Help Us Decide 2019: GMC Terrain vs. Toyota RAV4 vs. Subaru Forester

[LoneRanger]

The quest for a new car to replace my wife's 150,000 mile 2008 RAV4 continues. Thought we had it narrowed to 2019 GMC Terrain but just can't dismiss two others that were totally redesigned for model year 2019: Toyota RAV4 and Subaru Forester. Our purchase pricing limit we need to keep no higher than $30,000 US. As discussed in the thread about the diesel GMC Terrain, her driving pattern is short trips around town. Work commute maybe 5 miles each way. Yes, that does seem to scream HYBRID!!! And the all new RAV4 can be found in hybrid form with AWD for less than 30k in LE trim and has become very interesting to us. She's not into gadgets and electronic aids so a base trim level isn't a deal killer. Both the Toyota and the Subaru offer their own brand of crash avoidance automatic braking and lane departure stuff as standard equipment (TSS and Eyesight), GMC does not. GMC offers HID headlights as standard, Subaru offers LED headlights as standard, but Toyota still only offers halogens on their low trim. Being 55 like me, her night driving vision may benefit from the brighter HID's or LED's, so that constitutes a safety consideration. Deals can be had on the GMC but not so much on the Forester. Our preference on body styling of all three is ranked in this order from favorite to least favorite: Terrain, Forester, RAV4. Decisions, decisions ...

 

[edvanp]

We love our Subaru (our 2nd outback)! Granted it's a 2018 Outback, but we are very happy with it. We test drove the Forester too and if it was my decision, I probably would have picked the Forester over the Outback, but it's her daily driver, so she picked.

 

[Trav]

The one with no CVT if possible and not GM. Toyota Rav would be my choice.

 

[Dinoburner]

Wife has a 16 Equinox with the LTZ package and 3.6 motor that has been great. Mileage is 20 to 22 mpg average with 26 MPG on level terrain 50 MPH average. BIL has a 17 RAV 4 4 cyl which does a little better maybe 3 MPG. Both are very pleasant to drive and similar in most aspects but the Chev is quieter on coarse pavement. My brothers Kia is very similar also with the v6 and is more comfortable. It really comes down to which one drives best to you.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

There are really only two choices there the RAV4 and the Forester.

 

[RooflessVW]

Out of your three choices, I'd pick the new Tiguan.

 

[Virtus_Probi]

Are you looking at AWD for all three models?

 

[HangFire]

Just a thought, Halogens give you flexibility, LED's are what they are, and they do fade over time, like every other lighting system. Refreshing them can be quite expensive. I would try each car at night, if lighting is really a priority, anyway. With all the short trips, I would not make MPG a priority. Range might be, if some long trips are a possibility, but MPG is not range, just a factor of range. If all else were truly equal, seat comfort would be my deciding factor.

 

[diyjake]

RAV4 would be my first choice no doubt about that and Forester would be my second choice. FYI you can always add aftermarket HID's to the RAV4 for about $150 for a high quality kit, they are fairly easy to install as well.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Due to the type of recalls Subaru has been issuing over the past couple of years I would head for Toyota.

Originally Posted by rooflessVW

Out of your three choices, I'd pick the new Tiguan.

Good choice if one wants to unload the vehicle at 4-5 years. Has VW fixed the issues with the 2.0 TSI ?

 

[IMPALA08]

If your doing a lot of short trips do not get a turbo engine.

 

[jhs914]

If the GMC has the 8 speed transmission (and I think it does) be aware that the GM 8 speed has been problematic in everything they put it in, from Corvettes to pickup trucks. The problem has been torque converter clutch shudder at light load. They are on their third different transmission fluid which is supposed to be the permanent fix. I have the 8 speed in a GMC Canyon and have had a new torque converter, and two different ATF changes, all under warranty. All is good for now with the latest ATF flush. Only time will tell if the fix is permanent. My suggestion: RAV4. Sounds like the hybrid is what you need.

 

[atikovi]

Forester. Ugly. RAV4. Butt ugly. Decision made.

 

[addyguy]

RAV4.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Nissan Rogue? Mazda CX-5?

 

[oil_film_movies]

Hybrid RAV4 is awesome. AWD with an electric motor in the back. It's not quite as ugly as before either, a Toy rarity. Truecar.com as it as low as $27k out the door. If you get one, post review it for us please. In town, it should get 42 MPG. --------- I do like the other two choices, although, I gotta say the Terrain-Equinox 1.5T's hesitation turbo lag off the line is annoying as heck. I've got an '18 Equinox 1.5T, <span style="font-style: italic">love it</span> except for every time leaving a stoplight!

 

[CharBaby]

We can't decide for you, you've gotta drive them all to see what features such as driver seat & passenger comfort level, outward viability, ride & sound insulation, NVH, interior room(rear seats vs cargo room) that meets your needs or checks the most boxes for YOU. All are good choices but, one will peak your sensations & needs just that little bit more than the others. I have driven most of them in this category(CR-V, RAV, Forester, CX-5, Rogue, Equinox/Terrain & others) and I think that the GM's(Equinox/Terrain) feel the most grownup even if their interiors are less premium. The CX-5 feels the most premium, the CR-V is very well rounded and the RAV4 & Forester feel cheap(er) even though all have made great strides in refinement, grownup-ness, MPG & more premium features...splitting hairs maybe. I don't care what the PRESS says, as most of them are gear heads and base too much on test track numbers...a curiosity at most. I'm not looking for the most well rounded vehicle in class. I want the one that caters most to my personal likes, more than it does in other areas. That's the one I want! For example, the CR-V may be the most well rounded. Meaning that it does everything well and nothing poorly. But, it doesn't do anything in particular GREAT! I want a vehicle that does GREAT in areas that I value the most, and everything else can just be good. That's what I call the perfect vehicle for me. You have to do the same.

 

[diyjake]

Another vehicle I would look at is Mazda CX-5, mazda has been heading in the right direction and makes some some vehicles.

 

[RooflessVW]

Originally Posted by BMWTurboDzl

Originally Posted by rooflessVW

Out of your three choices, I'd pick the new Tiguan.

Good choice if one wants to unload the vehicle at 4-5 years. Has VW fixed the issues with the 2.0 TSI ?

6yr/72k mile bumper-to-bumper. Why unload it in 4? And yes. For years now. And they weren't as bad as the internet makes them seem to begin with.

 

[CT8]

find the most reliable one drive it then if good buy it.