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

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My wife loves her 2016 Escape which now has 32K and has been totally trouble free (only back to the dealer once for an AC vent issue that turned out to be very minor fix). There should be very good deals with a new version coming out....Very good MPG's too....
 
Originally Posted by JeffKeryk
And remember the Toyota and Subie will be worth more on the other end.


Good point. True.
 
Originally Posted by LoneRanger


We don't consider the snub-tail styles like the CX-5 to be SUV's. It's a tall car, reminiscent of the Cozy Coupe's toddlers push around with their feet.

We want traditional layout that actually has some cargo space behind the rear seats, not the snub-tail jobs that the rear seat head rests are practically touching the back glass. Snub-tail styling just looks ridiculous to us. Ford Edge, Fiat 500, come to mind also as snub-tails.



My CX-5 has 24" from headrest to rear window. My Outback has 30". The Outback has less legroom. Neither one is a cozy coupe.
 
My choice would be the Toyota with their good reputation of reliability. However, these days with nascent technologies lies the conundrum of choice - GDI, CVT, DCT, 6+AT, etc. - on what's more reliable and/or cheaper in the long run.

I would put the Hyundai Kona on your shopping list. Although relatively new, it may allay some of the aforementioned concerns and can be had at an unbeatable price.
 
Originally Posted by JeffKeryk
And remember the Toyota and Subie will be worth more on the other end.


Terrains do pretty good at holding their value.

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I don't think a hybrid makes sense. It doesn't sound like she drives all that much, which is the worst case for a hybrid.

In my area the hybrid is about $4,000 more.

At 15,000 miles a year, the standard RAV4 gets 30 mpg, which is $1500 a year in gas at $3 a gallon.
The hybrid version at 40 mpg would cost $1125 a year in gas.
It would take 10.6 years just to break even on the purchase price before a penny is saved. Then factor in its harder to work on, could be more costly for a mechanic to work on with more complicated electrics, and someday it'll probably need a battery if you keep it long enough. If the battery died at 15 years, you have to reset the clock to an extent to try to start saving money.
 
Originally Posted by rooflessVW
Out of your three choices, I'd pick the new Tiguan.


Me too but that wasn't on the list and with all the VW hate on this forum its kind of pointless.
 
Of those 3, I'd get the Subaru or Toyota. My father in law, while it was the older Terrain, had nothing but problems with it. Got rid of it right around 80k. Timing chain, piston rings, etc.
 
And too, what are car companies doing with their front seat comfort?
I read/ watch so many reviews about how comfortable the seats are and my wife & I couldn't disagree more.

She's 5'1"@105 lbs while I am only 5'10"@170 lbs. With the exception of very few vehicles, we both think that even Lexus are starting to suck. Almost every vehicle we climb into, the seats feel narrow & pinched.

We can't seem to find our comfort level even after multiple adjustments. And these new front seats have even more adjustments to fuss with. Gee, you'd think the opposite would apply.
 
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Guy here has a '19 Terrain and said it fit him well on long trips - this is the smallest thing he has ever owned (still has 3500 D-Max, Yukon) ... I'd put him at 6'-3" and 240ish ...
 
Originally Posted by LoneRanger
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Well that disappeared quickly. If you want a box on wheels then the GM is for you.
 
Plusses for the Subaru are best AWD system (if you need it) and 100,000 miles warranty on the CVT. CVT is now rock solid.
 
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We drove a 2019 GMC Terrain SLE with the base 1.5 liter GDI turbo this afternoon and loved it. We drove a 2019 RAV4 XLE today and didn't like it. She has previously driven a 2019 Subaru Forester limited (friend had it as service dept loaner) and she liked it. But the money is looking right on the GMC. Lots of incentives from GM. None from Subaru. Plus, we both like the blocky truck like looks of the GMC better. Keep in mind (see sig) I'm a Subaru owner, but I not a fanboy type either and so have to say I like the Terrain better at this point. My Forester will of course remain with us to pull snowed-in weather duty as needed (beast in the snow). Plus my Subaru only has 66,000 miles. It's a keeper.

For her, we are strongly leaning toward the GMC Terrain at this point. I was surprised how smooth it drove and how solid it felt. Power was more than adequate for her driving as well. It felt like a bigger vehicle than it is. Nice substantial feel on the Interstate beltway loop around the city today. Felt good and capable in stop and go traffic in town as well. Did notice a fractional delay once due to the engine stop/start technology. But did not notice the turbo lag that some here have reported on the 1.5 engine. Blows my mind that a 1.5 can motivate this car as well as it did. GM has done a good job with the Terrain and by relation, the Equinox too I guess (same platform).
 
Well, we spent about a thousand miles with a rental RAV while the Forester was undergoing collision repair and wife and I would both recommend the Forester without hesitation.
The GM product?
Well, between two dead vehicle warranty tows and a couple of recalls, the 2018 half ton V-6 at work hasn't been a standout for reliability in the ten months we've had it in the fleet.
Wish we'd gotten a Ford instead.
GM still seems to have problems with design and build quality after all these years.
This may be the reason that Ford has utterly destroyed GM in pickup truck sales over the past five years while even Dodge has beaten them recently.
That the actual retail on this GM CUV is so cheap in a market clamoring for CUVs should tell you something.
 
Originally Posted by fdcg27
Well, we spent about a thousand miles with a rental RAV while the Forester was undergoing collision repair and wife and I would both recommend the Forester without hesitation.
The GM product?
Well, between two dead vehicle warranty tows and a couple of recalls, the 2018 half ton V-6 at work hasn't been a standout for reliability in the ten months we've had it in the fleet.
Wish we'd gotten a Ford instead.
GM still seems to have problems with design and build quality after all these years.
This may be the reason that Ford has utterly destroyed GM in pickup truck sales over the past five years while even Dodge has beaten them recently.
That the actual retail on this GM CUV is so cheap in a market clamoring for CUVs should tell you something.


Subaru hardly has a stellar reputation for reliability. Of course they can't be that bad since there are many happy owners just like with GM.
 
Repair history on my Forester, in order of occurrence:

- Ignition coil failure @ 37,000 miles approx; technically out of warranty but covered under goodwill by Subaru
- Catalytic converter failure @ 37,000 miles approx; result of coil failure dumping fuel into exhaust or whatever, covered under goodwill or federal emissions warranty forget how they wrote it up.
- Transmission bearing failure in progress around 42,000 miles. Took it in for whirring noise in trans increasing in magnitude. Had to drop trans to repair. Not cheap.
- Recall on ECU: forget when maybe around 40K miles, emissions related recall. Re-flash of ECU with new software
- Brake lines corrosion check recall: not too long ago maybe 2017. Inspect brake lines, replace if necessary, coat with anti-corrosion product.
- Rear output shaft seal failure: December 2018 around 64,000 miles. Lost 1 qt trans oil out rear shaft seal on 80 mile highway trip on Christmas day coming/going wife's family gathering
- Rear output shaft seal failure: CURRENT TIME (Now) 66,000 miles. It's leaking again at rear shaft seal on trans, have to take back in for a do-over (on their dime this time). Must have been a bad replacement part or poor install.

All above work performed by Subaru dealership.


What was it you were saying about Subaru reliability? Agreed !!

I love my Foz, but it by no means has been repair free. By no means. I expect the GMC might present some problems here and there down the line. I think virtually every brand does anymore. Complexity of all the tech stuffed into them I suppose? Murphy's law and all that?
 
I know this is probably outside your search scope, I've rented a number of AWD GMC Acadia's with the V6. I very much like the way they drive, the comfort, the excellent HP, and the MPG is always better than I expect.
 
Originally Posted by 4WD
Guy here has a '19 Terrain and said it fit him well on long trips - this is the smallest thing he has ever owned (still has 3500 D-Max, Yukon) ... I'd put him at 6'-3" and 240ish ...


My buddy as an Equinox and my SIL has the Terrain and both are quite good for seat comfort IMO.

I have been very disappointed in many newer vehicles as far as front seat comfort. I won't list every vehicle that we've been sitting in however there are way too many seats in larger vehicle that feel as though they belong in a subcompact car.

I realize that the engineers are trying to bolster in the driver & passenger in the front seats but, I am finding the bolstering is too aggressive and nonadjustable. I feel as though I am sitting on the side bolsters instead of in the seat.

After visiting our local International Auto Show with 2 floors of vehicles, this gives a good idea of who makes a decent seat and who doesn't.
 
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