SUV Suggestion for Seattle (and camping)

[AntiFreze]

Hey, just wanted to get everyone's take on a good car/suv/mix that would work will in Seattle. Something good with hills, mileage, and does well on backpacking/camping trips. I would prolly buy one a few years old but wanted to know whats good.

 

[PricklyPete]

Subaru Outback or Forester.

I'm loving my wife's new Audi A4 Quattro...but I'd never take it anywhere that even resembles "offroad"...that's what I have my Tacoma for. I have gone camping/offroad all over California and Baja with my friend's Outback and it has never failed us for general usage.

 

[desy]

If your not towing a Rav CRV or Escape

 

[DVad3r]

I'd recommend a Russian SUV personally:

 

[Bignate603]

Are you looking for this to be your primary car or just a weekend vehicle?

 

[kornphlake]

Subaru Outback or Forester.

I don't know about Seattle but here in Portland Subies are all over the place, kind of like Camrys in So Cal. I'd get something else if for no other reason than to be different than the rest of the crowd.

I've taken my FWD 4 door sedan camping plenty of times, including gravel/dirt roads. I'm a scout master and I take scouts camping at least once a month, often in primitve or unimproved sites, I like to visit the intended area either with my family or by myself before taking scouts into the woods if that gives you any idea how often I've been camping.

There have only been a couple times ground clearance was an issue and a wagon or compact SUV wouldn't fare much better. 4wd would be nice to have, I've gotten stuck in the snow 2x in the last year, not because I couldn't find traction but because I was afraid going further would get me in trouble. Turning around I lost momentum and got stuck in deeper snow on the edge of the road both times. I keep a small shovel in the trunk of my car and was able to get going both times without any assistance, for the minor hassle I'm not sure I'd want to pay at the gas pump throughout the rest of the year for 4WD/AWD. I don't drive my car like it's a racecar, because it's not, for 99% of my driving AWD would be a waste.

Any of the mid sized SUVs should be just fine if that's what you think you'd like. Toyota 4 runners have always caught my eye, but I'm not sure what kind of MPG they get. A Rav4, Escape, CR-v, Tracker or similar compact SUV would get you where you're going I'm not sure any one is better than the other, I think that quality in this market is pretty much equal across the board, which is to say it's not as stellar as one would wish. You may find that there really isn't much more cargo space in a compact SUV than you'd find in a 4 door sedan. You can fit a suprising amount of lightweight gear on a roof rack, sleeping bags, lawn chairs etc. are easy enough to tie to the top of a vehicle to free up space inside.

 

[Sukhoi]

One thing to keep in mind is the 06-08 RAV4 I-4 is much inferior to the 09-10 I-4. The V-6 has been the same from 06-10 and rocks. However if you get one of the older V-6s there is an issue with some rubber oil hose on the engine that needs to be replaced (I believe covered under standard warranty). Mine is an 09 so I didn't have to worry. The I-4 and V-6 gas mileage of the 06-08 RAV4 is almost identical. Now on the 09-10 the I-4 gets about 2 mpg better.

It is so nice having the space of a small SUV when car camping...I go nuts trying to do it out of a compact sedan.

4WD systems of the RAV4 and Forester (and Outback) are fairly similar in capability. The Subie AWD itself is better, but the RAV4 does have the benefit of the 50/50 FR/RR lock. CR-V AWD is definitely inferior.

 

[JulesMaximus]

One thing to keep in mind is the 06-08 RAV4 I-4 is much inferior to the 09-10 I-4. The V-6 has been the same from 06-10 and rocks. However if you get one of the older V-6s there is an issue with some rubber oil hose on the engine that needs to be replaced (I believe covered under standard warranty). Mine is an 09 so I didn't have to worry. The I-4 and V-6 gas mileage of the 06-08 RAV4 is almost identical. Now on the 09-10 the I-4 gets about 2 mpg better.

It is so nice having the space of a small SUV when car camping...I go nuts trying to do it out of a compact sedan.

4WD systems of the RAV4 and Forester (and Outback) are fairly similar in capability. The Subie AWD itself is better, but the RAV4 does have the benefit of the 50/50 FR/RR lock. CR-V AWD is definitely inferior.

Meh, I've been trying to figure out how to do it backpacking...your compact car is a worlds better than when you have to carry everything in a few miles on your back.

 

[Bignate603]

Meh, I've been trying to figure out how to do it backpacking...your compact car is a worlds better than when you have to carry everything in a few miles on your back.

It's one of the reasons why I like my cherokee. Around here there are a few hikes and things that have a trail head for cars way out and a trail head for high clearance vehicles closer in. On one of our favorite places to backpack you can shave 2 miles off, roundtrip. I wouldn't mind the extra distance but it's a pretty boring stretch of the hike.

 

[Sukhoi]

Meh, I've been trying to figure out how to do it backpacking...your compact car is a worlds better than when you have to carry everything in a few miles on your back.

Well you're taking a whole lot less stuff when you backpack. When we car camp we bring the kitchen sink so it gets hard to make everything accessible in a small car.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Jeep Wrangler Unlimited

If you must go the CUV route - Ford Escape.

 

[krunchykrome]

Hey, just wanted to get everyone's take on a good car/suv/mix that would work will in Seattle. Something good with hills, mileage, and does well on backpacking/camping trips. I would prolly buy one a few years old but wanted to know whats good.

Honda CRV! We are avid campers throughout the entire year. We can pack plenty of stuff in the CRV and still have room for 3-4 people. I bought a 2008 EX AWD out the door for $24,500. It's a bit underpowered (166 HP), however, the 2010 models have 16 more HP (180HP) and they even increased mpg by +1 or +2. I average 22 mpg, but I tend to have a heavy foot. I've averaged 28mpg on a full tank before though. I think it's a big bang for the buck.

My other suggestion is a Subaru Outback. If I was in the market for another car in this segment, I would definetly check out the new Outback.

 

[kevman]

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