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Interestingly, you can still get the 2012 model if you want - just no 4 cylinder, much less the V6. It's the base for the electric version with a Tesla powertrain. I bet few people have spotted one of those in in the wild.
I was just posting items that I thought Toyota missed the boat on. Note: I did not complain about handling, braking, ride, noise, which I thought were in general very good on the RAV4. I only posted items I did not particularly like that would apply to anyone buying any vehicle.
As far as wallowing boat, my Taurus is far from that, and while our Grand Caravan is a smooth rider, neither have ever beem intended for off road use.
I would surmise very few people would seriously consider a RAV4 useful for off rugged off road use either, however.
If you set the ventilation to recirculate it should alleviate that. Most cars flow-through vent when left on fresh-air at highway speed.
I did not, say and am not speaking of "RUGGED" off road use.
A while back we attended a huge arts and crafts festival. We had to park in a grassy field in a slight hill, so there were terraces. The sedans were scraping as they went over them. Most SUVs didn't. To add insult to injury it drizzled rain for a few minutes while we were there, and the grass on the parking field became slick. Nothing "RUGGED" about that, but many sedans with their low plush ride couldn't deal with the terraces and slick grass. Our '03 CR-V 4wd was parked on the lowest part of the field and came out without any problem.
I don't even know if it ever engaged the rear wheels to drive, as it is all totally automatic.
That type of scenario would also apply to snow. Low slung vehicles that necessarily lean (wallow) in corners resulting from soft suspension can cause serious problems in snow conditions. Of course if you wish to spend a ton of money there are some cars that ride great and go around corners flat.
However there must be some reason that you rented a 4WD and possibly the same reason there may be a small SUV to replace the Taurus in your mind.
And yes, unless it is an SHO, it leans a great deal in corners when compared to a stiffer sprung vehicle.
I agree with "thegraduate" put the control in "Recirculate" and that will likely stop outside air from coming through the vents.
Unless you get an upscale model of any SUV, the seat may not be adjustable to your liking. SUVs, by design, have a higher center of gravity than a passenger sedan, resulting from more ground clearance. So there will be more felt motion. They also ride stiffer as most folks, that either have them or have spent some time in them, know.
Good luck with your search!
Kip
And, once again you will note that I never complained about the Rav4's handling or ride characteristics, which I thought were acceptable.
My critique about the Rav4's shortcomings could apply to nearly any vehicle as they were mostly seat comfort and ergonomics related, not vehicle category related.
I do take issue with your statement about handling of non SHO tauri of my car's generation. My Taurus does not lean considerably in any turns. It is much more stable, even to the point of providing a stiffer ride than most sedans, which is one reason I bought it in the first place.
Seems like most automakers are styling for the "Sport" in SUV while Mitsu is stepping back & going more for the "Utility".
I'm also not super fond of the new styling but I can live with it as long as the rest of the vehicle meets or exceeds my expectations. I'm looking at the PHEV version.
Though it'll probably be a few years before I buy as my '10 Outlander GT has yet to roll 30K miles.
We have '04, '09, and '13 Escapes.
All are pretty much top of the line models, either Limited or Titanium.
Starting out with the '04, it has about 110k on it. 4WD, 200 hp 3.0 V6, Leather heated front seats, power moon roof, upgraded sound system.
Noisy on the highway, but tracks very well. Pretty trouble free, one wheel bearing (replaced under warranty), a rear parking sensor replaced under warranty, and air bag light has flashed a couple of times. First time fixed under warranty, second time both harnesses under the front seats were replaced for around $300.
Has a slight oil leak, dealer wants $900 to fix.
Original Continental tires were horrible (16 inch), and replaced at 25k with Goodyear triple treads, much better.
Front rotors/pads replaced @ 50k, still original rear drums.
Overall fuel mileage a bit over 19.
'09 is also a Limited model. About 60k on it. AWD, 240 hp 3.0.V6, Leather heated front seats, power moon roof, upgraded sound system and factory NAV/SYNC.
'Leather' seems to be of softer quality than '04. Both have held up well.
Left front half shaft leak fixed under warranty.
Still on the original Michelin tires with plenty of tread left.
Overall quieter than the '04, but not quiet.
Front brake pads replaced @55k and rear drums still original.
Overall fuel miles about 21.5.
'13 Titanium has just over 7k on it. AWD, 230+ hp 2.0 I4. It has pretty much everything including self parking. 1 oil change/tire rotation so far.
NVH is much improved from the other 2, even thought is has 19 inch Continental tires.
Mileage is a tick higher than the '09 despite no long trips.
That will change over the summer.
The previous 2 models are more space efficient due to their boxy shape, but can't compete in the tech or refinement. Once we take a road trip, the mileage will be better with the '13, too.
How's the 2l before boost kicks in? Is it still responsive enough? I thought that engine didn't come with AWD? :confuse:
Sorry for all the questions. My buddy here at work got a 3.7l V6 model, traded a Range Rover Sport for it (too $$$ operating costs).
My wife thinks it's down a little low end power from the 3.0 V6 in the '09.
Power in both seem more than adequate. I probably would have been ok with the 1.6, but I wanted all the toys, or at least most of them.
I still have the '02 Explorer.
Funny, though, the '13 Santa Fe Sport (new name as the Veracruz is now the regular Santa Fe) with the 2.0T only gets 19/24 in AWD guise. And it's 50 pounds lighter than the Outlander.
So small turbo isn't always better.
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The turbo makes more power in your example, but is not as linear in the delivery of that power.
My NC Miata has a 2l engine and rumors have the ND getting a 1.3-1.4l turbo. Not sure how I feel about that. It just wouldn't be nearly as responsive.
I'm sure they'll refine it in the next year or two. It needs it, though.
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That said, the PHEV model is what I'll be tracking. The Chicago area consistently has some of the most expensive gas in the country while also having some of the cheaper electricity rates.
For the Escape, Patriot, Encore, Sportage, Tucson, Wrangler, Rogue, CX-5, Tiguan and CR-V, you have some work to do.
http://www.nbcnews.com/business/subaru-only-cuv-score-good-crash-test-1C9951241
Personally, I'm glad that IIHS continues to make crash testing more difficult to pass. In the event I'm in an accident, my car's job is to sacrifice itself to protect me & my loved ones.
That the Subie & Mitsu both weigh around 3300 pounds with AWD means that the added safety isn't coming with added weight (the AWD Rogue is almost 3500 pounds).
I did not find the car overly expensive to maintain. Yes, there are some issues, and not as inexpensive as my old Toyota Corolla, but overall the satisfaction rate has been pretty high.
I have really been interested in Audi for a while, and I'm drawn to the Q5.
Can anyone give me some insight into Audi?
I hear they have a lot of issues, but I'm wondering how true that really is. If I go with the Audi, how often can I expect to be at the dealership with an issue: once per year? every 6 months? Once per month? Overall, what should I budget for repairs per year?
Whichever one I go with, I am planning on buying used (two to three years).
Your advise is appreciated!
You do have to join to see complete in-depth data, but there's no fee, all they ask is that you reply to their quarterly e-mail about reliability of your own vehicle. Happy hunting!
Out west trip
I drove down to the shore last week, and on a leg with a back highway stretch (so some lights) then a 75mph highway run, when I got off the TC was sitting at 30.4. Even backroad running after that and overall I got ~29 on that trip.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Any thoughts on crossovers that look more Jeep-y for lack of a better fake word?
You could go whole hog and get a Transit Connect. :-)
The Kia Soul is another one I've considered.
I'll freely admit the seats in my wife's Elantra are way better/less fatiguing for long haul cruising than those in my Outlander. But the Outlander wins if there's any decent chance of using cruise control.
The rules that have been set forth to me by the boss are as follows...
1. Must stay with a V6.
2. Must have 3rd Row Seating
3. Must have Towing package higher than 3500lbs and Roof carrying capable.
4. Must stay under $40k
I know I'm only going to get between $8k - $10k as a trade-in or private sale so that also will go into the new vehicle. I will try for 2014's, but will go for a left-over 2013 if the deal is good enough.
My list stands currently at (in no particular order)....
1. Toyota 4Runner SR5
2. Honda Pilot EX
3. Dodge Durango SXT or Rallye
4. Nissan Pathfinder
5. GMC Acadia SLE or SLT
6. Ford Explorer XLT
I was going to go with the Highlander over the 4Runner, but I like the looks of the 4 better with the 2014 refresh and mileage is silimar. Only the Explorer and Pathfinder seem to roll more towards the Car look of a SUV than the others. I haven't seen anything on the possible Pilot refresh for '14, but have been told the redesign is slated for '15 with the full rebuild of the Ridgeline. I have not tried any of these on for size yet and will keep everyone updated with my progress. If nothing is done before the end of the year, then the major cross-comapre will be done at the Philly Auto Show in Feb.
Odie
If any of you have got any of these models in the 2013, then let me know your likes / dislikes and if you compared to any of the others on this list.
Hyundai rates the Santa Fe's towing capacity at 5000 pounds.
Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/suvs/1303_2013_hyundai_santa_fe_first_drive/- #ixzz2dypRgtDG
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Odie
Odie
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.f171273/2
The acadia is the same vehicle, so stay away from that one, too. Perhaps GM has fixed the defective transmission with current models...not sure. I can tell you the 2007 Outlook is junk. The transmission breaks anywhere between 60,000-80,000 miles and although GM knows about the defect, they won't issue a recall or offer to help pay for repairs. It's a known defect.
One of my co-workers has a Borrego from Kia, but I do not believe they make it any longer. Looks nice though.
Odie
I drive through highly congested areas so visibility is important to me. The Forester had the best visibility followed by the Escape, the CX5, and then the Rav4. I didn't like the visibility of the Rav4, and the CX5. I felt that the best engine and handling was the Escape Titanium, Rav4, Mazda CX5, Escape SE, then the Forester.
The Forester had about the same power as the Escape SE but when I went down a hill to a stop sign, the downshift while slowing down was quite noticeable. I preferred the larger display for the backup camera on the Escape than the Forester. I am waiting to test drive a CRV.
I had to pass up a brand new $38,500 loaded 2013 4Runner (no leather or nav) that I could have gotten at $22,010 after trade, Work employee discount, and special one-time rebate. My wife we "Need" to wait till late spring. I'm good at finding deal, but don't think I will ever come across that good of one again.
Odie
A kid I coach in hoops has a Flex, he calls it their "Range Rover". Funny.
The one vehicle that I didn't consider at the time was the new 2013 Dodge Durango. I have driven a few as rentals since then and I would happily own a Durango as well.
Mazda CX-5, Touring AWD, with a couple options and destination fee, around $28K.
Subaru Forester 2.5i Premium CVT, with all weather package and one of the popular packages, destination fee, around $27.5 K.
Toyota Rav4 XLE, navigation, no leather, around $29 K.
Ford Escape Titanium 4WD, over $33K. I didn't pay attention to the options. I was looking for a price without tax and licence for under $30K.
Ford Escape SE 4WD, over $31K. Most of the cars were loaded. I've owned a Ford vehicle before and I felt that it was overpriced.
As it was explained to me as to why the 4Runner did not. SM said the vehicle is not a High Move Item. They may only get 2-4 on the lot at any given time and are not pressured to move them, unlike a Highlander where they get 40+ of them. Since they get so many they have to give rebates / incentive to get them moving.
Kinda makes sense in a way.
Odie