Subaru Outback or Volvo XC 70
I have these cars. Both are all wheel drive. Both get good mileage. The Outback (my car)rides and handles better (also a better value). The Volvo (wife’s car)is bigger and has more comfortable seats. Putting boats on top of either is a breeze. The average mileage on both is about 22-23 mpg without racks on the car (Jacksonville, Fl. is spread out so we do a lot of interstate driving). My Outback only takes premium. The volvo will take regular unleaded. Haggle on the internet. I got $6,000 off my wifes car (05 model) and $4,500 off mine (05 model). Good luck! Franklin
hmm
Check the Mileage… I OWNED a Jeep liberty with the V6… It got 18-19 MPG… My Full size suburban gets 20!!! Granted that’s still kind of crappy for a Commuter vehicle but I don’t use it for that…
Honda Pilot
The honda pilot fits in that category. I like mine alot.
New or used?
– Last Updated: Oct-05-05 11:05 AM EST –
I had a 93 Ranger supercab, sold it to get a 99 Isuzu Trooper, traded the Trooper for another Ranger supercab. With the exception of the 98 and 99 model years the Trooper is a fine vehicle. Those years have oil rings on the pistons without enough holes for the oil to drain back into the crankcase. Consequently, they clog with carbon, push oil to the top of the cylinder, and burn it off. (1qt/1K miles) This eventually causes you to replace the EGR at $500. a pop. They run well otherwise, handle well, the Traction Control makes them grip like they have claws. I couldn't open the back doors with the trailer on the hitch and the dog crate didn't fit real well in the back. Got about 16 MPG at best. Happier with the Ranger.
Taj
Oh, the rack; I used the Thuley towers over the doors and the rest of the rack from the Ranger. Worked OK, but allowed rain to seep by the door seal.
Depends
What you buy should depend on where you plan on driving. If you’re going to stay on pavement then just about anything will work with a little imagination. Off pavement is a different story. To start dirt roads often will have sharps rocks sticking up after they’ve been bladed. You should have at least a 6 ply tire if driving on dirt. That means 15’ wheels or bigger. Since you live in AZ I’d suggest you consider how much you’d limit yourself if you go with a smaller less capable vehicle. I’ve only lived in AZ for 6 months and have driven several hundred miles on dirt roads exploring the beautiful country. I’ve been places I woundn’t consider in a KIA or Subaru like the western edge of Grand Canyon National Park.
4X4 Xterra is fine
I get a little better gas mileage, don’t have the supercharger model though. Xterra will handle off road driving onto beaches etc.
I use yakima racks, have carried up to 5 surf and white water kayaks or two seak kayaks no problem. It’s a little tricky at first loading but easy enough once you get a system down. Just pad the roof as Chuck reccomends.
Forget KIA
if you are looking for a used vehicle forget KIA, I have a 97 Sportage(aka Shitage), it is the second biggest mistake I have made in buying a vehicle. MY sister has a 05 and likes it, but never again would I buy a Korean car.
Never say never
it tends to turn around an bite you eventually…
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– Last Updated: Oct-05-05 12:17 PM EST –
The upper end (more expensive/bigger engines) outbacks don't get very impressive gas mileage at about 19/24 for city/highway. By that I mean not much different than a honda pilot.
Check the rear axle ratios
– Last Updated: Oct-05-05 2:03 PM EST –
Gas mileage is affected by things other than vehicle or engine size. My husband's '97 Tahoe (not used for commuting) gets 19+ mpg on the highway, despite having the older 5.7L V8. He got one one of the lower axle ratios (numerically lower), which give better mileage but are less suitable for heavy towing. Since our trailer and kayaks definitely do not fall under the "heavy towing" category, it works out well.
However, the Tahoe, like most 4x4 SUVs and trucks, is tall enough to make loading kayaks a pain. Last year he bought a Subaru Outback wagon for around-town driving (28 mpg mixed driving, manual transmission and 4cyl engine). That car would be *much* easier to load kayaks on and it is quite roomy inside. And it gets that mpg using regular gas, not premium.
The '05 models get better mpg
The new 4.0L V6 gets 21 mpg highway with a 6-spd manual transmission.
I bought an ‘05 Frontier 4x4 (same engine and transmission) so can vouch that the EPA mileage ratings are good, as long as you don’t drive it with a leadfoot (hard not to when it has so much git-up-and-go). 21 mpg sucks compared with little cars’ mileage, but it is very good for a midsized gas-engine 4x4 truck with V6 or V8. Older compact 4x4 V6 trucks actually get less mpg with less power/torque.
I really, really like this truck but would not recommend ANY truck for a family hauler. Also, the tallness would make it a pain for loading kayaks on top.
I Am Waiting To See Toyota FJCrusiser
– Last Updated: Oct-05-05 1:01 PM EST –
My Toyota Tacoma will soon be 10 years old, and it has 175,000 miles on it. I never had any problems with it, but it is coming to the point where I might not trust it over Sonora Pass.
But I will wait to see the initial review on the new Toyota FJCrusier before I buy a new vehicle. Toyota has had problems with intial production in the past. Even the Tocoma got bad ratings for 1995.
The FJCruiser is supposed to be a no frills, hard core, off road vehicle at an affordable price. We will see. The concept vehicle does look cool.
http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/future/fj_cruiser/index.html?s_van=http://www.toyota.com/fj&ref=
4WD vs AWD vs fake AWD
First of all (the straightforward part), with 4WD you get a low-range transfer case, which you may or may not need. With 4WD, your default mode is RWD and you select when to put it in 4WD mode.
Those are the differences between 4WD and real AWD.
The Subaru is an example of real AWD. Torque is divided 50/50 between front and rear axles at ALL times. It has no low range (transfer case), but since it is intended more as a slick-conditions road vehicle than an off-roader, that doesn’t matter. These things are extremely popular here (Colorado), and for good reason.
But there is also a pseudo-AWD, for lack of a better term, which might be what’s on the Hondas as well as on a few other vehicles. In that case, it’s really a front-wheel-drive vehicle that, when it senses a low-traction situation, switches back and forth between front and rear axles. In other words, it switches between FWD and RWD depending on which wheels have the most traction available. At no time are all 4 wheels actually being driven.
Because AWD is user-transparent, it might be hard to tell what you have unless you get into a situation that really tests the differences.
Confused? There’s more. But that’s a subject for another forum.
Cool concept vehicles
Saw a photo of the Jeep Hurricane concept. Way cool for maneuvering in tight spots with those funky rear wheels!
Would I buy another Jeep, probably not.
6 ply?
Man you love to put your foot in your mouth !
I do almost as much off road 4 x 4 driving as I do on road and I have never had a need for 6 ply tires.
My last five vehicles have been 4 x 4’s out of necessity, and I have driven on tons of shale roads all over Alaska.
I rotate using five wheels, (spare) every ten thousand and I get between 45,000 and 60,000 out of a set of factory tires.
Cheers,
JackL
Honda Element!
Made for paddlers
I Had Three Jeeps
I had three Jeeps. I would not buy another.
But the 4.0 straight six teamed with an auto is not bad.
Yea, great car except
You can only put two people in the backseat. That killed it for me since I have three kids.
trip to Maine
one time in a FOrester with two kayaks and two people total…worked great,
second time Honda Oddyssey with three kayaks and three people,worked great,I’d pick the Honda Oddyssey over any SUV.
When you compare gas mileage
Don’t discount the Expedition.
I get 17mpg on the highway. About the same as the Jeep etc. Just don’t get the small V8. The larger V8 gets better mileage.