Best Overall CUV?

"JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!" (jqj213)
05/06/2015 at 09:36 • Filed to: CUV, car buying, advice

Greetings everyone. I would like to ask advice on a segment that gets little love around here: the CUV. Mom is looking to replace our ‘07 Pilot and downsize. We want to keep it under $30,000. Overall which do you recommend? AWD is nice; but being in Florida it isn’t a dealbreaker.

DISCUSSION (36)

random001 > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
05/06/2015 at 09:39

Check out the Subaru Crosstrek. We have one, it's very nice. If it's too small, Outback or Forester, but those are less CUV and more SSUV.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
05/06/2015 at 09:40

How about the Jeep Renegade? It’s supposed to be good.

bob and john > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
05/06/2015 at 09:41

mazdas I hear are all the rage these days

Rico > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
05/06/2015 at 09:41

My top 3 in this order:

Mazda CX5 - Great exterior and interior design, seats have some bolstering that might be uncomfortable for bigger people though.

Honda CRV - Tried and true, they are technically the segment leader even if they are boring

Ford Escape - Nice features, Ecoboost.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
05/06/2015 at 09:42

I love the renegade, the only thing that would make me hesitant to buy one is apparently FCA is having all kinds of problems with the 9-speed auto transmissions grenading in them (and the Cherokee)

EL_ULY > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
05/06/2015 at 09:42

2015 Ford Escape because Ecoboost and SYNC

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
05/06/2015 at 09:43

I think thats just a bit too much of a downsize for us honestly.

And I’m hearing a few nightmares about that 9 speed auto... its why we ran from the Cherokee

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > random001
05/06/2015 at 09:44

We were at the Subaru dealer yesterday and drove both the Outback and the Forester. The XV was a little too small coming from a three row SUV Pilot.

Even the Outback was a bit much honestly.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Snuze: Needs another Swede
05/06/2015 at 09:45

Yeah, but why not manuel? I know most people buy autos, but they’re all shit.

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > bob and john
05/06/2015 at 09:45

At this point its basically CX-5 vs Forester. We just aren’t sure how reliable the CX-5 is... and how the AWD is

cazzyodo > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
05/06/2015 at 09:45

My mom went from a 2004 Suburban to a 2013 Forester. She tried the Crosstrek but it had no oomph. Seriously. I drove it and it wheezed.

She’s always driven things like a go-kart and now she says it actually feels that way. Very grippy and a huge difference in mileage.

That being said, coworker got a CX5 and said similar things and a friend has the Escape that she loves.

I think my personal choice would be the Forester but it is on the cheap side interior-wise compared to the CX5 and Escape.

deprecated account > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
05/06/2015 at 09:46

Range Rover Evoque?

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
05/06/2015 at 09:47

I’d say CX5, Forester, or Escape.

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > cazzyodo
05/06/2015 at 09:47

At this point its more or less CX-5 vs Forester.

We drove the Forester the other day... I loved how airy it felt inside. But, it wasn’t the quickest and the CVT noises were kinda sad.

The CX-5 looks a lot better on the outside. But it won’t hold value as well, costs a bit more, and the AWD isn’t as great

Moves-Like-Senna > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
05/06/2015 at 09:47

If she liked the Pilot stick with the CRV. Honda people tend to love it to bits :)

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > deprecated account
05/06/2015 at 09:48

Yay depreciation, right!

Sadly the gas mileage and depreciation are killers for my parents

bob and john > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
05/06/2015 at 09:49

its not that bad. mazdas main issues in the past havent really been reliabilty (okay okay,m i’m excluding the rotarys from this) and its been more about how badly they rust.

granted, I live in toronto, where its SALT GALORE in the winter, but a friend of ours has some small rust spots forming on his 2 year old CX-5.

Granted, mazda kinda freaked out about it and fixxed it for him, but still....

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > bob and john
05/06/2015 at 09:51

Luckily Florida should keep most of that rust away!

Crazy though that even new cars still have this problem

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
05/06/2015 at 09:53

I’d go Cherokee, Escape, CX-5, or Tiguan. Or GLA.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
05/06/2015 at 09:57

Manual isn’t available yet. You can only get it in the lowest and second lowest trim models with the 1.4L Turbo engine, which also isn’t available yet.

Also, the OP said it was for his mother, I don’t know, maybe he has a cool mom, but my guess is that means she’s looking for an automatic.

BigBlock440 > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
05/06/2015 at 09:59

Kinja'd!!!

My mom likes hers, had it for a year, and it’s nice enough. I have no idea how it compares in the segment though.

edit: referencing the Cherokee if it’s not clear.

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > BigBlock440
05/06/2015 at 10:02

The way it looks has grown on me... I’m just kinda worried about that 9 speed auto... I’ve heard a few horror stories now

But its something to consider

BigBlock440 > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
05/06/2015 at 10:06

I’ve heard them too, but she hasn’t had any problems yet. It has only been a year though.

cazzyodo > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
05/06/2015 at 10:08

The Forester is so wide open...terrific visibility. I’ve driven my mom’s and my girlfriend’s mom’s long distances and everything was a breeze (and the moon roof is absurd!). Definitely hold their value, too.

I agree the CVT was a bit sad, though.

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
05/06/2015 at 10:08

I’d stick between the Mazda, the Subaru, and the Honda. The Kia rides like crap, and i really question how reliable the Escape and Cherokee will be in the long run.

deprecated account > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
05/06/2015 at 10:16

My mom is shopping for a new car after 9 years of living with a 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan (ew, but it does do burnouts, not kidding.) and we’re looking at large CUVs for her.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > bob and john
05/06/2015 at 10:17

I honestly can’t believe Mazda hasn’t sorted out their rust issues yet.

Your boy, BJR > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
05/06/2015 at 10:24

CPO SRX. Because Cadillac.

Tom McParland > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
05/06/2015 at 10:31

I would go either with the Mazda or the Subie...if AWD is not a priority the Mazda wins for me. Also the Nissan Rogue is quite nice, and if you are downsizing it is very spacious for a CUV.

random001 > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
05/06/2015 at 10:51

That's cool. We like smaller cars, in general, so it works for us. I also liked the Mazda CX-5 a lot when I test drove it.

fhrblig > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
05/06/2015 at 10:51

I keep hearing that the nine-speed has only been good in the Renegade and sucks in everything else. I have no idea, I just think that anything more than six gears in an automatic is asking for trouble. I hate when they go gear-hunting. I’d rather have a CVT, at that point.

boxrocket > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
05/06/2015 at 11:43

Apparently the rusting issue has been resolved. The problem was cost-cutting measures to keep up with Ford's metrics. in the early 2000s. 2008-2009 and later cars seem to be OK.

The CX-5nis a delight. You don't need AWD, but get the 2.5.

The Subaru is, well, meh.

boxrocket > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
05/06/2015 at 11:50

I said it in another comment, but in case it's missed: CX-5.

Car and Driver had a great synopsis, which Kinja apparently isn't letting me link now.

Vicente Esteve > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
05/06/2015 at 12:39

I’d go for the CX-5 if I was looking for the best overall package.

I would buy a Tiguan though if I wanted the sportiest and my favorite.

Why not CPO Volvo XC-60?

NeedsmoreaftermarketXTparts > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
05/06/2015 at 13:38

If you can hold off...I’d wait till the ‘16 Forester (due end of july/august). It’s getting the new touch screen interface that all other current model subarus have. It’s going to be the first to get the new telemetrics system (subaru’s version of onstar) and if they do with the forester what they’ve done with the Crosstrek and Impreza, they should be retuning the CVT to step when under harder acceleration like a traditional automatic would to reduce engine drone. More than likely orders will be opening next month so I’m holding off on ordering an XT Premium myself until then.

BlueMazda2 - Blesses the rains down in Africa, Purveyor of BMW Individual Arctic Metallic, Merci Twingo > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
05/06/2015 at 21:01

I'm not sure if this counts or is relevant in any way, shape, or form, but how about a base BMW X1 sDrive28i? I've seen a few in Florida for under $30k.

This one is in Naples: http://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/…