Anonymous wrote:You can pretty much double trunk space of any car/SUV by getting a cargo box. Plenty of Thule or Yakima boxes are big enough for skis and camping gear.

until you forget its on the roof and drive into a parking garage...

Toyota Corolla wagon

You can pretty much double trunk space of any car/SUV by getting a cargo box. Plenty of Thule or Yakima boxes are big enough for skis and camping gear.

Anonymous wrote:Get a sedan with roof bars for flexing for camping / ski gear.

I had an audi A4 years ago. The trunk was enormous. I could fit a double jogging stroller in it!

I had a winter package so skis could go in the trunk and space come through between the 2 back seats. Reality is - it was a fancy feature that was never used - I just got a Yakima rack.

I had a VW Jetta with an enormous trunk and the back seat folded down 60/40, which is how I transported skis and a lot of other stuff.

It got excellent gas mileage too.

Check out average costs on this site:

https://repairpal.com/cars/compare/subaru-forester-vs-honda-cr-v

The Forester has less space than the CR-V and the gas mileage is about the same.

I drive a 2017 CRV and have been putting quite a bit of miles on it. I do about half on 495 and half is stop/go/city. I get 30.9 mpg. This is the average mpg for the last 2 yrs. (not quite 24K miles). So, I feel pretty confident it is accurate for typical driving in the burbs/commuting.

I found that the CRV had things that were "standard" at the mid-level trim that the RAV4 only had as an option for the higher trim. (DH drives a RAV4 and I assumed I would get one of those when I was looking in 2017 for a new vehicle. I was disappointed with the safety items I wanted being extra on the RAV4 -- like the blind spot monitors and crash avoidance things. Those may be different now -- perhaps they are including them as standard in 2019? I don't know).

My parents have a Subaru Outback. They rolled one and came out with only bumps and bruises. So, they are sturdy and safe vehicles (it was their fault they drove in front of an SUV or pickup). I've driven it. I like it. It has a lot of giddyup!

Looking at maintenance costs, the Subarus are more than Hondas and Toyotas. There is a reason you see CR-Vs and RAV4s everywhere. They are the classic family vehicle.

Anonymous wrote:what about the forester. wife has a 2018 and three guys with gear going to CT from DC we averaged 29mpg

the toyata rav 4 is offered in a hybrid model with AWD

before I purchased my ford cmax, I look hard at the prius V it had a lot of storage and good mileage as well..

We test drove some Forrester. They have good driver visibility if that is a concern. The cargo area is comparable to others in the class.

Op here. Family of 4. Not anticipating major carpooling given kids’ lack of interest in team sports. Maybe I’m wrong on the carpooling but doesn’t seem to make sense to but based on that possibility.

Toyota Highlander Hybrid.

Get a sedan with roof bars for flexing for camping / ski gear.

I had an audi A4 years ago. The trunk was enormous. I could fit a double jogging stroller in it!

I had a winter package so skis could go in the trunk and space come through between the 2 back seats. Reality is - it was a fancy feature that was never used - I just got a Yakima rack.

Get over it... you need a van.

How many people will you be carrying in the car? If only 2, this may sound like an odd choice, but the Honda Fit is surprising big inside, esp w/the seats down, its called a Magic Seat due to the way it folds down and up as well. Allows you to have two bike in the car when you fold the seat up. Also, you have more leg room in second row than an Honda Accord. Its a small car so perhaps not the most comfy one for long trips but very good value proposition for the correct needs.

I would do a RAV4 hybrid. Love my RAV and it has a ton of cargo space for its size.

what about the forester. wife has a 2018 and three guys with gear going to CT from DC we averaged 29mpg

the toyata rav 4 is offered in a hybrid model with AWD

before I purchased my ford cmax, I look hard at the prius V it had a lot of storage and good mileage as well..

Don’t think I need third row seating but want adequate space for camping gear and skis. Had been considering the outback and Honda CRV, but am wondering what options offer the space but better gas mileage. The Subaru Outback discussion has me reconsidering my top picks. Am ditching the nearly 20 year old sedan so expect this car to last 10+ years.