one would be best?Are there any we are not aware of ?

napa · December 2007

We are down to one car and in CA that is big issue?

What to buy...

Our second car will be our Toyota Avolan 2000 and will be used by my 6'4' husband for small trips around town (he dose not drive to work).

The new car will be mine (5'4'), for our longer fun trips (comfort and MPG important), hauling stuff (the Avolan back seat does not go down) and our two dogs (mid size 25 pounders) go everywhere with us. We will keep the car a long time and do the regular maitance thing.

We have looked at consumer reports and driven the Hybrid Highlander (it seemed big after years of driving the Alovan and we do not need a third seat). Our friend has a Honda Element and it is nice but nosey.

Help us, we are car clueless and afraid of going to a dealer................

chelentano · December 2007

Volvo is not reliable:
http://www.autoblog.com/media/2006/11/crreliability2006.jpg

Acura MDX would be my first choice, but Acura recommends premium gasoline and you want fuel economy. So then Pilot or Highlander 2008. Highlander 2008 is hard to find used so you probably would end up with Pilot, or MDX if extra $150 a year for premium gas difference is OK with you.

If you going to use 3rd row seat only on occasion and for kids, then you can consider these reliable smaller 7-passenger SUVs:
Previous generation 2001-2007 Highlander, 2006-2007 RAV4, and my favorite of these three 2007 Outlander. These SUVs have smaller less comfortable 3rd row but better fuel efficiency and lower overall ownership costs.

chelentano · December 2007

What kind of requirements do you have for your new SUV? Price range, features, passenger capacity?

batman47 · December 2007

In road test review made by Edmunds in four vehicles, i.e. Mitsubishi Outlander (V6), RAV4 (V6), Honda CR-V (4-cyl), and Nissan Rogue (4-cyl) reported that the RAV4 (V6) was the winner of this road test. The test, however, has shown an involuntary bias in the criteria for this evaluation.

Owners of the RAV4 have reported the poor payload capacity of the RAV4 that may demonstrate the lack of meat in the construction of the vehicle. The max payload capacity of any RAV4 is the equivalent of 7-persons weight (approximately 150 lbs each). So if you load your RAV4 with 7-persons the roof rail and the roof box are just decorations. Camping or picnic with 7-person is unpractical in a RAV4, i.e. no cargo for the usual stuff. Lets us now see the Outlander (V6) where its payload capacity is enough to carry a total weight of 9-people (150 lbs each). This is to say 7-people as passengers and the weight equivalent of 2-people as cargo. The roof rail and roof box make sense here. This situation is much better with the Outlander ES 2.4L which its payload capacity is equivalent to 10-people weight. Making some allowances for the engine weight of both vehicles (RAV4 (V6) and Outlander (V6)) the Outlander has more than 80 lbs of meat. This weight difference in material of construction makes the Outlander stronger for carry more cargo than the RAV4.

Road test in the future should test the drivability of the vehicle with maximum payload capacity no find out if the vehicles still responds as expected. In my research for a 7-seat SUV I was almost ready to order a RAV4 (V6) but after going into the details of both vehicles plus some comments of RAV4s owners about the poor payload capacity of the Toyota I am now more inclined to order an Outlander ES 2.4L. I am not in the business of towing anything (boat, motor home, etc) so at a price of MSRP $23,100 I think the Outlander ES 2.4L or a XLS that suit my requirements.

The majority of 7-seats SUV are not for off-pavement. It seems that the Outlander has a little better off road capability than the RAV4, and Honda CR-V. Prices for these 7-seats SUV are generally above the $30,000. If you still want a 7-seats SUV with off road capability (all terrain) then you need to wait a bit longer to see the Kia Borrego. This car is the poor man Toyota Land Cruiser.

paisan · December 2007

The Borrego though will be heavier and I think in a different class than the Outlander and Rav4. The only thing I say to look at is reliability of Mitsu v. Toyota. While I'm no fan of Toyota, Mitsu did/does have reliability issues and at one point people were talking about them not being around here in the US for much longer. They just discontinued their re-badge Dakota pickup I heard.

-mike

chelentano · January 2008

>> Mitsu did/does have reliability issues

Mitsu DOES have reliability issues? Are you sure? Any hard data to support your statement? Until 2005 Mitsubishis sold/made in US, were based on Chrysler powertrain, and on parts, which was made by Detroit suppliers. The result is mediocre reliability, damaged reputation and lower resale values.

On the other hand, the current Outlander is build entirely in Japan. As a result the Outlander demonstrates excellent best in its class reliability. The Outlander along with Eclipse made Consumer Reports top 5 most reliable in its class: CR Best and Worst (there are NO any Mitsubishis there wich appear in the least reliable list). Also according to Consumer Reports auto reliability forecast for 2008 vehicles, The Outlander along with Honda Element, named the best for predicted reliability in its segment, beating Toyota RAV4 and Honda CRV: Outlander is best for predicted reliability. Mitsu also demonstrates spectacular reliability in 3-week long world toughest Dakar rally beating every other brand 7 years in a row.

Forget Consumer Reports and Dakar for a moment. Check out the real world owner satisfaction at all there major sites: Edmunds, Yahoo Autos and MSN Autos: the Outlander consistently across all three sites has higher owner satisfaction ratings vs. RAV4, while RAV4 owners report various problems.

In addition to an excellent reliability, better owner satisfaction record, the Outlander offers much better warranty, free roadside assistance, better AWD system, better transmission and more equipment. Overall the Outlander is a much better balanced car, while RAV4 has not much going besides a great engine. Look at this comparo:

chelentano · January 2008

>> at one point people were talking about them not being around here in the US for much longer.

People WERE talking, but not anymore. No way Mitsubishi is going tio leave world biggest market.

>> They just discontinued their re-badge Dakota pickup I heard.

Thanks god. Mitsubishi is done with Chrysler, like I've said. Getting rid of dodge based track is completely consistant to the Mitsubishi's quality commitment.

paisan · January 2008

Well the "all new outlander" has no reputation to go on. So we'll see how it is in a few years, like 5

Good for Mitsu getting rid of Chrysler. See that's the problem, you make a bad bed, then you are dinged for it, even if it's not your fault.

-mike

chelentano · January 2008

Oh, so you dont have any hard data, that Mitsu DOES have reliability issues! Thats what I thought :--)

>> Well the "all new outlander" has no reputation to go on. So we'll see how it is in a few years, like 5

The Consumer Reports has an opposite opinion, so they put the Outlander on CR's top 5 most reliable in its class for the past reliability, AND they name the all new Outlander as the best for predicted reliability in its segment, beating both Toyota RAV4 and Honda CRV. Why? Because the highest in industry Outlanders reliability ratings are based on both 2nd generation and 1st generation data, both of which was build in Japan and both have nothing to do with Chrysler.

No coincidence that the real world owner satisfaction at all there major sites Edmunds, Yahoo Autos and MSN Autos is consistently higher for the Outlander vs. RAV4, which only proves that the CR made the correct assessment of the Outlanders both past and predicted reliability.

paisan · January 2008

I never said I had hard data on the outlander. I was merely commenting on Mitsubishi reliability over the past 10 or so years as a concecept. They would not have been contemplating pulling out of the US market because they were the most reliable vehicles, let's be honest.

I have no problems with Mitsu, heck for the longest time I wanted a Eclipse GSX, and I'm no fan of Toyota, however, percieved reliability by the general public will outweigh the actual data in the court of public opinion. Toyota and Honda IMHO have been living on their past reputations, whereas smaller/less known companies such as Mitsu, Subaru, Hyundai, Kia, must have higher reliability in order to compensate for the lack of reputation they have v. Honda/Toyota.

Unfortunately for those who aren't "car nuts" as I'm sure many folks here know and have in their families generally will keep buying Toyota/Honda because they don't know or care about anything other than that their previous Honda or Toyota worked w/o a problem for the 5 years they had it. That is why the Rav4 and CRV will likely outsell Outlander and Forester.

-mike

ronn · January 2008

I would like to say that I drove an Outlander, and the RAV4 in my opinion has a much better ride and finish.
Also, I would like those of you to look at the bumpers real close on the Outlander....every one of them at the dealership I went to , the paint on the bumper did not match the car. Every one I looked at had that problem.....also, the RAV4 is more fun to drive.
To each their own....... I love mine!!

cl8855 · January 2008

Looking for a 7 passenger, preferrably car based SUV.

Top choices right now are the Verzcruz and Highlander, with the CX-9, Enclave/Outlook/Acadia on the back burner, mostly because they are so long. Any other choices I am overlooking that are low $30s or below?

love2driveinct · January 2008

Honda Pilot...

batavia02 · September 2009

me and my wife are looking to switch from a too small car to a suv for myself,( she has a canyan truck) we need one with a third row because of parents family etc we have no kids.Dont know if we should take a chance on hyundai veracruz or kia borrego, we have ruled out the small sized models I know the honda pilot is great but pricey also we also need to have power seats and lumbar because of back issues, any help would be appreciated thanks

littleceli · February 2010

Hello,
I am looking to get an SUV for my girlfriend, but I have never bought an SUV or looked into them so I don't even know where to start. Here are the basic things we are hoping to get and the rough price range we are looking to stay in. Also, like I said we are looking for an SUV or similar type of vehicle...like a smaller "SUV" or whatever they call the small SUV's. I am mechanically inclined and do auto body work and painting so I can always pick up one that needs a little attention if need be.

We are looking to spend between $5,000 to $9,000. We are hoping to get a 2004-05 or newer. We live in Northern Michigan so we need 4WD or AWD. She wants an SUV or small SUV-type vehicle. Other than that we're not too picky.

Please let me know if you have any ideas, or if you know SUV's to steer clear of. Just let me know if you know types of SUV's that are good, you don't have to find me one thats actually for sale, I have a lot of places to find SUV's, I just need to know what models are good. (If you know of one for sale though, feel free to let me know about it). Like I said, I am just not very familiar with SUV's, I am good with cars but not sure on SUV's. I really apreciate the help! Thank you!!

arbys · February 2010

Going to have 2 kids very soon, and will likely have various relatives staying with us on and off after that. Thus looking for an SUV with the following: 1) comfortable 3rd row seating, 2) handling closer to a car than truck, and 3) minimal visits to the shop. I think they all look "good" to me from the inside and outside. Which of the 3 best suits my purpose? I rarely see the Mazda one on the road, but have read good things about it. Never owned anything but sedans in the past...

(Currently own 2 Honda sedans, so am partial to them.)

denver5357 · February 2010

So much of this is personal taste.

We have two kids, and we just went through the same process you are going through. What we felt, and this is only our opinion:

- Mazda CX-9 was too small, especially the third row and driver seat (with that huge, elbow-high console in the center)
- Highlander was too small, and wife just didn't like styling
- Armada we liked, but just to big and expensive
- Pathfinder was OK
- Acura MDX was nice to drive but too small
- Head good things about Buick Enclave, but given inherent questions about reliability and a price that started too high we never looked at it
- Same for Chevy Traverse
- I suspect Hyndai might be the value play, but couldn't get wife to look at it
- Already owned a CR-V and love it

We bought a Pilot. A little bit truck like, but has a servicable third row for visitors and handles well for its size. Good luck.

chickory · March 2010

I have 4 large dogs & a husband & would like something that I can fit them all in if needed. I also would like one that has lower emissions but could actually get off the road if necessary. I looked at the GMC Terrain & the 2010 Chevy Equinox but they are both low riders. I don't often need to go off road but I do sometimes. I was all excited about the Jeep Patriot 'til I actually saw one & saw how small they are. No 4 large dogs in that. The Jeep Wrangler looks cool but reviewers seem to really dislike it. I have a Prius now & can deal with so-so gas mileage but I really want at least to have low emissions. If I had been thinking about never being able to fit my family in my car & knew what a low rider the Prius is, I would not own it. Otherwise it is great. Does anyone have any ideas?

denver5357 · March 2010

Given your priority seems to be ultra low emissions plus some off road capability, I suggest the Subaru Outback or Forester. They might even have a hybrid version.

I would stay away from Jeeps unless you like to do your own repairs. They consistently come out at the bottom of the list when it comes to reliability, and a couple of them have even been named "worst buys." Jeeps are largely an image play.

ask420 · June 2010

Hello,

I am expecting a baby in september and we are planning to buy an suv sometime soon. We are expecting our parents too. Initially, we were thinking of buying toyota highlander ltd model but the problem is the 3rd row seat...its not spacious enough for an adult to be considered for a long drive. Our next option would be Honda Pilot, which has much better room in the 3rd row. But have heard some break issues with the Pilot. Anybody who owns a Pilot if they can throw some light on this would really be appreciated.
Also, is the third row safe for infants??? and is it ok to put a child in the 3rd row seat as per the law??? Have no idea about this...

Any suggestions on other suv with a great mpg and with a safe infant seat would really help. Not really interested in buying a minivan.

Thanks

mtairyordge · June 2010

I owned four Toyota Highlanders all Limited, a 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2008. I got rid of the 2008 for a 2011 Pilot because I noticed the quality on toyotas's had slipped markedly. Other reasons I got the Pilot nice room in the 3rd seat compared to HL. Neither 3rd row is SAFE for baby, so forget it, the 3rd row is okay for smaller adults. It is not a full size row.

The real reasons I like the Honda over the HL:
Navigation - the passenger can manually adjust the navigation while the car is moving.
Bluetooth - So much better than Toyota system. Better voice recognition, better sound, easier to control volume, etc.
Windows: On hot days push the key fob button 3 time hold it on 3rd time and windows open letting heat out of car. LOVE IT.

Breaks are better than HL. I always hated the HL breaks they are too mushy. On the Pilot I recently had to hit the breaks hard and stopped with enough room and control to be safe. Given the same situation on the HL I would be dealing with insurance company now.

I know what I speak about the HL I drove the 4 over 350,000 miles. I won't drive one again.

There are drawbacks to the Pilot that I know the mileage is not the greatest. I have 10K mile on my 2011 and love it so far.

Hope this helps.

I purchased a 2011 Touring with Nav and RES for 36K

ask420 · June 2010

Thanks for the reply. We are looking for Honda Pilot considering the spacious 3rd row room. Also, the middle seat in the 2nd row looks much better to put a child seat (i am not exactly sure if it ok to put child seat in the middle, but it is 100% better than Highlander).

Do you mind if i ask you was $36K total price, inclusive of tax and everything. where did you buy your pilot from? I live in WA. and here just for 2011 EX-L with Navigation(RES not included) they are giving estimate of 37K (inclusive of tax etc.,) or so.
I think they are asking too much.

Thanks Again.

dkmarsh603 · June 2010

mtairyordge

I was also wondering if that 36K touring with RES and Nav was the drive out price, if so that is a great deal. Been looking to get a drive out of 37K with no success. I also am only trying for front wheel drive, was your front or all wheel drive and if you dont mind teling where you got or even the state would be appreciated.

Thanks

jezmia · August 2010

I am looking for a small compact SUV or a mid size suv. My main concerns are gas/mill, performance and reliability. There just doesn't seem to be many cars with decent miles and the hybrid versions don't seem to make sense for the price difference. So far I am considering the nissan rougue because of the slick shape, mileage and interior is pretty decent. We ruled out the rav4 and the crv because of the interior. My family is basically 2 people, so we don't need anything too big, I am also thinking about the murano, but it is much more expensive and the millage is not too great. We've owned only foreign cars, but I am slightly considering the equinox, it has pretty decent reviews and the price is ok. I basically haven't come up with other cars that offer somewhat of a good mileage look good and have good reviews. Maybe I am overlooking other great cars, so if you have any suggestions I would be glad to hear them.

tinycadon · August 2010

Take a look at the Escape 4cyl., Ford is practically giving the 2010s away right now. They're roomy, great gas mileage and Consumer Reports gives it a Best Value award.

broken7 · February 2011

Buying my son his first car, he'll be driving it to college and in this area of WA the roads get pretty snowy in the winter. So we're looking for a smallish 4WD or AWD, and auto transmission. He ruled out Subaru because it doesn't have the higher driving position and better visibility of the others. Since this is his first car and our limited budget, these SUVs will be older and all well over 100,000 miles. Which would be the best pick? I like the CRV(a '99 or newer because of improvements) because better gas mileage than Escape with the V6 (4 cyl underpowered, and most for sale are V6). Is the Escape as durable/reliable as the CRV, would the fuel economy be drastically worse than the CRV? We ruled out Jeep because of poor gas mileage. Or is there some other vehicle we should consider?

vtrn09 · May 2011

Which vehicle will be the best value? A 2006 Nissan Armada with 56,700 miles that costs $18,900 or a 2007 Mazda CX-9 that has 52,000 miles that costs $19,500.

I like the Armada, but I am uncertain if the gas will last a while when full traveling like an average of 200 miles a week. I see the Mazda has better mpg than the armada, but the bigger fuel tank seems to make up for that.

Can any owners or car experts please help? Looking to buy this week.

misterjohnny · July 2011

I don't want a third row seat, we've got a minivan if we are hauling a lot of people. Needs to fit 3 comfortably in the back seat, as I have 3 kids and don't want to hear too many complaints.

I need AWD, as we will be taking it to the mountains. Since my wife is 10 inches shorter than me, I have to have memory seats. I am really tired of banging my knees on the steering wheel.

Needs some guts. I'm currently driving an Accord with a 3.0L V6, and that amount of power works.

Mostly I will be driving in commuter traffic in Los Angeles, but weekend trips to the mountains (year round) makes me think of an AWD SUV.

I think I want to stay away from Honda, as both of our Hondas had transmission problems at 50k miles and I don't like the way we were treated by Honda and the local dealership.

Suggestions?

stever · August 2011

A Womens Health magazine reporter is interested in speaking with women on the appeal of SUVs and Minivans. If you previously owned a minivan and currently own an SUV or other crossover utility vehicle and are interested in speaking with this reporter about why you chose it and what you like about it, please respond to pr@edmunds.com with your name, email address and day time phone number by Wednesday, August 3, 2011.

wasfan · September 2011

Currently drive a Honda CRV, first generation style.

Used it will have to be. Small SUV or small-to-mid size.

Manual transmission. I know that limits me more and more as time goes on but I'd rather shift than ride the brakes, especially if snow or ice is involved. Better control, too.

I get 24 to 27 mpg in the CRV, depending on whether the AC is on or not, and that does not include much freeway driving. I usually get better mpg than is listed for the car. I'd like to keep that mileage but I'd also like more oomph, so maybe a little give there to get a 6 cylinder.

Would love to keep the dependability of the Honda, but Honda seems to be abandoning manual transmissions like other makers and the CRV does not come in a 6 cylinder.

Any suggestions? I did a search and came up with:

Mitsubishi Outlander
RAV 4
Mazda Tribute

Any input on those? Can I buy a used one, around 45,000 miles, and keep it another 10 years? We take very good car of our cars.

Thanks.

kyfdx · September 2011

If you have a 1st generation CR-V, why not upgrade to a 2nd gen? Last year was 2006, but that will be at least five years newer than yours...

As a former owner of a manual 1st Gen and an automatic 2nd Gen, believe me, the difference in power will blow you away!

If you want AWD and manual transmission, maybe a late model Subaru Outback Sport? It's more of a hatchback than an SUV, but still has a lot of utility..... easy to find in a stick, too....

kyfdx · September 2011

What is your price range? 2008 BMW X3s are wholesaling for around $18K-$21K.... you can find those in a manual.. 255 HP!!

wasfan · September 2011

kyfdx, thanks for the replies.

I'm AC shy of any but late models CRV's and those don't come with a manual transmission and I'm not inclined, at the moment, to patronize Honda for that AC dust up.

I'll take a look at the Outbacks but those seem more car sized? (Height especially?)

The Outlander seems to get good reviews.

BMW- When I looked on Edmunds, MPG seems a little low compared to others. I know, wanting more ooomph and MPG at the same time may not work.

I just, time and again, think of the times where the manual has gotten me out of trouble or been easier to handle a situation with, that it's hard for me to consider an automatic. The only time the automatic seems better is in constant stop and go and I'm not in the kind of traffic enough to warrent the trade off.

I've got about a year to sort this out so I can try and think on the options for a while.

What about the RAV 4 and Mazda Tribute, along with the Mitsubishi Outlander? I'd like a car that returns minimal trouble for good care.

leasleyn · September 2011

I am a single mother of a set of 13 year olds and will soon have my nieces who are both in car seats come live with me. What SUV can I get that will best fit my needs. I prefer a 4 Cylinder

kyfdx · September 2011

A Mazda 5 will seat six.. and, has a 4-cylinder..

mkconnell · September 2011

Hello All,

I'm new to the forum and have a dilemma. I bought a 2011 Kia Sorento about 5 months ago and now....well, I am sort of not thrilled with it. Can't really put my finger on it but the more I drive it, it just seems cheap and not very durable. I had a 1999 Passport with 160,000 miles on it (gave to my mom to replace her 200k Crown Vic) and loved it. I don't see this Kia getting any where near that age. I'm willing to suck it up and trade in the car, have read pretty good things about the RAV4, but I have a question: is the acceleration during passing and merging that much better than the CR-V? I would imagine it is since the RAV4 has a V6 option. My job requires that I make a major relocation every 3-6 months and that usually requires driving around Texas (high speed drivers) and through New Mexico (up and down mountains) I'm also considering a CR-V and maybe an XTerra. All answers and opinions appreciated and sorry so wordy!

Mary

stever · October 2011

A reporter would like to interview anyone who has used Edmunds.com's Car Match.

Please email pr@edmunds.com by November 4, 2011 with your daytime phone number and a comment about your experience.

yuri_s · November 2011

Hello,

I need some advise on buying SUV.
I have two sedans (wife's and mine). We love doing home improvement, gardening and such. I got tired asking friends or renting BORG trucks for hauling bulky things and considering having something for the tasks.

I poked around and saw many old large SUVs in 2k-5k range. I could spend that amount to get decent vehicle. My requirements/thoughts

* Able to haul 4x8 goods (plywood, sheetrock ...) inside;
* Strongly prefer 4x4/AWD for those tough days when we have snow storms;
* Reliable and cheap to repair/maintain;
* not going to drive daily, will use for couple thousands miles per year;
* not much concerns about cosmetics;

What should I get?
I mentioned that I made quick check and it seems that there are some cars matching my criteria, like Ford Expedition, Chevy Tahoe, GMC Yukon, maybe Toyota Sequoia, but they are VERY high millage. Do those cars may serve me? In my price range they are going to have more than 100K on odometer, more likely around 150k, are they capable still going well for another 20-30k? What you thoughts? I've never had an SUV before.

stever · November 2011

A reporter is interested in talking with someone who considered buying a small car, but instead bought a Ford, GM or Chrysler SUV or truck after deciding that the size sacrifice wasn't worth the savings at the pump. If your experience fits this description, please send a brief overview and contact information to pr@edmunds.com by Sunday 11/27.

batavia02 · November 2011

currently shopping for a suv, for the wife who had trucks mostly switched from a canyan this spring to the new regal so she could get better gas milleage we both hate the car gas milleage no better then truck and seats rock hard have it narrowed down to a pathfinder and a xterra we want rear drive not front any one have either and what about nissans reliabity ? or are there any other choices out there ,dont need 4wd has we live in the south thanks

antons911 · November 2011

Hello all, just wanted to mention my frustration about Edmunds review of Honda Pilot. The whole review is based on pure statistics about the car and nothing about how a driver would use the car daily.
I been shopping for an SUV for some time and there is no comparison with Honda Pilot.
Here is my take on competitors:
Toyota Highlander -small, third row is useless if you want anyone to sit there, might as well get a Sorento. Interior is really bad quality and not to mention that all of the interior is made for seniors, and not for a family. Once you drive it, you will feel as if you are in a Buick.
Mazda CX-9 is a great car, but once again, its a bit smaller than Pilot. Also, if you get all the features that you get in 2012 EXL Pilot your CX-9 price goes much higher and given CX-9 worse fuel economy there is no reason to choose CX-9 unless all you care is its looks (it does look very nice).
Ford Flex - so cheap inside I didn't even test drive it.
Ford Explorer - much smaller than Pilot (about the size of European Chevy Captiva), and for its price its just not worth it.
Chevrolet Traverse - first of all, are people selling this car at these prices mad? Almost 2k over Honda Pilot, its crazy! Second row - have you tried folding it with one hand? Don't even try to have your wife do it; flimsy, cheap plastic handles, and if you do get one, hope your kid never sticks their hand while you are folding the seats - it will hurt. Pretty good driving dynamics but the second row folding procedure turned me away - and I am not willing to pay more than for a Japanese car - sorry.
Now about the Pilot it self - yes the looks are not the best but it has way to many positives to forget about that; the new grill fixes many issues about its style.
Main reason, its a people hauler - fits people on all rows with room to spear. Soft and quiet.
Breaking that Edmunds keeps talking about - brakes just like any other car. Do you really plan to emergency brake every block? I mean, sure its a good thing if it braked like a sports car, but its not a sports car.

stever · November 2011

Edmunds' 2012 Review seems to fall in line with the Consumer Reviews here.

Today's numbers for the consumer reviews are:

2011 Mazda CX-9 gets 5 stars (22 reviews).

2011 Highlander gets 4.5 stars (39 reviews).

2011 Ford Flex gets 4.5 stars (11 reviews).

2011 Chevy Traverse gets 4.5 stars (26 reviews).

2011 Ford Explorer gets 4 stars (45 reviews).

2011 Honda Pilot gets 4 stars (79 reviews). (2012 gets 4.5, 4 reviews).

Past years of the Pilot get 4.5 stars, so it looks like Honda dropped the ball a bit in 2011 and is getting back to where they were, but there aren't many 2012 reviews yet. And it looks like there's still room for improvement.

mwood31781 · November 2011

Need some help!

I am currently leasing a 2010 Jetta- long story short, moved, waaaay over milage. Need to purchase something soon before trade in value goes down even further.

Looking to purchase a midsize suv/crossover. I spend a lot of time in my car, fairly long commute each day.

I can't spend a lot, would like to keep it under 27,000 and REQUIRE, leather/leatherette heated seats.

I have look at everything under the sun, but nothing seems to stand out to me. Would like to hear from others what they think, Safety? smoothest ride? Comfortable cabin? Excellent Technology? Etc...

Would really like to hear what others recommend.

Thanks!!!

drums · December 2011

I am looking for a suv with great gas mileage and awd for snow. live in Northeast and we get our share of snow.

both have zerop percent financing for 36 (rav4) and 60 months (nissan rouge).

which is better buy and has better value?

looking for higher end model of either one.

any rav4 or rouge owners out there - your advice will greatly be appreciated and valued.

I am also wondering about resale value for both

carteach · December 2011

Like everyone else on this thread, I could use some input. Right now I'm driving an '06 Acura TL and a '95 Subaru wagon. The wagon is on its last legs. I have two golden retrievers and two grandchildren (don't usually take all four around at the same time.) But, I want a car with a "way back" for two large dogs. I will have to sell the Acura to get a new car.

The cars I'm considering either seem too small or too big. The Toyota rav4 ( I hate the back tire), the Highlander, the Subaru Outback, the Honda CRV. Like everyone, I want a car that's reliable with a little bit of class. Can't afford anything in the BMW class. So those are out. And most of the crossovers don't offer much room in the back.

Any thoughts? I'm especially interested in a problem free car. The Outback would be my first choice because of size and looks, but I keep reading about problems with it.

stever · January 2012

A reporter is looking to speak with consumers who are in the market right now for a car loan or a car lease or who just recently secured a loan or lease. Is/was it easier or more difficult than you expected? Please send a quick note discussing your experience and your preferred contact information to pr@edmunds.com by Friday, January 6, 2012.

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