Car Recommendations

[dibbles]

My dearly loved, 10 year old Audi Q5 has developed an intermittent miss. We took it in and there was no diagnostic code, so they fixed what they "thought" it was. That cost us $1000. It's still missing - not every time I drive it and when it does miss, it's only once or twice. I thought I would drive this car until one of us could no longer drive. But, I don't want to spend who knows how much trying to get it fixed, and have accepted the fact that I need to get something else - so I'm asking for recommendations for a replacement vehicle of the same size. What do you drive that you love?

I can't back up using side mirrors and our driveway is long, so good visibility looking out the back is important. We have one electric car so I'm open to hybrids but not fully electric. I don't need high performance but would like something that has at least a little pep, AWD and good navigation system. One of the main reasons I am not considering Audi again is that the dealerships are a long distance from home, and on busy freeways. I already don't like driving those routes, and 10 years from now I know it will be an issue I don't want to deal with. Dealerships closer to home are GMC, Toyota, Ford, Buick, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Nissan, Accura and Subaru.

We plan to go the auto show in April so I can do a sit test. That helped me ten years ago narrow all the choices down to two - the Audi I bought and a Subaru which was a close second. Thanks for any input you might have for me.

Edit: Honda is also close enough - it's a fairly new dealership and I forgot it's there

 

[AliOop]

I love our Subaru Outback, but ours has soooo many miles on it that we are just starting to look at replacement options.

When we asked our mechanic which makes were most dependable, without hesitation, he said Toyota, followed by Honda. He also noted that their respective luxury lines (Lexus and Acura) tended to be reliable but did have slightly more problems than the standard lines.

He also said the newer Subarus are nowhere near as reliable as the older models used to be.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Many of my peeps here in Virginia love, love, love their Subarus and drive them forever. I drive a Honda CRV, my second one, because it’s high enough off the road to get me through a good deal of the tidal flooding we deal with in my neighborhood during coastal storms, gets good gas mileage (38 mpg on the highway/not a hybrid), and most important, is wide enough fit guitar cases in the back oriented perpendicular to the main axis of the car . I like that I’m a bit elevated when driving, find the rear view camera super helpful, and have used the AWD and safety features and lived to tell about it. I bought my first CRV used and traded it in at 200,000 miles. I bought the second one new because I wanted some higher end features, like heated seats. But, oops, no Honda dealer near you.

 

[AliOop]

Many of my peeps here in Virginia love, love, love their Subarus and drive them forever. I drive a Honda CRV, my second one, because it’s high enough off the road to get me through a good deal of the tidal flooding we deal with in my neighborhood during coastal storms, gets good gas mileage (38 mpg on the highway/not a hybrid), and most important, is wide enough fit guitar cases in the back oriented perpendicular to the main axis of the car . I like that I’m a bit elevated when driving, find the rear view camera super helpful, and have used the AWD and safety features and lived to tell about it. I bought my first CRV used and traded it in at 200,000 miles. I bought the second one new because I wanted some higher end features, like heated seats. But, oops, no Honda dealer near you.

I absolutely loved the Honda CRV that was my company car for years! The company sold it at 125k miles, and that buyer is still driving it, with no major issues, with over 200k miles on it.

@dibbles I would caution against anything from Hyundai. Apparently a whistleblower has come forward to disclose that they have worked hard to intentionally deceive the public and deny known problems for years. Despite all the cover-ups, they've had multiple class actions based on high numbers of engine failures, including a Sonata that cost our kids so much money, and almost cost them their lives when it failed out of nowhere on the highway.

 

[justsomeguy]

Honda/Acura has a reputation for good handling as well as reliability.

Toyota for being almost indestructible.

I still don't trust Kia/Hyundai/Genesis. To many horror stories.

 

[dmcgee5034]

Have you looked at a Toyota Highlander? I’ve had 2 of them and really loved them. So dependable, safe, and versatile.

 

[MelissaG]

I love my Honda CRV. It's from 2015 and has 135000 miles on it. I want to drive this thing till I can't anymore.

 

[Vicki C]

I had two Toyota Priuses, drove each for ten years. I needed something slightly bigger for driving to markets and looked at Rav 4s but the one I drove felt like a jalopie - loud, not very comfortable. The hybrid Rav 4s were much nicer but when I was shopping the dealerships were demanding a $5,000 surcharge and I said no way. I ended up with a CRV and I love it. (But, again, no dealership near you )
During car shopping I learned that all new cars sold in the US since 2018 have back up cameras. I really appreciate that and all of the other safety features on new cars.

 

[MelissaG]

I had two Toyota Priuses, drove each for ten years. I needed something slightly bigger for driving to markets and looked at Rav 4s but the one I drove felt like a jalopie - loud, not very comfortable. The hybrid Rav 4s were much nicer but when I was shopping the dealerships were demanding a $5,000 surcharge and I said no way. I ended up with a CRV and I love it. (But, again, no dealership near you )
During car shopping I learned that all new cars sold in the US since 2018 have back up cameras. I really appreciate that and all of the other safety features on new cars.

I LOVE my backup camera. It's so completely awesome. When we were looking at cars, I was insistent on it. I was very surprised to find one in a 2015 CRV.

 

[dibbles]

Thank you all so much for the advice. @Mobjack Bay Oops! Honda is within my desired distance and I didn't mean to leave it off the list. I need something that has a little higher road clearance for snow rather than flooding because my neighborhood is one of the last to get plowed after a bigger snowfall.

We were talking last night, and decided to look at a CRV first and go from there. I appreciate everyone sharing their experiences.

 

[melinda48]

My dearly loved, 10 year old Audi Q5 has developed an intermittent miss. We took it in and there was no diagnostic code, so they fixed what they "thought" it was. That cost us $1000. It's still missing - not every time I drive it and when it does miss, it's only once or twice. I thought I would drive this car until one of us could no longer drive. But, I don't want to spend who knows how much trying to get it fixed, and have accepted the fact that I need to get something else - so I'm asking for recommendations for a replacement vehicle of the same size. What do you drive that you love?

I can't back up using side mirrors and our driveway is long, so good visibility looking out the back is important. We have one electric car so I'm open to hybrids but not fully electric. I don't need high performance but would like something that has at least a little pep, AWD and good navigation system. One of the main reasons I am not considering Audi again is that the dealerships are a long distance from home, and on busy freeways. I already don't like driving those routes, and 10 years from now I know it will be an issue I don't want to deal with. Dealerships closer to home are GMC, Toyota, Ford, Buick, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Nissan, Accura and Subaru.

We plan to go the auto show in April so I can do a sit test. That helped me ten years ago narrow all the choices down to two - the Audi I bought and a Subaru which was a close second. Thanks for any input you might have for me.

Edit: Honda is also close enough - it's a fairly new dealership and I forgot it's there

I have and love my Hyundai Tucson. It is plenty peppy, has a great camera system. Heated and cooled seats, heated steering wheel, heated rear seat. I do have the one with the sunroof but that was not a major consideration. The highest end model (2025) is $40,000 but there is no real need to spend that much. I never ever buy new as the vehicles lose so much value as you drive off the lot. I would recommend one that is a couple of years old with low mileage. Our daughter just picked one up that is 2 years old with only 24,000 miles. Love my car-you might give them a try.

 

[dibbles]

heated steering wheel

This would be a nice feature up here in the north

 

[Becky1024]

I love my Ford Escape! I've had it for a year now. It's the perfect size for me - enough room for hauling my farmers market & craft show supplies, room for the dog and kids, etc. but doesn't seem huge. It handles well in snow and ice. You will love having a car with backup cameras to get out of the driveway! A plus for me is that the dealership is close by and they give a free carwash every week for the life of the car - you might want to ask the dealerships you check out.

 

[dibbles]

@MelissaG @Becky1024 My current car does have a backup camera, which I do use for backing out of parking spaces and out of the garage so I don't hit the side But to get all the way down the driveway, I have to turn and look. I just can't train my brain to use mirrors or the camera while going in reverse. Our driveway is long and fairly narrow, and there are plants, trees and some landscape blocks close to the edge which, when covered in snow, I have driven over misjudging the edges of the driveway.