Crossover SUV Comparison

marley75 · March 2012

I am currently searching for a new vehicle to replace my very dependable mazda mpv (2004). This car has been amazing over the past 8 years.... we are a family of 5 with 2 large dogs. I love the reliability and the layout (captain seats, roomy third row, and room for cargo.) So, any suggestions for a replacement? I would like to move out of the minivan stage, but most importantly, I want reliability. Any suggestions would be great!

ateixeira · March 2012

If you've been happy with Mazda and your dealer, the CX9 is a good drive and likely roomy enough for you.

I would bring the dogs to see if they can easily hop up to the cargo area, since it's likely higher up than a minivan's floor.

Kirstie_H · April 2012

A reporter would like to speak to someone who owns a minivan or considered purchasing a minivan, but opted for a crossover or SUV. If you own a minivan or considered purchasing one, and you are willing to discuss your decision with a reporter, please email PR@edmunds.com no later than 10 a.m. Pacific /1 p.m. Eastern Thursday, April 12, 2012 with your daytime contact information.

driver735 · June 2012

I recently purchased a 2012 nissan rogue, after driving it the first couple of days i felt vibrations coming from the car. I took it back to garden city nissan several times, each time i got a different explanation as to what this was. Finally on my last visit i was told that the cvt transmission causes vibrations and this was normal. This vibration makes for a terrible driving experience. An automobile should run smoothly, i suggest any one interested in buying the nissan rogue to find something else.

gonerogue · June 2012

I have a 2012 Rogue and experience similar vibrations at higher speeds. I also get a lot of revs during city driving and get a big downshifts or push back when going downhills. I have only had my car for 3 months and the dealer's famous line is "they can't duplicate the problem". I am terribly unhappy with my Rogue. Its very pretty, but the driving problems are pretty bad and from day 1!

I just filed a BB complaint and hope to get a successful outcome through lewon law.

godeacs · June 2012

Well, it's down to those 3 vehicles that fit my criteria: able to haul a bike WITHOUT removing front wheel, decent gas mileage, fun to drive and around $20-22K. I currently drive a Nissan Altima with the CVT and love it - 70K miles of trouble-free driving and great gas mileage. Have had zero problems with the "so called" vibrations, transmission, etc. It seems a lot of folks don't understand how the CVT works (yes, it's supposed to downshift when going down hills!) and does sound different. Oh, I came from a V6 Nissan Maxima to the Altima and had no problems adjusting to the CVT.

Leaning towards the Outlander due to the price and longer warranty.....

Decisions, decisions...... :confuse:

ateixeira · June 2012

As long as resale value isn't a big concern. I wonder if Mitsubishi will even be around in 5 years, and orphan cars lose value quickly. If you care about the warranty, you'll probably keep it long term, so it likely won't matter.

I like the 5, but I wonder if Mazda will soon put a SkyActiv engine in there, and if so you may wish you had waited. I drove a CX5 and it was a bit heavy, but that engine would probably be just fine in the Mazda5.

Rogue really fits your bike? Seems smallish to me. I tend to like boxier utilities, the new Pathfinder will be boxy but it's way bigger and costlier.

fushigi · June 2012

godeacs, is it safe to assume you're looking at FWD/4 cyl models? For the Outlander, are you looking at the Outlander Sport (similar in size to the Rogue) or the larger "regular" Outlander?

I have a loaded '10 Outlander GT (AWD, V6, navi, leather, sun 'n' sound) so if you have any Outlander questions, post them & I'll do my best to answer. Previously I owned a '99 Galant and reliability (10 years/152K miles) was a big factor in buying another Mitsu. It just works.

ateixeira is right the the Mitsu will depreciate a little faster than the others, but if you're planning to own it for more than 5 or 6 years, that will level out. Since depreciation is measured as a drop from MSRP, it can also be mitigated by getting a good deal up front.

I obviously don't wonder if Mitsu will be around in 5 years. Frankly, people have been spouting that same tired line for at least 15 years and Mitsu is still here. Daewoo came & went. Pontiac & Olds went. Mercury went. Others have faded away but Mitsu remains a player, albeit a small one. 2011 saw large percentage increases in sales. 2012 has seen that fall off, but to be fair the Galant, Endeavor, and Eclipse are holdovers and have been discontinued. As supply runs out Mitsu won't have offering in those segments. (Mitsu is retooling their Illinois plant to make Outlander Sports and, presumably, other cars on the Lancer platform.)

Depending on your location and the timing of your decision, you might check out the closest Mitsubishi Owners Day - MOD: http://www.mitsubishicars.com/MMNA/jsp/company/autoshow.do. I'm in the Chicago area & went to Factory MOD a couple of years ago.

ateixeira · June 2012

I just can't imagine the i and Outlander Sport ever doing near the volume that the Galant and Eclipse used to do.

Around here flagship Mitsu dealers are closing, now they're the 3rd franchise in a big building shared with other brands. That's exactly where Isuzu was just before they failed (Fitz Dodge/Subaru/Isuzu is now Hyundai/Subaru).

Could be a regional thing, but the writing is on the wall here in the DC area. I hope I'm wrong - the STI needs the EVO rival to keep things interesting.

driver735 · June 2012

I recently purchased 2012 nissan rogue, after driving it the first day i felt vibrations coming from the car. I brought it back to the dealer several times in an effort to resolve this issue, each time i was told nothing was wrong. On my final visit one of the repair technicians who rode with me told me that the vibrations were a normal part of the way a cvt transmission functioned, and that i would get used to it. It is now 3 months since i purchased the car and it is still a very dissatisfying experience every time i drive. A car should run smoothly. Please if any one is considering buying this car, save your self a lot of aggravation and find something else.

ateixeira · June 2012

The OP won't be too relieved because the base Outlander also uses a CVT.

Only the Mazda5 doesn't from his short list.

fushigi · June 2012

The OP has a CVT-equipped Altima and likes it. That said, when I've ridden in a friend's CVT-equipped I4 Altima I've not noticed any odd vibration issues. There's definitely a disassociation between engine revs & speed/acceleration but NVH was nothing out of the ordinary.

The Outlander Sport's engine/CVT combo is pretty buzzy but it's only a 2L and is generally considered a little underpowered; the 2.4 in the regular Outlander should be fine.

ateixeira · June 2012

I'm fine with CVTs also...so shouldn't be a problem, just some getting used to, for newbies.

godeacs · June 2012

Only slight doubt I have about Mitsu is their long term viability in the US. The warranty is a nice feature compared to the competition and I tend to keep my cars for at least 5 yrs and then some (a paid off car is nice....)

Yeah, if the Mazda 5 had the SkyActiv engine that would probably make my mind up for me. Also, the bike will fit easily in the 5 with room to spare.

The bike should fit in the Rogue with back seats down - according to my tape measure! Would probably want to bring the bike to the dealer to make sure.

godeacs · June 2012

Yes, have been looking at the Outlander ES since I can get it for around $20K, give or take right now. The Sport is too small for the bike.

BUT, last night I test drove a 2010 Outlander GT that was fully loaded; 25K miles on it and was owned by an older couple who just traded it in for a 2012. Seemed in superb condition and had more gadgets than I need....navigation, back up cam, etc. They said I could get it for around $25K on a vehicle that went for $33-34K when new. Sound right?

Not sure I want to spend the extra $5K though esp since I plan on keeping my Altima for a while....

fushigi · June 2012

Interesting. I'm not sure why someone would trade a 2010 in on a 2012; there weren't any significant updates to the car & 25K miles is "barely broken in".

I'll say this: You very quickly see the value in the backup cam. After getting it in my '10 Outlander GT I'm convinced I'll get one in every car - sedan or CUV - from here out. I love it. Just this past weekend I had to back in to a narrow parking space (narrow enough that we folded in the mirrors after we got out of the car) in a downtown Chicago lot & pulled it off first try with no need for pulling forward to make corrections.

On the down side, the 2010 shipped with navi maps that were a little dated even then. There is an update available (released around the beginning of 2012) but it costs almost $200. If you pursue the GT and it's being offered by a Mitsu dealer, make sure they upgrade the maps to the current ones as part of the purchase agreement.

$25K on a dealer lot sounds reasonable for a pre-negotiation price assuming it also has the Rockford-Fosgate stereo & sunroof. But you can probably get them down to around $23K including the navi update unless they have a lot in it.

Check Edmunds and other sites that list dealer used car inventories. You should be able to confirm if the equipment level & miles match up to the asking prices.

GT considerations: Fuel economy on the V6 will be worse than the 4 cyl. I have a lifetime average of 21.2MPG over almost 24K miles. The V6 runs best on premium gas but will do fine on regular or midgrade. You won't notice a power difference. That said, running on regular you'll lose around 0.5MPG so using less expensive gas is cancelled by getting worse fuel economy. Once I determined that I just stick with premium all the time. Here in Illinois that's 92-93 octane w/10% Ethanol.

No roof rack. You can read batman47's posts in the Outlander threads if that's a concern; he went aftermarket IIRC. Personally, as loading on top the vehicle is awkward and I've not needed to shove anything up there so far, it's not a concern. In any case roof racks are generally bad for aerodynamics and wind noise.

You should also read batman47's posts about his South American journey in a '10 GT. He took one from sea level to 15K elevation through areas that barely had roads. Definitely gives you a good feeling for the car's durability.

godeacs · June 2012

I agree w/your pt about the trade in after only 2 years. Seems strange to me too, which I mentioned to the salesman.

Yes, the back-up cam is a great safety device but the Nav system I def do not need - or the worry/expense of keeping it updated.

They have listed the vehicle at $26K and am sure they will come down some. It does have the sunroof (again something I do NOT need) and the Rockford-Fosgate stereo which sounded nice but again something not on my "need to have " list for a new vehicle.

So...would be paying for stuff I don't need and/or wouldn't use that much. Plus the gas mileage differential is a concern. I want a vehicle that gets at least in the mid 20s, preferably higher, but no hybrid....

And I darned sure to not want to pay fro premium fuel......

I've read batman's reports and am impressed - though not sure why anyone wouldn't undertake such trips..... :confuse: Nice to know the Outlander survived rather nicely. My driving would not be anywhere as severe.

So.....if I go the Outlander route the ES should meet all my needs.....

Thanks for all your comments/tips!

PS Almost forgot.....the same dealer has a 2010 ES with the same mileage (around 25K) and looks to be in good shape. Asking $15500....both are not "certified" so there's a $10K differential between the GT and ES. probably need to test drive it too....

fushigi · June 2012

So it did have the sun-n-sound package. I also have the towing kit but otherwise it sounds a lot like mine.

Regarding the cost of premium, it amounts to an extra $2-2.50 a tank. To me it's insignificant especially since I drive a below-average number of miles. But I can see your point that when you add that to reduced MPG from a V6 and a slight reduction for AWD the difference over a FWD 4 cyl version will be noticeable. I like to have the power on tap and am willing to pay more to get it, but not everyone agrees.

The ES does sound like the better fit for you. If you think of anything other questions please post. You haven't really gotten much feedback on the Rogue or 5 in this thread.

godeacs · June 2012

Checked out the 2010 ES tonight; mileage is 24683 and they lowered the price to $14995 according to the sales mgr but their web site had it listed for $14700! The salesman said they would honor the lower price. Will go back in the AM and they will let me take it home for the day to check, make sure the bike fits, OK, etc. Also ran me the Carfax which was clean - 1 owner in 2 yrs, no incidents, etc.

Edmunds shows dealer retail "clean" at $16284 and "outstanding" as $17224. It's def clean and then some so seems like a good deal. It's been on the lot for 41 days and have lowered to try and sell before 50 days....must not be many used Outlander fans around here.....

Oh, it's Gray/Black which is a nice combo IMO.

Yeah, we should be posting this in the Mitsu Outlander forum now. No big deal - wasn't expecting much support for the Rogue or Mazda 5 anyway. The 5 is my "back up" vehicle if the bike has issues with the Outlander...

fushigi · June 2012

BTW .. 2 bikes with front wheels off: http://blogs.insideline.com/roadtests/2011/06/2010-mitsubishi-outlander-gt-do-th- e-bikes-fit.html

And one kid's bike just tossed in: http://blogs.insideline.com/roadtests/2010/08/2010-mitsubishi-outlander-birthday- -beach-cruiser.html

driver735 · June 2012

Prospective buyers of the nissan rogue should be aware of vibration issues coming from the cvt transmission. This is next to impossible to get used to. It makes for a terrible driving experience.

godeacs · July 2012

Thousands of satisfied Rogue owners would disagree with you. I have the same CVT in my 2008 Altima and had no problems adjusting to it from a V-6 Nissan Maxima. Oh, and have had almost 5 yrs of "trouble-free" driving.....

Not sure what "vibrations" you are experiencing. Perhaps you do have a real problem, I don't know. Did you not notice it during your test drives?

zeeboy · July 2012

Local street flooding is a problem in my area.

stever · July 2012

Really, you shouldn't be trying to go through flood waters in any vehicle. If you don't get washed downstream, you'll hydrolock and destroy the engine.

SUV's water fording ability

fushigi · July 2012

I thoroughly agree with Steve's comment about driving through flood waters. I'll add that CUVs are generally intended for softroading (grass/beaches) & driving through snow v. true offroading and plowing through creeks & other deep water.

My AWD Mitsubishi Outlander GT has a minimum of 8.5"; most of it's more like about 11". But I still wouldn't drive through a flooded street unless it was visibly shallow and even then I'd probably crawl through as to not splash or create a wake.

jeffmc · July 2012

Why 2WD only?

zeeboy · July 2012

It's just localized street flooding until the drainage system can catches up.

Sometime challenging for a passenger car, but trucks and higher profile SUV's don't have any problem.

ateixeira · July 2012

$14.7k sounds like a bargain, congrats! :shades:

godeacs · July 2012

Didn't get it! Went back the next day and dealer was packed so left. By Monday the car was gone! No big deal as I wouldn't have been able to get a mechanic to look at it until Tues. Oh well, the search goes on....now zeroing in on the 2012 Equinox....

ateixeira · July 2012

You still lookin' at the GT? If they deal down that's a lot of car for the money.

zeeboy · July 2012

Looks like the CX-5 is the highest 4x2

Think the redesigned RAV4 is going to get lowered like the new CRV

Don't know if I can handle the stiff ride/road noise from the Mazda although the m.p.g. looks enticing

jeffmc · July 2012

How 'bout the upcoming Subaru XV Crosstrek? Impressive 8.7" clearance. It's AWD, not 4x2, and still gets 33MPG highway. Should be out in a few months.... it's based on the excellent new Impreza, and has had excellent reviews on its ride quality and handling. Power is adequate, not fast.

ateixeira · July 2012

My sister shopped one so I drove a CX5.

Ride and road noise didn't even bother me. The engine's one size too small. You have to floor it to get moving and then it's loud and you get almost no results besides the noise.

That plus the back seat was small. Fold the rear seat and it hits the front seat back. You have to slide the driver's seat forward to do that.

Cargo area was decent but they should have put the seat a couple of inches farther back.

We drove the CX5, a Mazda3, then an Impreza, all back to back on the same night. You may be surprised but the Impreza's back seat is the roomiest by far. It's also the quietest of the trio.

She owns an 03 Forester and decided to keep it for now, much to the dismay of the CCB thread regulars. :shades:

kipk · July 2012

"You have to floor it to get moving"

Really?

ateixeira · July 2012

Sorry, I was exaggerating.

You floor it and you get a lot of noise but it doesn't really get moving. Using the word "moving" was too generous. :P

I apologize for that.

(on my 3rd Mazda, none of them as slow)

olegig · August 2012

Hello everyone,

Just purchased my first Rogue, in fact it is my first "small" vehicle. Been driving Yukons an PKup trucks.
I live on a dirt and gravel road so clearance was an issue, the Rogue does fine.
After a short break-in we pulled a small trailer and road bike to Casper, WY from Amarillo, TX with no problems at all. Had no problem staying with the 75+ traffic on I-25. Got 17 MPG.

Left the trailer and bike at Casper and toured Yellowstone then back to Amarillo. Avg 29 MPG
At Casper we picked up son and daughter-in-law. I let him drive and tested the back seat with my wife. I was impressed and fully satisfied with the room and view from the back seat.
Had no problem getting in or out. I am 5'7" and about 230.

The CVT was a great mountain highway auto, going up or down easily with no operation, sound, or vibration issues.

I note in previous posts the mention of a longer, or better warranty on some competitive models. At purchase I was able to purchase the additional 100,000 mile warranty for the Rogue and still be under cost of other makes which have a 100,000 mile warranty.
In truth, on those models which offer a long warranty, the buyer is still paying for it.

Seems all makes of small SUV's are beginning to look just alike, wife and I cannot tell them apart.
The Rogue looks different (except for its big brother Murano) and we like that.

grizzlybear1 · March 2013

Seriously Driver735, I don't mean to bash you anything, but this is an SUV its an all wheel drive crossover and not your grandmothers Cadillac. If you want something that is smooth ride go with a Mercedes or a Lexus. Its Nissan they can only do so much in terms of ride quality whilst still giving you the ability to afford the vehicle. So if you want something that rides smooth get one of the previous mentioned brands or go to an altima or some other car that is meant for ride quality, but you are right a car should drive smooth however a Rogue is an SUV not a car.

driver735 · March 2013

In reply to grizzlybear1, kindly note that have owned 2 ford explorers that did not exhibit the vibrations and grumbling sounds that is prevalent in the nissan rogue. The rogue is not meant for people who enjoy the fine driving qualities of an an automobile weather it be an suv or a car.

badgerfan · May 2013

This review is strictly from a non small crossover owner viewpoint (Our current vehicles are a 2000 Taurus with 24 Valve DOHC V-6 and a 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan with base V-6, both bought new)

We recently drove a four cylinder base Rav4 with 30K miles on it, with all wheel drive for a Southwest Vacation. Put over 2000 miles on it over three weeks, in varying conditions, desert, Las Vegas, and visiting National parks in Southwest Utah. Got 28.6 mpg overall, which I was happy with.

Basically, the vehicle was mostly acceptable in driving and handling performance with a few things I really didn't like:

This base model had inadequate lumbar seat support and no lumbar adjustment available. My back ached after half an hour or so each time.

Large blind spot created by wide and fairly upright A-pillar. Several times I missed seeing pedestrians and other vehicles for a short period as this A-pillar blocked the view.

Ridiculous placement of the outside mirror control on the console. Should be on the dash or driver door left of the steering wheel.

Door armrest, while shaped nicely, had no padding and was of different height from the one on the console.

Too many stalk mounted controls, likely an issue with most foreign brands. I could get used to these, however.

Four speed automatic downshifted abruptly and often on mountain inclines. I was frankly astonished that Toyota has stuck with a 4 speed as late as 2012 model year. Obviously this 4 banger had marginal torque under these conditions and a smooth shifting 5 or 6 speed would have helped immensely. It was acceptable in normal everyday driving however, and would be acceptable if I drove it primarily in my home location of Wisconsin.

By and large, my old Taurus with over 100K or our Grand Caravan with about 56K are more comfortable drives than this RAV4.

ateixeira · May 2013

The new one got a much needed 6EAT.

Even the old V6 had a 5 speed.

stever · May 2013

Good review - hopefully Toyota has made some comfort changes with the new generation RAV4 that came out in 2013.

I would have missed the room in my minivan but I can pack "lighter" if I need to.

ateixeira · May 2013

CR complained about the base seats in the new one. They recommend the loaded models to get leather, but then complained about the mid 30s price.

They also mention your elbows end up on hard surfaces.

It's reviewed in the issue that just came out, I got it yesterday.

stever · May 2013

Not a good sign. I'm getting more sensitive to seats as I age; the van is about perfect for me for comfort on the road.

ateixeira · May 2013

Me too. Will definitely take a longer test drive before buying my next car.

Thing is, you only get sore after a bit of driving. Everything is OK for a 5 minute drive.

stever · May 2013

Yep, but good luck finding a 2013 RAV4 to rent for a day. Some dealers will let you take a car overnight and that helps a lot - probably kills a lot of potential sales too.

toomanyfumes · May 2013

You must have better seats in your Quest then we had in our Villager, my wife and I both couldn't stand those seats on long drives. Ours was a base model, though, that was the last stripped vehicle I 'll ever buy.

stever · May 2013

Our '99 is a base GXE. We're both "average" size and both of us think ours is real comfy. It's lots better on trips than our old Outback. The '05ish Buick the in-laws have bothers me after a short while too, even when I play with all the power seat buttons.

We lucked out with the van since we only tested it for maybe 15 minutes.

badgerfan · May 2013

I forgot a couple of other items I did not like about the 2012 Rav4:

Way too much airflow into the vehicle when everything was turned off. I realize all automakers allow a small amount of air in to avoid CO liabilities, but this thing felt like the fan was on all the time.

The radio display washed out frequently in sunlight. It really needs a hood over it to shade the display.

The side swinging door seemed to get in the way a lot when loading cargo. I see Toyota switched to a vertical gate with the 2013 model. Good move.

All in all, the seat discomfort was the most nagging problem.

stever · May 2013

I'm used to hatches so the side gate is a deal killer. I still remember what a pain it was swinging the spare tire out of the way to get to the back of my old '74 CJ-5.

I'm with you on the airflow too - I like being able to turn the vents off, at least the dash ones.

(btw, one fun part of living in the UP is getting the chance to drive through our old Wisconsin stomping grounds a couple of times a year. It took a while but we finally found the house we rented for a semester in Madison in '84 or so. The Tercel we had then is long gone and we never got another Bucky Badger sticker. :shades: )

kipk · May 2013

Doubt seriously if you will find any true "Crossover" or SUV that would 100% suit you. And certainly not one that leans more toward an SUV.

This is Not a "Compare a small 4wd 4 cylinder SUV to a plush Wallowing boat, close to the road worthless on anything more than a smooth hard road" forum.

This is a "Crossover SUV Comparison" forum. So what 2 or more Crossover SUVs are you and "Host" comparing.

Thanks,
Kip

Crossover SUV Comparison

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