Article Comments: Small AWD SUVs Comparison

151 messages, Last post on Mar 30, 2007 at 4:39 PM

You are in the SUVs Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & tidester

What is this discussion about? Mazda CX-7, Toyota RAV4, Hyundai Santa Fe, SUV

Article comments for Comparison Test: Small All-Wheel-Drive SUVs - We've gathered three such vehicles for this comparison: the all-new 2006 Toyota RAV4, the 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe and the 2007 Mazda CX-7. It'd be uncomplicated to call these three "mini SUVs," but when they're loosely based on midsize sedans Toyota Camry, Hyundai Sonata and Mazda 6, it'd be more correct to call them midsize crossovers. (more)

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#27 of 151 Re: Cute Utes [vbbuilt] by steve_ HOST Aug 30, 2006 (10:29 am)
Replying to: vbbuilt (Aug 30, 2006 10:27 am) Should be fixed; there's some live tweaking going on with CarSpace right now. Replies to this message: vbbuilt (Aug 30, 2006 10:59 am) steve_ (Aug 30, 2006 11:07 am)
#28 of 151 Re: Cute Utes [astegman] by tinycadon Aug 30, 2006 (10:52 am)
Replying to: astegman (Aug 30, 2006 9:56 am) I drive an Xterra now, and while there are some females that do also, the majority of owners are male, it fits my needs and what I use it for (outdoors stuff), plus I'll never get the feeling I'm driving the Cabriolet of SUVs. Clearly there are cars that females gravitate towards, Jettas, Escapes, Miatas, etc.... Why that is, who knows and who cares, it's just a fact, they do, and suv's tend to attract more women because they want the higher driving view, the safer vehicle fallacy, whatever it is, it just is what it is. So when I see Mazda SPECIFICALLY targeting the women in a commercial that not only targets women, but emasculates the two guys who thought some rugged macho man would drive off, guess what, bye bye. So your husband likes it, good for him, but Mazda is geared towards a younger crowd and like it or not, younger people are a lot more status conscious, or is that just a figment of my imagination also, yuppies don't exist? Say what you want, but all I did was throw it out there and the men got "super sensitive." Time will tell who the majority of the vehicle buyers will be, zoom zoom or zuum zuum. And the host's Toyota reference, that made absolutely NO sense, I'm sure you were trying to make some kind of male/female point, but it was so abject it lost its meaning??? Replies to this message: tidester (Aug 30, 2006 11:03 am) tinycadon (Aug 30, 2006 11:29 am) astegman (Aug 30, 2006 11:08 am) steve_ (Aug 30, 2006 11:10 am) tinycadon (Aug 30, 2006 11:31 am) vbbuilt (Aug 30, 2006 11:22 am) wjbushsr (Aug 30, 2006 1:57 pm) and 9 more... fonefixer (Oct 11, 2006 8:56 am) wjbushsr (Aug 30, 2006 11:16 am) tinycadon (Aug 30, 2006 11:33 am)
#29 of 151 Re: Cute Utes [steve_] by vbbuilt Aug 30, 2006 (10:59 am)
Replying to: steve_ (Aug 30, 2006 10:29 am) I'm impressed, you are indeed versatile. I'll bet your significant other is glad to have you! Now, how do you incorporate the CX-7 logo? Vince. Replies to this message: steve_ (Aug 30, 2006 11:07 am)
#30 of 151 Re: Cute Utes [tinycadon] by tidester HOST Aug 30, 2006 (11:03 am)
Replying to: tinycadon (Aug 30, 2006 10:52 am) but it was so abject it lost its meaning??? To paraphrase Lee Iacocca, if you can find a more masculine car, buy it! tidester, host Replies to this message: tinycadon (Aug 30, 2006 11:29 am)
#31 of 151 Re: Cute Utes [vbbuilt] by steve_ HOST Aug 30, 2006 (11:07 am)
Replying to: vbbuilt (Aug 30, 2006 10:59 am) Circles, like the Mazda logo, are hard; I leave the fancy stuff to my wife. I have more fun just cranking out the simple rugs and there's less math involved. I did make a rug that looks like a section of highway one time, but I don't have a scanned photo of it. I do have a soft spot for Toyota because of this.
#32 of 151 Re: Cute Utes [tinycadon] by astegman Aug 30, 2006 (11:08 am)
Replying to: tinycadon (Aug 30, 2006 10:52 am) Mazda is geared towards a younger crowd Just FYI, I am 44 years old. I'm definitely not a yuppie, because I'm not "young" and I'm not "urban." I am a professional, however, having obtained a law degree in 1987. That's just the lawyer in me, always needing to clarify! Old habits die hard. Certainly yuppies do still exist...I think...I don't know, I moved out of NYC 13 years ago! I really knew very little about Mazda prior to buying my CX-7. I still don't...haven't a clue about most of their other models, and don't care. This car fit my needs, appealed to me aesthetically, and was soooo much less expensive than buying a new Lexus RX. I loaded mine up with all the bells and whistles (expect satellite radio; not sure yet)and paid so much less than if I'd purchased another Lexus. Clearly there are cars that females gravitate towards, Jettas, Escapes, Miatas Oddly, the handful of folks I know who drove Miatas were all male. But that was a long time ago, when they first came out. Maybe the demographics have changed? More broadly,to everyone out there, does anyone know who buys more cars, men or women? Are there more women in the U.S. these days than men? I've lost track of stats like that. Is it generally perceived that women have less money at hand than men? I guess that might affect who a car maker wants to attract? But that's off topic. Sorry. Replies to this message: steve_ (Aug 30, 2006 11:10 am) tinycadon (Aug 30, 2006 11:31 am) vbbuilt (Aug 30, 2006 11:22 am) wjbushsr (Aug 30, 2006 1:57 pm) vbbuilt (Aug 30, 2006 2:44 pm) and 8 more... fonefixer (Oct 11, 2006 8:56 am)
#33 of 151 Re: Cute Utes [astegman] by steve_ HOST Aug 30, 2006 (11:10 am)
Replying to: astegman (Aug 30, 2006 11:08 am) Women either buy or influence the purchase of 85 percent of all new cars and trucks sold in the United States today. (2001 Edmunds article) Replies to this message: tinycadon (Aug 30, 2006 11:31 am)
#34 of 151 Re: Cute Utes [tinycadon] by wjbushsr Aug 30, 2006 (11:16 am)
Replying to: tinycadon (Aug 30, 2006 10:52 am) Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the Cabriolet mean its a convertible? Plus, you realize that the Corvette, the ultimate chick magnet was originally targeted towards the feamle buyer? Or that Ford and GM both decided in the late 80's to begin making their trucks more car like to appease the female buyer? The point I'm making is if we were to follow your "logic", then buds would all drive trucks, and the gals would only drive sedans or wagons. By the way; I see more Xterras on the road in Houston being driven by young women. I'll call the used car department and let them know you're on your way to trade the frilly little thing in... Replies to this message: tinycadon (Aug 30, 2006 11:33 am)
#35 of 151 Re: Cute Utes [astegman] by vbbuilt Aug 30, 2006 (11:22 am)
Replying to: astegman (Aug 30, 2006 11:08 am) You gotta get the XM Radio! So much better than FM, uninterrupted listening where ever you go and 99% of the time, commercial free! Of course, I got mine factory installed along with the tech package. Whole thing is tightly integrated with the Nav System and the Bose 9 speakers! The whole thing rocks when the volume is cranked. Vince. Replies to this message: wjbushsr (Aug 30, 2006 1:57 pm) vbbuilt (Aug 30, 2006 2:44 pm) sssfegy (Aug 30, 2006 5:04 pm) miamitami (Sep 01, 2006 3:41 am) and 4 more... fonefixer (Oct 11, 2006 8:59 am) and 1 more...
#36 of 151 Height by astegman Aug 30, 2006 (11:26 am)
I will agree with tinycadon on one point; I definitely like being higher up while driving. As an adult driver, I've driven the following: an ancient Jeep Wagoneer (bought used 2 months after our wedding; thought by our mechanic to have spent time underwater, but that's another story); 2 Chevy Blazers (1997 and 2000); a Lexus RX300; and now the CX-7. I am so used to being elevated that I feel uncomfortable driving or being a passenger in a typical sedan. Prior to his Forrester, my husband had a Saturn (the 2nd year they came out), and I always felt that my rear was just a few inches from hitting the pavement! And when I was pregnant, it took a crane to get me out of that Saturn...just not a pretty sight! My very , very first car, as a 16-year old with a sparkling new license in 1978, was a 1965 Mustang convertible. Was that considered a chick car? Was the Blazer? These "trends" are meaningless to me. If the car is what I need/want, I get it. Why would I be influenced otherwise? So we females buy/influence the purchase of 85% of vehicles?? WOW! Had no idea. Love this whole website, you learn so much. Edited to add: Vince, I am seriously considering the Satellite radio. I drive 45+ minutes each way to work and MUST have music every moment (except if the Mets are on). How much is it? Is it a monthly charge, or do you pay up front for a determined period of time? Replies to this message: vbbuilt (Aug 30, 2006 11:39 am) srdriver (Dec 09, 2006 2:54 pm)