Car reliability has increased immensely since you bought your 2000 Sienna. Today the difference is that a German car can go 200K miles with regular maintenance, whereas a Toyota or Honda can go 200K miles with irregular maintenance. As far as Subaru reliability goes, I had a 2004 WRX that I heavily modified (changed turbo, ECU, suspension, tires, exhaust, etc. ) and abused as much as possible every day. Worked perfectly for 70K+ miles until I upgraded to something else.
There is no doubt that Toyota makes the most reliable automotive appliances. But try some other brands as well, as they drive much better.
OMG Subarus have such good reliability!! Whatever are you reading?!
There’s an SUV and then there’s an SUV. If you’re buying a Toyota Sequoia, yes, that’s a hike to climb into. Something like the RAV4 or the Forester actually can be easier than a sedan to get into. It’s more level with your body’s rear! My 85 year old mom says the easiest car for her to get into is my Forester.
Also, hatchback covers are NOT made out of cardboard. And the ease of someone elderly getting things in and out of the back of a car is IMO easier with a hatch than a trunk. The hatch is more even with your body so you aren’t bending and lifting as much with your back.
Here’s a person who says NEVER buy a Subaru again!!! 2010 Forester owner here; worst, worst, WORST car we have ever owned! And I can’t say enough bad things about the dealers or corporate.
I could write a book about the issues we’ve had. I have a 2012 RAV4 that has more miles on it than the Forester and I’ve never done anything beyond routine maintenance. I’m about to eat $1200 more dollars to fix the Forester, hoping that that allows us to sell it and get another Toyota!
Anecdotal, I know, but my family will never get another Subaru.
Definitely try out the smaller SUVs. They are fun to drive and my 96 year old dad loves my Ford Edge because it is so easy for him to get in and out of. Much easier than lower seat cars.
And big trunks are nice but I really miss my old van with the fold down seats–I could haul almost anything in it because of the extra space. I don’t need a van but every once in a while I’m really sorry I downsized.
I replaced my 17 year old Honda CRV last year with the 2017 EX-L model. Cars changed a lot in 17 years! I’d looked in 2016 but wasn’t happy with the rear view sight lines so waited for the 2017 models. It took a while to get used to the rear view camera because all my instincts from decades of driving are to turn and look for myself. I am very happy with the side mirror blind spot assist. As others have noted, I find it much easier to get in and out of my car than DH’s Audi. I think our cargo space is slightly smaller than the 2000 model but the push button rear cargo door and fold down back seats are very nice. Also this model has very big wheels (18 “ I guess) so good driving on bumpy roads. Plus it came in a very nice blue.
Looking forward to your test drive experiences! We’re looking to replace our 15 y/o Prius within a year or two, it just doesn’t have the power for freeway driving in California. Sedans may be easier to get into than a higher profile SUV, but it seems getting out is easier from higher up for someone with back issues.
We have not had a good experience with Honda. Our 2010 Civic had fading paint after 5 years and much of the interior is disintegrating. Even the gas gauge/speedometer module started to fail after 6 years and will cost $600 to replace. Never again Honda for us.
I’ve been researching plug-in hybrid SUV’s but the pickings are slim and include mostly luxury brands. The Toyota Highlander hybrid looks like the next best thing. We’d like something we can take on off-road explorations, and somehow a luxury vehicle doesn’t seem to make sense in those environments. I just searched for plug-in hybrid SUV’s and even Maserati has one now. Yes, let’s take the Maserati to explore Death Valley…
We had good luck with a low mileage certified pre-owned BMW until around 80,000 miles. The certified pre-owned guarantee covered everything for about 4 years so the first years of ownership were worry-free. However once we started paying for repairs it got painful in a hurry. Even if it hadn’t been totaled by a red light runner we would not have kept it much longer.
If you like Toyota, go with the Camry. Hyundai Sonata and Honda Accord are similar reliable sedans. All have hybrids if you want to try that option. I wonder if Avalon might feel a little too big/wide?( I used to live in Honolulu and did not enjoy driving/parking a big vehicle when I was there.)
Wow—lots of perspectives to consider—thanks! We are NOT doing any off-roading and really are mostly driving short distances of maybe up to 5000 miles per year so just want something very reliable that will last s bunch of years. Hopefully we can rent one of the cars we may buy this trip.
Many people are not into driving dynamics, and that is fine. Note that my wife is one of these people, and she has really enjoyed her Toyota Siennas (2007 and 2013). They are completely reliable, very comfortable on the highway, but it is clear that their engineers paid little attention to how the car takes a turn or how well it brakes. Her new Volvo XC60 drives the same way, but she couldn’t be happier.
On the other hand, there are people who test drive something like a Mazda CX-5 after driving Toyotas all their life and discover a world of difference.
I have both hip and knee issues and find my Subaru Forrester much, much easier to get into and out of than any sedan I’ve ever been in! I tend to be most comfortable in small SUV’s (Forresters, RAV 4s, and CRXs); easy to get into and out of and great visibility!
I rented a Mini Cooper Countryman a while back and liked that quite well.
I’ll take a hatchback over a sedan any day of the week – makes parallel parking soooo much easier. I like to know where my car ends!
My next car will likely be a hybrid or electric – the Chevy Bolt looks interesting to me.
Consumer Reports has a list of 25 cars recommended for seniors. The chart shows which cars have easy seat access, good visibility, easy controls, and high-performing headlights.
I was concerned that the Avalon would feel big, but it doesn’t feel any larger than my husband’s Camry. We looked up the measurements and it’s about 3” longer. But in the garage, it looks smaller than the Camry for some reason. The bird’s eye view, which I never had before, really helps with parking and pulling into spots. And it’s so much fun to use!!!
It does feel roomier inside, though, and the trunk is huge.
Mechanic friend of mine said never buy a Subaru. I’m not a car guy at all - just give me reliable transportation. He said you can’t go wrong with Honda/Toyota if that’s all you’re looking for.
I consider myself a car guy. Count me as someone who would not purchase a Subaru, except maybe their BRZ sportscar, which was developed with Toyota. I personally don’t find them attractive, but I do find them occasionally broken down on the side of the road.
I’m into ergonomics, like @hebegebe, so his/her suggestion of a Mazda CX-5 is an excellent one. But I also love the Toyota brand for reliability and cheap maintenance.
Having visited Hawaii alot over the years, you do see a ton of Jeeps both owned and rented. I wouldn’t buy one due to their reliability record, but they’re awesome to drive around on the islands. Yes, their noisy. I’ve rented them the last couple times I’ve been to HI. :-bd
When I have rented cars in Hawaii, they were just generic cars (e.g. Hyundai Sonata). No trouble with any of the roads (though no off-road driving), although the larger cars were sometimes annoying in tight parking situations.
I have two friends who drive Subarus, and when they pick me up for an event, I hate sitting in them. I feel like I’m sitting in a hole. I’m constantly trying to lift my seat, but of course it doesn’t have that feature. Plus their seat coverings just say “cheap” to me.
I’ve been reading car threads on the cafe for quite some time, and Honda, Toyota, and Subaru seem to get the most nods.