OT: Help me decide on a car/suv

[weisan]

[Blue Jays]

Originally Posted by saab2000

"...This third row thing is a huge turnoff for me. A vehicle that is ostensibly an off-road beast needs to have more usable space. Behind the second row. The seats should be there. They should also be owner removable and have this removability as a design feature from the factory..."

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Totally agreed.
Many people who purchase a substantial SUV might never carry more than driver, passenger, maybe another person and...GEAR!

In the intervening years since this post, we have seen the arrival of COVID-19.
The likelihood of transporting an entire little league baseball team has been further diminished because of the virus.

People are escaping to open spaces with sporting equipment more than ever.
The third-row seats with complex motorized gizmos make removal challenging.

Not only should they be removable, there should be a "delete option" at time of vehicle purchase for buyers who never want them and will never use them. Lightens the vehicle and improves fuel economy, too.

Same deal with pesky sunroofs.
A new GMC Yukon Denali without sunroof has an additional 1.4" of beneficial clearance inside, for example.
Also weighs about 200 pounds less.

[tomato coupe]

Zombie.

[Tickdoc]

Highlander is a sound choice.

I would at least give Hyundai (forget the model name)/Kia Telluride a looksee. They're new suv's are pretty darn good looking, get rave reviews, and are a good value.

[ridethecliche]

I just bought a 2011 rav4 limited after living with a 2006 acura TL for a while. After almost getting stuck in a flooded road and getting stuck on a snowy road (with winter tires), I'm elated to have something more in line with my lifestyle.

Used car prices are all over the place right now!

If you're looking for better gas mileage etc, some of the EV rav4's and highlanders are pretty solid. CX9 is awesome with the more powerful engine.

If you're looking at the outback, look at the 3.6R motor. It gets a bit worse fuel economy but not that bad on the more recent cars. It'll have more get up and go for a car that's got 4 adults, 4 bikes, and gear for everyone. I think this would be a pretty awesome setup tbh.

[cnighbor1]

Go to Edmonds dot com for reviews by owners

[Blue Jays]

Genesis GV80 SUV makes the third row purely optional at time of ordering, which is a boon to cyclists.
Now must investigate about sunroof delete...to enable even more room for bicycles secured upright.

[ridethecliche]

Originally Posted by Blue Jays

Genesis GV80 SUV makes the third row purely optional at time of ordering, which is a boon to cyclists.
Now must investigate about sunroof delete...to enable even more room for bicycles secured upright.

Why? Just get a hitch rack.

[Blue Jays]

Originally Posted by ridethecliche

"...Why? Just get a hitch rack..."

My bicycles travel safely inside the vehicle for road trips.
This is both to prevent damage and to minimize opportunity for theft.

[buddybikes]

Friend test rode the Toyota RAV4 Prime, hybrid. 302hp - zero to 60 in 5.4sec

Yikes

[saab2000]

Originally Posted by Blue Jays

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Totally agreed.
Many people who purchase a substantial SUV might never carry more than driver, passenger, maybe another person and...GEAR!

In the intervening years since this post, we have seen the arrival of COVID-19.
The likelihood of transporting an entire little league baseball team has been further diminished because of the virus.

People are escaping to open spaces with sporting equipment more than ever.
The third-row seats with complex motorized gizmos make removal challenging.

Not only should they be removable, there should be a "delete option" at time of vehicle purchase for buyers who never want them and will never use them. Lightens the vehicle and improves fuel economy, too.

Same deal with pesky sunroofs.
A new GMC Yukon Denali without sunroof has an additional 1.4" of beneficial clearance inside, for example.
Also weighs about 200 pounds less.

One vehicle I like is the new Land Rover Defender. Available without a sunroof and the useless third row is optional. It's a highly customizable vehicle with huge towing capacity for those who care.

I really like it but fully recognize I would never use it to its full capability as an off roader. What I can imagine is taking it camping with a rooftop tent.

In a lot of ways it would be a good car for a cyclist who doesn't mind tracking in a bit of mud once in a while. It's a suburban grocery getter for sure but an ultra capable grocery getter if one encounters such extreme obstacles as a puddle or a few pebbles on the road. And to my eyes stylish as well.

If it's just me going somewhere with a bike it lives inside the car. But I have a 1-UP USA rack for the trailer hitch for when there's more than just myself.

[Blue Jays]

Thanks for the reminder about the Land Rover Defender as a vehicle choice, @saab2000.
They definitely do it right with their great flexibility for adding/deleting features.
The squared-off shape of the cargo area could really be beneficial for bicycles clamped upright into a fork mount.

[saab2000]

Originally Posted by Blue Jays

Thanks for the reminder about the Land Rover Defender as a vehicle choice, @saab2000.
They definitely do it right with their great flexibility for adding/deleting features.
The squared-off shape of the cargo area could really be beneficial for bicycles clamped upright into a fork mount.

Indeed. This appears to be a bike-friendly space. Not sure how the fork mounts would be installed but I'm sure it would be possible.

Note the glorious lack of the leaking, creaking, headroom stealing sunroof!

[Ozz]

Originally Posted by saab2000

Indeed. This appears to be a bike-friendly space. Not sure how the fork mounts would be installed but I'm sure it would be possible.

Note the glorious lack of the leaking, creaking, headroom stealing sunroof!

Seems like some fork mounts on a finished 2x4, with a 2" cargo strap that goes around the seats holding it in place would be pretty easy...and not involve drilling holes in the seat backs or cargo floor....probably need some anti-sway straps secured seatposts...the cargo hooks built into the floor look like a good place to attach.......just a thought

[saab2000]

Originally Posted by Ozz

Seems like some fork mounts on a finished 2x4, with a 2" cargo strap that goes around the seats holding it in place would be pretty easy...and not involve drilling holes in the seat backs or cargo floor....probably need some anti-sway straps secured seatposts...the cargo hooks built into the floor look like a good place to attach.......just a thought

Good call on the mounting points. I’d hate to drill holes in that car.....