Regarding Subarus, note that the Impreza and Crosstrek are two very similar vehicles, but one is aimed at “car” buyers while the other is aimed at “SUV” buyers:
https://www.planetsubaru.com/crosstrek-vs–impreza.htm
https://www.cars.com/articles/do-you-need-a-subaru-crosstrek-or-is-the-impreza-enough-1420695097414/
https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/impreza-vs-crosstrek
I got the Impreza for my daughter. With price difference between that and Crosstrek I got the upgraded safety features. On college campus, smaller vehicles tend to be more practical. And it has a lot of room for her to transport her stuff.
I prefer cars. Though we have had a minivan in our fleet for 20 years. I get a lot of people don’t like minivans but they are very practical. Can carry lots of stuff or lots of people. Tend to be cheaper to maintain/insure and get better gas mileage than SUVs/trucks. But they make different vehicles for a reason.
We replaced our minivan with a CRV and love it. But our second car is a sedan. We wanted one car with enough cargo space to help move our kids (one just finishing college) and with an eye to some long distance car trips.
@SnLMom How is the noise on your 2019 CR-V? The only complaint I have about our 2005 model is how loud the ride is, have they improved on that?
@HouseChatte I’m glad you asked. I can’t speak to how it compares with other makes and models, but the 2019 is a much quieter ride than our 2008. It was something we immediately noticed during our test drive.
IMHO, this latest model is also sexier than previous models.?
We will likely end up with one sedan and one larger vehicle whenever H needs to switch (probably within a year or so). I can see having an issue getting my mom in and out of a sedan, but H drives a Camry and I’ve been able to get her in and out so far. She only leaves the house once a month at the moment, so I am conflicted about choosing a car only based on that potential issue. If I end up with a Camry, H will probably get a CR-V or RAV4 (lol I am already plotting the future…).
Thanks for all the input!
My friend went through this recently and she found that she could get a much better price on a sedan with the same amount of miles. She also found that some of the luxury brand sedans were priced better as the demand is not as great. She felt that at least in our area the Honda, Toyota and Subaru suv and crossovers command a premium price. She ended up with a low mileage Nissan Altima.
Both my D and another friend found that when looking at certified preowned or low mileage model Honda and Subaru that the finance rate on a brand new car was much lower. Both went with brand new. My D ended up with 0% financing on her Honda HRV. In the long run it was less expensive than used. In her case she was the 2nd model year and there was not a lot of used ones available and they were almost as much as the new. My D does a lot of driving and her only complaint on her Honda HRV is that the seats aren’t very comfortable for a longer commute.
Another friend went with a Kia Sorrento and has been really happy. She was coming out of a Lexus SUV and just bought her 2nd Kia.
"My friend went through this recently and she found that she could get a much better price on a sedan with the same amount of miles. She also found that some of the luxury brand sedans were priced better as the demand is not as great. She felt that at least in our area the Honda, Toyota and Subaru suv and crossovers command a premium price. "
As someone who is actively researching used cars for a family member, this is exactly what I am seeing.
My Sister and BIL have nice low mileage, recent model warrantied cars from Hertz for very reasonable prices, including Altimas.
Some luxury brand cars have expensive and/or frequent maintenance and repair, so people with limited money wanting to buy used cars may not want a car that will require a lot of spending on maintenance and repair.
I prefer a small SUV over a sedan because I don’t have to worry as much about the car getting damaged if I go off-roading.
Realized that a small SUV was actually much easier for our aging parents to get in and out of. That made the decision to forgo sedans easy. They were skeptical until the Senior Center they go to for classes showed them the turn and sit method and how it’s much easier on your body then hoisting in and out of sedan
We bought an Audi sedan last fall. I keep so much in my trunk that the open back of the SUV concerned me. I developed sciatica and simply hate getting in and out of my new sedan. Our other car is 12 years old so we are looking for a small SUV now.
@oregon101 I find getting into a sedan to be really annoying especially when I hit my head on the roof while going in.
So much of this decision is personal preference. For city driving, I don’t like SUVs and much prefer smaller cars, which I find easier to park and navigate. OTOH, if you don’t live in the city (or go to the mountains often, which is common in Colorado where I live) an SUV may make more sense. One thing is certain: most cars last a long time these days. Get something you like because odds are you may be driving it for (almost) ever…
Still looking, but at least I’ve done several test drives. I’m leaning toward a Camry at the moment. I really liked the RAV4, too.
@psychmomma My parents have a Camry and they like it a lot. It’s a pretty reliable car. The design also looks really nice. If you do get a Camry, are you leaning to the sports edition or luxury edition?
I’ll admit to being curious about a moonroof, and leather would be useful, but I’m more interested in accident-free, clean title, and mileage. Saw a nice Camry yesterday that had a damage report but no accident report. Unfortunately, upon close inspection, the damage was detectable along one side, front to back, including a door that sounded “off” when you closed it. Buying used is taking a bit more time and legwork than new.
@psychmomma I always like buying new because I want the latest technology when it comes to safety. A moonroof isn’t that advisable unless you plan on using it a lot because it weakens the top of your car. I have a moonroof on my Subaru and it is hardly ever used. Leather is nice but I prefer seats that aren’t leather because they can get really hot.
Don’t forget the cost of car insurance.