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Sure. I am with 2wd.
As suggested by other, I am looking at features of Grand Cherokee. If I do not want towing capability and appearance are same, then Loredo or Limited (instead of Overland) should be considerable to add them in my options ?
Any more opinions with experiences on listed vehicles ?
Just out of curiosity why not a wagon? If you don't need 4wd then you don't need the extra ground clearance a SUV offers. And you can leave behind the SUV like handling and extra weight that a SUV delivers.
Wagons are nice because they are still cars not SUVs.
The Jetta Wagon actually has just 3 square feet less storage with the seats down than a Jeep Grand Cherokee and is substantially cheaper.
I have been driving Sedan from past 15 years (3 years in US and 13 years outside US). This time I thought of changing it to SUV. Actually I should have used term, Crossover. Moreover, if I compare VW Wagon with other choices, I feel they lack in appearance and luxury touch inside. Others may not feel so.
I have been driving Sedan from past 15 years (3 years in US and 13 years outside US). This time I thought of changing it to SUV. Actually I should have used term, Crossover. Moreover, if I compare VW Wagon with other choices, I feel they lack in appearance and luxury touch inside. Others may not feel so.
That is true the Jetta isn't a Passat. I really wish there was a Passat Wagon in the US.
Out of the price range but all wheel drive and 43mpg on the highway ...
I would recommend a 2 year old Mercedes ML350. It will be in your budget, and offer more luxury/modcons than the other options. Get one with the P1 Package (P2 if you like upgraded audio and some other cool stuff).
Or, the 2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R if you want a brand new car (its actually considered a wagon/crossover, but it has the same ground clearance as nearly all SUVs and an elevated seating position compared to a regular car).
Go test drive and sit in the Subarus, you will be impressed - the materials are just as good as anything Lexus or Audi makes , the fit and finish is outstanding, and the overall quality is far better than the domestics.
Make sure to get it fully loaded so that you get the larger touchscreen NAV and Eyesight (its the best collision avoidance system on the market today).
Surely features wise, Outback 3.6R looks great and I would like to see that in person. But it will reach $36k/37k. Should I still consider it, even when other luxury vehicles (Q5/nx200t) are couple of thousands away ? Any thoughts ?
Well built, roomy enough for up to seven, durable and reliable and reasonably priced. It is a blast to drive and insurance isn't too bad. Mazda will take a special order for things like color keyed seat belts, cloth seats (in hot climates leather and shorts results in a sticky situation). Since the chassis and power train are shared with the Ford Edge parts should be available for a long time.
We have a Ford Edge and love it. You can get one with features you want less than 40K. They make them in AWD (or at least they did, not sure if they stopped) which would be fine for you, although with light snow you probably don't need 4wd or AWD...
I have an Audi Q5 (2010, 3.2L) - I can't say enough nice things about it. The handling is excellent, the power is effortless and right there whenever you need it, the shifting is smooth and in the right spots, the ride is silky while still having some feel for the road, the sound system is excellent, the climate system is easy to get 'just right', and there have been no issues outside regular maintenance. I can take it on a 3-4 hr drive and feel refreshed when I get out (something I can't say for sitting long periods in other cars). We've had it for several years now, and driving it still puts a smile on my face. And even though you've noted you don't drive on snow much - I do, and Audi's Quattro system is amazing. The MMI system took a little getting used to, but once I got used to it, I could see why they did things the way they did, and I do like it.
A couple things I will note - we bought ours certified used when it was 1 yr old (lease return from someone who had a new family addition) and so we had the remainder of the factory warranty plus Audi's certified used warranty, which stretched out beyond what the factory warranty would have been, and that also put it squarely in your price range. Another plus was that the original owner had purchased the pre-paid maintenance, which stays with the car, so we had free maintenance for the first 50K miles. You might see if you can find one in similar shape, it saved us many thousands over new and got us more time under warranty.
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Good luck in your search!
I still like the Mazda CX-9
