Best Of

My first suggestion would be to try to sell your spouse on an AWD Camry hybrid in the luxury XLE level. Your Colorado climate, and the fact that you're both used to AWD, makes that $1500 AWD option on the Camry a good idea from my pov. If you skip the other options that would mean an msrp of about $37k

My second suggestion, if you can't sell your wife on a fun-to-drive sedan, would be a Subaru Forester Hybrid Premium, which has an msrp of $38k

I've already cut/pasted a majority of my screed into the CCBA thread; I'll see what suggestions I get in just a moment.

Yes, I've considered the Forester hybrid, just not sure it would be big enough if we decided an SUV is the way to go. And, I'm not trying to knock your Outback, but I've not heard great things about the infotainment systems in the newer Subarus.

I'm looking at the top trim specs of each model I've listed - for the Camry, that would be the XSE trim. Roughly $40-42K. Accord Touring, Sonata Limited, etc.

My wife drives the Outback maybe 2-3 times a year - she's either a passenger when I drive it or she's riding with her daughter in the Sportage Hybrid when they go to work. Therefore, no real need for a 3rd car that would have to live outside, where we get snow, hail, and strong sunshine (remember, being a mile high in altitude means the sun is stronger here).

Remember, before I took over the Outback as my DD, I had an Elantra GT (hatch) and a Jetta SE on lease before we realized we didn't need that 3rd car.

@Michaell Sounds like you're still happy with your Outback with the powerful 3.6. What kind of mpg do you get? Do you think you're likely to hang on to it for another five years or so, or are you thinking about trading it in on something newer?

I started a detailed mileage log when I started to drive the car on a regular basis in 2019 (when my Jetta lease was up, we realized we didn't need two cars, as my wife and daughter commute together).

I've got about 6 years of data at this point, and the numbers are as follows:

Average MPG = 21 (I would say this is 70:30 city:highway driving; the EPA numbers from the sticker are 21 and 27)

My best tank was 24 MPG; the worst, about 18 MPG (living in Colorado with extreme hot and cold temps affects the mileage)

In that time, I'm averaging about 17 days between fill ups (COVID pushed that number pretty high; at the moment I'm filling up every 2 weeks)

As far as whether I'll keep it or not, that is the $64 question. Because my wife doesn't read these forum posts, I can tell you that I've been seriously considering making a change in the next 6 months or so. Not that there's anything wrong with the car, but because I think it's time for something new - and, likely, at my age, to be the last car we get (gasp!). I'd like to pay cash for this one, using my retirement funds along with the trade value.

But, I struggle with what to get and how much to spend. Today, I think the budget is about $40K-ish - $10K in trade and $30K in cash. Lots of nice cars in and around that price point.

I'm pretty sure I'd go hybrid, and I'm a sucker for sedans, so I've been eyeing the Accord, Sonata, or Camry Hybrids. The Camry is available with AWD, but that's not a deal breaker. I'd prefer something other than a black interior, and each model has an alternative color - grey for the Honda, a rich brown for the Sonata, and red for the Camry.

If, however, the wife wants an SUV, then the options change - still a hybrid, but I'm now thinking CR-V, CX-50, or Tucson.

I'd also consider a used 5-series, though my budget would limit me to the 530i or 530e (PHEV).

Anyway, today I have to fill up the Outback, and I'm likely to swing by the car wash and do a degrease and rinse of the engine bay - something I haven't done in the 10+ years of ownership. I'll try to remember to get before and after pictures.