Anonymous wrote:Just buy a Subaru. Crosstrek, Forester, or Outback, depending on size preference. All of them are reliable and 4WD.

Why do you assume OP needs AWD? Maybe they are not in Maine or Vermont. For the record, AWD is not the same as real 4WD.

If you need an errand car, why does it HAVE to be SUV? Hatchbacks are way better for this. But since you seem to like boring, go for the Prius C (compact) or the Nissan Versa hatch. If you like exciting cars, Mazda 3 and Subaru Impreza have hatchbacks incl with manual transmission. God save us from the SUV craze!

We love our Subaru Forester. It comes in hybrid now, new this year.

The new 2026 Subaru Outback will be a mid-sized SUV. It's no longer a wagon.

https://motorweek.org/first-impressions/first-looks/2026-subaru-outback/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just buy a Subaru. Crosstrek, Forester, or Outback, depending on size preference. All of them are reliable and 4WD.

My family has Subaru Outback. The car drives well and the pricing is decent for what you get. I think, however, that I got a lemon because we have had so many issues -- car battery constantly dying prematurely, the infamous head gasket problem (which is supposed to be fixed but i dunno), worn wheel bearings, etc. I suspect that the fact that we bought a car in the first year of a new model is partly the culprit, as it seems like reliability for Subaru has improved lately according to Consumer Reports.

Outback owner here. I’m 80k miles and 9 years in and pretty much have no issues. I’ve found the standard maintenance (brake pad replacement, tire rotation, oil changes, etc., etc.) at the dealership to be expensive than I expected (think BMW prices rather than, say, Toyota). So go to an independent shop for maintenance if you go the Subaru route. The cargo space is amazing, and great for Costco runs.

I wouldn’t hesitate to buy a Subaru (new or used) again for reliability and performance in winter weather. Of course, as the PP seems to indicate, YMMV.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I was looking cheap SUVs I looked at
Chevy Trax
Chevy Trailblazer
Chevy Equinox
Hyundai Tucson
Hyundai Kona

I bought the Tucson, small but not too small.

However, I know the Chevy Trax is really nice.

I was looking used. But decided new for SUV in the 25K price range.

No transmission issues? Ideally it's a car that you can't have past a certain mileage

Well I have the newer model Tucson. They changed models in 2022 so who knows if that is still an issue. Plus I have the 10 year, 100K mile warranty. that is way off.

The Chevy Trax is only $21,895 Brand new with a full warranty. I was looking used but I could get new with more safety features and a warranty if I bought one of these lower cost models.
https://www.edmunds.com/chevrolet/trax/

Anonymous wrote:Just buy a Subaru. Crosstrek, Forester, or Outback, depending on size preference. All of them are reliable and 4WD.

My family has Subaru Outback. The car drives well and the pricing is decent for what you get. I think, however, that I got a lemon because we have had so many issues -- car battery constantly dying prematurely, the infamous head gasket problem (which is supposed to be fixed but i dunno), worn wheel bearings, etc. I suspect that the fact that we bought a car in the first year of a new model is partly the culprit, as it seems like reliability for Subaru has improved lately according to Consumer Reports.

Mazda CX-30!!!

The CX-5 is great, but if the Escape feels too big then so too will the CX-5. It's in that same class.

Nissan Kicks- ABSOLUTELY NOT. Horrible horrible vehicle.

Honda HR-Vs are pretty good. Also consider Toyota Corolla Cross.

Volvo XC 90s are way bigger than what you seem to want?! They're 3 row SUVs in the size class of a Toyota Highlander or Honda Pilot. The Explorer would be the Ford equivalent in terms of size. The XC60 or XC40 are the ones you are probably meaning to look into.

We had a crosstrek and wanted something a bit bigger; went with a kia sportage and so far so good! If a sportage is too big, agree with the suggestions to look at crosstrek, niro, or corolla cross. A Honda Civic hatchback is maybe smaller than you want but it gets good mileage. And the Toyota Venza has changed a lot in size through the years (now it's discontinued) so a used model might work for you.

We really like our Hyundai Tucson

Just buy a Subaru. Crosstrek, Forester, or Outback, depending on size preference. All of them are reliable and 4WD.

I’d look at Hyundai. They have some good cars, good PHEV, hybrid and EV options. And they do give much longer warranties than the other companies.