Barbara's Next Daily Driver
09-17-2016, 06:34 AM
#11
Bill,
After I sold my Fiat I wanted to buy a small pickup truck (a Toyota Tacoma) as a spare just to have around for the utility and 4 wheel drive. Liz was reluctant to drive a pickup so we settled on a CR-V. I'm not big on SUVs but Liz thought it would be very handy and it was small enough that she wasn't afraid of it.
We bought a Certified Preowned 2012 CR-V Ex-L AWD with 32,000 miles on it from our local Honda dealer. There is nothing at all exciting about it but, I'm thrilled with it.
In the year that we've owned it we've put on 17,000 miles of absolutely trouble free driving. It's taken us to Niagara Falls, Virginia Beach, Virginia Tech and Greensboro, NC. It carts the recycling to the town recycling center every other week and when I have to visit a client and can't rely on my BMW it becomes my substitute car. It's become our weekend car and handles the runs to Home Depot and Costco perfectly. Liz likes it so much that in the year that we own it she's taken it to work while her Acura sits in the garage. I don't think she's put more than 500 miles on her Acura this year. I think the only time she's used the Acura is when my BMW is in for repairs and I'm using the CR-V.
There is nothing flashy about it. Frankly, it's a boring vehicle, and not nearly as luxurious as I imagine Barbara's Lexus to be, but it always gets you where you're going and back home again, all the while doing everything you ask of it. On top of that, we've been getting about 24 mpg locally and we've gotten about 30 mpg on the road (you had to know I'd check that).
As much as I dislike SUV's I've grown quite fond of our CR-V. It's sort of like the Civic of small suvs/crossovers, but I love Civics.
You might want to take a look at one.
After I sold my Fiat I wanted to buy a small pickup truck (a Toyota Tacoma) as a spare just to have around for the utility and 4 wheel drive. Liz was reluctant to drive a pickup so we settled on a CR-V. I'm not big on SUVs but Liz thought it would be very handy and it was small enough that she wasn't afraid of it.
We bought a Certified Preowned 2012 CR-V Ex-L AWD with 32,000 miles on it from our local Honda dealer. There is nothing at all exciting about it but, I'm thrilled with it.
In the year that we've owned it we've put on 17,000 miles of absolutely trouble free driving. It's taken us to Niagara Falls, Virginia Beach, Virginia Tech and Greensboro, NC. It carts the recycling to the town recycling center every other week and when I have to visit a client and can't rely on my BMW it becomes my substitute car. It's become our weekend car and handles the runs to Home Depot and Costco perfectly. Liz likes it so much that in the year that we own it she's taken it to work while her Acura sits in the garage. I don't think she's put more than 500 miles on her Acura this year. I think the only time she's used the Acura is when my BMW is in for repairs and I'm using the CR-V.
There is nothing flashy about it. Frankly, it's a boring vehicle, and not nearly as luxurious as I imagine Barbara's Lexus to be, but it always gets you where you're going and back home again, all the while doing everything you ask of it. On top of that, we've been getting about 24 mpg locally and we've gotten about 30 mpg on the road (you had to know I'd check that).
As much as I dislike SUV's I've grown quite fond of our CR-V. It's sort of like the Civic of small suvs/crossovers, but I love Civics.
You might want to take a look at one.
09-17-2016, 11:15 AM
#12
Also look at the Subaru products. Karen likes her Outback, yet the series of her '11 model year have issues with light bulbs the the dealer is taking care of. The Forester is a bit larger, I think.
09-18-2016, 06:31 AM
#13
A friend of mine just traded in his Volvo SUV and bought a Subaru SUV. I'm thinking of getting an SUV next time, but have not decided between the CR-V (probably look for a low mileage 2014 because of the CVT tranny in the new ones), a Mazda CX5, or 3. I like the style of the Mazda's and they have gotten good ratings for handling, gas mileage, and reliability.
09-18-2016, 07:03 AM
#14
Thread Starter
I'm learning this is a huge segment, at least by way of offerings. It seems every manufacturer, including their luxury brands, offer at least one small SUV.
09-18-2016, 10:13 AM
#16
Thread Starter
09-18-2016, 10:50 AM
#17
Thread Starter
09-18-2016, 12:17 PM
#18
09-18-2016, 04:34 PM
#19
Thread Starter
09-19-2016, 12:17 PM
#20
Bill, I have a 1st gen RDX, and I do like it a lot. They have changed with the newest model, and I do like most of the changes. The vehicle is a bit larger. As the CR-V as has grown a little so have the RDX. They have discontinued the turbo 4 for a 6, that I believe is based on the old TL engine, which is great. You need to check on the all wheel drive, I am not sure that they are still using the SH-AWD that they put into the MDX and RLX. The SH-AWD is truly amazing with torque vectoring. It handles very well in all weather, but I think that it works impeccably on dry. (I have a lot of experience in wet and snow as well, and have never lost it.)
They have made the car into the luxury vehicle it almost was initially, that said even without all of the creature features that they left off of the first year car, I still really like the car/truck.
As far as reliability, in the ~10 years I have had it, it needed a starter and a heat shield replaced, other than that, maintenance is all it has required. Good luck with your search. I have looked at the X1 and X3. I really liked the X3, the X1 seems really too small.
They have made the car into the luxury vehicle it almost was initially, that said even without all of the creature features that they left off of the first year car, I still really like the car/truck.
As far as reliability, in the ~10 years I have had it, it needed a starter and a heat shield replaced, other than that, maintenance is all it has required. Good luck with your search. I have looked at the X1 and X3. I really liked the X3, the X1 seems really too small.