So, after years of being a dedicated sedan driver I’m about to go to the dark side and get an SUV (probably means SUVs are about to go out of fashion!). H & I are getting decrepit and the height plus ease of getting in and out is a prime attraction. Plus he has started using a walker and I suspect a wheelchair is on the horizon so the storage (wrong word?) is important.
Started off thinking Hyundai Santa Fe cause we’ve been real happy with our Hyundai Sedan (160k miles with no repairs!) But got really turned off by the dealer (I have no patience for the silly games). Good thing as it slowed us down and we are taking time to look at different brands - Honda CRV, Mazda, Kia, Subaru etc.
Wants - comfort, good storage, good mileage, dependable.
I so love my Subaru Forester. My 84 year old mom can get in and out easily - not too low, not too high. The field of vision with the windshield is fantastic and something I really appreciate as my eyes get older! I also like that I sit up rather straight in the seat - very comfortable for long rides. With back seat folded down I would think there is good space for a wheelchair.
We love our 2009 CRV (115k problem-free miles so far). We had a much larger Acura MDX before that, and the 4 cylinder CRV does 90% of what the MDX did.
We bought it with the AAA buying service (I am addressing your problem with the dealer). We checked out cars with dealers and had mixed experiences, ranging from generally uncomfortable to awful, but at least we were able to see, touch and drive the cars. Then I did a lot of research to make sure I knew what a “good” price was. Then we called AAA and told him exactly what we wanted (EX-L, means leather interior, no navigation, the color my wife insisted on, and a roof rack). It’s hard to find the exact car you want at a dealer. They keep trying to sell you what they have on the lot. The AAA buying guy called all over 3 states and found our car. The price was really good - better than I think I could have negotiated at the dealer. He brought the car to my home. I wrote him a check. Easy peasy!
@abasket - my SIL has a Subaru and they love it. But the storage in the back is not big enough for the walker let alone a wheelchair (which really surprised me). Mostly folding down the seat is OK most of the time but there are occasions when we will need to fit it without folding the seat down. Theirs is smaller though, not the Forester. We will probably be having a look at it.
We have a Toyota mini-van. It is a bit larger than the SUV and easily stores one or two walkers plus people and luggage. It has been pretty reliable and is now 18 years old.
My mom and friend’s mom have difficulty getting in and out though my dad and friend’s dad are OK with getting in and out. I think it has to do with core muscle strength—neither woman has much and the men have a bit more.
The van could easily hold a wheelchair or two and walkers, as needs require. Some vans and SUVs can be outfitted with lifts to get people seated in wheelchairs up and down as well. Our neighbor has one such van.
@NJres - that’s good to know about AAA. I hate the process and get grumpy and cant wait to get out of there! I actually went to look at the outside of a CRV today (while dealer was closed ) - I did like the look of it.
A few years ago, we got our first bigger vehicle (after having sedans - small ones like a corolla - all our driving lives). It is a Toyota RAV4 and we like it very much. Lots of space for stuff (part of the motivation was not being able to fit all the stuff we were taking to school each September with our college kid.) Although it is big and high, I feel very comfortable driving it (I am short). It doesn’t drive like a big car in my opinion.
I would also consider tech on a new car. our two recent suburus have eyesight and that is old tech by now. If you only want height and room and you don’t need AWD, is an SUV really the only way?
I should have added that I do want one that drives more like a car. My husband has a big one ton truck (from back when we had an RV) - I can drive it if I have to - but I hate driving it!
I think that self driving car technology will be on board (if not in the infrastructure ) sooner rather than later, so my point is think about how long you want this car for, is it a significant expense to you? Is it likely you want it for more than 10 yrs? Should you consider used as a shorter term option until maybe the 2020’s?
We had the current car for almost 7 years - would hope the same for this one. Even looking at the current tech in vehicles is overwhelming for me - current vehicle was no frills at all.
) - I did like the look of it.