Automotive

Recommendations for a new Compact SUV (2017)

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  • Aug 27th, 2018 7:19 pm
Sr. Member
Jan 22, 2017
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Recommendations for a new Compact SUV (2017)

Need suggestions on a new compact SUV for 2017. Small family of 3. Dont drive a lot, except weekends.

And how should I bargain withe dealers, considering I will be buying in December, and it will be inventory clearout for them. I live in GTA

Thanks
39 replies
Deal Expert
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Feb 11, 2007
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Why not save a bunch and get a hatchback instead? CUVs are just jacked up hatchbacks anyways, but their prices are inflated. Ie. instead of a Honda HRV, get a Civic hatch or Focus hatch. Cheaper to buy, cheaper to maintain, cheaper on gas, less likely to roll over.
If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.
Jr. Member
May 2, 2012
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Toronto
engineered wrote: Why not save a bunch and get a hatchback instead? CUVs are just jacked up hatchbacks anyways, but their prices are inflated. Ie. instead of a Honda HRV, get a Civic hatch or Focus hatch. Cheaper to buy, cheaper to maintain, cheaper on gas, less likely to roll over.
CUV's are easier to get in and out of and when in traffic, you can see over the cars in front. I bet you have a hatchback Winking Face
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rfdmember99 wrote: CUV's are easier to get in and out of and when in traffic, you can see over the cars in front. I bet you have a hatchback Winking Face
I have a small sports coupe. Great handling, performance, and very easy to maneuver and very easy to see out of in all directions. It's easy to get in (just fall in, but harder to get out of).
I'd love to have a hot hatch like an M235 hatch from Europe. A Focus RS would be fun too.
My wife has a Q5 and it's much harder for my kid to climb into that than into my car.
You can't really see in front because so many drive SUVs that you're blocked anyways, unless you drive a semi truck. The view out of most SUVs is so bad that I feel like I'm driving with blinders on, with a hope that nobody is in the blind spots. I'm not quite sure what the benefit of seeing over the cars ahead is anyhow, other than being able to tailgate closer.

Maybe you'd like this product? :P
If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.
Deal Guru
Feb 9, 2006
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Brampton
engineered wrote: I have a small sports coupe. Great handling, performance, and very easy to maneuver and very easy to see out of in all directions. It's easy to get in (just fall in, but harder to get out of).
I'd love to have a hot hatch like an M235 hatch from Europe. A Focus RS would be fun too.
My wife has a Q5 and it's much harder for my kid to climb into that than into my car.
You can't really see in front because so many drive SUVs that you're blocked anyways, unless you drive a semi truck. The view out of most SUVs is so bad that I feel like I'm driving with blinders on, with a hope that nobody is in the blind spots. I'm not quite sure what the benefit of seeing over the cars ahead is anyhow, other than being able to tailgate closer.

Maybe you'd like this product? :P
Bingo
except I'd say you could do that better light weight sports coupe that stops on a dime vs the flying brick.
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Sep 21, 2004
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Best ones are Subaru Forester/Outback, Toyota Rav4 and Honda CRV. These are selling like hot cakes so don't expect much haggle room.

If you want to have room for price negotiation, there is always the Escape, Rogue and Sportage.
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Oct 5, 2008
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membrs wrote: Need suggestions on a new compact SUV for 2017. Small family of 3. Dont drive a lot, except weekends.

And how should I bargain withe dealers, considering I will be buying in December, and it will be inventory clearout for them. I live in GTA

Thanks
Mazda CX5.

Speak to Jeff "The Biz" Holley at Mazda of Toronto
Deal Addict
Jun 14, 2008
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The hatchbacks on the market are almost all smaller than a compact SUV, especially cargo volume, so can't substitute and say it'll work just as well. Subcompact SUV like HRV though is another story.

As for OP, you need to narrow it down a bit, i.e. what do you value more, better interior, better powertrain, better reliability, better electronic toys, or something else? Don't say all of them, that ain't happening.
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Mar 22, 2004
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RAV4 is terrible in driving and road handling. Very rough ride, underpowered loud engine.
Subaru have great handling but interior is very cheap and basic. Never been in CRV or driven one, so I cannot comment on this one.
I heard good things about Hyundai Santa Fe and Tuscon, may be worth to check them out too.
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Jan 22, 2017
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I would like better reliability and warranty. And of course safety :)

Price wise, I see Tuscon and Santa FE are good options too
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Dec 23, 2015
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Mitsubishi RVR or Jeep Renegade are my favorite small SUVs. Don't get RAV4 or CRV cause everybody has that, you won't be unique.
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membrs wrote: I would like better reliability and warranty. And of course safety :)

Price wise, I see Tuscon and Santa FE are good options too
Then it would be Rav4 and CRV if that is your main criteria.
Nothing beat Honda and Toyota's reliability.
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Rav4 will probably edge out CRV in reliability, consider it's an older model with proven parts, while CRV is in its first model year.
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Jan 8, 2007
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We just went through all this and test drove all the contenders in the top trim except turbo Forester and Rav 4 (not updated...didn't really seem to compete for 2017). Here's what we found:

1. Mazda CX-5; sporty but rough ride (firm). Visibility pretty poor but interior really nice. Price is up there. Good tech. Short on space comparing to others in segment.
2. 2018 VW Tiguan. Lovely ride, very plush and quiet but heavy and slow. Best tech of all of the SUVs in range in top trim (digital dash). Most expensive of all tested (with cost of financing taken into account). Best looking IMO.
3. Santa Fe Sport ; nicely laid out but weird engine manners. Lots of tech toys. Tons of room in the back. Depreciation worried us but the 0% and low % finance rates are attractive....however look carefully at your overall price. Nothing is ever free.
4. Forester (non turbo); amazing visibility easily the best of the bunch. Didn't like the way the cvt worked, perhaps it's better in the turbo. Up to date tech but ancient interior...no apple car play or android auto.
5. Honda CRV; easiest to drive if that makes any sense. It was intuitive and did everything well. Great tech in the Touring and the interior was refined. Nice cargo space and cheaper than the Tiguan (our #2). Only downsides for me is slightly hesitatant infotainment system (avoided by using android auto apparently), no 360 view rear camera, just dynamic rear facing. Slightly louder ride but not obnoxious and definitely quieter than our current ride. Reliability and reputation swung our vote and the icing on the cake was the $750 finance rebate for the left over 2017s.
6. Kia Sportage: fun with all the toys but felt a little plasticky inside and the engine didn't have good manners.

We were going to go with either the Tucson or Santa Fe or Kia for the longest time because of the 0 and low finance rates but when we really looked into things the reliability and reputation of the Honda and very low depreciation made it the better buy.
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Nov 28, 2016
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Buick Encore?? Although more of an older persons ride because its Buick
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Jan 22, 2017
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JC69 wrote: We just went through all this and test drove all the contenders in the top trim except turbo Forester and Rav 4 (not updated...didn't really seem to compete for 2017). Here's what we found:

1. Mazda CX-5; sporty but rough ride (firm). Visibility pretty poor but interior really nice. Price is up there. Good tech. Short on space comparing to others in segment.
2. 2018 VW Tiguan. Lovely ride, very plush and quiet but heavy and slow. Best tech of all of the SUVs in range in top trim (digital dash). Most expensive of all tested (with cost of financing taken into account). Best looking IMO.
3. Santa Fe Sport ; nicely laid out but weird engine manners. Lots of tech toys. Tons of room in the back. Depreciation worried us but the 0% and low % finance rates are attractive....however look carefully at your overall price. Nothing is ever free.
4. Forester (non turbo); amazing visibility easily the best of the bunch. Didn't like the way the cvt worked, perhaps it's better in the turbo. Up to date tech but ancient interior...no apple car play or android auto.
5. Honda CRV; easiest to drive if that makes any sense. It was intuitive and did everything well. Great tech in the Touring and the interior was refined. Nice cargo space and cheaper than the Tiguan (our #2). Only downsides for me is slightly hesitatant infotainment system (avoided by using android auto apparently), no 360 view rear camera, just dynamic rear facing. Slightly louder ride but not obnoxious and definitely quieter than our current ride. Reliability and reputation swung our vote and the icing on the cake was the $750 finance rebate for the left over 2017s.
6. Kia Sportage: fun with all the toys but felt a little plasticky inside and the engine didn't have good manners.

We were going to go with either the Tucson or Santa Fe or Kia for the longest time because of the 0 and low finance rates but when we really looked into things the reliability and reputation of the Honda and very low depreciation made it the better buy.
Great answer! This eases my task :)
How bad is the depreciation for Hyundai ones.

And I guess since Hyundai has the longest warranty, reliability will be better there
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membrs wrote: Great answer! This eases my task :)
How bad is the depreciation for Hyundai ones.

And I guess since Hyundai has the longest warranty, reliability will be better there
Warranty and Reliable is not align.

Just because the manufacture offer longer warranty doesn't mean the car is reliable, You can still have to bring the car in to repair so frequent even the warranty cover it. Do you want to have the hassle to bring the car in every time even it's no charge? Time is money.
Not saying Hyundai is bad, but just pointing that statement out.
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2017 CRV came Dec 2016 so 2018 CRV should be around Dec 2017... hence might have some incentives on 2017 models although if no incentives then suggest buy 2nd year [2018] of model revision. Current model has flat rear floor and great rear leg room and storage. Note that new models have 2.5" less hip room then prior gen [even though newer is wider] but more leg room. Wonder if this was to get better crash scores? Passengers further away from any crash intrusion.

2019 Forester [based on new global platform] will be coming mid 2018 or so... 2018 models should have regular 2k discount if not more since new revised model coming. I believe 2016 CRV had 3k discount ahead of revised 2017 model. Current model has relatively flat rear floor and good rear leg room and storage. Three adults aside in rear seat is better then Sante Fe Sport which is slightly better then CRV.

Like the normal aspirated and transmission of RAV4 but interior seems ancient and hard. Do get better safety tech on all trims... believe new revised model for 2019 model year. Current model has relatively flat rear floor and good rear leg room and storage.

Sante Fe Sport great size [esp. rear seat] and space but test drove two and first ok but engine anemic and on 2nd drive with only 25 kms on it the pickup was even worse.
2022/3: BOC raised 10 times and MCAP raised its prime next day.
2017,2018: BOC raised rates 5 times and MCAP raised its prime next day each time.
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