Battle of the small SUV's

[NightFlight]

So, fuel economy, luxury, sportiness, who will dominate in the crossover SUV market. My two big ones right now are the Audi Q5 and Mercedes GLK. Always been a huge Audi fan, and the Q5 is no exception, but i'll have to say, that GLK is pretty BA. What do you all think, or will the Cayenne Turbo and Range Rover still pull in all the buyers?

If I had to choose, my list would go something like this:

1. Acura RDX
2. MB GLK
3. Volvo XC60
4. BMW X3
5. Audi Q5

The RDX is the best value out of that group, and it is the most reliable and best performing.

I'll never buy anything that VW AG has had a hand in designing or manufacturing. Four VW products where I work have been lemoned and I have multiple friends who have horror stories as well.

My mom had an X3. It turned out to be a lemon. The only good thing I could say about it was excellent seats. The electronics were completely messed up on it as well as the engine. It had to go back. We replaced it with a Touareg which has been a reliability nightmare, thank god for warranties.

My point exactly.

What do you want from a "best small SUV"?

If you're considering price, then the Hyundai Tucson is an excellent value, although it looks a bit poo.


I think the worst is the Honda CRV, but only because it's so ugly. As a small SUV, I'm sure it's a decent ride, but wow is that an ugly car.

The Hyundai Tucson is the most outdated vehicle in its class. It gets awful fuel mileage from a V6 that has less horsepower than some of its four cylinder competition.

The Honda CR-V has been America's best selling SUV for two years in a row now.

I also don't like that the CRV really increased in size. It's not a particularly small SUV anymore like the original.

It is actually SMALLER than the last generation CR-V. How has it grown in size???

You might want to check the stats...

I never got the whole SUV craze, overweight behemoth which I can't see behind/can't park in half the parking spaces. If someone gave me something like an escalade I would sell it.

Not all SUVs are huge or overweight.

 

[ErikCLDR]

I never got the whole SUV craze, overweight behemoth which I can't see behind/can't park in half the parking spaces. If someone gave me something like an escalade I would sell it.

Well it depends on what your needs are. If you have 3 kids and you need room for them and all of their gear it makes a great car, especially if you go on vacations and what not. Pretty much everyone here I know has at least 1 SUV in their fleet because of the snow. Yes, a FWD sedan can do alright in the snow especially with Traction Contol but when you get to the end of your driveway with a 3ft wall of snow you won't be able to get through it in a 2wd sedan.

--

I saw a GLK on the highway for the first time. It looked pretty nice however I think the wheels appear disproportionally large. Usually larger wheels look better but I think 18"s or 17"s would be fine on the GLK.

 

[Counterfit]

Yes, a FWD sedan can do alright in the snow especially with Traction Contol but when you get to the end of your driveway with a 3ft wall of snow you won't be able to get through it in a 2wd sedan.

Perhaps not, but I know AWD sedan + snow tires = winter win.

 

[Tomorrow]

Most people can't afford to have a car that is not their daily driver and is only for "every now and then." So, they buy an SUV that they only use to its capacity every now and then.

+1. I'd love to have a Scion xB (I need the headroom) to make the commute to work M-F and keep the SUV for weekends, but that just isn't an option. So during the week I drive it to work and on the weekends my family gets around town in it.

Yeah, you can't fit a ton in the trunk, but how often do most families fill their trunk?

You and many others might be surprised. Hardly a weekend goes by we don't fill or nearly fill the back of my SUV, usually with groceries and other shopped-for items but also with no telling what else.

Most people all over the world manage without huge SUVs, why should the U.S. be any different?

This argument doesn't seem to make much sense - millions of people all over the world manage without running water, health care, electricity, or even a steady supply of food. I don't take that to mean that others should feel guilty for having more, or intentionally do without when they don't have to.

At the same time, buying a huge SUV that you never have a use for isn't necessarily wrong, but it is kinda dumb. In my case, there are hardly any vehicles out there that I can ride in without my head scraping the headliner - the only ones I've found so far are full-size trucks, full-size SUV's, some (not all) minivans, and Crown Victorias (taxis, not police cruisers). I'm hoping I can "try on" and fit comfortably in an xB someday.

 

[SactoGuy18]

One SUV I am definitely looking forward to--if Toyota gets around to doing it!--is the RAV4 fitted with the current 2AR 2.5-liter I-4 engine and the new six-speed automatic, like I said earlier. With the 6AT, the RAV4 could get over 30 mpg (2WD) or approaching 30 mpg (4WD) on the EPA 2008 highway test.

I would not be surprised that Toyota shows such a model at the New York Auto Show in April 2009.

 

[NightFlight]

One SUV I am definitely looking forward to--if Toyota gets around to doing it!--is the RAV4 fitted with the current 2AR 2.5-liter I-4 engine and the new six-speed automatic, like I said earlier. With the 6AT, the RAV4 could get over 30 mpg (2WD) or approaching 30 mpg (4WD) on the EPA 2008 highway test.

I would not be surprised that Toyota shows such a model at the New York Auto Show in April 2009.

I'd be more excited if they improved the awful interior of the current generation RAV4. They really cheaped out on the plastics and interior materials. I also can't stand the dash layout. The fabric on the seats of the Sport model remind me of bathing suit netting...