SUV questions

[DHonks]

Hey all, I've driven two consecutive Yukons now after driving an old Bravada before them. I love an SUV for a number of reasons...it's ridiculously easy to get in/out of, great visibility, good in poor driving conditions, I feel very safe in it despite living in Arizona where the drivers are horrible, etc. I currently don't have needs for such a large car, but I do love them. The mileage is weak at around 17 mpg. I've thought about downsizing to something like the Highlander, Terrain, Equinox, etc. The problems I run into are kind of tricky. For one thing, I have two dogs that do well in the way back (cargo area) when there's a rear zone A/C (given 110-120 degree heat in the summer/fall). When my family visits often, it's nice to have a vehicle that can easily fit 5 people. I like the size so I feel safe. I like the features such as the Sirius XM radio, the nav-traffic, and Onstar.

 

The drawbacks...I hate the 3rd row in the Yukon. In the 8 years I've driven them, I've used the third row once. Initially the Denalis had the brilliant idea of pushing the 2nd row back a foot (max legroom) and not having a 3rd row. But the Yukon 3rd row means that the 2nd row has less space than I would like. I'd also like to push into the 20s for mpg. One idea is the Yukon hybrid, as its basic model is the same as the fully loaded yukon (for just a small amount more). It also comes with a $2200 tax credit in 2010. It would get around 21-22 mpg.

 

Having said all of that, is there another SUV that I should be looking at?

[lodiness]

If your looking for something smaller with lots of room, the highlander is a good choice. They have a third row, that folds flat to give you the extra space, and second row captains chairs that are real comfi. My sister in law has had about 4 or 5 of them and she loves them. Think she gets about 26 highway. Another choice that is really sweet are the Acura MDX's. I've only driven one with the technology package, but in my opinion it's like a sports car in a SUV's body. They also have the third row that folds down flat. Very nice ride.

[dadofandrew]

Chevy Captiva and Opel Antura are twins of the Saturn Vue, which we have had two of and love. Cheap and basic, good mileage.

[DHonks]

The captiva is not made anymore, so I can't find anything about it.

 

Again, I like the size of a mid-to-large SUV for the perception of safety. I like the tri-zone climate controls. I like the cargo space (for dogs). I also am an avid golfer that tends to keep my gear in the back. I'm just trying to figure out if the Yukon/Tahoe is still right for my needs. I don't have big family needs (yet), and I can afford my gas. But part of me says it would be nice to downsize a bit.

[BrewersSuperCollector]

My mom has an Equinox, and I can't stand driving it. The arm rest is way to low especially for longer drives. I own a Saturn Vue (no longer in production), and a 2010 Ford Escape. I really like the V-6 Escape, and it gets about 23-26 mpg for me.

[Teatoe993]

The latest generation Subaru Foresters are quite big compared to earlier versions. Look into them before going after another SUV. It's a great vehicle.

[temke]

i drive a honda pilot...love it. my model is older so it doesnt have all the bells and whistles, but i am sure the newer models have some of those. the '04 model gets in the low 20's MPG on the highway.

 

i also drive a '09 ford escape hybrid for work. i absolutely love this car...sirius, sync, etc. gets right around 30 MPG. only problem is the cargo space is minimal compared to full size SUV's.