In the market for a new car....opinions?

[ang79]

Well, new to me that is. We always buy used cars but my 2001 Taurus is starting to sound a bit rickety and I'd love to upgrade before something goes wrong with the Taurus, thus lowering its resell value. I've been doing some online research but would love to hear some IRL input from you mamas :)

Here is what it needs to have:
AWD or 4WD, as my driveway is a hill and pretty near impossible for me to get up in the PA snow/ice storms
Fits two car seats (Graco Nautilus, Graco Comfort Sport)
Good safety ratings
Ample storage space (love the large trunk on my Taurus for when we travel)
Decent MPG, the higher the better of course

Other than those things I'm not too picky. I don't want a super huge SUV and am not too keen on a minivan yet (though if we have more kids I definately see one of those in my future). DH thinks a Suburu Outback Wagon or Jeep Liberty/Ford Escape would be good and I've been reading good reviews of the Pontiac Vibe AWD. My MIL has a Toyota Highlander she loves. Any thoughts on any of these or ideas of others to look at?

[AnnieW625]

We have a Honda Pilot 2WD and love it. We don't drive in the snow a whole lot, but the Pilot did handle very well in light snow. If the Pilot hadn't been out we would've gotten an Outback or a Forrester. My mom has a Highlander 4WD (2005) and she has been super happy with it. My Grandma was hit bit a Jeep Liberty while in her Lexus RX330 and it survived much better than the Liberty that hit her when it hit and ice patch. I believe that my Grandma's Lexus has AWD. They live in the mountains of Southern California and deal with a fair amount of snow on a regular basis and their friends have either: Lexus RXs, Subaru Outbacks/Forresters, Highlanders, Siennas, or Pilots. There used to be a fair amount of Volvo V70s and XC70s, but not too many any more.

[MontrealMum]

We bought an Outback last summer to replace DH's old Jetta. Our other car is a Corolla. You will want to talk to someone w/the car w/those specific seats, but as far as your other concerns...

The AWD will seriously affect your MPG. Decide what's more important, the MPG, or AWD.

Our climate is much snowier than yours. The city comes and takes the snow away from time to time since we get so much (rather than just plow, like many Northern cities do). Yet, I have never been unable to get up a hill (Montreal is built on the side of a mountain) in my Corolla. The key is that I have great snow tires. The Corolla, obviously, gets better mileage than the Subaru. Snow tires seem to have fallen out of favor w/Americans - though I don't know why. They were standard when I was growing up in MI, but now noone buys them. Here in Quebec, not only are they a great help :) but they're now required by law. I've had both Blizak and Yokohamas if you're wondering about brands. If MPG is important to you, I'd consider investing in good snow tires rather than just buy an AWD because you're worried about snow. The big difference our AWD makes (over our other cars) is that we don't have to dig the car out, not in getting up hills ;) (we park on the street).

The Outback has more room in the cargo area than my Corolla (also a wagon), but less passenger space. I've heard that the new model rectifies this and has more passenger space as well. We have a box for the roof when we travel, and for our gear, so it's not a huge issue.
HTH!

[becca_g]

My company car is a 2008 4WD Ford Escape, which handles well in the snow. I live near the top of a very steep street in one of the snowier areas of MA and have not had any problems. Gets around 21 mpg. The new model that came out in 2008 is much better than the prior year models ... better looking, less road noise, and better quality all around.

Prior to that, I had a 2005 Nissan Murano, which I loved (better quality/more luxurious than my Ford, very quiet on the road, and drove like a car) but didn't keep when the lease was up because it wasn't the AWD version (we had moved from FL to MA) and because I had gotten a company car. The Murano is larger than the Escape, but I would still consider it mid-size. We were able to easily fit 2 car seats when my nieces came to visit. Lots of cargo space in back. Overall, a great vehicle. Would highly recommend.

When we bought the Nissan, we were also considering the Saturn VUE because of the dent-resistant side panels and affordability.

The Ford Edge is a crossover that looks a bit like the Murano.

The Mercury Mariner is basically an upgraded Escape.

Prior to the Nissan, I had a 4WD Suzuki Grand Vitara. Similar size to the Ford Escape but would rank the quality pretty far behind a Toyota or Nissan. It ended up in the shop multiple times over the course of a few years even though it was new when I bought it.

Another SUV to consider would be the Toyota RAV4. I had the original version in 1996 and absolutely loved it (never in the shop once in 3 years). The newer models are larger than the original, which was pretty small, and reportedly have better pickup (that was my only complaint with the original RAV4).

Good luck!

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

Well, new to me that is. We always buy used cars but my 2001 Taurus is starting to sound a bit rickety and I'd love to upgrade before something goes wrong with the Taurus, thus lowering its resell value. I've been doing some online research but would love to hear some IRL input from you mamas :)

Here is what it needs to have:
AWD or 4WD, as my driveway is a hill and pretty near impossible for me to get up in the PA snow/ice storms
Fits two car seats (Graco Nautilus, Graco Comfort Sport)
Good safety ratings
Ample storage space (love the large trunk on my Taurus for when we travel)
Decent MPG, the higher the better of course

Other than those things I'm not too picky. I don't want a super huge SUV and am not too keen on a minivan yet (though if we have more kids I definately see one of those in my future). DH thinks a Suburu Outback Wagon or Jeep Liberty/Ford Escape would be good and I've been reading good reviews of the Pontiac Vibe AWD. My MIL has a Toyota Highlander she loves. Any thoughts on any of these or ideas of others to look at?


Me too with the driveway! Here is Flagstaff, AZ Subies are king. DH has one, I have an Audi wagon. The Vibe used to be the same as the Toyota Matrix (pretty sure it still is), so you get a Toyota at American car prices. Edmunds.com is GREAT for car info!

[Tondi G]

My DH has a Mazda CX7 and it's a great little crossover/suv. I do believe they make an AWD model too! Easily fits 2 car seats in the back and our weimaraner in the cargo/trunk (with a stroller in there too). We've been so happy with the Mazda. Check it out.

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/displayPage.action?pageParameter=upcomingCX7#/colors360

[wellyes]

The AWD will seriously affect your MPG. Decide what's more important, the MPG, or AWD.:yeahthat:

Subarus are *awesome*, I'd recommend the Outback wagon, but it is no gas sipper. No AWD vehicle is going to get you good MPG due to the extra weight required to install the AWD.