Mini SUV question--all you SUV owners out there...

[Chim Chiminy]

Okay, since we are moving to Maine for DH's career, we are looking at getting an SUV.

We don't want a huge monster, so we have been looking at the Mini's out there.

What is in the running right now are:

Chevy Equinox
Subaru Forester
Mitsubishi Outlander

We want something that can handle the snow and ice. Has plenty of room, comfy seats, handles turns well. I don't like that feeling like the vehicle is tipping over you get with some bigger vehicles.

We have crossed Toyota Rav 4, Jeep Liberty, Honda CRV off the list for a variety of reasons. Styling, having rear mount spare.


Any info would be helpful...............we are having a heck of a time deciding what would be best for us.

 

[SJCSuzy]

We have a 98 Subaru Forester and we love it. We don't get snow/ice where we live but we have driven in up to Lake Tahoe in the winter and it does great in the snow. There is plenty of room for DH, 2 kids and myself. Now that we have a 7mo Golden Retriever who weighs 85lbs things are getting a little tight. He takes up most of the back area so we need to use a cargo carrier on the roof. We have had no problems at all and love the car. DH is anxiously awaiting the hybrid Ford Escape so he can trade in his Honda Accord though. Good luck.

 

[Mskanga]

No SUV will get you through ice, you can have 18 wheel drive and you will still slide on ice. Snow is another story. My friend has a subaru forrester and she loves it .

 

[DSNY FN]

Get the Equinox or the Ferrester. The Equinox will be less expensive than the Forrester but they are both very good vehicles. The Equinox is built about 20 minutes from where I live and to buyone here fully loaded it is only about 29 thousand where the Forrester is about 36 thousand or more depending on how dressed you want it. Also for those that didn't know this GM has purchased Subaru or most of it anyhow.

 

[phillybeth]

Hav eyou considered the Hyundai Sante Fe? I love mine! Plenty of room, nice comfy seats, drives like a car, but has 4WD and I had no problems with winter driving. And it doesn't have a rear mounted spare!

 

[TerryKitten]

Another vote for the subaru forester... We have a 2001 Subaru. We take it up to the mountains during the winter and it handles quite well. We had snow down here in the valley a lot this year (well a lot compared to a normal year in the Willamette Valley of zero snow) and my subaru did wonderfully! We've taken it on road trips to SF a few time, once to DL, and a few times up to seattle. We've been comfortable in it. Over 55,000 miles on it an all its needed is its regular maintaince stuff.

Good Luck! --TerryKitten

 

[mudnuri]

They all have good points

The chevy- well, it's a GM and I'm partial to them, HOWEVER I would not buy once since it's newest on the market...let them work out the bugs for a few years before you buy one.

The forester- you WONT find a rig better in the snow than the subaru....even volvo AWD's dont compare. I've lived in VT all my life, and trust me when I say- if your concerned about snow driving....get the "sube"...

The Mitsubisi- well, I guess it doesnt have anything going for it...and its a mitsubisi on top...

The Hyundi mentioned has the best warranty, however there have been several TSB's issued about performance, cheap parts, and etc. etc....

How long do you plan on keepign it?

Another option is to look at the sube legacy wagon...only real difference between that and the forester is the squared off back the forester has...basically same rig's.

Good luck- what part of Maine?

Brandy

oh- and the only thing that will help you on ice is studded snow tires...and even then, your at the mercy of the ice gods

 

[WDWLVR]

Proud owner of a 1999 Subaru Forester. I love it and highly recommend it!

 

[Rock'n Robin]

I don't know about the Equinox but I have a Chevy Trailblazer and I like it a lot. It holds our family of 5 comfortably, and the dog if he gets in back or DH isn't with us. I downsized a year ago from a minivan and I'm happy with it. Only had to use 4 wheel drive a couple of times in the snow. I also like having Onstar just in case--twice my "check engine" light has come on and I just called them and they do a diagnostic while I'm driving (both times it was loose gas cap DUH!).
This week my chevy has been in the shop since a kid hit me--very minor damage (compared to his front end falling off his Miata--I can see the safety advantages of driving an SUV now!)--and my rental car was a Nissan Exterra (sp?). It was a pretty cool little SUV and it had some different styling, maybe you should check that out too. It also had a bigger gas tank than my chevy, although the mileage was similar. Now today my car wasn't ready and I had already turned in my SUV so the dealer gave me a grand am--I feel like I'm sitting on the street!
Robin M.

 

[minniecarousel]

I had a Nissan Pathfinder - 4 wheel drive. My older DS is driving it now. He loves the car (I did too) but the gas mileage is only about 16 MPG! Something to consider. We don't have snow here, but I drove it to Lake Tahoe this past winter and it handled the snow very well in 4 wheel drive.

 

[debster812]

Another VERY happy Subaru Forrester owner here. We got one in August, and it saw me through a VERY nasty New England winter, and a very wet New England spring. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it.