<p>We really like our Jeep Liberty. The price is right, the deals are great, it’s comfy, and it’s one of the few small SUVs one can still get with a manual transmission :). PLUS, it has REAL 4WD (rather than AWD). We also have a Rubicon, which is incredible fun (JeepMom and I have swapped PMs about it), but not exactly practical for use as a family car.</p>
<p>The other thing about the Liberty is the safety factor. It can be ordered with side curtain air bags (covering front/rear passengers) as well as the front ones. It also is highly rated on govt crash tests. As for having 4WD, we were 4-Wheeling in Moab last weekend and for certain conditions in that environment, 4WD-Low Range is essential. Of course not everyone takes the vehicle off-road.</p>
<p>Got my Lexus SUV when son was in 8th grade. Car carried tons of band equipment and kids thoughout son’s high school yrs. It is much more comfortable than any of our other cars. I am not the best at parking in tight places and it is small enough to park in regular spaces. I like the safety of the side air bags. I made son drive it whenever he transported others or drove freeway. It went camping with him last yr during the Solar boat races. I guess the car is almost 6 yrs old and it is the only car I have owned that I never wanted to trade up for a newer model. It uses regular gas gets 18.8 mpg. I have driven the newer models when mine has service-they are nice but use premium gas. It was wonderful during all the rains we had in CA this year-trave lots of dirt and bad roads. It is perfect for the dog to jump in and I can’t think of getting rid of it. I also prefer Lexus service to Mercedes or BMW-in our area anyway.</p>
<p>My Jeep Liberty rocks. It’s tough in the very place I need it to be - the hs parking lot. Still looks good after two years. Even withstood golf ball size hail with minimal damage.</p>
<p>We’ve had several SUVs over the years and my favorite, by far, has been the Lexus 330 which I now drive. We’ve had two Landrover Discovery’s, Mercedes ML, Lexus 300 and 330, Jeep, Acura MDX, and my H has a BMW X3 which he thinks is the best SUV made. I don’t drive his so I still think my Lexus 330 is the best. It handles well, is comfortable, roomy and Lexus service still beats every other one we’ve experienced. A friend had the Volvo SUV and recently traded it on a VW Touareg. The Volvo had lots of little things go wrong and various and assorted interior pieces broke or fell off, not very good quality control for some reason.</p>
<p>EK4… my husband bought himself one of the first SUVs back in 1988 (Toyota 4Runner), and we promptly took it down a deeply muddy dirt road to see some houses under construction. And nearly didn’t make it out. He hasn’t driven anything more challenging since… And I regularly take my BMW <em>sedan</em> down a muddy dirt road (that doesn’t have any big mud holes) to take my dog for a run. (Oh, and before you ask, I have a fabulous seat cover for the back seat for AFTER she plays in the mud: <a href=“http://www.caninecovers.com%5B/url%5D”>www.caninecovers.com</a>)</p>
<p>I don’t argue that some luxury SUV owners don’t take their vehicles off road- but I admit I am curious at the numbers of them in neighborhoods where I doubt they drive anywhere more challenging than over the speed bumps at the airport.</p>
<p>(I have taken my liberty off road but if it is a really bad logging road we take H’s 40 yr old truck- I moan about every new tiny chip and my suv cost less than $15,000- if I had paid as much as a year of tuition- I probably wouldn’t take it farther than around Golden Gardens!)</p>
<p>I just wonder where they find to park them- I can barely park my jeep let alone a hummer-everything is made for compact cars and you will get a ticket if you take up more than one space.
All the Bellevue high school kids come park at the park across from my mothers condo ( and Bellevue square) my jaw drops when I see the number of Range Rovers and Navigators- after school jobs must pay a lot more than when I was in school
BTW thanks for the link- I already have gotten seat covers ( as soon as took it home actually) but always like a new place to get accoutrements)</p>
<p>When my best friend bought a Land Cruiser I asked her did she think she was going to run over hippopotamuses on the way to the supermarket?</p>
<p>We are still friends. Now I too want a small SUV, but only because due to disc problems I need to be able to sit up straight in my car…Thanks for the info on this thread. Has anyone tried the Subaru Forrester?</p>
<p>I had a Forrester that blew a head gasket just outside of the 50K mile warranty. Took it to a trusted mechanic who showed me that the new haed gasket from Subaru had been re-designed in the area where mine failed, indicating that Subaru knew they had a problem. Long story short Subaru would not offer any help even though I had documented service records (I really took good care of the car). The car also had transmission problems. I sold it to Carmax and went straight to the Honda dealership and bought my CR-V.</p>
<p>I guess that you can get a lemon with any brand. My parents have an Outback sedan and love it.</p>
<p>We test drove the Subaru Forester but went with the RAV4 because the seats were so deep (sides flared out) that my elbows kept hitting when I turned the steering wheel, one of the problems of being vertically challenged, I guess. Otherwise, it would have been our second choice.</p>
<p>Actually, EK, both of them have been as off-road as you can get because we have a cottage which is very difficult to access. We didn’t buy SUVs for off-road capabilities, though, but rather for the four wheel drive for winter driving. We live in an area which gets a tremendous amount of snow during a LONG winter and the amount of driving we do dictates that four wheel drive is essential, not to mention safe. The safety features of the SUVs we’ve had have also been a factor in choosing them.</p>
<p>Hilarious and brave of you! What do you say to the Hummer drivers? (I always wonder if they have the machine guns positioned for anyone who dares question their car selection).</p>
<p>patient - I don’t have any friends who drive Hummers and I am too scared of the ones who aren’t friends to say anything…The machine gun thing. Although, I am open to the idea that Hummer drivers are wonderful people because I believe you have to be open in this world to the idea that anyone might surprise you with their wonderfulness.</p>
<p>In some areas of our neighborhood, developers have bought houses, demolished them, and built McMansions. As I was walking by one of these monstrosities (huge house built too close to the road with a three-car garage that took up most of the facade), the garage door lifted, and what kind of car did I see? You guessed it, a Hummer! Talk about living excessively!</p>
<p>Try as I might to be fair and unjudgemental, there are just some things that make a big statement that I can’t help but not liking. Hummers are pretty high on my list as are Rolex watches. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not the cost, it’s just what the statement says to me. I love high end Mercedes and Patek Philippe watches, which can cost even more, but those say class to me as opposed to show off ostentation!</p>
<p>My Lexus SUV is by far the best car I’ve ever owned - comfortable, fun to drive, reliable, good compromise between room to haul stuff and too big for reason. It is not an off-road vehicle, though - I call it a minivan for a Mom who doesn’t need to get to the car seat anymore.</p>
<p>The hybrid Lexus SUV that is coming out (or out) is high on my list to replace the Sienna minivan that I bought in 1998 to have as my car for ten years precisely–until my daughters have graduated from high school. I have loved my Sienna and at 100K miles it is still running perfectly (now I’ve probably jinxed it). But I have to confess that the cute little 2-seaters hold a lot of appeal–but unless I win the lottery–which I won’t because I don’t buy tickets–I will have to choose one car and will probably go for a hybrid SUV that can go to the mountains in the snow and still be gas-wise. </p>
<p>Alumother–I certainly agree about how people can surprise you and one should be slow to judge. But I really have trouble understanding how anyone who cares about our world could buy one of those things…doesn’t mean they don’t have good qualities though.</p>
We didn’t buy SUVs for off-road capabilities, though, but rather for the four wheel drive for winter driving. We live in an area which gets a tremendous amount of snow during a LONG winter and the amount of driving we do dictates that four wheel drive is essential, not to mention safe. The safety features of the SUVs we’ve had have also been a factor in choosing them.</p>