"best" family vehicle - what would you suggest?

[lmh2402]

we're in the market for a new car. right now we've only got one - a lexus ES sedan

we would like to make a change in a few months, but i need some help narrowing down options to start considering

we're open to exploring any option - sedan, suv, crossover, minivan

we've only got one DC at the moment, but will be trying for #2 starting this summer. so, if all works out with that, we would need to fit two car seats

so...what's on the market that you really love right now? price is flexible - i would rather just know what you all consider top options based on merit, regardless of cost

thanks!

[WatchingThemGrow]

LOVED my CR-V. It was perfect for a family with 2 kids. We thought it would work for 3, but the Odyssey is much more convenient for our 3 little ones.

[belovedgandp]

For 2 kids when we didn't need to haul extra kids or adults with any degree of regularity we liked our sedans - Honda Accord and Toyota Camry.

Once we moved to the third kid and carpooling with older kids, the minivan is fabulous. I've had my Odyssey for just over 2 years and love it. Not as big as the huge SUVs, but still holds plenty of people and their junk. It drives great. I do like the larger size mini-van - Toyota, Honda, Chrysler - we've taken out the seats and been able to get a full size of piece of sheetrock in there.

[maestramommy]

Depending on your needs, you can't really go wrong with an Accord or an Odyssey:D

[codex57]

Minivan!

No point in an Accord or Camry. Same as the ES. We've only got 2 kids and we feel like we need a minivan. Tried a Sequoia, and while it's physically a lot larger, it's MUCH less roomy than a Sienna. SUVs just can't hack it. I'd only look at SUVs or crossovers if you guys really can't stomach being seen in a minivan. I grew up with them so I like em. And I'm the guy. I never could convince DW to get a minivan until we finally had kids and went on vacation and rented one. That's when she became a convert.

[wellyes]

Accord or Ody are great choices.

Coming from a luxury model, you might consider an Acura MDX instead. Acura is made by Honda, so all the good stuff you hear about Honda pretty much applies to them too.

If you want a hybrid, Ford Escape Hybrid would be my 1st choice for a family with 2 kids.

If you live where it is snowy I'd go with Volvo XC70 or Subaru Outback. I like Subarus for their sporty handling but Volvos definitely have better interiors.

[wencit]

I never could convince DW to get a minivan until we finally had kids and went on vacation and rented one. That's when she became a convert. This is me. I swore up and down that I would never get a minivan, but once we went on vacation with one, I was sold. Power sliding doors are the BEST. THING. EVER.

I don't think you can go wrong with an Odyssey or a Sienna.

[bubbaray]

I don't think you can go wrong with an Odyssey or a Sienna.


:yeahthat:

Other vehicles I would consider if you need 4WD/AWD would be the CR-V and similar sized vehicles.

[lmh2402]

thanks, all

this is a great start!

so, yes, when we make the change, we want to move to a vehicle that has an option for 4W or AWD (i should have mentioned this in my original post...but i forgot) - by the way, what is the difference?

so, the minivans don't allow for 4WD or AWD?

i am not in love with the idea of becoming a minivan person, but we recently vacad and rented one...and i must say, the power sliding doors rocked. and there was so much room for groceries and stroller, etc. if they have an option for 4WD / AWD, that would be pretty great

one of my biggest pet peeves about our current car is that low ceiling - it's really tight getting DS into his MA

i've heard that volvos also have very low ceiling height - can anyone confirm / deny?

if minivan doesn't have the 4/A WD option, what else would you guys suggest?

[bubbaray]

If you want a minivan, the only one with AWD is the Sienna.

[crl]

I think Toyota is the only minivan that currently has AWD. Doesn't sound like you are interested in used, but if you go back 4 or 5 years there were several minivans with AWD.

You might look at the Ford Flex and similar SUVs with a 3rd row. We really wanted a third row and AWD, but did not want a Toyota. So we bought a Flex a couple of weeks ago. We're really happy with it so far. The Flex is great because the 3rd row is actually doable for adults (unlike some of the smaller 3rd row vehicles).

Catherine

[AnnieW625]

Do you take your dog with you to lots of places?

Let's see we looked at wide variety of cars in 2005/2006 when we I was pregnant and DD was an infant. We settled on a Honda Pilot because we liked the size and have a large 80lb lab who travels with us on the weekends, and we thought that the 05/06 model CRVs were not big enough for all of our stuff plus a dog. The newer CRVs are bigger so they might work better. In the mid size SUV market we also looked at the Volvo XC90 (used), Volvo V70 (new), Volvo V50 (new), BMW X5 (used), Lexus RX300 (used), Acura MDX (used), Subaru Tribecca (new), and the Toyota Highlander (new, and used). We found the best deal on the Pilot EX-L model and it was new, which was a plus for us because we drive a lot, and we still were able to get it for about $7K less than sticker. DH didn't care for the V70 much, but I really liked it, it was roomy and spacious. DH really liked the XC90, but it had the worst reliability of all of the cars we looked at (although the X5 was pretty close too) and that made us a little less sure of purchasing that car; either new or used.

The Ford Escape/Mercury Mariner were similar in size to the CRV, and while the Mariner was pretty nice again it would have been pretty tight with the dog, and one baby and her stuff. The Subaru Forrester was actually a top contender in that class too, but again just a little too small; however I believe the new ones are bigger and they do come with AWD (I believe). Same with the Volvo V50, which actually of all of the cars had the least amount of headroom.

DH was in the no mini van camp and I didn't really push it. My friends with the Odyssey and the Sienna get very similar mileage to what I get with my Pilot, and really the Pilot again gave us more space for the dog/baby stuff since we don't need the third row seat.

Also the one car that wasn't out when we were looking was the Audi Q7, but had it been out then and been a used car that most likely would've been our first choice in cars.

[crl]

Here's the link to my thread when we were trying to decide what to do about vehicles, in case it's of any help to you.


http://www.windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=353206

Catherine

[SnuggleBuggles]

1-2 kids= sedan, imo. I still don't get the need for an SUV like a CRV that doesn't hold any more people than an ACcord would, but that's my personal bias. I also don't think I could justify driving around in a minivan with 1 kid (it'll be a while till you have that 2nd one).

We have 2 kids in a Civic with no problem. We can fit a PnP, full sized stroller and all the crap we need for a 1 week long vacation in the trunk of the car. We do fine in it.

Now, I am thinking about a Mazda 5 b/c we want to be able to carpool and that is a good size compromise for me.

Something like an Accord is pretty roomy. I would consider a sedan at this stage of the game.

Beth

[AnnieW625]

We have 2 kids in a Civic with no problem. We can fit a PnP, full sized stroller and all the crap we need for a 1 week long vacation in the trunk of the car. We do fine in it.



This is us too with our Corolla. We will be able to fit two kids in the back seat, as well as suit case for me and DH, DD's mini travel suitcase, and a diaper bag as well as pack n play and the Maclaren Triumph in our Corolla and be fine for a week. It may not be the most comfortable car for long trips, but it's a nice alternative if we want to give the Pilot a break.

Eta: this would work if we were going to visit relatives for a week or staying in a hotel, not for camping, etc.

[KrisM]

1-2 kids= sedan, imo. I still don't get the need for an SUV like a CRV that doesn't hold any more people than an ACcord would, but that's my personal bias. I also don't think I could justify driving around in a minivan with 1 kid (it'll be a while till you have that 2nd one).

We have 2 kids in a Civic with no problem. We can fit a PnP, full sized stroller and all the crap we need for a 1 week long vacation in the trunk of the car. We do fine in it.

Now, I am thinking about a Mazda 5 b/c we want to be able to carpool and that is a good size compromise for me.

Something like an Accord is pretty roomy. I would consider a sedan at this stage of the game.

Beth

This is where we are now, but with a Malibu and 3 kids. And, we need a car top carrier to do a full week vacation that involves various activities. However, it is tight and I'm ready to move to a minivan.

Even if you plan on 3, consider when you'll really want the extra space. I have a friend who bought a minivan before her first was born 8 years ago and has already sold it and now drives a Focus with 3 kids in it. My goal is to own only 1 minivan and I'm trying to get my kids as old as I can before I buy it. If I get it in a year, they'll be 2.5, 4.5, and 7 yo. Keep it for 10 years and they're 12, 14, and 17 and we'll be good going without a minivan at that point. They're pricey and don't get very good gas mileage, IMO.

I'm not really saying to not consider something bigger than a sedan. But, with 2 kids and no extra adults, big dogs, etc, a sedan should work and cost less.

[smilequeen]

I think with 2, almost anything can work, so your options are wide open.

I bought a minivan because we are planning to have a 3rd. I have the Sienna with the AWD and I do love it, as much as I can love a minivan since I'm still not really a minivan person ;)

I personally didn't like driving a sedan with kids. There was plenty of space, no problem...but I'm tall and I was constantly bumping my head or theirs getting them in and out of carseats. The SUV/minivan option is much easier for me. If I wasn't going for the 3rd baby, I probably would have stuck with a medium sized SUV (something with 3 rows for the grandparents and maybe a hybrid or diesel). I had been looking at a Mercedes with the diesel engine even for 3 but the minivan made more since.

[bubbaray]

1-2 kids= sedan, imo. I still don't get the need for an SUV like a CRV that doesn't hold any more people than an ACcord would, but that's my personal bias. I also don't think I could justify driving around in a minivan with 1 kid (it'll be a while till you have that 2nd one).



OP has a dog (see siggy). Unless she has a small dog, even with 1 child, a sedan is pretty cramped. If its a large dog, well its a safety issue too.

I can totally justify driving around with one child in my 8 passenger minivan -- with my dog's crate in the cargo area (with 3rd row stowed), there is barely room for my P3 stroller.

With respect to 4WD or AWD, unless you travel in winter driving conditions, you don't really understand the peace of mind that that brings. If we regularly had winter conditions here, I would absolutely have a non-4WD/AWD vehicle. Even with the very few snow days we have here, my next vehicle will be 4WD or AWD just for those few days. I can justify it because we ski a lot and it is sometimes nice for me to be able to go to or leave the ski hill at a different time than DH (who has a 4WD truck).

People have the need to transport more than just their children. They may need to transport large items for work or multiple bikes plus a bike trailer or whatever. Just because a person "only" has one child does not mean that minivan or SUV is not appropriate. It depends on the situation.
JMHO.

[salsah]

People have the need to transport more than just their children. They may need to transport large items for work or multiple bikes plus a bike trailer or whatever. Just because a person "only" has one child does not mean that minivan or SUV is not appropriate. It depends on the situation.
JMHO.

i know a bachelor (w/o kids) who proudly drives a minivan.

[salsah]

we bought a crv when we had just one dc. it was the right decision for us then (we looked at larger cars but couldn't justify them). i am happy with it because it is the smallest car that meets our needs. however now that we have a second dc, carpool, and often want take friends/family with us, i wish that we bought a minivan.

[SpaceGal]

When I had two I drove a Pontiac Vibe. It was cramped but it worked and really any car would work for two kids. But once my oldest was going to pre-k and I agreed to carpooling and we thought about having a third, long story short, we decided to get a minivan. We ended up having a third, so now I drive my Odyssey and if necessary can pack two other kids in car seats and what not in the car and still feel roomy. We haven't done very long road trips but it's comfy and roomy and the kids have a lot of space...and I don't have to worry about the size of my car seats (since I have all large Britaxes).

Headroom on a minivan is great! It's completely level...at least from my height (I'm about 5'5")...used to be that buckling the kids in the cars that we had (Taurus, Vibe, and Escape) I'd either have to duck down and watch my head or climb up a bit. But with the minivan the 2nd row is totally level I don't feel like I have to do much to get my kids in.

My SIL has a Sienna and she loves it. We just visited her and we used her minivan, even at one point in a pinch we transported 10 people.

I'm not pro or anti-minivan but it's useful and it does the job. I do hope to drive it into the ground so I hope it lasts us say a good 10 years.

[SnuggleBuggles]

OP has a dog (see siggy). Unless she has a small dog, even with 1 child, a sedan is pretty cramped. If its a large dog, well its a safety issue too.


People have the need to transport more than just their children. They may need to transport large items for work or multiple bikes plus a bike trailer or whatever. Just because a person "only" has one child does not mean that minivan or SUV is not appropriate. It depends on the situation.
JMHO.

I know you're right b/c you posted about this before (I didn't feel like going through every single caveat in my post though :) grandparents, dogs...). The friends that I have the really upgraded to large cars with 1-2 kids don't have any of those situations though and I guess I don't understand driving a large vehicle if you only have need for it's largeness on occasion. We are lucky and can borrow IL's minivan if we need it. If we couldn't then we could always rent one if we just needed it once every few months vs driving it around, paying more for gas and being limited for parking in the city (I have to parallel park a lot so small= good). I'll admit that part of me would like a minivan right now so that's probably why I am championing the sedan so much...trying to talk myself back into why I like it.

Beth

[lmh2402]

thanks, all

my brain was not working properly when i wrote my original post last night

so, yes...i need / want AWD or 4WD and yes, we do have a dog and travel with him constantly

he's not that big, but he takes up room in the car b/c we either have him secured in his travel bag on the seat, or in a car seat on the seat - i realize this sounds ridiculous, but i don't want him able to move around the car and distract the driver and/or get hurt. so he is belted in one way or another

and i don't want to get a vehicle that we can just exactly fit in...without being able to fit another adult, but we do often have either my mom or one of my siblings hitching a ride with us somewhere

so do think i would like at least the option of a 3rd row of seating

though, i could be convinced that it's not necessary

interior space is going to be important all around - DH is 6'4", so we need headroom and legroom

but i don't want to drive a big, hulking thing if i can avoid it

catherine - thanks for the link to your previous post, i'll read through today

annie - thanks for the list of cars you looks at...which did you like best, other than the v70? what did your husband not like about it? interesting that you said the xc90 is unreliable - why do you say that?

i haven't heard of the audi you mentioned, i'll have to look

and i'll also do some reading on the sienna

[egoldber]

IMO, I would wait until you are actually expecting to buy anything larger. You could even wait to get one until after the second baby and see what your needs really are and what is available at that time.

We just downsized from a minivan to a Jetta wagon and I don't regret it. It's a little harder without the sliding doors, but not that bad. For us, the dog and maybe wanting 3 kids was the dealbreaker that made us get the van. But then 3 kids was not in the cards and our dog died before our younger DD was even born, so it ended up we really never "needed" a minivan. It made things easier in some ways, but we didn't really need it.

[BillK]

For kids - who fling open their doors into other cars in parking lots....minivan - no questions.

Toyota Sienna
Honda Odyssey

if you want to spend slightly less then:

Hyundai Entourage
Kia Sedona

Only minivans I'd consider (I'm a card-carrying Chrysler product hater - sorry - and that would include the VW Routan which is just a dolled up Chrysler mini-van).

[wellyes]

You want a long, roomy interior -AWD - but maybe not a minivan. No question I'd at least test drive a Subaru Outback. They're perfect dog cars (aka designed to be easy to clean), lots of space inside, actually fun to drive, fantastic in not-great weather. Perfect for you!

[pb&j]

OP has a dog (see siggy). Unless she has a small dog, even with 1 child, a sedan is pretty cramped. If its a large dog, well its a safety issue too.

I can totally justify driving around with one child in my 8 passenger minivan -- with my dog's crate in the cargo area (with 3rd row stowed), there is barely room for my P3 stroller.

With respect to 4WD or AWD, unless you travel in winter driving conditions, you don't really understand the peace of mind that that brings. If we regularly had winter conditions here, I would absolutely have a non-4WD/AWD vehicle. Even with the very few snow days we have here, my next vehicle will be 4WD or AWD just for those few days. I can justify it because we ski a lot and it is sometimes nice for me to be able to go to or leave the ski hill at a different time than DH (who has a 4WD truck).

People have the need to transport more than just their children. They may need to transport large items for work or multiple bikes plus a bike trailer or whatever. Just because a person "only" has one child does not mean that minivan or SUV is not appropriate. It depends on the situation.
JMHO.
:yeahthat:

SUVs/wagons are a must for us - DD has bulky equipment for work that he needs to transport very regularly.

We have lots of friends in the music biz - even many of the single and/or childless ones have minivans. How else are you supposed to transport your drum kit or upright bass to gigs? :jammin:

Also, even though I live in an area that doesn't (typically) get much snow, when we do get snow, roads don't get plowed or treated with any haste, and when they are plowed, there's often a lot of snow remaining, or secondary roads aren't plowed. For DAYS. After this winter (5+ feet of snow), I will never, ever have a car without AWD.

I am intrigued by the new Accord Crosstour - it's kind of a hatchback version of the Accord, and has AWD as an available option. No 3rd row, though.

ETA: I currently drive and Outback and DH has a Ford Escape, but he may end up with something a bit larger for all his work stuff. I'm hoping he'll get a Pilot or Highlander w/3rd row so we can have a carpooling car, but I can still keep driving my Outback!

[maestramommy]

he's not that big, but he takes up room in the car b/c we either have him secured in his travel bag on the seat, or in a car seat on the seat - i realize this sounds ridiculous, but i don't want him able to move around the car and distract the driver and/or get hurt. so he is belted in one way or another

Really, that's the safest way to think about traveling with a dog. I see plenty of dogs here just hanging out free range in the car, sometime leaning out the driver's window. It makes me cringe.

I'd consider the Pilot, because then you have a lot of storage space when you don't need more passenger space, and it comes in 4WD. The minivan with AWD means it's operating all the time, which I THINK hit gas mileage a lot harder than 4WD.

I also agree with Egoldber that you wait until you actually have #2, unless you need to get a new vehicle right away. You never know what the options might be even a year or so from now.

[HIU8]

We got a minivan with 2 kiddos. We looked at some SUV's but didn't really like them and we regularly take family in our car (I'm talking weekly, not just special occasions.) We have had to have DN with us and it's great b/c I don't have to attempt to stuff 3 carseats next to one another (2MA and 1 BLVD all FF). When DS was 1, the lease on DH's Volvo S80 was up. We kinda decided to just go for the minivan then instead of doing just the SUV as a small step up--for reasons listed above). It's great. I personally love sitting higher off the ground. If/when we ever need to replace our 2006 Ody I would either go for another minivan or a larger SUV with a 3rd row. I've had a geo prism, volvo s80 and a camry as well and they are nice cars, but I would probably not go for another compact or sedan until I'm much older (and my kids are much older)--as our main car.

[lmh2402]

the ford flex looks pretty cool!

catherine, how have you found parking/navigating in SF?

we're in NYC, so we're also pressed for space

:)

ETA : anyone have thoughts on the 2010 Buick Enclave?

[crl]

the ford flex looks pretty cool!

catherine, how have you found parking/navigating in SF?

we're in NYC, so we're also pressed for space

:)

ETA : anyone have thoughts on the 2010 Buick Enclave?

I've been pleasantly surprised at how easy the Flex is to drive in the City. But I haven't really parked it in the City. We have decent parking at our place and when I've driven the Flex, my destination has been outside the City (Ikea, Costco).

Catherine

[codex57]

Did anyone read OP's original post? She's got a Lexus ES. Maybe not everyone is familiar with what a Lexus ES is. It's basically a fancy Toyota Camry. Which is a midsize sedan.

So, any suggestions for cars smaller than that are... odd. I get the Outback and related, b/c of they're wagons and have an open cargo area. They're still smaller than what she's used to so it's gonna be an interesting adjustment.

Btw the fact that she already has a car bigger than a lot of suggestions AND she needs/wants AWD, I'm sorta surprised a lot of other suggestions weren't made more often. Cuz based on other car threads, the BBBers do drive them.

Anyways, I like the Enclave. It's the same as the Acadia and Traverse. If I had to choose a SUV, the GM crossovers are prolly my top choice b/c they sacrifice the least amount of room compared to a minivan. Others would be the Mazda CX-9 and possibly the Audi Q7.

The reason I don't like the Outback, CR-V, Rav-4, Escape, etc, is they're so much smaller than the Lexus ES she already has. At least with the ES, if you put the seats side by side, you've got enough room to fit an adult in. You've got that option at least. Or put the dog there if you really wanted to. Those compact suvs/wagons are just tight enough that an adult really can't fit in the space left over from two car seats.

I don't like the Pilot, MDX, Highlander, etc b/c if you're gonna get a car that big that has a 3rd row, you want a 3rd row usable with a decent sized trunk for strollers, groceries, luggage, etc. With the Pilot, etc, you can squeeze a tiny stroller like a Maclaren back there, but not much else. You can forget picking up grandma/grandpa from the airport or Costco runs, at which point I wonder what's the point of going that big? With a big midsize sedan already, if she's gonna go big, she might as well get the best bang for her buck in terms of interior room. Ideally, that'd be the Sienna (as it's the only AWD minivan). Otherwise, only certain SUVs that sort of come close to the roominess of the Sienna.

She could downsize, but then, if she's in the City, maybe she doesn't need a car then and can just use Zip Car as needed?

[AnnieW625]

annie - thanks for the list of cars you looks at...which did you like best, other than the v70? what did your husband not like about it? interesting that you said the xc90 is unreliable - why do you say that?

i haven't heard of the audi you mentioned, i'll have to look

and i'll also do some reading on the sienna

I am going to preface this post by saying that I HIGHLY recommend going to your local auto show and checking out the cars in person, it's soo much less stressful than going to individual dealers until you have a smaller list of maybe 3 to 5 cars you are really interested in.

Other than the V70 we really liked the CRV (old body style: http://www.car.com/images/2006/Honda/CRV/400/2006_Honda_CRV_SE_20.jpg), but then when we were at the dealer test driving the CRV we checked out the Pilot again (had previously looked at it at the auto show) and it ended up making more sense for us because of the extra space. DH liked the styling because it was an SUV vs. a station wagon. Once he drove the CRV he also thought it was a tad more cramped and he wanted more space (DH is 6'0" and skinny, but that was just his preference) and knew we'd need it in the long run, esp. because of our dog and baby gear that a newborn required. We also liked the turning radius on the Pilot much more than the V70, for it's size our Pilot turns on a dime.

We have the EX-L Pilot which is pretty fully loaded except for DVD-Nav. systems and it does have a third row, which we haven't used, but the third row does have top tethers for car seats so if we ever need to take two or three adults with us when the kids are older and able to get themselves in the seats with minimal help (or if we car pool) then it might come in handy. We have the 2WD model. We know guys who are tall (at least 6'4") and fit fine in the Pilot so head/leg room shouldn't be an issue for your DH.

Now back to the XC90, we found a lot of the reliability information from Consumers Reports, and from our mechanic friend who had long been working on Volvos. He said that the XC90 was one of the least if not the least reliable Volvos on the market at that time. Volvo currently does have free maintenance including wear and tear right now (at least in CA) for 5 years so that might be something to look at too.

This is the Audi Q7, it's just a beautiful car, http://www.google.com/images?sa=3&q=2010+Audi+Q7

[TwinFoxes]

I am going to preface this post by saying that I HIGHLY recommend going to your local auto show and checking out the cars in person, it's soo much less stressful than going to individual dealers until you have a smaller list of maybe 3 to 5 cars you are really interested in.


Definitely. There's no sales pressure at auto shows, in fact you CAN'T buy a car there! It's sometimes a pain waiting for someone to get out of the driver's seat of the car you want to try out, but it's worth it.

I test drove the Flex, and I was surprised at how well it handled.

I also test drove the Mazda CX-9, and it was fun to drive, but the gas mileage :eek:

I found the CRV felt small. It was a nice car though.

I liked the Rav4 better than the CRV because it felt roomier, and has the optional 3rd row. We would only need the third row very occasionally, so I wouldn't care that it isn't the most comfortable. The odd trip to the airport to pick someone up isn't necessarily worth moving up to something extra huge. Also, I figured when the girls have friends, the kids can sit back there.

I'm interested in trying the Acadia, because I've heard good things. It does seem a little huge though.

My dream car is a diesel Passat Wagon...sadly VW is not granting my wish!

I'm anti-mini van. I don't judge people who have them, I'm sure they're great. For me, it's not going to happen.

[codex57]

I am going to preface this post by saying that I HIGHLY recommend going to your local auto show and checking out the cars in person, it's soo much less stressful than going to individual dealers until you have a smaller list of maybe 3 to 5 cars you are really interested in.


I also think this is a wonderful suggestion. It's like shooting fish in a barrel. The lack of pressure from salespeople and the fact that so many cars are all centrally located makes it wonderful to figure out what you want.

Before we get a dog, we're gonna go to a dog show just to get a good idea of what's out there and what might fit us best. It really is easier than doing research online only.

[lmh2402]

am going to preface this post by saying that I HIGHLY recommend going to your local auto show and checking out the cars in person, it's soo much less stressful than going to individual dealers until you have a smaller list of maybe 3 to 5 cars you are really interested in.

excellent idea...and as luck would have it, i just looked up the nyc auto show and it's opening this coming weekend


Now back to the XC90, we found a lot of the reliability information from Consumers Reports, and from our mechanic friend who had long been working on Volvos. He said that the XC90 was one of the least if not the least reliable Volvos on the market at that time.

this is a bummer, b/c i know i love the look of this car, but oh well...reliability is not something we would chance.

codex, thanks for all your thoughts


Enclave. It's the same as the Acadia and Traverse
so if you had to rank, how would you? or are you saying they are literally pretty much exactly equivalent?


She could downsize, but then, if she's in the City, maybe she doesn't need a car then and can just use Zip Car as needed?

no...we will move out of the city to the burbs in a year or so...and even now, i like having my own car - we use it once or twice a week and i just like having my own available when necessary

i'm definitely intersted in checking out the flex - glad to hear that it drives well...though, the pictures of this seem really huge too??


I'm interested in trying the Acadia, because I've heard good things. It does seem a little huge though.

is the acadia bigger than the flex...it doesn't look appreciably larger

i know i need to actually sit with side by side comparisons and of course see things in real life, but all this feedback is very helpful

[wellyes]

Oh, the auto show is FUN! I think you'll find out more at the auto show in terms of what you like & what will work for you than you would in reading every single Edmunds.com article.

The ONE thing to keep in mind is that for most models, they'll only have one, and it will be the nicest possible package. Except to add several thousands in "options' over the typical asking price if you want to replicate what you see there.

[Scarborough]

volvo v70 is great-- lots of cargo spAce, easy getting the baby into/out of car seat. I hate putting my baby into my honda accord; I always hit his head. Lots of people like volvo wagons around here b/c we get winter storms and they're good in snow.

[TwinFoxes]

i'm definitely intersted in checking out the flex - glad to hear that it drives well...though, the pictures of this seem really huge too??



is the acadia bigger than the flex...it doesn't look appreciably larger



I drive a Jetta now, so EVERYTHING seems huge. :) But I thought the Flex drove nicely, I tried the Escape which was no fun to drive at all. The Highlander wasn't very fun either. I also tried the Edge which was OK, but the interior looked surprisingly cheap. The Flex had good sight lines. I didn't try the Acadia, but I saw it at the auto show. It just seems like it would feel bigger to drive than the Flex, if that makes sense.

[crl]

The Flex is pretty darn big. Of course, until I test-drove the Flex and a couple of it's competitors the biggest thing I had EVER driven was an Explorer. We park next to minivans pretty often and the Flex seems like it's about that size to me. Of course, we were going for interior room (especially a true third row that adults could ride in) so that meant it was going to have to be a bigger vehicle on the outside too. . . .

Catherine

[chinook]

We have two kiddos and currently drive a minivan (mazda mpv - biggest piece of doody EVER...)

Anyhoo, when it dies (please die, please die) I think we'll look at a Yukon or Tahoe gently used. DH is 6'4" so we know it will be comfy for him, it has 4x4 which will be good because we like to ski so can assume we'll spend some time on highways in the winter, has a third row in case we haul tons of people around, and with the third row stowed has room for dogs. The purchase price on a two year old Tahoe is pretty reasonable, as far as I'm concerned.

If we were never planning on doing wintertime highway driving I'd probably be happy to stick with a minivan with winter tires around the city, but on the highway I'll be happier in something bigger.

Just my two cents!