Recommend your small-ish SUV

[Anonymous]

We need to replace a car and I think we're looking for a smaller SUV. (We are keeping our minivan and trading in a 2006 sedan.)

DH wants enough technology that he can hook up his phone, music, etc. We have 3 kids who are just getting larger. They're currently 3rd, 5th and 7th, so we are out of car seats. This car will mostly be used on weekends for sports and carpooling. If I like it, I may drive it instead of the van during the week to spread out our mileage. Needs enough room for a few lacrosse bags and long poles.

The biggest issue is that the car will be kept on the street, so I'm really hesitant to buy a brand new one. Right now I'm thinking about a CPO Acura MDX. Also considering a Nissan Rogue. Is the RAV4 too small?


Any other good ideas? I'm opposed to Hondas because they gave me such trouble with my old lemon of an Odyssey.

[Anonymous]

It is a conundrum.
If it is smallish, in two years the kids will start kicking your back because they will have long legs and anything small is a pain.

For keeping on the streets you need something that will not be too expensive.

Cars come big on the outside and big inside and those can be expensive or not so.
Like Volkswagen Atlas is huge beast on the inside, kids can dance inside and it is only some 30K to start.

Then you have cars that do not seem big but have really wonderful big legroom:
VW Tiguan, seriously surprising legroom.
Land Rover Discovery, huge inside and only 28K or so, doable for SE.

Then you have really cute BMW X3 at around 40 but the legroom is smaller then on Tiguan.
I don't even want to go into the X1 because it is really for two people who occasionally drive adult or
for a two people with a baby in a car seat or small kids. Any preteen wills suffer in it on longer stretches.


Mercedes size wise has not much to offer, the big family car GLE is big and expensive
and the smaller models do not come anywhere near the legroom of Tiguan and cost twice the price.

Tiguan is crappy car in terms of how it handles. I did not like it in a single bit but if you can suffer,
it is a great box space wise and can come with options. Not much of a driving machine though.
Then again, I will put a new car even if it is crappy one over a used junk at any time.
I like it fresh clean and unused.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We need to replace a car and I think we're looking for a smaller SUV. (We are keeping our minivan and trading in a 2006 sedan.)

DH wants enough technology that he can hook up his phone, music, etc. We have 3 kids who are just getting larger. They're currently 3rd, 5th and 7th, so we are out of car seats. This car will mostly be used on weekends for sports and carpooling. If I like it, I may drive it instead of the van during the week to spread out our mileage. Needs enough room for a few lacrosse bags and long poles.

The biggest issue is that the car will be kept on the street, so I'm really hesitant to buy a brand new one. Right now I'm thinking about a CPO Acura MDX. Also considering a Nissan Rogue. Is the RAV4 too small?


Any other good ideas? I'm opposed to Hondas because they gave me such trouble with my old lemon of an Odyssey.

BTW.. lots of people in DC and Subs keep brand new cars on the streets because they do not have garages, that is not a big problem.
They have good insurance and that is that. As far as the paint, new cars are not affected by outside elements much. It used to be a problem long time ago but now it is not. You can totally keep your Beamer or MB outside, it is nonissue. Just take it to the carwash once every few month with purpose of putting a clear shinny coat on it. It is a polyurethane coat that makes your car looking new and it serves like a glove for your car. I keep my European car outside because I use it so much that I don't want to bother and also I don't like exhost in my home.
So after years, you could never tell it was kept outside. They make really great cars in that regard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We need to replace a car and I think we're looking for a smaller SUV. (We are keeping our minivan and trading in a 2006 sedan.)

DH wants enough technology that he can hook up his phone, music, etc. We have 3 kids who are just getting larger. They're currently 3rd, 5th and 7th, so we are out of car seats. This car will mostly be used on weekends for sports and carpooling. If I like it, I may drive it instead of the van during the week to spread out our mileage. Needs enough room for a few lacrosse bags and long poles.

The biggest issue is that the car will be kept on the street, so I'm really hesitant to buy a brand new one. Right now I'm thinking about a CPO Acura MDX. Also considering a Nissan Rogue. Is the RAV4 too small?


Any other good ideas? I'm opposed to Hondas because they gave me such trouble with my old lemon of an Odyssey.

I got the 2015 Rogue with the total package (360 camera, blutooth, yadee yada). Couldn't recommend it more. The pathfinder is the bigger version of the rogue, which we test drove as well, it's not bad if you also want a third row.

[Anonymous]

RAV4 is way to small. You need a larger SUV between the kids and stuff. Most 3rd row seating is pretty bad.

[Anonymous]

Ford Explorer, GMC Arcadia

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is a conundrum.
If it is smallish, in two years the kids will start kicking your back because they will have long legs and anything small is a pain.

For keeping on the streets you need something that will not be too expensive.

Cars come big on the outside and big inside and those can be expensive or not so.
Like Volkswagen Atlas is huge beast on the inside, kids can dance inside and it is only some 30K to start.

Then you have cars that do not seem big but have really wonderful big legroom:
VW Tiguan, seriously surprising legroom.
Land Rover Discovery, huge inside and only 28K or so, doable for SE.

Then you have really cute BMW X3 at around 40 but the legroom is smaller then on Tiguan.
I don't even want to go into the X1 because it is really for two people who occasionally drive adult or
for a two people with a baby in a car seat or small kids. Any preteen wills suffer in it on longer stretches.


Mercedes size wise has not much to offer, the big family car GLE is big and expensive
and the smaller models do not come anywhere near the legroom of Tiguan and cost twice the price.

Tiguan is crappy car in terms of how it handles. I did not like it in a single bit but if you can suffer,
it is a great box space wise and can come with options. Not much of a driving machine though.
Then again, I will put a new car even if it is crappy one over a used junk at any time.
I like it fresh clean and unused.

Wow, you. What do you think of Lexus ?

[Anonymous]

I love my Nissan. So many great features.

[Anonymous]

I have a 2017 CRV and regularly do soccer carpool for 4 teenagers + gear and everyone fits just fine. The backseat is incredibly spacious and there is lots of room for cargo.

[Anonymous]

THis is OP -- thanks for all of the ideas and advice! I'm hesitant to put a new car on the street because that's where the old one was and it is suffering from the elements inside (under the hood) more than on the surface. We did the tires early because of rot, etc.

I think we just need to start driving things... Ugh!

[Anonymous]

Love our Subaru Forester although it doesn't have a third row. It's incredibly spacious inside and wonderful to drive.

[Anonymous]

I don't think smallish and room for carpooling (with 3 kids) goes together OP haha. I'd think anything with a 3rd row would work.

[Anonymous]

Not an suv, but we love our Subaru Outback. It has a roomy backseat and a big trunk for groceries, sports equipment etc. if you don’t need the 3rd row a wagon might be perfect.

Also not small but many people love the Honda Pilot. It has 3 rows so lots of room for carpooling.

[Anonymous]

how about the Toyota Highlander?

[Anonymous]

The Subaru ascent has a third row. I don’t own one, but rode in the third row of a friends and it was nice - plenty of space.