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SUVs Crossover SUV Comparison
7122 messages, Last post on Nov 09, 2009 at 1:24 PM
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Replying to: azerafan (Aug 31, 2008 5:53 pm) I'd go for the Rav4 if you want the excellent, high fuel economy, 3.5L V6 with 6-speed automatic, since it has great acceleration and smoothness. If you go 4-cylinder, the Subaru is my choice. There is one thing about the SantaFe that is great: its long warranty period. All good choices, so just get the one that is most economically sensible to you, the cheapest.
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Replying to: coldcranker (Sep 01, 2008 4:18 pm) I don't see the big mileage difference Forester X gets 20/26 Rav4 - 6 gets 19/26 Forester XT 19/24 Seems a dead heat really unless you are driving very high mileage. There is no doubt that the V6 and 5EAT in the Toyo are a very smooth combination. If it is only about FE and you don't need AWD then the FWD Rav becomes an even better option. If you really need AWD the Subaru set-up is much smoother in loose traction than the Rav. Another thing to consider is the Rav's swing gate. Will you be doing much loading of the trunk while parallel parked? If so, I'd avoid it like the plague. Not such a big deal if you are always in a parking lot situation, but it is still heavy, and my boys couldn't reliably close it. We know folks who own the Rav and love the vehicle with the exception of the hatch.
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Replying to: elizabeth15 (Aug 31, 2008 7:40 pm) Square front cup holders are very dumb but the vehicle has given me several pleasant surprises: * mileage better than expected * throttle/engine is responsive with no lag at all * LED lighting in center bin, console, and even rear cup holders * both lights and radio fade out rather than cutting off abruptly * cruise control says "cruise" and "cruise set" so no guessing * fade the dash lights and the trip computer and radio also fade, nice * steering wheel has all audio and cruise buttons, even a mute button * hood struts lift the hood for you We liked it when we bought it but since then every week or so I discover one new feature that I like that I didn't even know about. Dislikes: 1. square cup holders are made for another planet, where drinks come in square cups. 2. passenger seat is too low, basically matches the driver's seat at the very lowest setting. 3. It's not mine. It's my wife's.  I'd ask for a 5th ratio but to be brutally honest this transmissions is actually better then the 5EAT in our Sienna, which is the same powertrain the RAV4 gets. Subaru is now selling a diesel Forester in europe with a 6 speed manual - sweeeet! |
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Replying to: azerafan (Aug 31, 2008 5:53 pm) All the Santa Fe needs is a more fuel efficient drivetrain and it would have made my short list for sure. For us gas mileage was high on our list and that knocked it out, but there's not much else to complain about. Warranty is a plus. In Brazil Hyundai sells these for more than $90,000 USD and people happily pay that much, so it's a great value with USA pricing. Just get a gas card that has rebates. The RAV4 has arguably the best powertrain, at least on paper. I like the 2GR-FE engine enough that I bought a Sienna with that mill. The transmission is only good, though, not great, with no manual controls. I found visibility was poor while backing up. You can get one without the spare on the tailgate, but that forces in to the miserable Run Flats that give Sienna owners nightmares. Plus - that tail gate still opens the wrong way, blocking any curb side loading. This is pure cost cutting because it's the correct way in their home market. Best engine but I was shopping for a complete vehicle, not just a great V6. Forester was our choice. Right away people will say the 4EAT is a con, but honestly, it's better than our Sienna's automatic, plus SportShift gives you manual control. It is smaller than the Santa Fe and RAV4. Visibility is best in class, and so is mileage for the 4 banger. The XT is very quick but prefers premium fuel, and while it's technically not required I think you should just get the base engine if you really want a low fuel bill. PZEV is an option and you gain 5hp, plus you can actually still get a manual transmission, the only 1 of the 3 that offers one, with the base engine. Bottom line - I felt the Forester is the best compact crossover, period. RAV4 and Santa Fe both try to act big, or at least mid-sized, offering tiny little 3rd rows, but in all honestly if you really need 3 rows you'll be better served by the bigger crossovers often discussed here (CX9, Lambdas, etc.) |
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Replying to: volkov (Sep 02, 2008 9:39 am) Forester X gets 20/26 Rav4 - 6 gets 19/26 Forester XT 19/24 " The point is that you get the fuel economy with the performance in the V6 Rav4. Getting a 4-banger in the sluggish Forrester makes you feel cheated on fuel economy compared to the V6 Rav4.
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Replying to: coldcranker (Sep 02, 2008 11:13 am) The RAV4 V6 will have plenty of reserve power, so if the buyer plans to haul a big payload or tow a trailer, it will be the better choice. We have that exact same V6 in our van.
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Replying to: ateixeira (Sep 02, 2008 11:28 am)
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Replying to: coldcranker (Sep 02, 2008 11:33 am) It's other parts of the vehicle that I had issues with. Poor rear visibility. Look at the massive D-pillar, and high rear window. Wrong-way rear gate blocks the curb (duh!). Spare on the rear blocks the view even more, and even for 2009 to get rid of those you have to accept an even bigger problem - run-flats. This poor guy is the latest victim: http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.ee93e3c/8568 The RAV4's interior is also half a step behind the others in its class, and well behind the Sienna IMHO. Plus when you evaluate the handling, body roll, AWD system, etc, that's where Subaru really wins. Who was it, Lotus? One of those exotic brands is building a new car and they are using the 2GR-FE V6 engine. That's no surprise. In the RAV4, it's a great engine looking for a better host vehicle.
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Replying to: ateixeira (Sep 02, 2008 11:43 am)
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Replying to: coldcranker (Sep 02, 2008 12:24 pm) Toyota simply puts a priority on isolation and comfort. Period. The job of the suspension is to absorb bumps and keep the vehicle on its intended path, quietly. Isolation is a priority over feedback, so the steering is novacaine-numb. I like my Sienna but I'll admit, the steering has less feedback than my Nintendo Wii Remote. Seriously. None. Some critics say it's too light, that's actuall not true - it is well weighted. It's just not connected, the feel. Like you operate a joystick or a video game, one without the force feedback feature. This is good in some ways - you don't feel jolts, speed bumps, irregularities in the road. This can reduce fatigue. Your passengers nap peacefully in quiet comfort. Ok, what do you trade-off for that quiet isolation? Feel and feedback. You can't tell when the tires are about to break traction, they just do, then the intrusive traction control nanny raises the red flag and ends the party. There will be no exceeding this limit, and we're not going to tell you where it is, nor when you are getting close. That's the best way I can put it. Funny thing is, ultimately they do handle well, albeit with more lean. Grip is fine. It's just you have no feedback to know what the tires are doing. True for the brakes as well, even for the throttle-by-wire for that matter. That's just how Toyotas are. Isolated. Basically think BMW-style feedback, where you can see the limits coming, even feel the texture of the road, then think the exact opposite. That's Toyota. Note that in the C&D comparo the Sienna actually matched the lateral grip of the Odyssey, but read the text of the article and you'd never know. Sorry if my explanation is hard to understand. A Toyota can be driven fast, perhaps even just as fast as car B, but it will not really reward you with driving fun the way a (insert your favorite car here) will. So, why did I get one? Because the Sienna is a phenomenal vehicle for the other 7 passengers. Plus you don't drive your family vehicle the way you'd drive a BMW.
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