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Got a question for you experienced techs. What pros and cons do you know about any of the small to mid-sized crossovers and/or SUVs beyond what is researchable through Edmunds.com, Consumer Reports, etc.? For example, Subaru vs Ford vs Chevy vs Honda vs Toyota, etc. in terms of the types of wear and tear issues that typically arise, how expensive it is to keep them well maintained, etc.?
The reason I ask, although the 2007 Impala is a good car, I may possibly have a situation in the next year or two that would make me trade the sedan for a vehicle I can easily put large animal crates in to transport multiple cats a very long distance to relocate them and all my belongings if I move. Obviously I'd do my homework, like I did before buying the Impala and do extensive test driving. But just like when I shopped four years ago for a car that would accomodate my frail Dad best (who has been deceased for several years), I want to have an idea what I'd be getting into with typical mechanical issues, AWD vs FD, 4 cyl vs 6 cyl, etc.
I've also been thinking that a crossover or SUV would be easier on my knees to get in and out of, as long as it isn't too high, and that loading and unloading groceries from a flat cargo floor without having to lift things over the trunk lip would be helpful. I don't need anything as big as a mini-van. That's why I'm thinking small to mid-sized crossover or SUV that can gain the extra cargo room for the cats when the time comes by folding down the rear seats.
Everyone I know who has an Subaru Outback or Forrester raves about them. I also know someone who loves their Chevy Equinox, although that was an older model and not the current upsized version that seems to have replaced the Trailblazer.
So, any advice on questions to ask, things to research, things to keep in mind, are appreciated. Again, this won't happen right away I don't think. I'm more trying to research, shop, and plan ahead.
If it helps to answer my question, I'd most likely be relocating to the Ozarks where there is more snow than St. Louis, the roads are winding and narrow and not always well plowed, and as is currently the case, I wouldn't physically be able to do any of my own maintenance other than put gas in it, check the oil stick, refill the windshield washer reservoir, keep the tires properly aired, and keep the buggy clean inside and out. The rest I have to pay a reliable shop to take care of for me.
Thanks.
Marnet
...still reading, still learning!
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I'll be a tad bit biased making the suggestion of a CX-7, especially since they offer the 2.5L normal engine with this year's model, but only with FWD. Best suggestion would be to find the crates you may have to use and take some with you and find out how they'll be when you load/unload them. Then, find out which dealerships are in the area you'll be moving to, it'll do you no good if you buy a Mazda/Subaru if the closest dealership is in the next state over.
 
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Thank you Bscar. I'd thought of taking measurements of the size crates/cages I'd have to buy to transport the cats with room for litter tray, food and water, and for the cats to lie down, sit up, move around, etc. and make sure that size would fit by measurement in the vehicle, but I think you're right that when the time comes to make a firm decision, I'd need to buy the cages and make sure I can actually get them in and out of the vehicle such they fit. I had totally spaced thinking about what dealerships will be in the area. Thank you! That is valuable advice. I know a friend there whose mom bought a VW Jetta she likes but has to drive almost 100 miles to the nearest VW dealer. And I don't want to be stuck with that scenario. See, I knew you folks would toss ideas out I might not think of. And for those I have thought about, well, the advice is good reinforcement to remember to check those points out when shopping. 
Marnet...still reading, still learning!
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I hate to pile on but of the ones you mention Subaru would not be anywhere near the top of my list, raves or not. As you may remember, I'm a long time auto tech of the foreign car persuasion (SAAB, VW, Subaru, Honda, Nissan, Fiat, and Mazda as far as the new car franchises go.) Of all those makes, Subarus have been the most problematic of them all and my opinion is based on seeing these cars day in and day out for many years.
I'm not familiar with the CX-7 that bscar owns but I will say that one of the multi-line dealers I worked for included Mazda. While I did not personally get too deep into Mazda servicing, my best friend who worked side by side with me handled most of the Mazdas and I can say that I did not see him saddled with numerous warranty problems and he was also a staunch Mazda owner. (Owned both a Mazda pickup and and RX-7)
My feeling is that Mazda builds fine, reliable cars.
Subarus are ok, but there are better and more reliable options out there.
As to Chrysler, I'm not a real fan of late model Chryslers (other than the Challenger) but my son and daughter in law bought a new 2007 Dodge Caliber AWD a few years back. They have about 60k miles on it now and it's been absolutely bullet-proof; in spite of what you may read on the net about Chryslers being junk from the get-go. Close to 30 MPG on the open road and gets through the muck and mire pretty easily.
At this poiont, the vehicle still runs/drives as new and has not even suffered a rattle or squeak.
Normally I would say avoid th AWD unless you absolutely need it but moving to the Ozarks could mean that AWD is a necessity on those winding hilly roads.
The main thing you want to do with AWD is keep the tire pressure checked and rotate the tire regularly.
When it comes to tire time you cannot make do with the tires; you need to keep them roughly the same as to diameter, etc.
My opinion is that you should get a 6 cylinder if possible. (depending on the type of vehicle you get)
Often there is little difference in fuel economy and the 6 cyl. generally has a better engine torque curve and this translates to more pull power on the hills and more power through a broader range of RPMs.
Hope some of that helps in your decision Marnet and good luck.
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Thank OK for your input. I was hoping you'd weigh in, as I remember you speaking of working on foreign makes, including Subu's. I was thinking what I recall of things you've said that Subu's can be problematic and $$$ to keep running. I'm very early in this process, don't have time to give it full attention just yet, and may end up not needing to at all. But as it is a very distinct possibility I may move sometime in the next year or so, most likely to the Ozarks, and will have to move multiple cats, I need a vehicle I can get them in for the ride. Oddly enough, due to the size and shape of the car doors front and back, as well as the tighter room in the rear of the Impala than even my '87 Olds had, I cannot get a large pet carrier in the car. I can put the regular small ones in just fine and strap them in with seat belts for short rides to the vet and back, but trying to take cats on a trip of nearly 400 miles that way doesn't work well. We were able to get a big crate in the back seat of my folks '83 Olds Delta but then that car was a RWD mini-land yacht (not to be confused with the real Land Yacht '65 Olds 98 of years gone by! ) One thing I've been disappointed in about the current 2007 Impala with its 6cyl engine has been the significant lag time for tromping the gas if needing quick acceleration and when I get the results. I suspect the difference is as much or more the transmission as the engine. It doesn't find shift points as comfortably as the 3.8L V6 I had in the Olds. That buggy had immediate response with strong low end torque.
Marnet...still reading, still learning!
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Couple more questions, please:
1) If I were to decide to have AWD (and I'm aware of the greater expense of having not only to keep the tires rotated faithfully but to buy an entire set of 4 when buying new tires, etc.) is there any particular advantage or disadvantage to a transmission that is AWD all the time versus a FWD that can have AWD turned on and off as needed? (I know that topic has been discussed before but I just don't remember the answer, with apologies.)
2) Most cars seem to have something called "paddle shifting." I'm used to a shifter, whether center console or on the steering column, that shows P, R, N, OD, D3, D2, D1. But paddle shift cars only show P, R, N, and D whether they are 4 or 6 gear transmissions. I'm assuming the paddles are for downshifting but just don't show which D gear like I'm used to??? If so, how do I know which one I'm in?
3) Any particular mechanical advantage to either the car platform based crossovers or the truck platform based SUV's? I know the SUV's have a higher step in height, get less gas mileage on average, and may or may not have a truck like ride due to the suspension. I'm wondering about the mechanical advantages one way or the other.
Marnet
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Marnet wrote:Thank you Bscar. I'd thought of taking measurements of the size crates/cages I'd have to buy to transport the cats with room for litter tray, food and water, and for the cats to lie down, sit up, move around, etc. and make sure that size would fit by measurement in the vehicle, but I think you're right that when the time comes to make a firm decision, I'd need to buy the cages and make sure I can actually get them in and out of the vehicle such they fit. I had totally spaced thinking about what dealerships will be in the area. Thank you! That is valuable advice. I know a friend there whose mom bought a VW Jetta she likes but has to drive almost 100 miles to the nearest VW dealer. And I don't want to be stuck with that scenario. See, I knew you folks would toss ideas out I might not think of. And for those I have thought about, well, the advice is good reinforcement to remember to check those points out when shopping. Best thing about the measurements would be to grab some construction paper or cardboard boxes and tape/glue together to make a rough guesstimate on how it'll look. If you can't fit it in your Impala fully assembled, take some tape with you and build it on-site. Another thing you could do, if you had the free time, would be to travel to the Ozarks and just cruise the local dealerships where you intend to move. As for the paddle shifters, when I'm in manumatic mode for my Mazda, it'll show what gear I'm in, but normal mode, it just shows D. Actual paddles will be the same way. I test drove a Miata awhile back that had the little paddles on the steering wheel and it showed the gear I was in when I moved it to the selector to the manumatic mode. Usually those paddles will be push for up and pull for down, then again, most manumatics have you push the lever up for up and down for down, but my CX-7 is the opposite, down for upshift, up for downshift. I'm not really sure the mechanical (dis)advantages of the SUV, but I can tell you the comfort and ease of entry/exit will more than make up for it. I almost dread plopping my butt down inside a car now anymore and have opted to drive whenever me, my mom and step dad go anywhere. They both like the easy entry/exit of it as much as I do. And the fuel mileage is about the only thing I don't like about it, but it has so many pluses going for it over my Civic that I'll still, begrudgingly, pay $70 to fill it up when gas hits $5/gallon. It's pretty ironic that I emphatically hated SUVs when I bought my Civic almost 9 years ago. I rented an Escape once while my Civic was being worked on overnight and was surprised at how much I liked it
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Gee, I hadn't thought of the construction paper version of the crates. That is a thought. Of course, any vehicle I seriously consider, part of the multiple test drives I take is finding how well it fits in my garage and can still be opened up and for unloading cargo. I can always test placing the crates in it then for a full test of the real thing.
I like some of the SUVs I've been in, but the height to climb in and out of seats in most SUVs and minivans is too high for me. I'm short, only 5'4" with a bum knee. For some reason, minivans are particularly difficult for me to get in and out of the rear seats when I'm a passenger.
I did like the "command seating" of the Ford 500 and Ford Fusion I test drove back in 2006 when shopping for the Impala. I seriously considered them, especially the 500. But for some reason my Dad wasn't comfortable getting in and out of them so that eliminated those models from consideration. I'm tempted to give them a look again although I doubt either would accomodate the animal crates.
Of course, the way things are, by the time I might move, I may only have two of the four cats left which would require less cargo space to a hold enough crate/s. One cat is very old and failing. In fact, I don't want to move while he's alive because a move would be so hard on him and likely kill him. Another isn't in good health and I'm not sure how old she'll get to be.
So, guess I do my research, do some test driving, look at the bank account, and just take my time figuring out what I need and can afford. Nice actually to be able to do this at leisure rather than have only a few days to week to "buy something in a hurry" as would be the case if my car got wrecked or such.
Marnet
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Marnet, let me add something in regards to the Dodge Caliber. The one my son has has been bullet-proof as I've mentioned with not one mechanical hiccup or squeak/rattle in 60k miles.
Speaking for myself I would not own one of them. The design is acceptable and it drives and handles fine.
However, the major drawbacks in my opinion are in regards to the interior.
The color design is atrocious for one.
The seats are hard as a rock and both headroom and legroom is limited in the rear seat.
I've tolerated a ride in the front seat of that thing. Riding in the rear is torture. It may be best to eliminate the Caliber.
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Thanks OK for your candor. I hadn't wanted to say anything and risk offending you but the Caliber was already off the list. A cousin has one and hates it because she says it has lousy handling in wet conditions compared to the previous Equinox she had and that the seats and ride are uncomfortable. She puts in lots of long driving as a hospice nurse in a rural area so has a good feel for the Caliber's limitations.
Before I actually spend any of my limited money to change vehicles, I'll take my time and be sure I actually need to swap the Impala or, even if I do swap, that I need something other than a sedan. There is more than one way to arrange a move, even with a passle of cats. For that matter, I could leave them boarded with the vet while moving everything else so they are kept safe and then rent the type of vehicle needed to move the cats in big enough crates and come back for them. Not cheap but less expensive than buying a new buggy.
This whole notion is a work in progress along with lots of other things up in the air.
I do appreciate the feedback.
What about the three additional questions I raised? Any thoughts from anyone about those, please, in addition to the explanation already generously given about the paddle shifting?
And what's with the paddle shifting anyway? After all, any automatic I've ever driven lets me manually downshift and then shift back up when need be, such as when on a super steep, long downslope.
Marnet
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As to question 1 my feeling is that there's just not enough difference to matter. With today's engine controls, etc. fuel mileage differences are not near what they used to be when comparing full time AWD to FWD only mode. If it were me I'd probably go with full time AWD so it would be a "forget it's even there" type of thing.
As to 2, I'm not rea; familiar with flappy paddles and my experience with them is very skimpy. My personal opinion is they're an unnecessary gee-whiz engineering exercise. I feel the same way about 6 or more forward speeds in automatic transmissions. It's overkill and simply not needed.
When the bill comes due to fix these kind of things the engineers and marketing people will be out of the loop. The onus will be on the owners and mechanics to fight this out.
As to 3 I think you're on target with your comments. The car based are normally easier to move around town in, park, etc. but the smaller SUVs (Trailblazer, etc.) are not that bad either.
The truck based will normally have the capability to carry a heavier load or tow a heavier trailer but I don't know that this would mean too much in your case.
Don't worry about offending me. I despise that Caliber and think they made a huge mistake trading their Lincoln LS (like new in/out and ran like new). Soon, they will come to realize this. Maybe when the timing belt snaps, which is something I've reminded them repeatedly needs to be done at 60k miles.
Heck, even if I loved that Dodge I would not be offended by an honest opinion that just happens to vary with mine.
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Paddle shifters are just like the automatic stick shift you may have seen on other cars. There is an automatic clutch and you shift whenever you want. Still, you can just leave it in fully automatic mode and never touch them. If they are optional, I'd avoid them unless you want to shift manually. The heritage is Formula 1 racing. The F1 cars all have paddle shifters and automatic clutches. It's just trick on most cars and has no real value. I think that the extra forward gears are used to improve power throughout the band and provide better fuel mileage at the same time.
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JT, so the paddles are the equivalent of how on the column shifter I'm used to has Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive, 3, 2, 1 and the cars with paddles just show Park, Reverse, Neutral, and Drive but if I have any reason to want to manually downshift -- i.e. going down a long steep grade without riding the brake the whole way -- then I would use the paddles to "manually" downshift from Drive to third, second, or first gear and then back up again?
So I'm assuming then the paddles are like running through the full range of available gears that used to be shown either above the steering column in the instrument cluster on cars with the shifter on the column, or shown in the "gates" of a console shifter?
Normally I just put the car in Drive and let the automatic transmission deal with things. Only rarely do I ever shift down to get out of "freewheeling" and limit how much the car picks up speed from momentum on a long steep grade.
Thank you for your response.
Marnet
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I think the transmission selector is in the console. If you choose the manual mode of the automatic transmission, the paddle shifters become active.
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If you choose to relocate to the Ozarks, let me know. I may be able to help if you are undecided about where to live. My family lived in Springfield, and I still have relatives in Springfield, Nixa, Ash Grove, and Ozark. Parents retired to Bolivar. Still remember when Branson had one stop light downtown, and no traffic jams......
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I'm thinking of Bella Vista, AR. All those lovely golf courses! My family lived in Rogers, AR for a short time when I was a kid and I fell in love with the landscape around Bella Vista even then. The resort was still fairly new; now it has become an incorporated city and has many permanent homes and residents, not just weekend summer homes.
I have dear friends in Rogers, Springdale, and Harrison and family nearby in Oklahoma where I grew up. The St. Louis suburbs where I've lived for 30 years are very nice and St. Louis has an amazing wealth of wonderful cultural amenities, most of them free to boot, but now my parents are both gone I would rather be closer to remaining family, live somewhere with less violent crime, and that has affordable golf courses. I'm working toward it!
Marnet
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In icy hill country the AWD would really be a help. A lifelong friend of mine moved out of state some years ago (not out of choice; witness in a Federal case against some higher ups) and he's been in western NC for about 15 years. The terrain there is somewhat similar I suppose and at one time he said he had to buy a 4WD pickup to be able to make it to work on those ice and snow covered hills, etc. At times even that wasn't enough and he has to stay home.
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Wow, I'll keep that in mind. I do know that northwest AR and southwest MO actually get more snow and ice than here in St. Louis, despite being considerably farther south than here, but being in the Ozarks the elevation there is higher, hence more winter white stuff. And people wonder why I want an attached garage?! 
Marnet...still reading, still learning!
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Lately Springfield and NW Ark received a bit more snow and ice than we get in KC, but I think that is more an anomaly than the average. Just like up here, sometimes they get dumped on, but mostly not. Branson seldom gets snowed in. I thought Bella Vista was relatively sheltered from the really bad weather (could be wrong). My former boss retired there a few years ago. Nice area and far more amenities than when it first started up in the mid-60's.
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