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Hyundai Santa Fe vs Toyota RAV4 vs Mazda CX-7 vs Ford Edge

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Comments

  • cironciron Member Posts: 4
    I am a very happy Rav4 owner. I for one like the side door design. You get better access to the full size spare. More than likely gain more cargo space and get the cargo compartment in back because of that. You don't have to lift a heavy door up/down or stand the chance of getting wacked in the head w/it.

    I also looked and really liked the CX-7, but my wife was buying this vehicle. The pros to the Rav4 was more cargo space than the CX-7 (36.4 cu ft VS 29.9 cu ft w/back seats up.) Much more w/the seats down, just can't recall how much.

    More rear leg room and adjustable rear seats. (recline and more forward or back) The CX-7 doesn't do that. Alot better turn radius. Runs on Regular instead of premium and better MPG. It also edged CX-7 in power.

    The Rav4 and CX-7 in my book were nose to nose w/everything else. My wife test drove both and fell in love w/the Rav at first drive. We didn't even look at the Santa Fe, even though it is a impressive SUV.

    Rav4 will more than likely have alot better resale value. (I know, you also at times probably have to pay somewhat more) I felt I received a good deal w/Toyota. I have heard people getting good deals on the Rav4 too, though.

    In the end we needed more room. We have a 3 month old and needed the cargo space and veratility. The Rav4 fit the bill. I think I defended the Rav4 very well.

    Travis
  • markanmarkan Member Posts: 48
    Thanks for your input. After driving the RAV4 I agree with you but still wish the door swung the other way. We are still waiting to drive an Edge. If it lives up to expectations this may be a two car race for us.
  • piastpiast Member Posts: 269
    Have you looked at 07 Mitsubishi Outlander? The door opens right way (up), there is more cargo (39cu ft) and rear leg room (39")than both, better performance and handling (RAV 4 is a bit faster in a straight line 0-60 mph), standard V6 with 220hp, 6 speed trany, and much better price and warranty. As far as Edge, performance numbers are not that good. Check review in DEC Motor Trend, SUV of the Year contest. It's 0-60 mph of 8.0 sec is worse than RAV4, CX7 or XL7 (Outlander 8.1 sec, Santa Fe 8.5 sec) , slalom and lateral acceleration worse than all of them including Mitsu, Santa Fe and CRV, braking 60-0 mph of 142 ft worst of all, same for fuel economy (18/23 mpg).
  • johnny__rfjohnny__rf Member Posts: 83
    Actually, to be fair to the side hinge crowd there are a few advantages:

    1. Doors that hinge from the side allow for things like skis to overhang the back of the vehicle.

    2. You can add a bike rack on the the spare to carry 1 or 2 bikes. I had this on my CRV but I was fearful of opening the door with the bikes on it.

    3. With a right hinge door, make sure you get the right bay in the garage. My car was stuck in the left bay and that is why I had to constantly walk around the damn door!

    To each his own! I still prefer the top hinge.......
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Skis belong inside to keep the grime off the bases. :shades:

    The overhang issue is real though - when I carry canoes, the hatch only comes up so far before I bang the gunnels. You have to duck (watch your head!) to grab something. This load was better than usual since there was just one short solo canoe on top:

    imageSee more Car Pictures at CarSpace.com

    With either door, you have to untie the rear line on the canoe to open the door unless you fudge a bit and tie the rear painter to the roof rack (or omit tying it altogether). An opening hatch window would be great for those situations when you just want to toss one more flying projectile in the back. ;)
  • markanmarkan Member Posts: 48
    Thanks for the info. Outlander looks and sounds great. Problem is, we have to drive over 60 miles for a Mitsu dealer. Same for CRV or Santa Fe.
  • piastpiast Member Posts: 269
    This will give you more time to enjoy your new car, and probably you will not have to make those trips too often. Many people drive 60 miles to work daily. Just go once and test drive all of them.
  • defreitasmdefreitasm Member Posts: 152
    CX7 handles and feels MUCH better than your 2001 A4 quottro? I don't think so unless your A4 needs a suspension overhaul.

    The CX7 may be a great vehicle but some of the comparisons that I'm hearing here in this thread are utter nonsense.
  • vbbuiltvbbuilt Member Posts: 498
    "but some of the comparisons that I'm hearing here in this thread are utter nonsense"

    Utter nonsense? Can you point to some examples?

    Thanks, Vince.
  • jasonj734jasonj734 Member Posts: 35
    <<slalom and lateral acceleration worse than all of them including Mitsu, Santa Fe and CRV, braking 60-0 mph of 142 ft worst of all, same for fuel economy (18/23 mpg).>>

    Slalom and Lateral acceleration are very difficult to compare anymore as the stability control systems cut in so soon on the Edge when compared to other vehicles as it has RSC also. However the braking performance leaves something to be desired, and your fuel economy numbers are off. EPA est mpg 18/25 FWD and 17/24 AWD, but like everyone will see a drop of ~12% in the city and ~8% on the highway for the '08 model year.
  • defreitasmdefreitasm Member Posts: 152
    "Utter nonsense? Can you point to some examples?"

    Vince,
    The post you responded to was an example.
  • vbbuiltvbbuilt Member Posts: 498
    Ok thanks, I didn't pick up on that.

    BTW, out of over 400 posts in this discussion group, you pulled up only one comparison that you felt was invalid? That's why I was asking for some examples. I'm not an expert, so for me, it would be helpful to understand where some of the inaccuraces occur.

    Vince.
  • sssfegysssfegy Member Posts: 132
    I do beleive it has a nicer feel to it than my car..now I drive both everyday, owned the Audi for 5 years, and had the CX7 as a demo for 5 months..that gives me the right to state my opinion about both..now if you think it is nonsense to state so..what do you have to prove different? And don't tell me I test drove one
  • sssfegysssfegy Member Posts: 132
    Was much more stable in the CX7 with much better steering response and braking..again it felt much safer than my Audi..(I live in Denver) :P
  • defreitasmdefreitasm Member Posts: 152
    I am a very happy Rav4 owner. I for one like the side door design. You get better access to the full size spare. More than likely gain more cargo space and get the cargo compartment in back because of that. You don't have to lift a heavy door up/down or stand the chance of getting wacked in the head w/it.

    Having a door mounted tire is great for easy access, but some people do have a hard time lifting a tire that high. The other drawback is it make the door heavier to handle for opening and closing. A third item is that rear mounted tires protrude a bit more than the vehicle so in a rear end collision the door is more likely to get damaged and actually cause more damge to the door than if a plain door gets hit. Vehicles with tires mounted underneath the vehicle are not super convenient either. Under the cargo tray just makes sense and is the easiest type of mounting to work with.
  • defreitasmdefreitasm Member Posts: 152
    I do beleive it has a nicer feel to it than my car..now I drive both everyday, owned the Audi for 5 years, and had the CX7 as a demo for 5 months..that gives me the right to state my opinion about both..now if you think it is nonsense to state so..what do you have to prove different? And don't tell me I test drove one

    A "nicer feel" is a bit different than your original statement. I own a 2004 Audi, a 2005 New Generation VW Jetta and I'm cutting a deal on a CX7 tomorrow after putting one through the paces. The salesman let me go rugged on the vehicle and I took it on a very demanding twisty highway where I could hit 70 and 80 without trouble. I loved the way it performed enough to buy it and doubt that there is anything in it's SUV/CUV class that comes close including some of the more expensive vehicles out there, but it simply doesn't out handle my Audi or my VW Jetta, nor would I expect it to. I have yet to find a turn that these babies have trouble with, but I would not have that confidence with the CX7. It is fun to drive though, especially compared to CRV, RAV4, and Sante Fe. I tried to like the Sante Fe because of all the bang for the buck, but one thing I couldn't get used to was the bumpy ride. Not only was it a harsh ride, but each bump seemed to resonate through the seat to my back. I actually liked the CRV ride better. Just couldn't stand the CRV's low pep and lack of available amenities. What are they thinking? If people want more power and more luxuries, just offer it, instead of forcing people to go into a Pilot.
  • defreitasmdefreitasm Member Posts: 152
    Ok thanks, I didn't pick up on that.

    BTW, out of over 400 posts in this discussion group, you pulled up only one comparison that you felt was invalid? That's why I was asking for some examples. I'm not an expert, so for me, it would be helpful to understand where some of the inaccuraces occur.

    Vince.

    If I have a chance to go back and review, I'll point them out, but if you look they are all over the place.
  • piastpiast Member Posts: 269
    "and your fuel economy numbers are off"
    All of those numbers are MT tests numbers, so write to them about accuracy. BTW, I don't think you would get even !8/23 mpg in real life. Bottom line - numbers for the Edge are worse than competition according to MT.
  • sssfegysssfegy Member Posts: 132
    Sir your 04 A4 is not a 2001 A4..they are much more rugged than mine! The New jetta if it is the I5, te Cx7 would make it look bad, it is different if it is a GLI, but I don't think they made it in 2005..my point was the Cx7 is a great Cuv..you will love the CX7 more when you own it..then you might come back after a week and agree with me!
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Motorweek and autoweek both reported getting 20 mpg in their AWD Edge and MKX. Don't believe everything that MT reports.
  • philmophilmo Member Posts: 77
    At the end of the day I'll make a buying decision based on the usuablility of the rear door, which would be accessed a dozen or so times a week, vs. the location of the spare tire which might be needed once every 3-5 years.
  • jasonj734jasonj734 Member Posts: 35
    >
    I'll respond to you as well as posting something in error as fact is just as bad as who said it wrong to begin with.

    Never trust Motor Trend, it is total crap. Any magazine in which to win their Vehicle of the Year award you also have to turn in a marketing plan of how your going to advertise the vehicle and use the Motor Trend name in your own marketing, it makes the award useless. Motor Trend is also the worst about errors as well -- I have mailed them about errors on a few occasions and have never seen a retraction printed. I will be doing the same for this as well but don't hold my breath.
  • piastpiast Member Posts: 269
    And how big error it was? From Ford Edge website, Awd Edge is rated 17/24 mpg. You don't have to trust anybody who doesn&#146;t favor your choice of vehicle. I read the data, compare the numbers and listen to opinions from many sources. I can't make any tests myself, other than test drive and personal visual inspection. So go ahead and post different test data from your trusted source, so all of as can see where Ford stand out.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    I'll say it again - the only 2 reports from long term testers both reported 20 mpg for both the Edge and MKX (AWD). Nowhere near the 15 that MT reported.
  • kp58kp58 Member Posts: 17
    Moved from a 99 Camry to my first SUV (always been an anti-SUV person for various reasons). Decided sitting up higher was a good thing - plus could get home when the streets flood - if I could find one with decent fuel economy. Tried RAV4 - loved the exterior but couldn't get past the CHEAP looking inside (the seats). Even if I upgraded to the top RAV4 - the seats were the same in all vehicles. The Toyota Highlander is just too boxy and outdated of a design for the exterior so didn't drive it. I looked at several car mags & Web sites. All said if looking at the RAV to also look at CX7 and Santa Fe. Drove the Santa Fe SE first - was surprised at how much I really liked it on the test drive - the ride - the appearance, whole package. THEN - drove the Mazda CX7 - on the test drive I fell in love with it and wanted to buy it on the spot - however I went home and slept and reconsidered all vehicles again. I went back for another test drive - still loved that Santa Fe but the CX7 was so ultra-cool. However, on retesting the CX7 - I found nothing major but found enough little things that bugged me that I reconsidered my initial "have to have it now" feeling. I wanted a white CX7 with the sand interior. However, when I test drove the color of my choice - yes the seats were sand but the carpet was black. The hard plastics (yes - just as cheap looking hard plastic as the Santa Fe - if not worse) were a combo of black and sand. Didn't really like that two-tone combo. The rake of the CX7 makes it a great looking car but also put me sitting farther back and found it more difficult to manuveur on test drive due to lack of vision of the front end (I'm sure you adjust quickly to that), the instrument panel is very dim in the daytime and hard to see. The cockpit type dash looks great but in my second test drive - I found it sort of difficult to see. The A/C (I live in a hot climate) is so-so. Then the rear taillights -- they aren't that bright or noticeable - particularly during the day. They are the clear plastic - and looked suspiciously like the aftermarket type the bass thumping teens like with the big oversized tailpipes. The premium gas didn't bother me but the thought of only getting 14-16 mpg on that premium did bother me. Those are little things that I thought would bug me after the initial infatuation period. Went and drove the Santa Fe for the third time and still really felt drawn to it. Bought the Santa Fe and love it - averaging 20 mpg in city on a brand new vehicle so I am thinking I'll do much better on my regular highway driving. It drives smooth like a car rather than a truck - guess it is the unibody frame. Radio is so-so but I installed my Sirius satellite which makes it all fine. And while I was waiting to have my windows tinted at a nearby tint shop - two young guys came in to tint their CX7 and get the bass thumping speakers installed in their cargo space. Its priced perfectly for the average working person but also enough to get the kids buying them too. New cars are always great but after that initial infatuation wears off - I become practical and just really want to get from point A to point B in comfortable, reliable transportation that looks good inside and out.
  • pelican19pelican19 Member Posts: 323
    Congrats!

    What Model and package did you get?

    Good Luck and Happy New Year!
  • kp58kp58 Member Posts: 17
    Got the Santa Fe SE with the 3.3 V6 and the 18" wheels. Didn't get the leather or moonroof. I have the cloth seats, but the niceties like fog lights, dimming review mirror, etc. Drove out for $200 over invoice plus tt&l.
  • pelican19pelican19 Member Posts: 323
    Not bad. I picked up the Limited 3.3 AWD. Already have 3500 miles on it. Love the truck. Have family in PA around Mt. Pocono. Gets real messy up there in winter. Already put the AWD lock to good use. Works great. Enjoy!
  • kp58kp58 Member Posts: 17
    Pelican19 - mine is FWD - I have no need for AWD here in Texas so thought why spend the extra money on a feature that I won't really use - I am glad to hear you are enjoying yours too -- we love ours. A friend's senior citzen-aged parents recently bought a Hyundai (their first foreign car ever) and they absolutely love it - they promote it so heavily they shoould be doing a commercial. I didn't know much about Hyundai when I first began looking at vehicles and honestly - it was probably the one car that I didn't want to like - but after testing it three times - liked it better than anything else I drove.
  • srdriversrdriver Member Posts: 48
    I bought the Santa Fe 3.3 Liter Limited with Moonroof about 3 weeks ago and am well satisfied with it.

    I looked at several others before buying the Santa Fe.
  • jasonj734jasonj734 Member Posts: 35
    A error is an error. I'm not biased it seems that you just hate the Ford and hold MT as your bible as they hated the Edge, you hate Ford and then can use them as your support to hate the Edge. It is human nature to do that.

    Honestly, I wouldn't buy any of these vehicles, they are too small after looking at them, I'm looking at the CX-9/Veracruz/Acadia size. I looked at the RAV4 and the interior seemed cheap, though it is really a 19,000 car that goes up to 30K so you get a 19k interior which is expected. The CX-7 and Santa Fe were both very nice, what i didn't like about the Mazda was the Turbo I-4 and premium Fuel as well as the size.

    The Santa Fe was a really nice vehicle, the only faults were the steering wheel felt funny(texture, and size) the stereo wasn't that good, the major down fall was I could not get a Navigation system in it, and I need it for my job. It was also a little smaller than I wanted; the new Veracruz should fix those issues.
  • edmundsdesiedmundsdesi Member Posts: 8
    I live in Texas, and we have AWD on our other vehicle. When it rains here, it rains big, and we do not drive our Rav that does not have AWD. Just something to think about to you other drivers.
  • philmophilmo Member Posts: 77
    Congratulations on your buy. Just yesterday as I was heading into Denver in my old Grand Cherokee to pickup a snowblower from Sears I said to my neighbor "...if I had to buy something today I'm still thinking the Santa Fe" for a variety of reasons but the immediate point being that the rear hatch is the only one out there I'm interested in that could have swallowed the snowblower, crate and all. And that, for me, puts the capital 'U' in SUV.
  • piastpiast Member Posts: 269
    Not really. Those numbers are just EPA estimates, not test results, so in a sense they all can be right or wrong. The number(20 mpg) you mentioned is right between any set of them (18/23 or 17/24). The problem is, you fail to find any better performance test results for the Ford Edge from any other trusted source. So until then Edge is worse than the competition in performance in my book. Where all this "hate" thing came from, I have not idea, but not from my posts for sure. You can like and buy whatever you want, just don't start a discussion without having anything new to say, other that in your opinion MT is crap.
  • arizonajoearizonajoe Member Posts: 123
    Today I test drove a RAV4 Sport V6 4WD and a Santa Fe Limited AWD. It's a really tough choice...

    The Santa is much nicer looking, inside and out. The interior is just beautiful, with the blue lighting and neatly organized center stack. It's much more of an upscale feel than the RAV4 interior.

    On the outside, the Santa Fe is clean and beautiful. The RAV4 isn't bad, but it still has a slightly feminine look to it, especially with the spare tire cover. It's better than the previous generation, though.

    Both vehicles have excellent under-floor storage in the cargo area. The Santa Fe's bin is significantly larger than the RAV4's, assuming you don't get third-row seats.

    I wasn't terribly sensitive to things like handling and steering feel, and I enjoyed both cars. Power and acceleration was a clear win for the RAV4 - man, is that thing fast! It's just like nothing I've driven in years - so freakin' quick.

    Two major features are missing in the Santa Fe (major to me at least): auxiliary audio input, and Bluetooth. For '07, the RAV4 added Bluetooth as part of the JBL package, and it looks very well executed. Buttons are on the steering wheel, and it looks like the call info displays on the stereo screen. There's also an aux input in the center storage bin.

    On the other hand, satellite radio seems like an afterthought dealer accessory for the RAV4, and I hear buzz that the kit is buggy. New-production Santa Fe have XM built in, and there's a dedicated XM button on the stereo. Another thing - the stereo and HVAC displays on the Santa Fe are big, multi-line displays. For XM radio, you see the full name of the station in big letters. Not sure how clear it will be on the RAV4.

    Funny thing -- I actually went off-road during the RAV4 test drive. We found a construction site and climbed up a big berm. These cute-utes are more capable than I realized. I was amused to see the Downhill Assist Control (DAC) button in the RAV4 -- thinks it's a Land Rover or something.

    Anyway, it's a tough call.
  • vbbuiltvbbuilt Member Posts: 498
    I've always been curious.

    Your comments about the RAV 4: "The RAV4 isn't bad, but it still has a slightly feminine look to it, especially with the spare tire cover"

    My son says the current Ford Mustang is a "chick car".

    I've never understood. So how can the RAV4 and Mustang be similar? What makes a vehicle feminine or masculine? I would like an objective list, point by point, of what makes a vehicle a chick car or butch. Let's see some discussion from men and women! Let's have some fun with this! :D

    Vince.
  • vbbuiltvbbuilt Member Posts: 498
    Ok, here's more.

    The Jeep Wrangler has a rear mounted tire. Is that a feminine look? Same configuration as the RAV 4.

    Same thing about the new Toyota FJ Cruiser. Much more butch don't you think?

    Ah, what about the Hummer H3? It's got a tire mounted on the back. Definately a chick car? Naw, definately has the manly look, right?

    Come on gang, help me out here. From my perspective, about the only thing that would be questionable, would be the colors, say a vehicle painted baby blue or hot pink.

    What's your take?

    Vince.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Drive what you like.

    I like my minivan - it holds my two (très macho) snowboards, mtn. bike, canoe and camping gear nicely and also hauled my weaving loom over from Oregon one weekend and does frequent duty hauling straw and peat moss for my gardening.

    Are you suggesting I need to paint one side of it pink and the other blue?

    btw, I don't mind being seen in my sister's New Beetle either - it drives pretty good.
  • vbbuiltvbbuilt Member Posts: 498
    oh, I'm not making any judgments. I've never understood how someone can apply gender-specific traits to a vehicle. When the guy said he thought the RAV4 was feminine, I started scratching my head. Never occurred to me that a car can be feminine. I've owned the RAV 4 and liked it when I had it. I can understand subjective preferences in styling etc (that's why the CX-7 is de bomb!!) So, I was just trying to get people thinking about how they perceive their surroundings.

    Paint one side blue the other pink? Ugh...you must be one of those hippy types, the old VW wagon type! The kind with those cute flowers painted all over, from the 60's. :blush:

    Later, Vince.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Heh, had one of those too - a '69. Nice body but the motor couldn't keep up and the head kept pulling off.

    Part of the issue is the marketing - women buy or influence the purchase of ~80% of all new cars so lots of it is slanted that way.

    I do tend to see more women driving Hummers than men for some reason. :confuse:
  • nmknmk Member Posts: 111
    As I was just entering my mid life crisis, (and here I give my age away) :shades: I owned two Pontiac Fieros.
    The first was a dog, a 1984 4banger with auto (the iron duke engine), and the second was a gung-ho 1987 V6 with a stick used by the previous owner to race locally in Conn.
    The next year 1988, it came out with a Lotus designed suspension. I still yearn for that model. Talk about road holding.

    Regardless, both drew mucho macho attention although at the time they were considered "Chick" cars. Well, maybe not not the GT.

    I suppose I still have the bug owning the CX-7 and looking to improve its speed and handling. ;)
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,704
    make the rig a "chick" car, IMO. My '01 Kia Sportage 4x4 has a rear-mounted spare back there and I've never thought it looked "chick."

    Depends on how you see things...for instance, the Toyota RAV4 would seem a titch more "chick" with it's rear-mounted spare than the Sportsman, but that's just the way I see those two rigs. I could see a guy driving a RAV4 and looking...looking...like a guy driving a small Japanese SUV named RAV4 and the whole thing would work like Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady together in the Rocket's lineup...harmoniously and good.

    Yes.

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • vbbuiltvbbuilt Member Posts: 498
    LMAO!!!

    Vince.
  • tinycadontinycadon Member Posts: 287
    The easiest way to tell is ask your: Mom, Girlfriend, Wife, Sister, etc. what they think about a certain car, if their answer has "CUTE" anywhere in their answer, then it's a chick car. ;)
  • vbbuiltvbbuilt Member Posts: 498
    and if the guy likes the same car, what does that say about the guy? Does that mean his masculinity is suspect? Or would that mean it's a "dude" car? :shades:

    Vince.
  • tinycadontinycadon Member Posts: 287
    NOW, is the guy saying he "LIKES" the car or is he saying he thinks it's "CUTE" :confuse:
  • vbbuiltvbbuilt Member Posts: 498
    In this hypothetical example, if the guy agrees with his girl that it's cute, then they're of the same mind and outlook, yes? If "cute" and "like" are similar, in that they translate into the sale of the car, then the terms are the same, yes?

    Vince.
  • nmknmk Member Posts: 111
    Vince,
    Never knew you to be such a Philosopher. :shades:
  • piastpiast Member Posts: 269
    IMO, famine (or chick) car is a car designed, marketed and bought by women in larger numbers than by men. Think VW Beetle (with rose vase) or CRV. I would say Xterra, FJ Cruiser, Jeeps and many high power sedans (M5, S4, Chryslers with Hemi engine, cars with turbo engines) are usually owned by men. Most women are OK with safe, reliable cars, vans or SUVs, even if they don't cut 0-60 mph in under 7 sec. And I don't see anything wrong with this.
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,704
    your comments maketh mucho sense. A former co-worker loved her new world order VW Bug. I don't know a man that owns a new Beetle, does anyone else? Most CRV drivers are women, indeed. CRV's smack of being "safe" through and through.

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

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