Considering Small SUV, Input Requested

[vskid3]

My wife likes sitting up high when driving. She liked our '06 Escape Hybrid, but we sold it and got a '05 Prius (easy 50MPG ). She doesn't like how low the Prius is, so we're now considering getting something a little taller.

Vehicles currently being considered:

'10+ Escape Hybrid
Test drove one and she liked it.
Pros: Would probably average at least 30MPG. Plenty of room.
Cons: Expensive used, '10+ required because it has electric AC so we don't melt when the engine is off.

Mazda 5 mini-minivan
Test drove one and she liked it.
Pros: Plenty of room for cargo and/or people. Manual tranny if I can convince my wife.
Cons: Would probably only average 25-28MPG.

Subaru VX Crosstek
Haven't driven yet.
Pros: AWD, good ground clearance, would be a good everything vehicle. Manual tranny if I can convince my wife. MPGs aren't bad considering its capabilities.
Cons: Probably only available new.

The most important things are high driver position (doesn't have to be super high, Mazda 5 was adequate), MPGs, and reliability. Don't really care for any fancy features besides cruise control. I would like to keep MPGs as high as possible, at least higher than average for the type of vehicle. Budget is low $20k for new, preferably low teens or less for used.

Anyone have any other ideas or comments about my current ones?

[ecomodded]

Has she tried Raising the seat ? seriously, my car is like a 70's low rider with the seat set low.. Up high its like im driving a Bus , a very tiny Bus.

[Frank Lee]

Maybe some counseling to find out what this deep-seated (PUN!) need is all about.

My cat likes to sit up high too, but I understand it because he's what- 14" tall?

I knew a short guy in college that drove a ginormous Imperial- sat on a pillow in there too.

[vskid3]

Seat height isn't adjustable without messing with the mounting bolts, but maybe we'll try some folded towels. She said that there are other aspects that bother her, such as the windshield going off forever into the distance (seriously, large sunshades barely work). She really doesn't like driving, so if a different vehicle will help, so be it. I would really like for it to not have to come to that, though, I like the Prius (can't say I wouldn't like something else, but I would get used to it in a few months anyway). I don't think the Prius is really that low, I feel its quite tall for a car, I think the feeling of being high is what she wants. We'll try adjusting the seat differently and see if that makes any difference.

The funny thing is, I'm shorter than her, and I really don't mind sitting low...

[Xist]

I have known plenty of tall guys who drop adjustable chairs as low as they can, while I always sit as high as I can, so that I need less leg room. I had a 6'4" friend who drove a Metro, which always seemed curious.

Retrofitting the driver's seat might just be easier or cheaper than purchasing an SUV, especially your options are between worse mileage and much worse mileage.

There are enough Prii that there must be a proper sun shade somewhere.

People are strange with their opinions. Mom told me today that I would eat her food even if it tasted like cardboard.

That is why she has Tapatio, but I am not going hungry!

I recently tried to find out if the four-door Insight was more than a fake Prius and I only found stupid things like they immediately walked away when they found out there was not a cup holder for the rear seat, or you could not get them with leather.

The Toyota Prius, The Car that is Saving the World--ya gotta have leather!

My question is: If your wife does not enjoy driving does she:

1. Drive as little as possible and\or:
2. Drive as terribly as possible?

[Simonas]

If you were in Europe, I'd tell you to get a VW Transporter T4 2.5 TDI 75kw (in US it was called "Eurovan" and had a V6 in it). Nice and high off the ground, can handle dirt roads reasonably well, 30mpg with a normal driver. Cruiseing at 50km/hr is 1100rpm. I've heard of them hitting 140 km/hr. (90mph)

If you need good acceleration, downshift and acceleration is quite good. Up to nine passengers, with an option of having the back door open up or with double doors. If you remove the rear seats, you'd have an equivalent of a pickup with a top. Please beware that I am talking about the shorter version with no high top. A high top and long body raises fuel consumption.

[oil pan 4]

The escape hybrid has a weak reverse gear. Actually it doesn't have a gear at all, it uses the hybrid drive to back up.
Something to think about for long term or if you plan to use it as a real SUV.

[kir_kenix]

Originally Posted by oil pan 4

The escape hybrid has a weak reverse gear. Actually it doesn't have a gear at all, it uses the hybrid drive to back up.
Something to think about for long term or if you plan to use it as a real SUV.

I wondered if this might be the case with the Escape. There was somebody at the lake the other night in a fairly new Escape Hybrid. They had a hell of a time backing up a little 14-16' john boat (maybe 700 lbs fully loaded with the trailer). We had to wait, and wait...and wait for them. Their Escape didn't seem to have enough ooomph to back up the slight incline prior to the boat dock. I seriously could have done it by hand. Finally they pulled forward, and quickly backed up to the dock.

At the time I thought they were just a lousy driver, or that they couldn't see out of the back window with all of their vacation gear. Later we were talking to some people on the water and they said that the electronic reverse didn't have enough power to push them over that little hump.

Too bad because my wife was seriously considering one for her next vehicle.

[kir_kenix]

After reading a bit about how the hybrid drive works...I would think the electric motor in the Escape would have been PLENTY to back up that little boat. I guess that's what I get for listening to fellow beer chuggers on the water! I'm back to my original belief that they were just terrible drivers who couldn't back up the boat.

[sarguy01]

I'd vote Mazda5, since I own one! But, the newer generation is supposed to be a little better than the older. I've read the older ones had a rear suspension issue that would eat tires. Mine has 22,000 miles with the factory tires and it looks like they will hit 40,000 with no problem. But, I think there is a workaround for the older generation using a Mazda3 suspension part (I'd have to go back and look for specifics)

My Mazda's fuel log is mostly my wife driving it. During the winter, she got 22ish, but drives my daughter to school and the car sits and idles (gasp!) to keep them warm. Now that it is hot, she is getting 25-26. When I drive it, I get 26-28 and up to 30 hwy. It is an automatic.

We have the base model. We bought it new since the used market for Mazda5's was very limited. The sticker was $22,500 (I think...) and we paid $19,500 since it was a 2012 sitting next to 2013's. It came with cruise control.

We were looking for something that seated six, so when my parents came into town we could take one car. We also wanted something that could hold luggage and my 75lb dog on road trips. Lastly, we wanted something that got decent gas mileage. So, for the price, we couldn't beat the Mazda. Plus, Mazda's are fun to drive, even with the 5 having a 2.5L four cylinder. It has enough power to move the car up hills fully loaded.

My sister has the manual version of the 5. She loves hers.