SUV available in Prescott (2015, insurance, buying)

[Dorskate]

We are moving to Prescott in the next 4 weeks & are considering a SUV purchase.
Any opinions re: Honda CRV, or the Subaru Forester or the Toyota Highlander. We have always driven sedans but thought a SUV might be more practical in Prescott. What about the dealers in Prescott? Looks like Findlay has both Toyota & Subaru, any dealer opinions?

Thank you

[k2rider]

I don’t think you can go wrong with any of those cars. The Subaru will have AWD and while the others may have AWD available as an option, Subaru’s AWD system is universally accepted as the creme of the crop. When I looked online at the Subaru dealer up there, the pickings looked pretty slim. I’ve read on more than one occasion that most people go to the bigger cities to buy vehicles because they get a better deal. Doesn’t surprise me at all.

Once you decide what you want, send online requests to all the dealers to get your best price.

[Dorskate]

Thank you

[chris_s]

Originally Posted by Dorskate

We are moving to Prescott in the next 4 weeks & are considering a SUV purchase.
Any opinions re: Honda CRV, or the Subaru Forester or the Toyota Highlander. We have always driven sedans but thought a SUV might be more practical in Prescott. What about the dealers in Prescott? Looks like Findlay has both Toyota & Subaru, any dealer opinions?

Thank you

My two Acuras were serviced at Honda Prescott as there are no Acura dealers in the area. Great service and people are nice.

I like the Honda Pilot (based on the Acura MDX) but you cannot go wrong with the ones you mentioned. One item with the Suburu Forester and Honda CR-V come with continuously variable transmission (CVT), which some people (like me) do not like.

[bigdogmom13]

I absolutely love my Forester. The CVT does take a little getting used to, but I'm coming from a stick shift (another Subaru; that one an 18 year old Outback. I still, after 4 months, reach for the stick, LOL). You can get a 6 speed manual transmission in the Forester. I chose not to because the automatic gets better mileage.

[k2rider]

You must have to be a "car person" to understand why one would have an issue with the CVT. I had read about the CVT and it's potential issues over the years before buying my 1st Subaru a few months ago. ZI bought a 2018 Crosstrek and I absolutely love it so far....we also have a full size Ford truck with the Ecoboost engine and an Audi A3. The only thing I can tell that's different about the CVT is that it lack's the "punch" of the other vehicles I own. Other than that, it's just an engine. I don't notice that it drives any differently so CVT to me is not an issue. I drive the Subaru 90% of the time now.

[wase4711]

right, there isnt much of a "passing gear" on a CVT trans, so, some people freak out the first time they "punch it" to get on a highway or pass someone, and nothing really kicks in..
for just normal every day driving, you'll probably not notice any difference, aside from never hearing of feeling the gears shifting..

[Hschlick84]

My family owns a '14 Nissan Pathfinder, while not as popular compared to the Rogue, its a great 4WD vehicle going up mountains, steep inclines and in the snow.

Besides that, if you can find a decent Xterra with low miles at a good price, definitely make the purchase. They stopped manufacturing them in 2015.

[agorski]

I'm not a truck kind of guy but Motor Trend loved everything about the new Honda CRV:

SUV of the Year Award - Best SUV To Buy

[keninaz]

We have lived at this altitude for many years in AZ, since the mid 90s.
I have found for the most part that a medium sized car with front wheel drive is plenty adequate for the job even with the light snow we get here.
OF course having a little common sense about driving on snow and ice helps too, been there and done that over the years both in the US and Europe with the Army.


Of note, the Highlander is not even in the same class as the others and much more expensive. Check it out.
Also, before you buy, call your insurance agent and check on the rates.
Years ago I bought a Ford diesel truck and was offered the 4WD as an option on an identical truck at an attractive price. I saw no need for it at the time, called our company and they wanted almost $600 for the same truck with 4WD. When I asked the agent why he said that people with 4WD think that they are imperious to conditions and tend not to slow not realizing that 4WD is still not a perfect system if you don't know it's limits.
In WA state during the 90s in early retirement I worked for a AAA tow company and the boss would send me out in the snow and ice to wait to jerk drivers out of off the road slides. We knew from experience where the curves and sloped roads were where people would slide off. All I had to do was wait 10 minutes and they came to me! I would pull the cable off the spindle and go down and hook them up and pull them back up on the road, for a fee.
Most were sailors or women stationed at Whidbey NAS in Oak Harbor and had little experience with snow. And most said they slide off the road because the 4WD must have failed. The company made a lot of money on snow days!