Mid sized SUV recommendations?

[tradosaurus]

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.

I helped my son by buying a 2015 Honda Odyssey for his family while he was out of country.
I could see having one even when retired. Lots of room, still has a V6, and very comfortable. Only downside is the timing belt.

 

[tradosaurus]

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.

I watch a lot of mechanics videos and I can't believe you put a Chevy Equinox (or Traverse) above Stellantis and Fords.

I don't think you will be spending much more on an equivalent sized Toyota than the above brands.

 

[tradosaurus]

Don't forget about Mazda. My Wife's car is a 2014 M6. She wrecked it twice. Has excellent power, been incredibly reliable and handles like an itchypussy.
Mazda has a large selection of SUV's. The technology that they come with is top notch. Radar cruise control, side and rear vehicle detection, automatic wipers.. they even speed up in heavier rain by themselves. On her car the headlights turn when you turn.. really cool and a simple, reliable mechanism that does it. With the radar cruise and the vehicle detection system, you can be behind someone on the highway.. as you approach, it slows down to your selected following distance. When you want to pass you put your turn signal on.. it checks for traffic in the left lane, you scoot over and since no one is in front of you it accelerates back to cruise speed. All without touching the brakes or fiddling with cruise control.

I would not touch a vehicle with a CVT or any type of battery that does more than simply start the car. That's just me. CVT's are crap and batteries just annoy me.

We've have a 2018 Model 3 (bought brand new) and have given to our daughter. Can't stand the 2.5L engine (gutless) but very reliable. I would love to test drive the inline 6 that are in the CX-90's.