Something is wrong with me, because I'm considering a Nissan Rogue Hybrid for my wife

"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein) 07/25/2018 at 12:08 • Filed to: None

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My wife’s Subaru Impreza lease runs through April 2019. But thanks to Maryland gouging the hell out of you on registering a car when moving from another state with lower sales tax, we’re considering trying to get her a new car now. Enter...the Nissan Rogue Hybrid.

Let’s talk about registering a car in Maryland. It’s not an easy process. On the most basic level, what you need is:

A car

The title to said car

A Maryland driver’s license

A certificate that says the car has passed a Maryland safety inspection at a mechanic certified to perform Maryland safety inspections

Money

I won’t bore you with all the paperwork hoop-jumping I did to get my Maryland driver’s license, but the money in question is a not-insignificant amount.

No matter when you bought your car, if you’re registering it in Maryland after moving from another state, and that state has lower sales tax than Maryland, Maryland collects the difference between the sales tax you paid when you bought the car, and what that tax would have been, had you originally bought the car car in Maryland. Even though the car isn’t worth what you paid for it when you bought it anymore.

Wisconsin charges 5% sales tax, and Maryland charges 6%. I used to live in Madison, which was in Dane County, where you have to pay an additional 0.5% on top of the state sales tax, but Maryland in calculating the difference doesn’t give credit for any county tax. Bastards.

(BTW, while I work in Virginia, and you’d think I’d do better on taxes in a red-er state, actually in Virginia registration renewals involve a tax on the value of the car. Bastards.)

My wife and I got our Maryland driver’s licenses on the same day. Once you get a Maryland driver’s license you have to register your car in Maryland within 60 days. I got mine done ASAP because my Wisconsin plates expired in May. But my wife’s Wisconsin plates are good through December.

My wife’s sister visited us from Wisconsin this past weekend, and in the course of me ranting about the paperwork and tax hootenanny that is registering a car in Maryland, my wife said, “hey since my car is a lease, why don’t we get rid of it for something else instead of pay taxes on it now and again next spring?” This idea actually makes a lot of sense, if the trade value on her car exceeds the payoff on the lease.

My wife’s criteria for her next car aren’t that fancy, but a slightly difficult combination to achieve:

Higher up and roomier than her Impreza

Non-leather seats

Active safety features including automatic emergency braking

Auto-dimming mirror(s) - she hates the glare from driving at night and her Impreza is the first car she’s had with an auto-dim mirror, which she loves

Android Auto

She’d like to have power seats with memory on the driver seat, and I like a sunroof and active cruise control, but the first 5 are basically required. The trick here is avoiding leather seats while getting the safety gizmos (and to a lesser extent Android Auto) is challenging.

She probably will go awd. Winter in the DC area is not nearly as bad as Wisconsin but storms throughout the year tend to be stronger and the infrastructure is less able to deal with it so she might feel some peace of mind from continuing to have it.

I had already started researching her options for when the lease ends, not now. The Subaru Forester and Hyundai Tucson would be perfect for her, next spring. But the 2018 Forester is still on the old Impreza platform and doesn’t have Android Auto yet. The Tucson right now only has the safety gizmos on the fully loaded trim with leather but those gizmos become standard on the 2019. The Mazda CX-5 doesn’t have Android Auto yet but will supposedly be upgraded/retrofitted down the line. For buying a car for her right now today, I’ve got the following ideas:

Subaru Crosstrek - has the options she wants but isn’t bigger than her Impreza, only higher off the ground

Honda CR-V EX - the auto-dimming mirror is standard on the EX-L and only listed in Honda’s parts (not accessories) catalog, but I’m trying to find out if a dealer can add it to an EX

VW Tiguan SE - mirror is an accessory, sunroof is an option, have to step up to the SEL to get active cruise

VW Golf Alltrack SE - mirror is an accessory, sunroof is standard, have to step up to the SEL to get active cruise, and it’s a couple grand more than a comparably equipped Tiguan (base price is similar but that’s for the stick shift)

Nissan Rogue SV - I had one as a rental a few months ago, and while it has absolutely no steering feel whatsoever, it’s comfy, and has all my wife’s required options, plus available driver seat memory and 360° camera. Going up to the hybrid only adds $1000 to the price and my wife has in the past mentioned wanting a hybrid. In DC it helps a lot because we do a lot of sitting at long-ass traffic lights or in traffic. Cargo space is reduced and weight increases.

I have no idea which of these will lease out at the lowest price, but this weekend we’re going to the Subaru dealer to first see if the extra ride height on the Crosstrek is enough for her to feel secure, and if they’re inclined to pay enough for her trade that we can actually flip her lease. If the Crosstrek is too small but the trade is at least in the ballpark, then we might continue along to Honda, VW and Nissan. We shall see.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Textured Soy Protein 07/25/2018 at 12:12

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ttyymmnn > Textured Soy Protein 07/25/2018 at 12:17

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I just drove a Rogue as a rental. There were a lot of niggling things that I did not like about it, mostly personal. The driver seat slides back on its own when you put it in park. Some folks might like that. The side view mirrors turn downward automatically when you put it in reverse, presumably to see the lines. I use my side views for backing, so I hated this feature. Ergonomically, many of the buttons are too small, weird shapes, hard to see. The instrument cluster reflected on the inside of the driver’s side window. The steering wheel is not round. It’s almost impossible to know where the front of your vehicle is.

That said, it drove and handled well, although I found the power steering to be a bit too powerful. Ride was stiff but not too stiff, nor too soft. It was quiet inside. I’m sure a lot of my niggles would smooth out over time, but there was no “wow factor” for me. 

Wacko > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 07/25/2018 at 12:18

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We should use that on you for even considering a Yaris.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Textured Soy Protein 07/25/2018 at 12:18

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Honestly though, I’ve give consideration to the CX-5.  Negotiate hard, it’s a nice ass car.  Android Auto will come.

lone_liberal > Textured Soy Protein 07/25/2018 at 12:19

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You know, my SIL bought a Ro gu e fairly recently and while I wouldn’t buy one, mostly because of the CVT, it’s not a terrible car for somebody looking for a basic CUV. That’s probably why I’m seeing a shit-ton (i mperial not metric) of them around these days.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Wacko 07/25/2018 at 12:20

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Fair point.

Nom De Plume > Textured Soy Protein 07/25/2018 at 12:22

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I gave up reading 1/3 in or approximately the point where the tax regulation was finally explained.

You are making a reactive move that is pushing one bad decision into many more. Your goal as a new resident is getting up to speed on how to legally subvert this unreasonable law. Not panicking and dumping more money into their economy through the exact avenue they are directing you towards.

Also this,

Textured Soy Protein > lone_liberal 07/25/2018 at 12:25

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My wife’s Impreza is also a CVT and I generally find it inoffensive. The Nissan CVT calibrations are sometimes hit or miss but not a reason for us to rule it out.

Textured Soy Protein > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 07/25/2018 at 12:25

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I know it’s nice, but what I don’t want to happen is her to get the car thinking it’ll be a relatively short amount of time before AA shows up, then she waits 18 months for it. She was real excited when I described being able to put Google Maps from her phone on the car’s screen instead of messing with a dash mount and bluetooth. Dash mount combined with Mazda’s roto-dial knob and no touchscreen will be significantly more fiddly. 

Derpwagon > Textured Soy Protein 07/25/2018 at 12:26

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If it ticks all the boxes for someone who will be using it as an appliance and you’re willing to deal with the things that come with as a side effect, go for it. Who cares.

We needed to replace my wife’s vehicle when we discovered that it was 4 quarts low on oil. “my car didn’t tell me the oil was low, the light didn’t come on.” Awesome. Also bad on me for not checking I guess, but it spun a bearing so that was that.

We were looking at a newer car for safety improvements over most of a decade (we went from a 2007 to a 2014), and it had to have certain things and be a certain color. Leather, heated seats, sunroof, all-wheel drive, steering wheel controls, bluetooth stereo. I was unwilling to consider a vehicle with a CVT because I don’t trust those fuckers yet.

Enter the 2014 CR-V. Had everything she wanted, in a color she liked, with an interior she liked, with an actual transmission. Price was right and it’s CPO on top of that. Bought that day. 

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > Nom De Plume 07/25/2018 at 12:26

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Subversion of taxation is an American tradition.

It might work for OP’s wife   to “sell” the Wisconsin-titled vehicle vehicle to OP for like $100 so they only have to pay tax on that.

Long-Voyager > Wacko 07/25/2018 at 12:28

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Yaris is still engaging to drive.

A fucking Rogue though?!?!

Textured Soy Protein > Nom De Plume 07/25/2018 at 12:32

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Since her Impreza is a lease, we’re going to have to pay some kind of sales tax next spring no matter what. Either we buy it at the end of the lease and pay sales tax, or turn it in at the end of the lease and buy/lease something else.

If we got a car now, we would move that 2019 sales tax bill into 2018 and avoid paying the additional sales tax on registering her Impreza in Maryland.

We would only get a car now if the trade value on the Impreza is high enough to cover the lease payoff, and if we find a similar (or lower) lease payment. 

No financial gymnastics will occur.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Textured Soy Protein 07/25/2018 at 12:34

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Android auto was a must have for me, but the CX-3 (and CX-5) was so much nicer looking inside and out than all of the other crossovers, it was no question.

I don’t find the system in mazdas to bad, pretty easy to use in my opinion. That being said, the only other system I’ve owned is Ford Sync (myfordtouch) in my 14 ST.

lone_liberal > Textured Soy Protein 07/25/2018 at 12:34

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I could probably get used to it, but never having been around them it’s just weird and off putting at first.

Wacko > Long-Voyager 07/25/2018 at 12:35

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but look how ugly it is

LOOK AT IT

Long-Voyager > Wacko 07/25/2018 at 12:37

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Not like any modern CUV looks any better.

At least the Yaris is a hatch, instead of another CUV to plague our roads.

DipodomysDeserti > Textured Soy Protein 07/25/2018 at 12:40

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I never realized how high sales tax in Phoenix was compared to other places. We’re at 8.6%.

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > Textured Soy Protein 07/25/2018 at 12:40

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Have y’all considered an Outback? For 2019, even the base model comes equipped with Eyesight and android auto. Subaru also offers Auto dimming rear and side view mirrors as an accessory . You could also step up to the mid level premium and get pretty much every option except for leather.  Odds are you’ll have a much easier time trading the leased Impreza on another leased Subaru.

Herr Quattro - Has a 4-motion > Textured Soy Protein 07/25/2018 at 12:48

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So your telling me, if I bought my 04 Passat Wagon brand new while living in Delaware (no sales tax), if I were to move to Maryland... I’d have to pay $1980 (saying the car was 33k new)... That is some BULLshit. I can’t imagine what the case would be for something even ‘ nicer’ ...

Also - if you plan on going down the VW route, I would HEAVILY recommend the Golf Alltrack over the Tiguan all day everyday. The fit and feel of the Golf is so much better tha n Tiguan.

The seats are much more comfy (Especially the rear) in the wagon, and with the moonroof, the entire greenhouse is very airy and bright. It’ s not a bad place to be during commutes.

Besides, it can do literally everything the Tiguan can do, while not being a CUV, being lower and having a better center of gravity, and a much more dedicated fan base allowing for DIY maintenance down the road. (also an actual transmission!)

The other massive turnoff of the Tiguan (for me at least, and will depend on how your w ife drives) -the center console does not pitch up to serve as a comfortable arm rest. It extends, but does not come up to meet your arm.

Overall, the Alltrack is just so much better tha n the Tiguan in every way.

nermal > Textured Soy Protein 07/25/2018 at 12:55

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Why don’t you start a new business in Montana and lease / purchase the new car through that? Consult one of the law firms that specializes in this.

(not joking)

Textured Soy Protein > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 07/25/2018 at 12:57

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We looked at the CX-3 when we ended up with her Impreza. Way too small inside. 

Textured Soy Protein > nermal 07/25/2018 at 12:59

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That’s what people do with Ferraris in Virginia to avoid the tax on registration renewal. Not worth it to save like 800 bucks on registering a leased car in Maryland.

functionoverfashion > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker 07/25/2018 at 12:59

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Nah, they probably base the tax on a “book” value. Nice try though...

Textured Soy Protein > Herr Quattro - Has a 4-motion 07/25/2018 at 13:00

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You have correctly interpreted how the taxes work for registering a car when moving to Maryland.

Textured Soy Protein > m-b-w loves his SUBAROO 07/25/2018 at 13:02

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The Outback also ticks the boxes but is maybe too big. We may very well check it out when we go look at the Crosstrek because yes, staying in the Subaru fold could be easier. The 2019 Forester would be perfect but it’s not out yet.

nermal > Textured Soy Protein 07/25/2018 at 13:03

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Yep, not sure if the math works out on something more plebeian.

$800 is $800, worth looking into it seems.

Textured Soy Protein > nermal 07/25/2018 at 13:06

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I’m willing to try and flip out of this lease early to save $800 (if the trade value shakes out) but no, I’m not going to register in Montana.

While we live in Maryland, I work in Virginia, and we’re back and forth across the river often. Montana plates are a common accessory for well-off Virginia residents dodging  car taxes and attract lots of law enforcement attention.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Textured Soy Protein 07/25/2018 at 13:10

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Relevant.

https://oppositelock.kinja.com/rental-car-review-2018-nissan-rogue-sv-awd-1827761327

Textured Soy Protein > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 07/25/2018 at 13:12

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It’s definitely not exciting. The two things that stood out to me about my recent Rogue rental were the utter lack of steering feel and there was some kind of metallic clanging noise coming from the back when I would apply the brakes. I thought maybe if it has one of those under-car spare tire hangers it was swinging loose.

Bo Knows > Textured Soy Protein 07/25/2018 at 13:17

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Buying private party used would get around that tax  stipulation, right? Not relevant to your scenario just trying to grasp such a stupid law

Textured Soy Protein > Bo Knows 07/25/2018 at 13:27

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Anything that avoids re-registering the Impreza in Maryland avoids paying the extra tax. But since it’s a lease we also have to account for covering the lease payoff. If the trade value is higher than the payoff we can get out of the car very easily. Buying a car private party and then trying to sell the Impreza to a dealer without buying a car from them , or selling a leased car to a p rivate party, is not without some difficulty. 

Wacko > ttyymmnn 07/25/2018 at 13:28

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“The driver seat slides back on its own when you put it in park. Some folks might like that. The side view mirrors turn downward automatically when you put it in reverse, presumably to see the lines. I use my side views for backing”

in the options in the middle screen you can stop the seat from going back.  And for the mirrors, just keep the left right lever in the middle, cause if it’s on left or right the mirrors will go down when in reverse.  

Herr Quattro - Has a 4-motion > Textured Soy Protein 07/25/2018 at 13:32

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Fuck Maryland. I already hated the state because of the whole H2oI bullshit, but man. Second worse state next to Virginia. Doubt its a coincidence they’re right next to one another.

ttyymmnn > Wacko 07/25/2018 at 13:33

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Yeah, I figured there was a way to disable all that, but I didn’t take the time to peruse the manual or dig through the infotainment system. 

Under_Score > Textured Soy Protein 07/25/2018 at 13:33

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The Rogue sounds like a good choice, but how about the RAV4 XLE? 

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Textured Soy Protein 07/25/2018 at 13:54

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Counter point a new TDI wagon. 50-60 mpg, wagon carrying capacity, and good looks to boot. My bro in law just picked up a 2015. He averaged 63 mpg on the way home from the dealership. That ain’t bad for a decently powerful car that can comfortably seat 5. Plus there’s always tunablity with a turbo engine. Just a plug and play tune will get you 180hp and 280ft/lbs.

Just 10 minutes of driving one made me regret buying my BMW. Altho my bmw was only 10 Grand so there’s that. 

Textured Soy Protein > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 07/25/2018 at 13:57

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She wants to sit higher up off the ground. In Wisconsin it wasn’t a big deal but here with more people on the road she feels trapped by all the other SUVs she can’t see over. 

Textured Soy Protein > Under_Score 07/25/2018 at 13:57

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No Android Auto on the current generation. 

Textured Soy Protein > Herr Quattro - Has a 4-motion 07/25/2018 at 13:59

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There are many states that are objectively worse than Maryland and Virginia.

But, heavily blue Maryland elected a moderate Republican governor who ran on a platform of lowering taxes and he’s probably going to be reelected this fall. 

Under_Score > Textured Soy Protein 07/25/2018 at 14:07

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Isn’t that something you can buy a screen for? I thought my family had pretty new cars compared to a lot of people, but dang, that’s advanced. I thought the fact my mom’s CR-V had a camera on the passenger mirror was pretty advanced, and now a car is seen as outclassed if forward collision pedestrian stopping warning isn’t standard on the base model that still has manual windows and locks.

Textured Soy Protein > Under_Score 07/25/2018 at 14:22

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It’s not a matter of one car outclassing another. I’m just trying to find cars that check her boxes. The trick is the active safety gizmos are often packaged with leather seats.

Yes it’s possible to add an aftermarket Android Auto headunit, and the RAV4 dash is relatively close in shape to a standard double-DIN slot, but unless the RAV4 were wayyyy cheaper than the other cars that offer Android Auto, putting an aftermarket headunit in a leased car is not desirable.

The 2019 RAV4 gains Android Auto along with being a totally new car. If it was out now it would be on our list, same as the 2019 Forester and Tucson.

Under_Score > Textured Soy Protein 07/25/2018 at 14:27

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I know exactly how you feel. My mom loved push button start and heated seats thanks to her RAV4 (which I drive now), but hated leather. The CR-V EX ticked all of those boxes. Leather is very overrated; I support how she feels all the way. For someone that likes nice features, I’m just kind of stunned how far features have come in the last few years alone.

Also, speaking of cars, the dealer network is small, but with the Eclipse Cross out now, you could probably get an incredible deal on an Outlander Sport. The ads tout CarPlay and they can be well-equipped.

interstate366, now In The Industry > Textured Soy Protein 07/25/2018 at 14:32

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I’ve lived in VA all my life and I’ve never had to pay a tax on the value of the car when renewing registration, only the initial purchase. It’s always been just $40 or so per  year for renewal . However, I do pay  a local tax on the value of the car every year.

wafflesnfalafel > Textured Soy Protein 07/25/2018 at 14:33

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A woman I work with and one of my wife’s friend have those  - they really seam to like them. My wife’s friend just got it a few weeks ago in that bright forest green color.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Textured Soy Protein 07/25/2018 at 22:43

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I have a 2006 CRV, the new one is the first I’ve liked the looks of since .

boxrocket > Textured Soy Protein 07/26/2018 at 00:57

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I personally would lean for the CX-5 despite no auto-stop (some see that as a good thing) though for 2018 it does add cylinder deactivation. I also don’t care about android auto, especially because the infotainment and map software is very good (IMHO) in the Mazda, but that’s me .

The Rogue is “just OK”, and it’s miles better than the last generation. Quality issues and Nissan are still close acquaintances, though.

I’d personally pass on the VWs. Past history + “Dieselgate” + still a very egotistical company especially in terms of R&D & production.

What about a C-Max Energi or Hybrid? Admittedly not as roomy as the crossovers in terms of cargo space, but it’s high up, stupidly-good deals abound, Sync 3 is very good and has one of the best implementations of android auto I’ve yet encountered, and they drive surprisingly well.

Is her commute short enough for a RAV4 EV?

StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8 > Textured Soy Protein 07/26/2018 at 08:22

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Never knew how hard it is to get all the options.....except leather.  Was just building a Cherokee, and you can’t get the safety stuff unless you have leather seats.  I guess high end trim, but there isn’t even an option for cloth.  Otherwise, nice vehicle.

Textured Soy Protein > boxrocket 07/26/2018 at 10:29

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The C-Max gets its extra height from a taller roof, not raised ride height. She really wants to get higher off the ground.

RAV4 EV is a hard pass both because it’s a RAV4 (with no Android Auto) and pure EV is not feasible for our parking situation at our house.

Android Auto is a must. She’s generally tech savvy, but she very quickly gave up on the awful built-in navigation in her Impreza. With good reason, of course. You can’t enter a destination while moving, the maps suck, the voice sounds like a speak-n-spell, it randomly says “TRAFFIC JAM AHEAD” but doesn’t indicate how much traffic or put any kind of graphic on the screen to show you what it’s talking about. Some other navigation systems are better but in the DC area, having Google Maps or Waze show live traffic info show on the map lines in near-real time is huge.

Personally I just use a dash mount that’s basically right next to my steering wheel so I can easily fiddle with my phone while driving. B ut I don’t love having my phone bouncing and vibrating away right in front of me. I live with it though.

In her car we have a dash mount that is kinda like a pop-up ashtray looking thing:

It sits on top of the dash in front of her compass/trip display, top middle of the dash :

There’s a nice soft rubber pad on the bottom of the mount and it just sits there in that kinda-shelf. It’s very stable and non-buzzy but it’s hard to reach the phone while driving and it’s in landscape which is fine for viewing maps but less fine for searching etc and using the other phone functions.

Point is, I told her about Android Auto and how she could plug her phone in to the car and it would put Google Maps and other apps on her car’s screen instead of her phone and she was like, “I WANT THAT .”

Also last night, we were in her car and her phone was connected to the car’s bluetooth for music, but we had my phone in the dash mount for navigation. We were on our way to my grandma’s to have dinner with her and my dad, and a little behind because of traffic. First I asked her to text my dad from her phone, but she had it stashed in her purse on the floor, so I used the little “ok google” voice activation thing to text my dad we’d be a little late. She was like, “WHOA HAVE I BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT ON MY PHONE THIS WHOLE TIME?”

Sure I did that in a dash mount but having it on the car’s screen would be a huge value for her.

Anyway, while the CX-5 is one of the nicer cars in the class, she also made sure to tell me yesterday that she doesn’t want one because she thinks the front styling is too flashy and she doesn’t want to attract attention like that. I don’t agree but hey it’s her car. If it had AA right now I would maybe try to get her to drive one and say it’s really nice just give it a chance. But I don’t want her to get a car now and then be waiting 6 months or however long it takes Mazda to eventually retrofit AA to existing cars that don’t have it now.

Textured Soy Protein > StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8 07/26/2018 at 10:31

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We don’t even want all the options, but the ones she does want are tough to get without going to leather seats.

Some of the luxury brands, usually German, have leatherette as their starting upholstery option. In theory you could load the car up with that but in practice, there’s usually a premium package or something similar that includes the sunroof, leather, nicer stereo etc and then you’re stuck with the leather. But that’s out of our price range and we also want to rnu on regular fuel, not premium like most luxury cars require.

The mid-level trims of the Tiguan and CX-5 both have leatherette and enough options for my wife. That’s why the Tiguan is on the list. The CX-5 would be on the list if it had Android Auto. I actually had mentioned it to her as a possibility but last night she told me she doesn’t like the front end styling, she thinks it’s too flashy.

StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8 > Textured Soy Protein 07/26/2018 at 10:49

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The new Cherokee’s are much nicer looking and have everything you’re looking for, except they come with leather when you get all the safety stuff.  Leather is nice though, easy to keep clean, and with heated seats you don’t have to really worry about cold butts.

Textured Soy Protein > StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8 07/26/2018 at 11:18

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I looked at the Compass. The Latitude trim can be optioned up how we want, at the low end of the price range of these options. B ut for some reason even though the active safety gizmos including emergency braking are there, you can’t get active cruise. All the sensors are already there but the option isn’t available in the US.

That’s not a total dealbreaker, but my wife’s car tends to be our road trip car. I do most of the driving on longer trips and I really like the active cruise. M aybe we’d consider it if there were a wild ‘n crazy FCA deal on it, but I’d just hate if active cruise were added to the 2019 and we didn’t have it.

The Cherokee offers active cruise along with some more safety gizmos than the C ompass, but you have to go up to the Limited to get those, and the Limited comes standard with leather.

( Also we checked out a Fiat 500X before we bought her Impreza and she loved the styling but we both found the 2.4 Tigershark to be thrashy.)

StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8 > Textured Soy Protein 07/26/2018 at 11:58

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Yea, the 2.4L is suited to a smaller car for sure.  Good luck in the hunt!

boxrocket > Textured Soy Protein 07/28/2018 at 11:55

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Well-stated and reasoned.

In defense of the C-Max, while it doesn’t have the ground clearance of the Escape, but does have many of the same interior bits, as they’re both Focus-based tall hatchbacks (in essence) . The H-point is great, as you can slide right in horizontally like in the Escape and Transit Connect (also Focus-based) , no need to bend down like a normal F ocus and Fusion , or clamber up like an Expedition.

Textured Soy Protein > boxrocket 07/28/2018 at 19:43

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We went to the Honda dealer today because my wife saw a Crosstrek while we were out and about, and hated all the black plastic on it, so we skipped Subaru. Which is exactly the same reaction she had to the black plastic on the Crosstrek when we bought her Impreza.

Anyway, s he really liked the size of the HR-V, but it’s only getting Honda Sensing and Android Auto on the 2019, which won’t arrive in time for us to avoid the double sales tax. So the C-Max could be a good size for her but best I can tell there’s no automatic emergency braking feature available at all on it. She wants that.

The Honda dealer did however offer us more on our trade than her lease payoff so that’s good. They also said the money factors on CR-V leases are better than HR-V right now so we could probably close the gap on price. She wanted to get out of there but tomorrow we’re going back to check out a CR-V.