I’m driving a 2007 Highlander that is currently worth around $3k. I would buy the exact same car for this price right now if I needed one.
I always had a truck and then $4 gas hit with a 75 mile/day commute. I got a Subaru Outback. It wasn’t bad but once you have a large truck/SUV it’s tough to go back. Even a small truck like a Tacoma isn’t the same. That’s always the trade-off. Size and comfort vs gas mileage. There’s really no good compromise. If you pick gas mileage get a small car like a Civic and be done with it.
I think KIA and Hyundai have upped their game in recent years. A used Toyota like a Camry, RAV or Highlander is usually a good choice. You might be able to find a higher mileage Lexus350. These cars typically hit 200k miles with proper maintenance. You’re lucky you don’t live in the rust belt…
Lol. Great minds think alike. I was about to recommend looking at a Highlighter! Very roomy and seems to have a better gas mileage than OP’s SUV.
I’ll 3rd the Highlander recommendation, especially the hybrid version. Outstanding vehicle.
Toyota Highlander Generations:
2014-2019 Highlander (3rd Generation) …
2008-2013 Highlander (2nd Generation) …
2001-2007 Highlander (1st Generation)
Wife has a Highlander. It’s a solid ride for the price. It’s no Acura MDX which is what it replaced but also cost a lot less. Friend has a Highlander and it’s pushing 200K miles and still looks good.
You mentioned your dad … does he live close enough to help you shop? Dads like that sort of thing (at least my hubby does!). And… perhaps you’ll find he is in the mood to sell you his car (and buy one himself), to help you out.
My parents do live close, and my Dad did go with me one Saturday and will go with me to check out anything that I am considering. He can be a little negative, finding something wrong with everything but will help as much as possible.
As far as him buying a car, they just finished paying off their 2015 equinox and don’t plan on ever buying another vehicle if possible. They are both retired and have pretty much nothing other than social security benefits so they can’t afford to be buying new cars either. At 79 years old he is also getting to the point of not being able to work on the cars(which he has always done) for much longer.
Does your dad live close enough to help you make the big grocery or whatever runs with his Equinox? If so, that would enable you to get something for day to day use that gets better mileage and can be used for regular shopping.
They do live close but that wouldn’t work on a regular basis. My Mother and Dad don’t even go together most of the time, unless they are just going out to eat. He has his places he likes to go and she has hers, eating out is one of the few things they do together. My mother is actually the one that drives the equinox, she let me borrow it the night I had to have the Yukon towed because I had a new job that I didn’t need to miss and it was too late to do anything else but she wasn’t happy about it. They are not selfish and have helped us a ton over the years but they have had to work very hard for everything they have ever had(never had good paying jobs) and try to take good care of their stuff because they can’t afford to replace it.
My dad is 79 and my mother is about to be 72, it’s really time that I learn to take care of things myself and not depend on them, other than asking advice.
I am really torn on what things to give up, because I obviously can’t have everything I would like in my price range.
My dad knows a lot about cars and is the only person I have that I can trust to check out anything I am considering buying, but he has me so confused. He says to stay away from Nissan because of their variable transmission, I think that is what it is called. Avoid V6’s made by GM because they have had a lot of problems. Absolutely stay clear of things like Mercedes and BMW because you can’t find anybody to work on them and repairs cost a fortune. Stay away from anything with high miles or too old. I swear it seems like there is some problem with everything.
For most, there is no perfect car. Decide what is important to YOU and research cars that met your requirements. Likely there will be trade offs. Look at Consumer Reports (not perfect but okay as a guide) for reliability data.
I am going through this with my daughter. Your dad is just trying to help you avoid a money pit. A quick search on the web will tell you if it’s good advice.
Online reviews can be helpful. However consider the source. A review written by a performance car magazine judges very differently than a review by Consumer Reports or Edmunds.
The Mazda CX-9 that I liked sold. I was a bit sad but I guess that made the decision for me. My dad had some major reservations about it, so even though I liked it I was very uneasy about buying it.
What do you think about Mazda CX-5 2016 Grand Touring? I found a couple at a dealership in Tennessee, about 3 hours away. They are both certified pre-owned which offers a warranty. The look to be mostly the same except color, and one has 68,309 miles and is $15,490. The other has 44,083 miles and is $16,990. They are the grand touring so have leather seats, also has heated seats. I do like the larger size of the slightly bigger one but the gas mileage is a lot better on the 4 cylinder and my Dad thinks it would be a better choice. Only thing my kids wanted that I don’t think they have is 2nd row air vents.
I’d give the 2016 1/2 Mazda CX-5 a thumbs up! ?
The 2016 model was released “mid year” so it’s considered a 2016 1/2. If it were me I’d opt for a 2017 or later, which allowed Mazda to correct any issues, since typically you would want to stay away from a new or refreshed model. But a 2016 1/2 is great car.
^^^same. If no added features I would get the one with less miles. You get like 24,000 less for $1500 so that is a good savings to me. Grand tourings are nice and drive more like a car
I did a search for 2017 but they seemed to be about $5,000 more which put them out of my range. Honestly I think I like the look of the 2016 better before they changed the exterior. The only thing I was unsure about on the one with less miles is the interior color, it is gray exterior with black interior. The other one is dark blue exterior with tan interior. Of course my 19 year old was like “heck yeah, I’d get black leather interior” but I’m not sure if I want black interior.
Black leather = hot seats in the summer.
One of the cars that I own is blue exterior and tan interior. It’s a classic Ferrari look. I also have a black leather interior car. Black leather, assuming it’s leather, is hot in the sun, but it’ll show less dirt too. And you can always add seat covers.
I like blue/tan, but that’s me.
We owned a car with tan leather seats…pita to keep clean. Black leather is much more forgiving but will get much hotter in the sun. Grey cars don’t show dirt easily. Blue ones do! 
But I am still a fan of blue.
I have seen this combination in the Mazda. It’s very nice looking.
Get a towel to put on the seats in the warmer weather.
The CX5 is a terrific car. If I had decided to get an SUV, that would have been my choice.