Mid sized SUV recommendations?

[dodge man]

We are renting a Toyota RAV4 now and I’m hard to impress but I like it. It’s a Hybrid, 2.5 liter engine. I wouldn’t be that thrilled with it except for the fuel mileage. It’s getting 39mpg mixed driving. It’s maybe a little small but maybe not. They make a Highlander which looks like it gets 35mpg. It looks like Honda makes the CRV in a hybrid but that’s it for them. The CRV looks similar to the RAV4 in size. I think I’d prefer Honda or Toyota but I’m not brand loyal. Any other ones we should look at?

 

[EddieWalker]

The mechanic that I take our vehicles to weighs well over 400 pounds and he drives a Four Runner and It's a tight fit, but he loves it and highly recommends Toyota over all other brands.

 

[Carl_NH]

Check out the Toyota Crown Signia Hybrid 2026 Toyota Crown Signia | Toyota.com

Or the Lexus RX350 Hybrid is a nice car too - we have the RX350 gas V6 and it gets 22 MPG average. Looked at the Highlander but didn't need 3 rows of seats.

 

[oldnslo]

For work I had a Ford Escape and Chevy Equinox and own a Rav 4. Ford was by far the noisiest and roughest ride of the 3 and also seemed underpowered with 1.4? Liter ego boost. Equinox and Rav 4 are similar in ride comfort and mileage but neither was hybrid.

I believe rear seating is also a little better on Equinox and Rav but neither are super spacious on leg roomX

Double check door opening height for getting in and out since the Ford Escape I constantly hit my head getting in and out. Equinox and Rav are less of a problem.

 

[deserteagle71]

Try the Toyota 4Runner...plenty of room. And probably the most dependable, longest lasting vehicle you can buy - all of them are made in the Lexus factory in Japan. But not the most fuel-efficient - expect about 20 mpg overall.

(Above applies to 5th generation and older. Jury is still out on the 6th generation (2025 and 2026) as there's not enough data to tell yet - and they went from the old rock-solid V6 to a turbocharged 4 banger.)

 

[bmaverick]

We are renting a Toyota RAV4 now and I’m hard to impress but I like it. It’s a Hybrid, 2.5 liter engine. I wouldn’t be that thrilled with it except for the fuel mileage. It’s getting 39mpg mixed driving. It’s maybe a little small but maybe not. They make a Highlander which looks like it gets 35mpg. It looks like Honda makes the CRV in a hybrid but that’s it for them. The CRV looks similar to the RAV4 in size. I think I’d prefer Honda or Toyota but I’m not brand loyal. Any other ones we should look at?

VW Tiguan with the Audi 2.0L turbo.
2WD or AWD models.
It shows 35mpg hwy, yet my son does interstate driving and has done 46mpg hwy.
This is a true automatic, not a dumb CVT.
Comes in multiple colors other than most that are plain black, white, silver these days.

For reliability, in 2025, VW nudged out Toyota for the #1 spot as the two are neck and neck for the past 3 years at the top.

Ford has had so many recalls since 2020, my family has finally tossed in the towel and said no more.

 

[DarkBlack]

For reliability, in 2025, VW nudged out Toyota for the #1 spot as the two are neck and neck for the past 3 years at the top.

Say what? Says who? What standards and timeframe were used to come up with that claim?
“JD initial quality “ is not a long term reliability metric..
I just got the most recent consumer reports. Volkswagen, ranked as usual down low , at # 16. Individual models and years up to 2025 shows average to below average

 

[tacticalturnip]

I have never connected Volkswagen with reliability.

The Kia Telluride is quite nice; I don't think I would ever own a 4 cylinder Kia or Hyundai, but we have a 6 cylinder Sorento and it's been great for 140k miles.

 

[ruffdog]

I hope the 2029 GMC Jimmy becomes a reality.

The 2029 GMC Jimmy Is Coming. Here’s Everything We Know.

 

[deserteagle71]

I hope the 2029 GMC Jimmy becomes a reality.

The 2029 GMC Jimmy Is Coming. Here’s Everything We Know.

I like it! But really, it is just a copy of the Ford Bronco. Actually, the lines remind me of the last generation Ford Bronco which was based on the F150.

Hopefully it will be more dependable than the new Ford Bronco. Can't believe how many videos I've seen of those new Broncos being towed out of the back country...mostly electronic problems but also that independent front suspension breaking. Here's what one owner posted:

And a great picture, not even on a difficult off-road trail:

 

[John_Mc]

Looked at the Highlander but didn't need 3 rows of seats.

We looked at the Highlander as well (hybrid model). That 3rd row seat is just about worthless. My 5' 0" wife sat in the 3rd row at the dealer and instantly said "nope". No room at all back there.

We considered a Grand Highlander, wich actually has a usable 3rd row seat. We were looking at either the gas version or the Hybrid MAX Which can both tow 5000#. (The regular hydrid is limited to 3500# towing.) We ultimately decided 5000# was not enough towing capacity. We don't need to tow frequently, and generally do not need to go fast or far when towing heavy loads, but we do need to tow a bit more than 5000#. Since we were hoping to retire our Toyota Tacoma (6500# tow rating), the Grand Highlander was not an option for us. The wait list was also something like 9 months at the time we were shopping.

We decided to keep the Tacoma on the road for a while longer to fill our towing needs, and ended up buying a Rav4 Prime (later model years are now known as the Rav4 Plug-in Hybrid). It has worked out well for us.

We'll shop around again for a larger vehicle in a couple of years, when one of the kids inherits one of our older cars and we end up retiring the Tacoma.

 

[EddieWalker]

Another option is a minivan. When we decided to buy a SUV so my wife could have more space to haul our dogs to the vet and AKC Dog Shows, she said that there is no way that she would ever have a minivan. We looked at almost every brand and size of SUV but didn't like how little room there was for dog crates.

Almost everyone at the dog shows drives a van of some kind. Either it's a great big one or a Chrysler Town and Country because of the folding seats. I have never been a fan of Chrysler. I almost refused to even look at one. But once we did, and then drove it, we realized how wrong we had been. It just sort of blew us away with the amount of visibility, the acceleration, the quality of the ride, and most importantly, how much room it has.

We've had a few issues with it. The rear AC is finicky. It's great for keeping the dogs cool, but we've had to have it worked on several times. There have been some sensor issues that needed replacing that have annoyed us too, but overall, it's been reliable and a decent vehicle. The next minivan will probably be a Toyota. The folding seats are a great option, but we never use them. They remain folded and if we buy a Toyota, we'll just remove the seats.

 

[John_Mc]

Another option is a minivan.

It was the death of our AWD Toyota Sienna minivan that prompted our search. We really liked our first Sienna - an AWD 2004. It was great at hauling people or cargo. Middle seats removed and the rear sets folded down, resulting in a completely flat floor. We could fit a full sheet of plywood flat on the floor (If I recall correctly, we might have had to leave the tailgate cracked a bit? It's been a long time... I can't remember.) When it died, we went to a used/reconditioned 2011 AWD Sienna. It seemed to handle its 3500# rated towing more comfortably, but we were disappointed to find that when the middle seats were removed, two "trolleys" remained on the floor, so it was no longer a flat floor. This made it much less convenient for a cargo hauler. Still, both were pretty darn good vehicles for us. Whether hauling lumber or a carload of Girl Scouts on an extended trip.

Unfortunately, the middle row seats are not removable on the current model Siennas, so they lost. lot of utility as cargo haulers. We do like the AWD option, however, the ground clearance is not very good, so deep snow or rougher roads could be a problem. A local friend dealt with that by putting a 2" lift on their AWD Sienna.

 

[Duds13]

My wife has an Acura RDX A-Spec Advanced model and it is a sweet ride!

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

I inherited a Ford Explorer LTD. The price was right, and it's a really nice vehicle when it works.

Unfortunately, Ford put the water pump INSIDE the engine. A part you should be able to replace by yourself in under an hour requires disassembly of the right side of the motor. It is unbelievable.

Also, these pumps often fail at 60,000 miles, and the normal window is 80,000-120,000, so you may have to replace the pump three times during the car's 200,000-mile life. The replacement can cost anywhere from $2500-$3500.

If the pump seals fail completely before you replace the pump, kiss your engine goodbye. Ford designed the pump so the coolant will drain into the crankcase.

Ford's amazing answer to this problem was to put two seals around the pump, so when one fails, you will probably have time to get it fixed before the second one goes. Amazing.

So to sum up, I don't think you should get a Ford.

 

[CH4Ohio]

We are renting a Toyota RAV4 now and I’m hard to impress but I like it. It’s a Hybrid, 2.5 liter engine. I wouldn’t be that thrilled with it except for the fuel mileage. It’s getting 39mpg mixed driving. It’s maybe a little small but maybe not. They make a Highlander which looks like it gets 35mpg. It looks like Honda makes the CRV in a hybrid but that’s it for them. The CRV looks similar to the RAV4 in size. I think I’d prefer Honda or Toyota but I’m not brand loyal. Any other ones we should look at?

Depends on what you're looking for. (I know, DUH . . . )

Do you want stiff and sporty, fast, plush, spacious, kid hauler, dog hauler, etc.?

What tech features do you want? Make a list. Self-parking, Adaptive Cruise and Lane Keep Assist (pretty standard now), Heads-up display (super nice), Heated / cooled seats (front and/or rear), Heated steering wheel (nice!)???

And first, do you want / need a 3rd row? This will focus your search.

We had a Pilot Elite with a 3rd row. Never even unfolded it. Was never used. Have a CR-V that's nice and gets 30+ mpg. Ford Escape Hybrid has been a daily beater for me for years. Wife drove Hondas for many years but decided she was ready for something different. Within the last 6 months we test drove about everything -- Honda, Acura, Toyota, Ford Explorer, Kia Telluride (like it), Hyundai Tuscon, BMW X5, Audi, Mazda, Mercedes GLE, Volovo, Subaru, and finally Lexus. Wish we'd tried it first! I found one in stock, out of state, and we drove down and bought it the next day. Lexus RX350 Hybrid with premium luxury interior. (NOTE - NOT a plug-in hybrid.) Super nice and comfy ride, no 3rd row, self-parking, all the current tech except "hands free driving", 30+ MPG. Dash screens and controls are well integrated and simpler to operate than several of the other brands too.

Also recently picked up a 3 year old Grand Cherokee to upgrade my daily beater. All the options except self-parking. Wasn't really looking for a Jeep, but in the top trim levels it's a really nice ride -- MUCH nicer than Cherokee, Liberty, and Patriot models I've driven as fleet vehicles or the old '95 Cherokee Country model that we used for our foul-weather vehicle years ago. No comparison -- they've come a long way, Baby.

If you go toward a mini-van, the Honda Odyssey is worth a look. When you fold down the seats that thing is like a small cargo van.

 

[dodge man]

All good advice so far, although I understand Eddies choice in a mini van that’s one we won’t consider. The Highlander is under consideration. I’d say the CRV is on my list. I’ll say again this RAV4 has impressed me because of its fuel mileage and that’s not normally important to me. 4x4 is a must if we get an SUV.

 

[JTKub]

I know everyone has their experiences, but I would avoid anything Stellantis and Ford for mid sized SUVs. The 2018-2023 Chevy Equinox is a good buy. The LYX and LSD 1.5 and 6spd automatics will run a long time with good maintenance. All engine, transmission and AWD fluid changes are super easy to DIY on this powertrain as well. If you want a larger 3 row seating, V6 powered vehicle, the 2018-2023 Traverse is a good vehicle as well. I'm kind of biased as I own both. ~75K miles on both currently.

You sound pretty set on Toyota. I get that. I've never had pockets deep enough for Toyota.

 

[paulsharvey]

We are renting a Toyota RAV4 now and I’m hard to impress but I like it. It’s a Hybrid, 2.5 liter engine. I wouldn’t be that thrilled with it except for the fuel mileage. It’s getting 39mpg mixed driving. It’s maybe a little small but maybe not. They make a Highlander which looks like it gets 35mpg. It looks like Honda makes the CRV in a hybrid but that’s it for them. The CRV looks similar to the RAV4 in size. I think I’d prefer Honda or Toyota but I’m not brand loyal. Any other ones we should look at?

Wife is wanting to replace her Charger RT with a mid sized, 4wd or AWD SUV before too long. We are leaning 4Runner, partially based on past personal Toyota experience and friends/family Toyota experience.

An alternative, Ford Explorer, they really are solid vehicles, if boring in every possible way. Between two at work, I put probably 400,000 miles on explorers in the last 8 years, and they have been functionally perfect, but again, Boring vehicles. No where near 40mph; maybe 28 mpg in my work vehicles though.

 

[DarkBlack]

You sound pretty set on Toyota. I get that. I've never had pockets deep enough for Toyota.

Toyota
Toyota, not Lamborghini!