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My wife and I are looking to upgrade one of our cars. We currently have a Jeep SUV (2008 Liberty), but boy does that thing guzzle gas, have mechanical problems and is honestly very small.
We have 2 kids and one is still in the car seat and will be for awhile. We do not plan on having anymore, so thats about it for space. The Jeep just feels very small inside and I am tall and I always feel cramped in there. It is also expensive to maintain, being that there is always something wrong, and we fill it up about once a week and we don't even drive far.
We are looking for something below 30k that offers a decent amount of room and helps us save at the pump. We do not want a Mini-Van, just a practical SUV . My car is the smaller of the two, so we would want an SUV that can fit smaller furniture, lots of groceries, kid stuff, etc.
We also want something thats easy to maintain and inexpensive to fix.
Does anyone have any solutions?
I will also be posting another thread about trading in this Jeep for another vehicle, being that we still owe money on the Jeep.
My wife and I are looking to upgrade one of our cars. We currently have a Jeep SUV (2008 Liberty), but boy does that thing guzzle gas, have mechanical problems and is honestly very small.
We have 2 kids and one is still in the car seat and will be for awhile. We do not plan on having anymore, so thats about it for space. The Jeep just feels very small inside and I am tall and I always feel cramped in there. It is also expensive to maintain, being that there is always something wrong, and we fill it up about once a week and we don't even drive far.
We are looking for something below 30k that offers a decent amount of room and helps us save at the pump. We do not want a Mini-Van, just a practical SUV . My car is the smaller of the two, so we would want an SUV that can fit smaller furniture, lots of groceries, kid stuff, etc.
We also want something thats easy to maintain and inexpensive to fix.
Does anyone have any solutions?
I will also be posting another thread about trading in this Jeep for another vehicle, being that we still owe money on the Jeep.
There are no SUV's on the market today that combine room with bulldog like dependability better than Chevy/GMC Suburban/Tahoe product line.
These vehicles can be bought used for under $15,000 in good to great condition ( note: the Suburban is the cheaper of the two used) to do any job a family will need for decades to come. This is the reason that so many Suburban/Tahoe owners keep buying those vehicles year after year as their current vehicles wear out after years of hard use.
So many people say these SUV's are gas pigs but they ignore the fact that any vehicle is a gas pig if you use/drive it wrong. Plan your car use to eliminate ALL willy-nilly use. If the trip don't pay for itself don't take it.
I would look at a Toyota Highlander, RAV4, Honda CR-V, and Honda Pilot as all are pretty economical to drive, and have a good amount of room in their respective size categories. The RAV and the CR-V are more compact, but are also more fuel efficient than the larger Highlander and Pilot.
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All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
~William Shakespeare (As You Like It Act II, Scene VII)
I would look at a Toyota Highlander, RAV4, Honda CR-V, and Honda Pilot as all are pretty economical to drive, and have a good amount of room in their respective size categories. The RAV and the CR-V are more compact, but are also more fuel efficient than the larger Highlander and Pilot.
The Subaru Outback has considerably more interior room than either the Rav or the CR-V, and if equipped with the 4-cylinder engine and CVT, it is EPA rated at 30 mpg on the highway--although many owners report mpg figures in the mid-30s on long drives.
Additionally, the Outback has a much better ride quality and is considerably quieter than the Rav or the CR-V. And, if you are interested in buying a vehicle of this type for the AWD, Subaru has the best AWD system of any of those vehicles.
Location: New Albany, Indiana (Greater Louisville)
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Toyota Highlander is the most efficient 7 seat vehicle available in the US. The 4 cylinder 2WD gets 20 mpg in the city and 25 on the highway. Pony up a little more cash and you can get a hybrid that gets 28 city and highway
The Subaru Outback has considerably more interior room than either the Rav or the CR-V, and if equipped with the 4-cylinder engine and CVT, it is EPA rated at 30 mpg on the highway--although many owners report mpg figures in the mid-30s on long drives.
Additionally, the Outback has a much better ride quality and is considerably quieter than the Rav or the CR-V. And, if you are interested in buying a vehicle of this type for the AWD, Subaru has the best AWD system of any of those vehicles.
Be sure to look at and drive the Outback, especially if snow is possible where you live. The CVT/4 is a nice combo, not fast but adequate. The rest of the car/SUV is nice.
Be sure to look at and drive the Outback, especially if snow is possible where you live. The CVT/4 is a nice combo, not fast but adequate. The rest of the car/SUV is nice.
I live in Northern VA, so snow is possible, but not always. I will look into the Outback
Be sure to look at and drive the Outback, especially if snow is possible where you live. The CVT/4 is a nice combo, not fast but adequate. The rest of the car/SUV is nice.
Isn't the Subaru Forrester more of an SUV than the Outback...and for less?
A buddy just bought a Venza. 25+ MPG on the highway with the V6, lots of room, very nice ride and interior. We've had four 6'1"+, 200+ pound guys in it for a 2 hour trip and none of us had any complaints at all.
Subaru Outback, Forester, or Honda CRV would be my only considerations. KIA makes a nice looking SUV but not sure how reliable it is. I'd stay clear of GM and Chrysler with their tubby design n horrible fit n finish and insane depreciation. Ford Escape might he another option if your into domestics.
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