Honda CRV v. Toyota Rav4 v. Subaru Forester

[deadheadskier]

Given your love of Hyundai, I'd be surprised if you didn't have the Elantra Touring in your top position if you are looking at wagons. Fully loaded for just over $20k and its more Euro wagon than US hatch. Way less than Mazda pricing and better fuel economy too. I scraped thoughts on WV's diesel wagon in favor of the Elantra Touring for my top choice for this summer when I get new wheels.

The Touring is most certainly on my radar, but not until the redesign with the new sedan engine that gets 40MPG highway. That's not supposed to happen until 2012.

I do appreciate a certain amount of 'fun' factor to balance out economy though. For the most part, Mazdas have a reputation of being more fun to drive. My wife's Mazda3 certainly is a fun ride. A Mazda6 wagon has more storage than an Elantra Touring. I'd be willing to sacrifice a bit of fuel economy if it was more fun to drive and offered better utility.

 

[riverc0il]

The Touring is most certainly on my radar, but not until the redesign with the new sedan engine that gets 40MPG highway. That's not supposed to happen until 2012.

I do appreciate a certain amount of 'fun' factor to balance out economy though. For the most part, Mazdas have a reputation of being more fun to drive. My wife's Mazda3 certainly is a fun ride. A Mazda6 wagon has more storage than an Elantra Touring. I'd be willing to sacrifice a bit of fuel economy if it was more fun to drive and offered better utility.

I wish a little more info was out there about what is happening in 2012. But I absolutely need a new car this year and can't wait, sadly. Could always trade up later, I guess.

Mazdas certainly have the fun to drive factor down. S test drove a Mazda5 at some point when we were looking at stuff last summer. Woo! Whoa! LOL. I probably would have enjoyed it but her not so much. For myself, I still like fuel economy and price over fun to drive. Too bad Mazda can't have their cake and eat it too. Otherwise they would have the best overall package out there. Right now I just don't see Mazdas as good value unless you need the fun factor more than anything else.

Whoa, hyjack. Sorry 'bout that! :lol:

 

[campgottagopee]

I was jumping on the diesel band wagon a year or two ago... but not so much any more. Both Chevy and Ford now have regular gas cars that get 40 MPG. I think there is still a market for diesel in larger vehicles that can't get there (see the VW Jetta Wagon at just over 40 but is the premium really worth the extra 10ish MPG? Depends on what gas prices do...). Wonder how a diesel CUV or SUV would do?

But the big thing is that car manufacturers are finally starting to push the MPG envelope with standard gas. Two years ago, 30 MPG was great and 35 MPG was hard to find. Fuel economy actually got worse for most models in the 00s! (e.g. I have a 99 Saturn that gets 35+ MPG but Saturn's last few years operating, their best was a 30 MPG eco model...).

I think there would be a big market for an AWD Diesel wagon. IIRC, the diesel VW Wagon outsells the regular engine model. Too bad Subaru doesn't make wagons any more, much less have a diesel one for the US market.....

Being Subaru sales keep increasing year over year I think they may dissagree with you

 

[deadheadskier]

Next generation touring is supposed to be for 2013 model year with a late 2012 release.

 

[Edd]

I all but decided on an Elantra Touring while car shopping last year but AWD plus a couple of minor considerations put me in a Forester.

At the time the Touring pricing was notably higher than the sedan partly because the Touring wasn't simply a wagon version of the sedan; there were significant differences.

 

[campgottagopee]

I all but decided on an Elantra Touring while car shopping last year but AWD plus a couple of minor considerations put me in a Forester.

At the time the Touring pricing was notably higher than the sedan partly because the Touring wasn't simply a wagon version of the sedan; there were significant differences.

You're a wise man.

 

[deadheadskier]

Being Subaru sales keep increasing year over year I think they may dissagree with you

You're a wise man.

January 2011 unit sales

Subaru: 18,858

Hyundai: 37,214

 

[campgottagopee]

January 2011 unit sales

Subaru: 18,858

Hyundai: 37,214

Uhm, what's that??

If you read what I wrote I said Subaru sales are increasing year over year. What does that have to do with Hyundai???

 

[deadheadskier]

Uhm, what's that??

If you read what I wrote I said Subaru sales are increasing year over year. What does that have to do with Hyundai???

just messin'

and hey, you're the one who said Edd was a wise man for picking Subaru over Hyundai


Truthfully, people can buy whatever they're happy with. I wasn't happy with Subaru, have been delighted with my Hyundai. YMMV

 

[campgottagopee]

just messin'

and hey, you're the one who said Edd was a wise man for picking Subaru over Hyundai


Truthfully, people can buy whatever they're happy with. I wasn't happy with Subaru, have been delighted with my Hyundai. YMMV

Gotcha.

Edd is a wise man for making that choice

Totally agree, peeps need to purchase whatever trips their trigger, afterall they're the ones that need to drive and pay for it.

Hyundai makes good cars, they just haven't arrived yet. I think they will but it will be a while. When I sit in meetings and we start talking about market share, Hyundai's name isn't even brought up.....it will be, but not just yet.

 

[Grassi21]

I picked up a 2011 Subaru Forester on Jan 11. Loving it so far. It has served me well on ski trips. Most of my ski trips are driving in a storm or the morning after a storm to Sundown. And most importantly, it is so much better on my 50 minutes commute than the Jeep Wrangler I have been driving for the last 2 or 3 years.

 

[o3jeff]

I picked up a 2011 Subaru Forester on Jan 11. Loving it so far. It has served me well on ski trips. Most of my ski trips are driving in a storm or the morning after a storm to Sundown. And most importantly, it is so much better on my 50 minutes commute than the Jeep Wrangler I have been driving for the last 2 or 3 years.

Nice, I thought I spied one in on of your FB pics!

 

[Grassi21]

Nice, I thought I spied one in on of your FB pics!

Sad to see the Jeep go.... but it just wasn't a practical vehicle for me anymore. Someday I will have my Jeep beech buggy that I will keep at the Cape for the Summers.

 

[campgottagopee]

I picked up a 2011 Subaru Forester on Jan 11. Loving it so far. It has served me well on ski trips. Most of my ski trips are driving in a storm or the morning after a storm to Sundown. And most importantly, it is so much better on my 50 minutes commute than the Jeep Wrangler I have been driving for the last 2 or 3 years.

Nice, Wranglers are cool tho....chick's dig 'em

 

[Grassi21]

Nice, Wranglers are cool tho....chick's dig 'em

Yeah, the wife stopped digging the Wrangler when she didn't want ti put an infant car seat in the back.... times have changed... :-(

 

[Glenn]

Yeah, the wife stopped digging the Wrangler when she didn't want ti put an infant car seat in the back.... times have changed... :-(

Look at it this way...you didn't end up with a minivan.

 

[riverc0il]

Being Subaru sales keep increasing year over year I think they may dissagree with you

Subaru made a great business decision capitalizing on the SUV/CUV market. Won't be long until their logo starts morphing into a Toyota symbol. Not expecting them to count their one loss with me (and other like minded folks) as any big loss compared to their huge gains with the soccer mom crowd. They are now "what makes a Subaru a Subaru." And I'm okay with that, won't see me in one though.

 

[riverc0il]

You're a wise man.

Wise men realize that snow tires are more important than AWD and you can live in snow country year round without AWD and never have problems with good snows.

Like DHS, just messin'

 

[roark]

heh, yup missed the Hyundai Accent with studded snows this winter- waaaay better than the (much heavier) Saab... There's a lot to be said for a light weight FWD car with good rubber!

 

[ALLSKIING]

You guys driving the CRV do realize that when they were made they geared them towards women.. I dont know about the old ones but the 2011 even has a built in spot for her hand bag. That said I almost bought one 3 weeks ago...BUT...I decided to go with the jeep liberty. No doubt that the CRV is a good car though......even if a guy drives it :razz: