Help me choose an SUV

[pumpkinmomma]

We bought a 2012 highlander back in September and I love it. We also have 2 kids and there is plenty of space for us. The back row is easily accessible and I love that you can convert the middle seat from a bench seat to separate seats with a console.

We also looked at a traverse, a flex, a pilot, an explorer, and a durango. Of those, the highlander was the most comfortable for me to drive and had all the features I wanted.

I liked certain aspects of all of the vehicles we looked at, but the highlander was by far my favorite.

 

[wallawallakids]

Just wanted to chime in as another vote for the Highlander. I do not currently own one but I was hit by a drunk driver 3 years ago in my (then 2 week old) Highlander. I very much believe that it saved my life. My car was totaled and I was lucky enough to walk away with only minor injuries. I absolutely would buy one again based on safety alone. Also I got great gas milage. I did have the Hybrid. All 4 kids fit nicely in it. The back seat was a little small but not bad. Good luck with your car search.

 

[wallawallakids]

Also I see you are looking at the Traverse too. I just would say that we have a Suburban (and have for about 5 years) and it is a great car. It has really held up. I think a lot of Chevy cars seem to run forever. Look at how many old Suburbans there are on the road! Anyway, I would be in favor of a Chevy too. I drive a Volvo XC90 and it seems finicky. It is a great car but it has had a few recalls that have put it into the garage for a while. In all the time we have owned the Chevy there has never been one issue or recall. The thing is a work horse. It is very reliable. I would think the Traverse might be similar.

 

[MomiTo2SwtGuys]

I bought a new Pilot in September of 2012 after giving birth to our 3rd child. My boys have to get out on the same side when I drop them off at school and my car wasn't cutting it.

I was in love with it and still am. It is a great suv. Plenty of room for kids and storage. She will be taking her first trip to Disney World in June!

I was in a similar situation. I've been driving a 2001 Grand Caravan for almost 12 yrs and it was starting to fall apart a little (leaking oil, power steering is having slight issues). My problem was fitting four kids into a different vehicle, though. I did not want another minivan, as practical or comfortable as it would be for the whole family. I was looking at Ford Explorers, Dodge Durangos, and then last week was turned onto the Honda Pilot while looking at the Oddysey in the showroom (dh insisted I at least look at the van!). The Explorer is really too tight for four kids. I drove a Durango two days ago and I can't see very well around the B pillar behind the driver's seat. The Pilot had 8 seats, came with a hitch, rear camera, bluetooth and I like that the rear window hatch opens up.

I went to one Honda dealer Friday who only offered me $1000 for my van. I knew it was worth at least a thousand more. I didn't feel like the salesman was taking me very seriously. Although the Durango salesman was trying to get me to sign without my husband, which I thought was a little pushy (and he also claimed to be 6 ft tall when he was showing me how much room was in the rear seat for an adult and he couldn't have been taller than 5'9", LOL). So yesterday I went into a different Honda dealer so dh could test drive the Pilot too and we were happily surprised with a $2300 trade in offer and a great sales price of $26,700 . As soon as she told me the trade offer I told her the Pilot was sold (we were going to try and sell it privately and hoped to get $2500). The salesWOMAN did ask me how soon I was looking to buy, so maybe that helped motivate the sale price, or the fact that I told her a different Honda salesman had totally lowballed my trade value.

I can't believe I pulled my husband over to the dark side of buying a foreign car (he is a Chrysler fan) but besides the minivan, there was nothing that really fit our needs and the style I was looking for. I can't wait to pick it up Tuesday !

 

[teCh0010]

The Pilot and Highlander really seem to fit the bill for what you want.

If Dodge would put the 8 speed transmission in the new Durango they would have a really nice option.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

The major drawback for me about the Traverse is that it's extremely long, even if it doesn't look it. It's 205" long, which does not fit in our (very tiny) garage!

We just went out a test-drove a 2012 GMC Acadia. It was really nice, had a lot of features, and because it was a leftover, the price tag was under $30k.

The Traverse and Acadia are basically the same car, and the same size. We love our Acadia, but it's definitely a "full size" crossover

 

[wergoin2camouse]

Bought and sold an 2010 Acadia last year! Loved the design and seating arrangements with two rows of bucket seats... But.... Traded it in for the highlander because of factory defect on sunroofs!! Leaked into frame of car prior to our owning it and was never fixed!! Lots of similar problems reported from others.... Gmc paid for half... But our portion was 1600$ to fix electrical /dvd/water damage. Make sure you check year on consumer reports... I wish it wouldn't have happened to me

 

[dansamy]

I don't know if anyone has suggested it, but look at the Mitsubishi Outlander. I love mine & the additional safety features that are being added to the upcoming year's model makes it very attractive. I might even trade my 09 in for the newest model.

 

[Tozzie]

I am voting for the Toyota Highlander I am on my second one, I have had this one for 6 years and the first one I had for 5. Great car, great handling and very safe. The safe part I know for sure, I had a front end total out collison my airbags deployed the whole 9 yards and in the end I walked away and all i had was a burn on my arm from the airbag. They also hold their value, when I had the accident I had full coverage and I received half of what I had paid for it and it was 5 years old.

 

[laughinplace199]

We bought a Pilot in April and we love it!

 

[luv2mickey]

I was in a similar situation. I've been driving a 2001 Grand Caravan for almost 12 yrs and it was starting to fall apart a little (leaking oil, power steering is having slight issues). My problem was fitting four kids into a different vehicle, though. I did not want another minivan, as practical or comfortable as it would be for the whole family. I was looking at Ford Explorers, Dodge Durangos, and then last week was turned onto the Honda Pilot while looking at the Oddysey in the showroom (dh insisted I at least look at the van!). The Explorer is really too tight for four kids. I drove a Durango two days ago and I can't see very well around the B pillar behind the driver's seat. The Pilot had 8 seats, came with a hitch, rear camera, bluetooth and I like that the rear window hatch opens up.

I went to one Honda dealer Friday who only offered me $1000 for my van. I knew it was worth at least a thousand more. I didn't feel like the salesman was taking me very seriously. Although the Durango salesman was trying to get me to sign without my husband, which I thought was a little pushy (and he also claimed to be 6 ft tall when he was showing me how much room was in the rear seat for an adult and he couldn't have been taller than 5'9", LOL). So yesterday I went into a different Honda dealer so dh could test drive the Pilot too and we were happily surprised with a $2300 trade in offer and a great sales price of $26,700 . As soon as she told me the trade offer I told her the Pilot was sold (we were going to try and sell it privately and hoped to get $2500). The salesWOMAN did ask me how soon I was looking to buy, so maybe that helped motivate the sale price, or the fact that I told her a different Honda salesman had totally lowballed my trade value.

I can't believe I pulled my husband over to the dark side of buying a foreign car (he is a Chrysler fan) but besides the minivan, there was nothing that really fit our needs and the style I was looking for. I can't wait to pick it up Tuesday !

I love my Honda, 9years old with 160,000 miles and runs like a dream not even a rattle! I want a new car so bad but can't justify it, the car runs to well to get rid of. I joked with my husband that I'll have to buy a car that doesn't look as good in consumer reports so I can get a new car more often.

 

[luv2mickey]

I am voting for the Toyota Highlander I am on my second one, I have had this one for 6 years and the first one I had for 5. Great car, great handling and very safe. The safe part I know for sure, I had a front end total out collison my airbags deployed the whole 9 yards and in the end I walked away and all i had was a burn on my arm from the airbag. They also hold their value, when I had the accident I had full coverage and I received half of what I had paid for it and it was 5 years old.

We just got our car issue of consumer reports and they love the Highlander!

 

[Ginny Favers]

The Traverse and Acadia are basically the same car, and the same size. We love our Acadia, but it's definitely a "full size" crossover

Nope. The Acadia is a over 4" shorter than the Traverse. It's 200.7" long. I know this because it "just" fits in our garage, while the Traverse does not make it! So those 4 inches make a big difference to me! I agree, though, that it is nice and roomy, it's just a little bit smaller "full-size" than the Traverse!

 

[BoyMom81]

We leased a 2013 Explorer in November and I love it! It is perfect for our family. It gives me the room I need, good fuel economy and a good price. I plan to get another one at the end of our lease with captains chairs in the 2nd row. That's the only thing I regret not getting this time.

 

[tinkermommyof3]

Love my Toyota Highlander Hybrid. It has plenty of passenger room and cargo space. Good fuel economy for an SUV. Highly recommend!

 

[ItsNotMuchofaTail]

I love my Honda CR-V, if I wanted something bigger, I would definitely get a Pilot. I went from a Town and Country to the CR-V. It was tough to transition to something so much smaller, but its just my DD and me, so the minivan was overkill, LOL. Got rid of the H and the minivan in one fell swoop. And I do feel infinitely cooler now.

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

Just traded in my 2006 Chrysler Town & Country (the same as the Dodge Grand Caravan) for a Toyota Highlander last week. So far, I like it a lot, and it feels so luxurious after driving the old van for so long (that thing was rattling apart at 90,800 miles).

 

[dansamy]

Just traded in my 2006 Chrysler Town & Country (the same as the Dodge Grand Caravan) for a Toyota Highlander last week. So far, I like it a lot, and it feels so luxurious after driving the old van for so long (that thing was rattling apart at 90,800 miles).

I'm gonna be up that Creek without a paddle if my outlander starts rattling apart sub-100k. I already have almost 90k on it now. It's an 09.

 

[aimeeinohio]

I'm a Mazda girl. I have been driving a cx- for three years (seats 5, drives like a car, it's awesome!!). Hubby is driving it now. I just got a new cx-5. Like the cx-7's little baby. Seats 5 but is more compact.

My bestie has a cx-9, seats 7. They have 5 kids and tow a camper with it.

 

[BABY_EINSTEIN'S_MOM]

Just traded in my 2006 Chrysler Town & Country (the same as the Dodge Grand Caravan) for a Toyota Highlander last week. So far, I like it a lot, and it feels so luxurious after driving the old van for so long (that thing was rattling apart at 90,800 miles).

I can't wait to decide on something new so I can feel more luxurious too! lol We have an '05 Chrysler Town and County with almost 150,000 miles! It's still goin, but I just can't decide what I want next!