Small SUVs recommedations please!

[creativeamanda]

I'll be the dissenter. I had a 2000 Honda CR-V and absolutely hated it! It was poorly put together, always had a lot of road noise, needed transmission work the first month I had it, etc. etc. We kept it for less than a year. I will never own another Honda after that car. Last month I drove a Escape as a loaner car from the Ford dealership. If I ever get an inclination to purchase another small SUV, it will be a Ford Escape.

 

[duckfan78]

We got a jeep patriot last year. great gas milage, you can get them with 4x4 for under 20,000grand.

they ride good and have a very smooth shiftinv CVT transmission

 

[Golf4food]

We just went through the whole trying out and buying process in May and wound up with a 2008 Ford Escape. We tried every small and mid sized SUV on the market, new and used, and just liked it best. It also gets the best gas mileage of any true SUV (not counting crossovers) that is not a hybird - though the Escape hybrid gets the best mileage of any small hybrid SUV, too. (Our escape averages around 24 mpg with mixed city and highway, which is right about what we average in our 1999 Nissan Altima or our former 2004 Saturn Ion, so we didn't lose anything by going with the small SUV vs. our other small cars. The Escape actually gets better mileage than most luxury or sports cars.)

Also, the Mercury Mariner is the same as the escape, just a little fancier interior - body, frame, and engine are pretty much the same.

 

[shopnfun2me2]

We purchased a 2008 CRV-EXL in March and we LOVE it! We already have 10,000 miles on it (oops!). We get about 25-26 mpg around town and about 30 mpg on long trips. My DH has a Mazda Tribute (same as Ford Escape) and we prefer the CRV to the Tribute. We would definitely buy again!

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

I have a 2007 CR-V and I love it. Honda quality cannot be beat. Truly. It runs today as beautifully as the day I bought it. I also had a 2003 Ford Escape and while I liked the way it drove, quality is not Ford's forte. Little things happened all the time, and after a month it was nearly impossible to get the sunroof to open without major switch-jimmying. The fuel filter broke at 6 months, you name it. I didn't even keep it a year before buying another car.

Good luck with your decision!

Also, the Escape averaged 20 mpg at best.. usually 18 or so. It's a V6. The CR-V is a 4 cylinder, and I average 25-26 between highway and city.

 

[#1hockeymom]

I have a 2007 Ford Freestyle right now and love it. The lease is up in two months and I'm either getting an escape or an explorer, depending on what deals are going on then with A and B plans.

 

[tekoa]

Another vote for Hyundai. Best bang for the buck out there.
GREAT car!!!!

 

[Cool-Beans]

I don't know that this will be a help, but I have a friend who has this mini-SUV kind of car. It's like a jeep and an SUV had a baby. Three or four years old and she still flippin loves that thing.

But all I know is that it is silver. It might be a Ford. I think it is a Ford, because that's the dealer she takes it to when it needs service. But, I dunno.

 

[#1hockeymom]

I don't know that this will be a help, but I have a friend who has this mini-SUV kind of car. It's like a jeep and an SUV had a baby. Three or four years old and she still flippin loves that thing.

But all I know is that it is silver. It might be a Ford. I think it is a Ford, because that's the dealer she takes it to when it needs service. But, I dunno.

LOL Sounds like an Escape, but even though I've grown up in the automobile industry and my DH currently works in it I've been known to say... I don't know.. its white/red/blue! on occassion!

 

[OU1247]

My husband works for HERTZ so we drive a different care every week.
Fun unless you forget what your driving while at the Grocery Store...LOL

Anyway I have driven most of the cars listed above.

The Saturn Vue is amazing. The Honda I have driven although it is not a Hertz car. It was not my favorite.

Jeep Liberty is very bumpy but fun to drive.
I am a FORD gal and love the Escape, and focus....little bit of a blind spot on the focus for us short peeps

Toyota Rav4 is also fun.

I have really been enjoying the crossover cars...

 

[pr surfer]

Another vote for Hyundai. Best bang for the buck out there.
GREAT car!!!!

just behind it's cheaper sibling, the Kia

 

[Alex2kMommy]

We bought a RAV4 with a 3rd row seat this year. We did a lot of research before buying, and the RAV had all the features we wanted, plus the best MPG of its class.

 

[schmitty]

Subaru makes great quality automobiles.

 

[Swimnoid]

We have had about every model of Honda and loved them all. We had the "old" style of the CRV and it was great. No problems with the car....ever. Just big enough to have some extra room but small enough to get decent mileage and be able to park easily. We drove the new model this spring and it was SWEET but we had to forego it because of our present budget. Another option is the Honda Fit. It is like a small CRV. We drove one of those too and were pleasantly surprised. We ended up with a civic though because it had a little more storage space.

 

[Disney Doll]

THanks for the replies so far! It is mainly my daughter and myself that the vehicle is for. My husband has a vehicle provided by his work, he travels Mon thru Fri for his job in several other states. My teenager has his own vehicle and is working and going to school, hanging with his friends.

I have a 1994 Volvo sedan, but the repairs are now getting too costly. I was thinking a Honda Accord or a Toyota Camry, but a friend of mine rented a RAV4 with the V6 for a long weekend in Asheville we took together and it was so fun. Plenty of room for the three of us (two adults and my daughter in her car seat). So I switched to a small SUV. I maybe put about 6000 miles on my Volvo a year, but once I get this new vehicle, I would feel more confident about driving to Asheville, Atlanta, Charleston, etc.

Based on all that, I think you'd be fine with a RAV-4. My DBIL (DSIL's husband) researches things to death before buying, and he is quite careful with his money, so generally I feel pretty confident that if he buys something, it's probably a good purchase.

 

[TwinsinCA]

I have a RAV4 and my mom has a CRV. I like the look of mine a little more but both have been great, reliable SUVs.

 

[Aunt Cawa]

We have a 2003 Subaru Forrester. It's been an excellent car. It's a small SUV, but is considered a wagon by our insurance co., which means lower insurance. Also, it has all wheel drive, which is great in the winter and gets very reasonable gas mileage!

I have a 1998 Subaru Forrester. Still going strong. I love, love, love it. I would never buy any other car. We looked at the RAV-4. It is very nice also but we thought we got more for the money with the Subaru.

 

[Rock'n Robin]

I have a 2007 CRV and it averages about 23 mpg. I love it to death. I moved from a big chevy trailblazer down to this and I couldn't be happier. I may even downsize to an accord next time.
Robin M.

 

[rparmfamily]

Haven't read the responses but I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Honda Element!!!

 

[HsvTeacher]

I bought a 2008 Honda CR-V in January, and I love it! It gets about 25 mpg, but I have to cross a mountain twice each day. It gets around 30-32 mpg on the highway. My only complaint is that it doesn't have automatic lights.