What Car is Right For Me? Help Me Choose!

suydam · March 2015

It's a lot cheaper than any of those because so much is standard even in base trim.

suydam · March 2015

"The Encore is probably cross-shopped with the Q3, GLA and X1." I don't think so. I just looked at the prices of the Q3 and X1. Holy cow! Over 10 grand more than the Encore once you get them decently equipped. I think that's what 's so unusual about the Encore -- it isn't really cross-shopped with anything. The only other vehicle we drove was the Nissan Juke, and we looked at the Nissan Rogue. No comparison there either.

backy · March 2015

An Encore with leather is $30k. A Q3 with leather is $32.5k. Not a huge difference there. Nowhere close to $10k.

suydam · March 2015

Don't want to argue as you aren't interested anyway. I was talking about the mid level trim Encore which stickers at $27k and GM last month had $2k cash back. That's before negotiating. All I meant is that I don't usually look at vehicles with a price over $30k.

backy · March 2015

Why would you compare a mid-level Encore trim with cloth interior to a Q3 with leather and talk about both being "decently equipped"?

I get it... you really like your Encore. It's probably a great little SUV for most people. It just doesn't float my boat.

But if it did, I'd have no problem cross-shopping it with something like the CX-3 and HR-V at the low end, or at the upper end the Q3.

suydam · March 2015

I wasn't comparing. Your original post said you weren't looking for something "fancy" so I assumed you meant no leather interior or over $30k. Anyway, one thing to consider when you look at any of these is comfort and noise level. It's hard to find a small vehicle, whether sedan or CUV, that's quiet. I'll be interested to hear What you think of the CX3 and HR-V.

fushigi · March 2015

The HR-V looks compelling but I'll reserve judgement until pricing is revealed and it's been through some actual hands-on reviews. I'd be somewhat concerned about engine performance when hauling cargo.

As the resident Mitsu proponent I'll put in a mention for the Outlander Sport, which starts at $19,595. The base 2.0 engine (2.4 available) packs more punch that the HR-V's 1.8 and still delivers respectable economy. It has slightly less cargo space but year after year has earned top safety pick rating & KBB rates it among the 10 most affordable SUVs.

For financing, leases start @ $179/mo or buy with your choice of a 0% interest rate or $1500 rebate.

backy · March 2015

The Mitsu might be worth a look based on performance and price, but I'm concerned about availability of dealer service (very few even in the large Twin Cities area) and their future in the USA.

I'm not concerned about engine performance on the HR-V. But then, I owned a 100 hp Dodge Caravan I4 3AT for 7 years, and hauled five people and their luggage cross-country a few times in it.

fushigi · March 2015

Understood about a local dealer situation but I don't really understand the concern about them staying in the US. Unlike Suzuki and some other brands that have shut down US operations, Mitsu actually manufactures vehicles here and has new models coming. Their sales remain at the niche level but have been trending up.

Yeah, we are blessed with HP nowadays but I wonder what that Dodge weighed compared to today's 3,000+ pound vehicles. My '93 Mazda had 130HP but only weighed about 2500 pounds. Not sure how many cars are remotely close to that weight (and are larger than a Smart).

Michaell · March 2015

fushigi said:
Understood about a local dealer situation but I don't really understand the concern about them staying in the US. Unlike Suzuki and some other brands that have shut down US operations, Mitsu actually manufactures vehicles here and has new models coming. Their sales remain at the niche level but have been trending up.

Yeah, we are blessed with HP nowadays but I wonder what that Dodge weighed compared to today's 3,000+ pound vehicles. My '93 Mazda had 130HP but only weighed about 2500 pounds. Not sure how many cars are remotely close to that weight (and are larger than a Smart).

My 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT weighs about 2800 pounds and has 148HP.

backy · March 2015

fushigi said:
Understood about a local dealer situation but I don't really understand the concern about them staying in the US. Unlike Suzuki and some other brands that have shut down US operations, Mitsu actually manufactures vehicles here and has new models coming. Their sales remain at the niche level but have been trending up.

Why would I be concerned? Let's see... their newest model, the 44 mpg Mirage, arguably the worst car sold in the USA, came here about the same time the price of gas plunged. Mitsu's only other car in the USA, the Lancer, is 8 years old. Only one model is made in the USA. Sales were up for 2014, but totaled 77k units. Although the Galant was once one of the best mid-sized cars, Mitsu has no offering in that segment, the most popular for passenger cars in the USA. I owned a 1992 Galant for awhile; it was a good car. Back then, Mitsu was selling about 200k vehicles per year in the USA.

A few years ago I almost bought a Saturn--just before they went belly-up. Now I'm glad I didn't.

benjaminh · March 2015

An early look a the Honda HRV. No test drive, but a look inside and out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Cw-giUvq08

suydam · March 2015

I had to go over to Youtube to see this, and it will be interesting to see it up close when it becomes available. There is so much ergonomic difference in these types of vehicle -- seat height, width, comfort, layout of the dash -- even the exterior looks different in person. For example, one thing I don't like about my current Accord is that for me it is hard to see where the front ends, and I always wind up about 2 feet short in a parking space because it looks like I'm going to bump into a wall. I can't tell if that would be the case in the HR-V as well. If it has higher seating that might alleviate that problem. It looks very nice inside.

benjaminh · March 2015

Yeah, the HRV does look pretty good. Not sure why that video wouldn't show up, but if you search on youtube for HondaPro Jason HRV you should be able to find it.

boomchek · March 2015

I saw an HRV at the auto show yesterday, It was locked but boy is it small. Think of a rounder, higher sitting Mazda 3 hatch. Not a bad looking thing.

suydam · March 2015

You have to sit in these types of vehicles to gauge what a tight fit they are. Some are pretty comfortable for the front seat passengers at least. If the HR-V isbased on the Fit it will be pretty snug inside though.

benjaminh · March 2015

Imho the new Fit has a surprising amount of room inside for a small car. And since the HRV is stretched in terms of height and length, it should be pretty roomy. Yes, it's small, but look at that video and you might be impressed with the size of the cargo space.

backy · March 2015

Yes, I sat in the Fit at the auto show and it has an incredible amount of rear seat passenger room. I looked into the locked HR-V and it also appears to have lots of rear-seat room. That plus the magic seats should give it the most usable cargo room in its class. I like the "small on the outside, big on the inside" philosophy. The HR-V may be similar in exterior length to a car like the Mazda3, but there's no comparison in interior room.

qbrozen · March 2015

My rear seat passengers inform me there is quite a bit more legroom for them in my Fit than in my CTS. Quite impressive.

suydam · March 2015

I'm not as concerned about rear seats as my dogs are pretty comfy in almost everything. And I don't even usually have a passenger in the front as this is our second car. It is nice though to have enough front seat room that you can have a passenger without feeling squished. I do think these really small Utes make a perfect second vehicle.

Michaell · March 2015

suydam said:
I'm not as concerned about rear seats as my dogs are pretty comfy in almost everything. And I don't even usually have a passenger in the front as this is our second car. It is nice though to have enough front seat room that you can have a passenger without feeling squished. I do think these really small Utes make a perfect second vehicle.

I would agree with you. The wife's new Outback is the family car, while my Hyundai is just for errand running and such. Don't need anything much larger, though I wouldn't mind AWD on my next car.

backy · September 2015

Update on my search for an SUV to replace my wife's 2013 Sonata that's going off-lease. After looking at lots of small and medium-sized SUVs, new and used, we bought a 2012 CX-7 tonight. 40k miles, exceptional condition (I couldn't find a mark on it anywhere), lifetime powertrain warranty included (dealer tosses that in on all vehicles with less than 60k miles). $13,600 price, $14,900 out the door; got 2.75% 5-year financing from my bank. Wasn't my first or second or third choice, it's an older design, but does everything we need at a very nice price. Nice handling (it's a Mazda after all) and plenty of room. And sharp looking with pearl white paint, tan/black interior, and nice alloys.

My first choice was the HR-V, but the lowest price I could get on one of those was $22k + TTL for an LX AWD (no FWD available in my area). Next choice was a 2013+ Escape or 2010+ Equinox, but couldn't find one with less than ~50k miles for much less than $16k + TTL. Also could have gotten a new 2015 Outlander Sport ES 2.0L FWD for $17k + TTL or a new 2015 Rogue Select AWD with Convenience Package for $209/month sign-and-drive 3 year lease, but neither one of those was that exciting to me or my wife. Was tempted on the Rogue Select though.

stever · September 2015

Congrats! Some tough choices in there

Michaell · September 2015

backy said:
Update on my search for an SUV to replace my wife's 2013 Sonata that's going off-lease. After looking at lots of small and medium-sized SUVs, new and used, we bought a 2012 CX-7 tonight. 40k miles, exceptional condition (I couldn't find a mark on it anywhere), lifetime powertrain warranty included (dealer tosses that in on all vehicles with less than 60k miles). $13,600 price, $14,900 out the door; got 2.75% 5-year financing from my bank. Wasn't my first or second or third choice, it's an older design, but does everything we need at a very nice price. Nice handling (it's a Mazda after all) and plenty of room. And sharp looking with pearl white paint, tan/black interior, and nice alloys.

My first choice was the HR-V, but the lowest price I could get on one of those was $22k + TTL for an LX AWD (no FWD available in my area). Next choice was a 2013+ Escape or 2010+ Equinox, but couldn't find one with less than ~50k miles for much less than $16k + TTL. Also could have gotten a new 2015 Outlander Sport ES 2.0L FWD for $17k + TTL or a new 2015 Rogue Select AWD with Convenience Package for $209/month sign-and-drive 3 year lease, but neither one of those was that exciting to me or my wife. Was tempted on the Rogue Select though.

Backy - congrats. Can you tell me if the CX-7 has the 2.3T or the 2.5 engine in it?

We owned a 2010 CX-7 with the 2.3T for 4 years and 60,000 miles. Wife loved the "zoom zoom" aspect of the car initially, but the 19" wheels and tires (ours was a GT trim level) made for a rough ride.

Traded it in this past February for a 2015 Outback 3.6R. We got $12,500 in trade, so your price for a car that's two years newer looks pretty solid.

Enjoy!

backy · September 2015

Our CX-7 is the SV (base) model so it has the 2.5L and 17" wheels. No racer but plenty of power for schlepping around town or highway cruising. The ride seemed fine with the smaller wheels.

It was the lowest priced CX-7 from a dealer within 50 miles of us with so few miles. There was another one, a silver 2012 SV, for a couple hundred less but had 14k more miles (2 years of driving for my wife) and had several touched-up scratches and dings, while ours has a color combo we like a lot more and no flaws I could see inside or out. Plus it has remote start--could come in handy once in awhile in Minnesnowta.

Gonna pick it up today, and turn in the Sonata next week after I get the front bumper replaced.

Michaell · September 2015

backy said:

Our CX-7 is the SV (base) model so it has the 2.5L and 17" wheels. No racer but plenty of power for schlepping around town or highway cruising. The ride seemed fine with the smaller wheels. It was the lowest priced CX-7 from a dealer within 50 miles of us with so few miles. There was another one, a silver 2012 SV, for a couple hundred less but had 14k more miles (2 years of driving for my wife) and had several touched-up scratches and dings, while ours has a color combo we like a lot more and no flaws I could see inside or out. Plus it has remote start--could come in handy once in awhile in Minnesnowta. Gonna pick it up today, and turn in the Sonata next week after I get the front bumper replaced.

Awesome! Enjoy your new (to you) Mazda.

stever · September 2015

If you bought a new car instead of used because low rates and/or longer-terms loans kept the monthly payments more affordable, please email PR@edmunds.com by 9/11/15 to connect with a reporter.

PF_Flyer · April 2018

Almost time for a new vehicle in our household. Not really narrowed down to specifics yet, but I'll use a couple of vehicles as a starting point.

We have been driving manual transmission cars since 1979 until we got our 2014 Versa Note with the CVT. I'm not a huge fan of the CVT, but have learned to tolerate it. We've had nothing but hatchbacks since 2007 and really like that cargo space availability when you fold down rear seats. (I do miss my 4x4 pickup, but that's another story)

We've rented a Nissan Rogue and took it on a 1200 mile trip to the Indy 500, and like the larger size of the interior, ride comfort, how it drives, etc. STILL not fond of the CVT.

The Kia Soul has caught my eye, and can be had with a 6 speed manual, WITH things like power windows and locks, although the color choices are limited with the manual. (If I could get the red with a stick, I might be there already)

A little more than half of our driving is rural, local, small town (not city), and when we're on the highway it's usually at least a 250 mile trip.

Oh yea, I LOVE to drive me car and have very little interest in having it park or stop or stay in the lane for me. Probably getting hard to avoid, though

stickguy · April 2018

Try out a Hyundai Kona. Not a stick, but the limited has the 1.6T/DSG powertrain that I love in my Elantra. Short, but very roomy.

texases · April 2018

How about the Mazda CX-5?

kyfdx · April 2018

You can still get a Forester with a stick. (not recommending it)

Michaell · April 2018

texases said:
How about the Mazda CX-5?

Or, even the CX-3 - though, that may be a bit on the tight side, especially in the rear seat.

stickguy · April 2018

Who needs a back seat anyway?

PF_Flyer · April 2018

stickguy said:
Who needs a back seat anyway?

SOMETIMES I have a need for that back seat, but I hear ya!

PF_Flyer · April 2018

stickguy said:
Try out a Hyundai Kona. Not a stick, but the limited has the 1.6T/DSG powertrain that I love in my Elantra. Short, but very roomy.

Never saw one before, but not bad looking

texases · April 2018

My only beef - are those the headlights down low, like they did on the Cherokee before the latest restyle? Not a fan of that.

stickguy · April 2018

the big ones are the fogs/driving lights. The headlights are the skinny LED string at the top edge of the hood.

the interior, including the back seat, is pretty roomy. I had the drivers seat way back, and had plenty of room to sit behind myself.

suydam · April 2018

Do you want subcompact size, like CX3, or compact, like Rogue and CRV? I had a friend who recently shopped for the compact size. She tried the Mazda CX-5, the Rogue, the Honda CRV, and the Chevy Equinox. She eventually decided on the Subaru Outback and is very happy with it.

tbirdmarco · April 2018

mom just picked up an Roge week ago! loves it and the room to put the shopping to when she whent to Cosco last night!

PF_Flyer · April 2018

Passed a red Soul on the highway yesterday and said to the wife, “Too bad you can’t get that color with a stick.” Her response, “Oh... THAT?”

Soul may be out of the mix. She does like the Rogue, but we’re not super close to a decision yet

Michaell · April 2018

PF_Flyer said:
Passed a red Soul on the highway yesterday and said to the wife, “Too bad you can’t get that color with a stick.” Her response, “Oh... THAT?”

Soul may be out of the mix. She does like the Rogue, but we’re not super close to a decision yet

Rogue Sport, perhaps?

suydam · April 2018

The Rogue can be a bit noisy with the CVT, as long as you don’t mind that .

PF_Flyer · April 2018

suydam said:
The Rogue can be a bit noisy with the CVT, as long as you don’t mind that .

Yea, we have about 1700 miles driving a Rogue. Not so much “noisy” as it is the different sounds a CVT makes compared to conventional autos or sticks. 95000 on our Note and I’m sorta kinda used to it, but it’s more like when your ears latch onto a sound and your brain starts imagining what the problem might be

stickguy · April 2018

I pointed out a Soul once when I was shopping. The wife gave that one a flat out no way.

PF_Flyer · April 2018

stickguy said:
I pointed out a Soul once when I was shopping. The wife gave that one a flat out no way.

Didn't feel like a flat out no way, but I bet it would be a hard sell

PF_Flyer · May 2018

We do have our annual trip to Indy at the end of the month. Maybe we'll try something as a rental and give it a 1,200 mile test

PF_Flyer · May 2018

May have to reconsider the wife's opinions of styling

Took a trip to visit one of the kids yesterday, and a Porsche Macan slowly passes us.

She sees "Porsche" on that back end and says, "That's a Porsche?? If it didn't say that I would have though it was a Kia"

I need to take this into account

kyfdx · May 2018

Other than the problem with your wife's vision...

Looks like you should buy her a Kia, remove the badges, and say you bought her a Porsche. Major brownie points!

stickguy · May 2018

So you can buy her a Kia, and tell her it is a Porsche?

suydam · May 2018

i actually don’t think the Porsche SUVs are all that attractive.

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