Need Recommendations For A New SUV

[Danno]

If the RAV4 hybrid is out, test drive a 2019 Sorento SXL AWD V6. My 2016 has been flawless and, it gets great owner's reviews on Sorento blogs.
The engine has good power, smooth, and moves it along really well. As for the AWD system, probably one of the best out there. Check out the MOAB commercial. I just went through one of the worse winters in terms of ice and snow, and it was flawless. Have some water filled 8" deep potholes in the ice at work. It handles them fine. Did have to use the center lock differential on a really bad group of potholes.
The road potholes are really bad as well, and the Sorento is quiet and tight as a drum.
Test drive it. You wont be disappointed. Do go with SXL trim, it comes with better sound proofing.

Here's a video tour of our roads.

https://www.sudbury.com/local-news/video-come-along-on-a-pothole-tour-of-greater-sudbury-1333638

 

[Danno]

PS November to April, I do run a 17" steel wheel with winter tires. Taller sidewall is helpful for pothole season.

 

[Skippy722]

Originally Posted by oil_film_movies
Originally Posted by Quattro Pete
Originally Posted by oil_film_movies
Since you have a sports car background, the best handling CUV-SUV is Mazda
Wouldn't something like the Macan be better handling/sporty?
Starting MSRP is under $50K (as per OP's requirement), but just barely.

Granted, you throw on a few options and you'll blow your budget.

No, not a Macan due to it's extra wide tires that make it bad on ice and snow. My rule is never go over 225 width tires on snow in those CX-5 sized vehicles, and CX-9 can handle up to 235 width tires due to its higher weight.


I never once had an issue running 265/50r20 Goodyear all season tires on my Durango. 40mm or more difference will make little to no real world difference. The width matters little compared to the compound. Sportier cars and SUV's tend to come with "sportier" tires that just suck in the snow.

 

[rubberchicken]

Originally Posted by Skippy722
Originally Posted by oil_film_movies
Originally Posted by Quattro Pete
Originally Posted by oil_film_movies
Since you have a sports car background, the best handling CUV-SUV is Mazda
Wouldn't something like the Macan be better handling/sporty?
Starting MSRP is under $50K (as per OP's requirement), but just barely.

Granted, you throw on a few options and you'll blow your budget.

No, not a Macan due to it's extra wide tires that make it bad on ice and snow. My rule is never go over 225 width tires on snow in those CX-5 sized vehicles, and CX-9 can handle up to 235 width tires due to its higher weight.


I never once had an issue running 265/50r20 Goodyear all season tires on my Durango. 40mm or more difference will make little to no real world difference. The width matters little compared to the compound. Sportier cars and SUV's tend to come with "sportier" tires that just suck in the snow.


Ohhh, thats a nice quality caliper tool. If you no longer need it, feel free to mail it to me !

 

[Skippy722]

Originally Posted by rubberchicken
Ohhh, thats a nice quality caliper tool. If you no longer need it, feel free to mail it to me !


I just got them a year ago to replace an old pair, nice 8" ones

Mitutoyo Absolute Digimatic AOS, only other nice ones IMO are Brown and Sharpe calipers.

 

[klt1986]

Originally Posted by oil_film_movies
Others above have said, and I agree:

If you want a great full warranty: Volkswagen Tiguan or Atlas, and good CUV-SUVs too. Good price as well. 6 year full warranty, better than Kia-Hyundai even.

Since you have a sports car background, the best handling CUV-SUV is Mazda (CX-5 or CX-9) are excellent choices. Solid choices.


Glad you mentioned the Tiguan as I had forgotten about it. Showed it to my wife last night and she really likes it and the Atlas. I like some of the features as well, the price is reasonable and the warranty is another nice addition.

 

[Virtus_Probi]

Originally Posted by oil_film_movies
Originally Posted by Danno
The 2019 RAV4 Hybrid rated at 219 hp, 0-60 of 7.5 secs, and higher elevations would have less of an impact on hybrid's electric part of the motivation.
It's worth a test drive imo.
Great point about the electric motor power boost to the gas engine doesn't care about altitude.
Also, I might change my previous answer to the updated 2019 Rav4 Hybrid AWD model. That is a sweet, reliable, AWD vehicle. Maybe the old Toyota numb steering is better for 2019.
It does have a "CVT", but its not the dreaded cone-chain type you find on Nissans and Subarus, for example. The Rav4 CVT is a planetary gearset masterpiece; that's the way to do a CVT, with 2 electric motor-gens whirling the sun, ring, and planets with the gas engine. I have one in my hybrid, and it works very well.
Really drive a 2019 Rav4 Hybrid AWD and I'll bet you'll love it. That CVT blends electric with gas engine power seamlessly.
No driveshaft to the rear either! Electric motor back there under computer control delivers anti-slip power.
https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a24734743/2019-toyota-rav4-suv-drive/

Good news about the rears being independently powered in that RAV4 as the AWD system in my RAV6 was only moderately capable and needed a big repair at only a little past 60kmiles.
Making a turn on ice with that car could be an adventure, once the fronts started slipping it would send way too much power to the rear and WHOOOSH here comes the back end around even at very modest speeds!
The solution was to push the electronic 4WD drive button first, but that would shut itself off above 25mph so you'd be punching that button at every light and you'd also have the AWD adjusting itself partway up a long hill in bad weather.
Starting leaking fluid and I took it to an indy Toyota shop...they knew what it was immediately, the too abrupt transfer of power from front to rear routinely caused a crack to develop in the AWD system (particularly in the V6 models).
One of the mechanics told me that they thought a very common cause of the crack was the front tires slipping on wet stop lines when taking off at a green light and the power being sent to the back too quickly.

This AWD got me thought some tough winters, but I had already owned an Outback at that point and the Toyota system was pretty disappointing in comparison...pretty expensive after a $3500 repair, too. I called my Toyota dealer since I was just out of warranty and they pretty much laughed at me...compare that to Subaru unilaterally extending the warranties on their CVTs to 100kmiles due to known issues.

 

[oil_film_movies]

Good thread. .... I still say the wider the tire, the more it looks like a ski to ice & snow, and the harder it is to stop. Your choice on how wide is 'acceptable' to you though.
This discussion depends on whether you value warranty the most (VW wins, maybe Kia-Hyundai too as a close 2nd),
...or.... you value great handling at a reasonable price (Mazda wins, Equinox/Terrain a close second)
...or... money is no object, which means get a BMW X1, X3, or Audi, Mercedes, Jag, Porsche.
...or... reliability & fuel economy are most important (Toyota RAV4 Hybrid wins, 35 hiway, 45 in town!)

 

[Virtus_Probi]

Originally Posted by oil_film_movies
Good thread. .... I still say the wider the tire, the more it looks like a ski to ice & snow, and the harder it is to stop. Your choice on how wide is 'acceptable' to you though.
This discussion depends on whether you value warranty the most (VW wins, maybe Kia-Hyundai too as a close 2nd),
...or.... you value great handling at a reasonable price (Mazda wins, Equinox/Terrain a close second)
...or... money is no object, which means get a BMW X1, X3, or Audi, Mercedes, Jag, Porsche.
...or... reliability & fuel economy are most important (Toyota RAV4 Hybrid wins, 35 hiway, 45 in town!)

I am definitely going to go narrower with my next winter tire purchase, I drove my FXT down to my daughter's school and then brought her Impreza back during a snowstorm and was very imprezzed with the manners of the smaller car with RT43 all seasons in winter conditions compared to my SUV with Nokian R2 SUVs. I expected to be taking a big step down in winter performance and the little car did a great job...I started to suspect that the narrow tires on it could be a factor. The Impreza is a much lighter vehicle than the FXT, but I would suspect it still has a higher ground pressure due to the little tires. Of course, the RT43s are also very good mass market all seasons when it comes to winter driving...

 

[mcrn]

Lexus GX460

 

[snarl]

Porsche Cayenne

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by mcrn
Lexus GX460

Not good in snow at all.

 

[AP9]

Originally Posted by edyvw
Originally Posted by mcrn
Lexus GX460

Not good in snow at all.


What makes you say that?

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by AP9
Originally Posted by edyvw
Originally Posted by mcrn
Lexus GX460

Not good in snow at all.


What makes you say that?

Will it move in snow? Yes.
Will it move like car with AWD? No.
GX460 is dynamically probably one of the worst vehicles on the market. Remember that Toyota had to address issues regarding rollover possibility. The fact that that vehicle has very good 4WD doe snot mean anything. JEEP Wranglers are horrid in snow, so are Tahoe's etc. When you have excess weight braking in slick conditions is also an issue, and that is when people die, not because they were not been able to go fast enough forward.
In blizzard two weeks ago I actually had to go out and get people in neighborhood with wife's Tiguan. Vehicles stuck: Pick ups', Tahoe's, JEEP's etc. One of the biggest mistakes tourists make when they come to Colorado is that they rent full size SUV. They do not realize 5500-6000lbs is not fun going downhill in slick conditions.
I have in Europe Land Cruiser Prado which here was sold as GX470. I have that car in winter on snow tires. Is it god off road? Excellent! is it good in snow? My wife's Tiguan can dance around that vehicle in snow and still move faster forward. Stopping? Not even comparable. And that LC is on snow tires.

 

[Ws6]

Originally Posted by Dwight_Frye
I will be moving to a mountain community within a year. It gets a little snow for 2 or 3 weeks out of the year but it usually melts within a few days and it won't be like living in Buffalo or some place like that where you really get winter.
I figure that I will need at least all wheel drive and maybe 4X4. I do not need a big honkin' monster SUV that seats 7 and can tow a boat or trailer. I have been a lifetime sports car owner but as I approach retirement age I want something more practical. And easier to get in and out of ! I still want a vehicle with some power, good handling considering what it is, and good brakes. I think that will weed out any of the compact SUV's with less than 150 HP.

What I won't buy: A Ford, GM, Chrysler or Jeep, and anything with a CVT. I want to keep it under $50K.

Will an AWD with chains be sufficient in a hilly town with a few inches of snow for brief periods or do I need to step up to 4X4 ? So far I like the reviews of the Mazda CX5 with the 250 HP turbo and AWD. Gas mileage isn't a big deal as I will only be driving 5000 to 8000 miles a year. I'd like to stay under $50K in price too.

What are some of the other good medium size SUV's that would be good performers in that climate and have some get up and go ?

I snagged a CX5 turbo model and love it. It's fun enough to keep me entertained, gets great mileage (25-27 on my daily commute), and the features are nice for the price. Interior is very quiet.

Nothing comes even close in the <45K bracket as a comprehensive competitor to it, IMO

 

[NormanBuntz]

I've been looking at the 2019 VW Atlas SE with technology and the 2020 Kia Telluride. Both are V-6 with lengthy warranties and pretty well equipped for less than $40K.