Sharon found TTAC via a Google search, read our Tribeca and Compass reviews and freaked. "We are pretty clueless on car shopping and have spent way too many hours already. I would like someone's opinion that gives it to me straight." Here's the deal… She's buying the vehicle for two college-bound children. They'll be driving it in Fort Collins, CO, commuting back to Mom and Dad some six hours away in Santa Fe, NM. "One of them will keep the car as long as they can hold onto it and ensure proper maintenance." She's leaning towards the Tribeca, from a safety POV: "good test ratings, side bags, overhead curtain." Current vehicles: 2003 Tahoe (love it); 1996 Pathfinder (good condition); 1999 Honda Accord ("the transmission blew out and that's why were are in the market") and 2002 Nissan Frontier. Sharon's looking to spend $18k – $22k for this, their first used purchase. "We got a good offer (or we think it is good) on the Tribeca that happens to be fully loaded. The gas cap says 'premium preferred', but they tell us that it is not required. A Jeep salesperson just told me that Jeep is not going to make Compass in 2009 and just stick to the Patriots. His dealership in Santa Fe does not have a Compass to test drive new or used." OK guys, she asked for it: give her the inside dope. (Lateral thinking allowed.)
88 Comments on “Ask The Best And Brightest: Tribeca, Compass, Santa Fe, Highlander, CR-V or…?...”
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My wife drives a Hyundai and loves it. For that money you could probably get a new Santa Fe as long as you don’t try to get one fully loaded. That way you get the 100k mile powertrain warranty.
Santa Fe or CR-V.
Both strong used buys, both economical (enough), and both have been around long enough to ensure a reasonable selection of used product.
KBB.com shows Honda Pilot prices lower than the same year CR-V. We have a Pilot. Great car, but not too good on gas-average 16-17mpg.
CR-V’s are great, but they are just too expensive to justify buying used.
The new Forester is a great value, sharp looks, decent economy and Subaru safety. Note: college kids will have zero money to pay for $4/gallon gas so fuel economy might be kind of important to them. Having graduated not too long ago, I remember moving a lot, so a wagon/hatch body style is pretty much necessary, so I won’t roll my eyes at the inevitable SUV list.
Otherwise, if you can get your hands on a Fit or something economical like that (Versa, Matrix, Impreza etc.) the kids might feel better about it in a couple years when they only have to pay $100 to fill up the tank instead of $250… (assuming doom-and-gloom forecast gas prices)
For the love of all that is holy, stay away from the Compass!
CR-V’s are excellent and hold their values well, obviously. The four-banger is efficient and willing, but might seem a little wheezy at the altitude the vehicle will operate at.
With gas prices on the up, perhaps she should consider a wagon instead, like a 2-3 year old Impreza. The Subie’s mileage isn’t great, but will be better than some of the bigger SUV/CUV’s that she’s shopping. The AWD is solid in crummy weather, especially with good winter tires and/or chains.
Is there a reason why you want/need an SUV?
My first thought was a Fit would, well, fit, and for your budget, you could get pretty near any small to midsize sedan/hatchback brand new, and well-optioned, particularly Hyundais (a new Sonata retails for around $17,000 in base trim, which is still really good.) Also, if you want/need brute size, I’d suggest a full-size sedan, such as Chevy Impala. They are very cheap and fairly reliable and efficient – you can get a very nearly new one for under $17,000. Actually, given your budget, you can buy a very nice copy of nearly any car, save for luxury or sport models (eg BMWs, Corvettes, etc.) By the way, almost any car will get better mileage than any SUV.
But, if you absolutely need an SUV, I’d suggest either the Hyundai Santa Fe, or the Ford Escape. Both are reliable, both can be had cheap, and both are very good at what they do.
If you want cargo space, perhaps a minivan would be a better choice, like a Honda Odyssey or Toyota Sienna, or Nissan whats-its-name. They get better mileage with similar, if not better, cargo room.
Mazda5
I’ll second kazoomaloo’s affordable hatchback suggestion if AWD isn’t required (in addition to above, new or used: Scion xB/xD, Mazda3/5) vs. Subaru Forester (again: new or used) recommendations. Honda Element, too, if its limitations of rear seat access and 4 passenger limit are acceptable.
I agree also with avoiding vehicles with V6’s such as the Tribeca in anticipation of gas pains.
How about thinking outside the box? Er, well, sort of…
If you have a decent Kia dealer nearby, consider a new (or used) FOUR CYLINDER Kia Rhondo. If you can manage with front wheel drive & traction control, which 99% of the time, is as good as AWD (and I live in NW Michigan). I say 4 cylinder, because this engine was developed specifically by Hyundai (which owns 50% of Kia) to last 250,000 miles, an it comes with a cam chain (not cam belt, as the Rondo V6 and many other cars have). Cam belts will set you back $800-900 at replacement time at about 70,000 miles.
My wife’s daily driver is a Hyundai Sonata with the same four, and it obtained better-than-EPA figures of 31 mpg on a long trip from Michigan to Alabama and back, at 70 mph, up & down mountains in Tennesee and Kentucky. I was very impressed. A Rondo should get maybe as much as 29 mpg in similar conditions (being somewhat taller), but can seat up to seven and has a good cargo area.
Agreed that used CR-Vs are not that great of a deal. For this price point, I would buy new instead.
A brand new CR-V 2WD LX model is only a little more than $19K MSRP and comes very well appointed. AWD can be had for a little more.
A brand new Element LX is another option, and may be a better deal. It stickers for a little less, but there’s a lot more wiggle room on the price. Honda’s also offering 1.9% financing on these. AWD is also available.
For this type of vehicle, the CR-V and Element have decent fuel economy (low to mid 20s). With VSC, airbags all around standard, both vehicles are at the very top of the IIHS safest cars list (2007 and 2008 models).
One could get a good deal on a larger, used SUV these days (given gas prices), but apart from some Lexus and Subaru models, very few have all of the safety bells and whistles that nearly all base model new Hondas have.
And most importantly: if you don’t need an SUV, don’t buy one. A new Scion Xb or Honda Fit are much better on gas, very safe for their size and cost less to buy.
I second the Element – tons of storage room, dimensions of a Honda Civic so it’ll fit in small places, AWD, unique looking, and cool. Elements have been adopted by the vball players due to their decent fuel economy, off road capability onto beaches, huge interior space for changing / camping / tailgating, and they can be easily cleaned out from sand using a simple leaf blower (that’s how I cleaned mine out). I would have loved to have one of these when I was in college and grad school – especially for moving day as you can fit all sorts of boxes in it. I was first concerned about the looks but then it grew on me b/c it had great on road manners (unlike Jeeps), and its flexibility gave it that bull dog ugly but you love em mentality.
Subaru Legacy Wagon 2.5GT / Impreza WRX wagon
Jeep Patriot
Taurus X
Escape
Robert , Is this the pic of editor-swearing -provoking`princess tribeca` whose genitals couldn`t pass by uncommented? shudda have been careful, her platform is not even 16 years old! :)
Anyways, compass has a chance from this list if it is a real compass, gyro, showing 4 cardinal points. Not a Chrysler one.
To everyone who’s saying “Minivan”: Do you remember being 18? would you have gotten near a minivan (or whatever was the non-stylish vehicle of that time?).
I’m going to assume that they’re looking only at AWD cars (for better or worse, they’ve decided they need it).
I think I’m going to join the subie hatch/wagon or Element camp here. Both are economical/functional/safe/cool enough to fill the needs stated above.
Looks like four-wheel drive is part of the equation, but I agree that any modern front-wheel driver with traction control would indeed do just as well.
As others have said, you’ve just got to absolutely have rocks in your head to even consider a Compass. Or, frankly, “any other Jeep.” For the money, you can get some of the most reliable vehicles on the planet. Jeep’s reliability is very nearly the worst.
I’m in the camp that thinks “forget the SUV list” — get some kind of hatchback four-cylinder, efficient vehicle. Honda Fit, Toyota Matrix, Scion Xb, etc. It’s too bad that the Kia Rondo is so awkward-looking, but if you can get past that, it’s an awesomely capable vehicle.
Bottom line, you’re in the range where you can get a NEW, highly-fuel-efficient vehicle, that’ll be very reliable. With the price of gas these days and looking into the future, I’d put fuel economy first, cargo room second, and look for front-wheel-drive with traction control instead of any thoughts of getting four-wheel drive.
Good luck!
Mazda5 seconded. Great fuel economy, good deals can be found as the vehicle sold poorly, fantastic utility.
Oh, and the kids will hate their parents for driving a minivan. On the other hand, I got a hands-me-down Fiat Uno, so any kids who gets a $20k car for free should be grateful.
Chevy impala’s a pretty good idea too. Trunk instead of hatch, but it fits several dead bodies.
The CR-V has decent fuel economy but is pretty expensive.
Honda element is cooler, and even more practical.
I have tested most of the rest of the SUVs and CUVs on the market. If you are looking for an economical, reliable, safe runabout for a couple of college kids, with room enough for their luggage, computers, etc., then you would be hard pressed to find anything better than the CR-V. It’s not particularly sexy (what in this class is?), but very practical.
If the kids want something a little more avant-garde, maybe the Element.
Alternately, I’d look at the Subaru Outback that has similar cargo capacity, does exceptionally well in the snow, and handles like a car (because it is).
Stay away from the Hyundai Santa Fe as its a Gas user, the Hyundai Tuscon is a much better buy and the author of the Lemon Aid books drives one of these as well where he lives in Panama, Phil says its a great small SUV but worth every penny!
Consider also the Honda Civic, its safe and also saves Gasoline.
Two college bound kids?
Put a new transmission in the ‘99 Accord.
I agree with Sharon’s top choice of the Tribeca….you would be hard pressed to find a similar vehicle with a better AWD system (IE: Full time, all the time….not a ‘too late’ system), an excellent safety record with very good overall reliability. It should suit her needs perfectly.
A CR-V with a clutch. The kid could learn to drive an MT and save some $$$ up front (and maybe some gas in the long run). And it’s less likely to be stolen.
GTI.
Really. Good on gas, safe for it’s size, not bad in the snow. And actually fun!
Four cars and they want another?
Come on, if you’re wondering why oil prices climb without limit it’s because too many people refuse to change their ways.
Well, being the proud owner of a 1996 Pathfinder myself, if it were me, I’d make sure it was roadable and give that to the kids and get myself something newer. My Pathfinder has been through the Vermont roads war zone, never stranded me (except corroded battery connections) and has consistantly beaten the EPA mpg ratings of the time. Besides, assuming it’s paid for, insurance will be cheaper and, if something happens, not a big loss, at this point.
But that’s just me. Mr Practical. Or, Mr. Cheap, to some.
Mazda 3 Sport (in canada that’s what it is called) basically 4 door hatch. Great on gas, great in the snow, excellent handling, insane amounts of space for a small hatchback. lots of safety features, great reliability, great looking. I can’t think of a better car for $10,000 more or $10,000 less. And best of all it is a car not an ASS-UV
How about the (newer body style) Toyota Rav-4? Probably suffers from the same resale issues as the CRV but it’s 4WD and relatively easy on gas anyway. I’ve driven the Forester and it’s a nice car. It doesn’t need premium gas (at least the base engine doesn’t).
Suggestions of Subaru WRX and VW GTI are well intentioned, but really think hard before getting a pair of teens/early 20s a 4WD compact with a turbocharged engine. Even as smart college kids they’re still relatively inexperienced drivers. It’s reasonable to expect they have a bit more learning to do on the driving front, and would benefit from something that won’t get them into too much trouble too quickly.
$18-20K car, college, proper maintenance? Not to say that its impossible, just highly unlikely. I would also say put a new trans in the Accord.
But, if you must get another vehicle, try for a Mazda 3, or if a bigger vehicle is needed a Taurus X would be a great value.
I must also echo the sentiments of everyone else here, do not get a Jeep Compass.
WAIT A MINUTE!
Did Sharon just say that a Jeep salesman says that they won’t make the Compass in 2009?
HOLLAY FUCKING LULLA! Its about time.
Anyways, I have researched the cars, and if you need an SUV, then I suggest getting a Honda CRV. But make sure that you stay away from the Compass like it has a tropical disease. It is horrible.
for college kids an Element or Escape. both utilitarian, available and have good records.
Except for the holiday trips home I assume not much driving at school. Remember it’s not what you drive it’s your lifestyle and the amount of fuel you burn that really matters. the person with a Tahoe and a five mile daily commute is a lot more responsible than someone driving their Prius 80 miles a day.
I think the Mazda5 is a bad idea myself, it screams minivan even if it is just a tall 3.
I agree with the Element (which you cang et AWD)
Mazda3 sport (or speed3 what the hell eh?)
and i’d suggest a nissan rogue, its nice inside and the CVT helps with the mileage.
Also, look for good used Imprezas.
If they are traveling from Ft Collins to New Mexico, AWD or 4WD would be nice to have… I’d suggest a Subaru Outback. Great mileage, great quality, can take a bit of abuse, drives more like a car than the others, insurance is relatively low, and they can haul enough for 2 people and their college stuff.
You might also talk to the Honda dealership about that transmission. If it’s the V6, they’ve extended the warranties and are replacing them for free. A relative recently had his replaced, before it went out, on his 98 Accord V6. Brought the car in for T-belt and other maintenance, came home with that and a new transmission with no additional cost.
In the mountains of CO? Subaru Forester or Outback are the best combinations of safety, reliability, and frugality, with a long history of proven performance and safety on poor roads. I drove Subarus in the Appalachians through college and they were fantastic.
Since you already own two Nissans and report no trouble with them, how about a Nissan Rogue. Altought as others have mentioned why not buy a sedan or hatch? If all wheel drive is important, how about a Subaru Impreza.
While the Mazda5 is a great car, and a very efficient package, any college bound kid would veto it instantly. While a mini-minivan is a great idea, it’s not cool enough for school.
CR-V is also a great choice, but I figure since you lost the transmission on the Accord, you might want to try the Nissan instead.
Lastly, Compass = NO!
I live in this area and I know the terrain and winters. A used Legacy wagon (or I really prefer the sedan) would be ideal. There are so many used Legacys around this area that picking one up pretty cheap won’t be too hard. It’ll get decent mileage on the Santa Fe – Ft Collins trip. I got about 28mpg on that exact same trip in my Legacy. (Just fill up south of Co Springs where the gas has less ethanol in it!). The wagons will hold a bunch of stuff. Parts are easy to come by in the Boulder, Ft Collins area, and there are a whole bunch of Subaru-only garages that do great work, I can recommend two of them.
I lived in Fort Collins for 5 years.
They don’t plow their roads that well, and it regularly gets nasty on I25 right about the time college kids are heading home on break, so AWD/4wd is almost mandatory here. There are several times each month from mid November to mid February where fwd sedans and CUV’s are immobilized.
Put a new transmission in the ‘99 Accord.
What he said. Get something nice for yourself. Hand the beater over to the kid.
I would recomend a Honda Element.
You can get a slightly used one (under 20,000 miles) with AWD and curtain airbags for under $20,000 in Houston. Although with your accord problems I don’t know if you are sour on Honda, but the Element is a very usefull car and it has tons of room for lugging stuff back and forth for moving dorms or apartments if that is a concern.
I can’t imagine why you’d be looking at an expensive-to-operate SUV. If you’re concerned about travel in snow, that trip is 99.9% Interstate travel; it will get plowed promptly and, until it does, common sense dictates the kids hunker down and wait out the storm. Never too early in life to learn patience and common sense.
I’d fix the Accord, unless you have reason to believe it’s got other, significant problems. You’ll pay for the transmission with the first two years’ savings on insurance over a new(er) car and it will probably cost much less to drive on the highway. If it’s a 4-banger, you should be getting 32 or so mpg. Even a CR-V isn’t going to match that and good luck finding a recent CR-V in nice shape for cheap. A 30mpg vehicle over a 25mpg vehicle should save about $12 in fuel each way on the Ft Collins/Santa Fe trip.
If you’re bound and determined to get a recent venicle, give some thought to a 1-year old Impala or a recent large Ford (Taurus or Taurus-X). You should be able to find one that’s still on warranty for very little money (I see ads for $12K 2007 rental Impalas all the time and they should be covered by the GM powertrain warranty for 4 more years). An Impala or Taurus with a smaller 6 will probably get something like 30mpg on the highway, if driven moderately.
Honda Fit or Honda Element.
I love my Element. I’d love it more if I were young and active instead of old and lazy. Its the ultimate moving machine.
I’d also consider a Fit or even a Suzuki SX4 “crossover” (hatchback). These are probably too small for you, although the Fit is surprisingly roomy for its size.
For whatever it’s worth, I’d like to point out that front wheel-drive, 4wd or AWD mean nothing as compared to the importance of fitting some proper snow tires. ALWAYS budget for snows and change over as and when.
And don’t forget that SUV’s are inherently more dangerous than cars, due to their high center of gravity. Some are worse than others, but the general point remains.
And if you’re really concerned about safety, the most important purchase should be some advanced winter driver training. Most people do NOTHING in an accident. Effective evasive action is worth more than an infinite number of airbags.
Forgive me, while I indulge in a bit of deconstruction.
I assume that this emphasis on large vehicles is because of a concern for safety. That’s fair enough, but if vehicle choice is driven by that, then let’s step back for a second and figure out why teens tend to wreck cars more than other people.
Basically, they’re hormonal and don’t have enough fear of death to know better. When they get together with each other, they’re much worse than when they are alone, as they encourage each other to do more stupid stuff. And they don’t handle multitasking well, so they often can’t manage devices such as phones and stereos that some of us grownups have figured out how to use.
With all that, I’d want something that doesn’t hold a lot of people (or at least not very well), isn’t much fun to hoon (drive stupidly) and, hopefully, one that requires two hands. If it’s boring, so much the better.
That would lead me to a used dull sedan or hatchback, such as a Hyundai Elantra or Toyota Corolla. If you can find one with a stick shift, so much the better — it’s tough to text your buddies when you’ve got to work the transmission.
And I’d make them pay for their own gas and insurance, and I’d let them know that if the car is damaged, they’re going to have to pay to fix it. If they have to do that, they’ll think more carefully about how they use the car and how often.
7-cylinder Pontiac Station Wagon.
That’s what I had.
like others have said – lots of options, many infinitely better than a used tribeca…
what do the KIDS want?
there are many kids today who are very anti-SUV…
too many cars to list in the sub-22k range, especially when considering slightly used…
Rav4
If you want to drive it into the ground, then the Rav4 will likely last the longest and overcome the cost of low mileage.
Also, the ride height may be a good idea given the snow in the area of expected use.
Consider Subaru Outback.
Honda CR-V.
If you don’t need 4WD, then consider Chevrolet HHR…You can probably pick up 2 ea. 1-year-old HHRs for $25K total.
How good is public transportation in and around Ft. Collins? That is, does a college kid NEED or simply WANT a car there?
If the kids can get along without a car day-to-day
and stand the Greyhound for trips back to N.Mex.,
they/you could save thousands over 4 years not paying for insurance (surely higher in a college town than it is back home), gas,and upkeep. And will they be able to park free of charge or have to pay hundreds a year for a permit?
I have to agree with some of the posts, just fix the Accord transmission and save yourself $18,000, you might end up getting it for free since Honda has been extending the warranty on them due to reliability issues.
IF you must by something new, stay away from the Tribeca, not a bad choice but there are better alternative in the Subaru line for your kids. I would highly recommend looking at a 2007 Subaru Outback Sport. It’s basically a hatchback Impreza so you will still have the need space. With the nonturbo engine, a little more ride height, there awesome AWD and has proven to be extremely safe. It’s a great fun car to drive but wont get them into trouble with too much hp. The Tribeca is a gas sucking monster, worse mileage than I get out of my 2.5 turbo when I hammer the throttle. I have recently done searches and brand new left over 2007 Outback Sports can still be found, usually with an auto, provided the recent gas scare hasn’t sold all of them it can be had brand new for under $16,000 with a lot of standard features. Do searches for them in the southeast, Georgia, Florida, Subaru’s don’t sell so great around here because they aren’t giant SUV’s.
The Forrester is also a good choice along with the Honda’s suggested.
STAY AWAY FROM THE JEEP COMPASS YOU WILL REGRET IT!
Right off the bat, I’d question if you really need a small SUV just for commuting and cargo-hauling. A good alternative choice would be an ESC-equipped Toyota Matrix or Pontiac Vibe, possibly with AWD if you feel it’s needed. It’s safe, if equipped with a full suite of airbags and stability control, and gets extremely good mileage. The cargo utility is excellent, too. I like the Matrix for styling reasons, but the Vibe might marginally cheaper. In this class, you could also look at the Mazda3.
There’s also the Honda Element, which several posters here have rightfully recommended, which offers most of the Matrix’s advantages, but rides higher and gets poorer fuel economy. The plastic side panels are a nice touch, too, for avoiding parking lot dings. And it’s interesting looking, which may or may not be a good thing. The CR-V or RAV/4 fall into this category as well if you must have AWD, or the Kia Rondo (which has stability control) or Mazda5 (does not have it) if you don’t.
Finally, if you’re willing to take a risk on reliability, there’s otherwise-excellent VW Rabbit or VW Jetta wagon. Both have–easily–the best seats in the business next to Saab or Volvo, are very safe, can be optioned with stability control and are very versatile. The 2.5L gasoline-powered version gets ok mileage; the diesel does much better. If you go this route, buy and extended comprehensive warranty and talk to VW customers at the dealership’s service department to find out if the dealer it amenable.
My child is only 7, but I keep a mental list of potential cars. The general parameters are that it will be 1) reliable, 2) fuel efficent, 3)safe and 4) considered cool by the younger set (because I remember having a Ford Escort as a first car, thus leading me to adopt the Automobile slogan of “No Boring Cars”). As such, I suggest:
1. Fix the Accord. OK, it may not be cook, but a couple grand for a new transmission (and good snow tires) is a LOT cheaper than a whole new (or used) vehicle.
2. Subaru Outback, Forester, Impreza.
3. Honda CR-V.
I’d contact Honda about the transmission. They have been repairing them post 100k warranty to loyal customers. Write a letter to their Corporate HQ as they take these very seriously (they paid for a free 90k service for my Dad’s 94 Accord which blew out the ream main seal, and paid for a complete rust repair and proofing for my aunts 130k 88 Accord when it was rusting due to Chicago winter).
The cheapest car you can buy is one you already own! And as RF suggested snow tires make a huge difference. You can buy a cheap set around this time as they are not in demand. Tirerack or discount tire direct (compete them against each other) sells steel wheels and will mount/balance tires and ship to you cheap.