Mid-Size SUV for Vertically Challenged Wife

So we are searching for the next vehicle for my wife.  We started test driving cars today.  Her last vehicle was a 2015 Nissan Rogue, and she racked up about 85k on that one.  We have some pretty specific constraints / requirements:

• Her garage parking spot is behind an 8' door.  The Rogue is 82" wide counting the mirrors and we don't want to be much wider than that.  Many of the vehicles of this class have power folding mirrors, which gets them pretty close to this number.
• Seating position and fit is VERY important to her.  She knows in 60 seconds if she can get the seat to fit. The usual problem is the seat is too "deep".  This is our biggest challenge.
• Would like something a bit more up scale than the Rogue, and preferably more fun to drive than that toaster oven on wheels. She is NOT a car person, like I mean at all, but even she wasn't happy with the Rogue on the last trip to the mountains
• Would like to be in the $40-45k range, and realize we may have to go slightly used, or CPO to get there
• She doesn't do this often.  Ideally, we'd get 10 fairly trouble free years.  The Rogue is 8 years old, and only has 85k miles on it.

Things we have tested so far:

• VW Tiguan - Didn't like the blind spots, VW Atlas (the new Toureg) - Couldn't make the seat work
• BMW X2 / X3 - Thigh bolsters were in her calves even when they were pushed all the way in.  The X2 M35 we looked at did look like a lot of fun though
• Mazda CX5 - Didn't feel nicer than the Rogue
• Acura MDX - Seat fit fine, and we tested an A Spec version. She hated the "boy racer" red / black seats, and felt the ride was a bit harsh compared to the two she liked
• Kia Sorento - We tested a less than 5k miles used one.  White on white, every possible option.  The seat is very adjustable, and she could get it to fit with when the thigh bolster was lowered all the way.  Cameras, digital screens, ventilated seats. Etc. She liked it. But $47k for a used Kia?
• Audi Q5.  We tested a fully loaded new one, that stickered at $55k.  She liked everything about that, and could comfortably adjust the seat quickly.  We'd probably go CPO or get one with 15-20k miles.

Things on the list but haven't tested yet (no vehicle shopping in NC on Sundays):

• Jaguar E/F Pace
• Volvo XC60
• Alfa Stelvio
• Lexus NX

Anything else I'm missing here that fits the bill?  Any experience with either the Kia or the Audi?

Thanks!

The answer for my 5'3" mother in law was a Toyota Venza.   She has trouble getting up or down into cars, these just let her slide in.  She's  currently on her third one. Two of the last generation and now has one of the newer hybrids. She liked the older ones better, but that's  mostly because she hates change with a passion.

I was gonna suggest a Rav4 Hybrid or even better the Rav4 Prime which is the plug in model that everyone wants (high demand/low supply/high mark up) 

The new Toyota Venza is a fancy Rav4 Hybrid in an almost-Lexus level of lux. 

The Lexus NX is the Rav4 tarted up to be a Lexus. 

There is also a Lexus UX, a little smaller than the NX and it too comes in a F-Sport version that "might" make it sporty. 

Back at Honda, the CRV Hybrids are nice too. 

Jason McRoberts said:

The answer for my 5'3" mother in law was a Toyota Venza.   She has trouble getting up or down into cars, these just let her slide in.  She's  currently on her third one. Two of the last generation and now has one of the newer hybrids. She liked the older ones better, but that's  mostly because she hates change with a passion.

Interesting, didn't know Toyota made anything bigger than a RAV4 without going to the truck based platforms like a 4Runner.

Rav4, Venza, Highlander are all non-truck SUV's at Toyota. 

Anymore, all manufacturers have at least 3 of the 5 possible suv sizes of XSmall, Small, Med, Lrg, XL

In reply to wake74 :

Highlander is on a Camry base isn't it? 

Not exactly new but my mom , 5 foot even, loved her Suzuki Sidekick 

2021 Mercedes GLC 300 checks all the boxes. My Wife is 5 foot even and says it fits better than any of her previous vehicles. 

5'2" Mrs. VCH likes her new Traverse. Might be a bit bigger than what you want, but definitely in your budget. I've rented luxed up versions with AWD that were pretty great.  300HP v6 with the glorious GM Sound Of Power and 25 mpg all day long. 

My wife is short. We've had a Audi Q5 for two years now. No troubles and my wife chose it and loves it. We bought it new and have 36k miles on it. I enjoy driving it almost as much as my 911. 

Check out subaru ascent.. outback and maybe the forester too. We got a 22 Outback limited last winter and the seat adjusts considerably. Nice car with fantastic interior in mid 30's. 

The non turbo boxer engine is weak but the XT models have a solution.

note: If you dislike CVT then skip these and tryout a Porsche Macan. 

Some interesting suggestions to pursue. Not sure my wife will daily an old Sidekick :-)

How bad is the Mercedes and Porsche "tax" for basic maintenance and consumables on the GLC 300 or Macan?   The only "premium" vehicles  we have owned are older, like E46 M3 older. I daily my 07 Tundra tow pig for reference. 
 

My wife is 4 foot 10 inches and she loved our CX-5 and now loves our Santa Fe Hybrid, her daily driver.

wake74 said:

Some interesting suggestions to pursue. Not sure my wife will daily an old Sidekick :-)

 

How bad is the Mercedes and Porsche "tax" for basic maintenance and consumables on the GLC 300 or Macan?   The only "premium" vehicles  we have owned are older, like E46 M3 older. I daily my 07 Tundra tow pig for reference. 
 

 

No more than the Audi, BMW, Volvo, etc. At this point most newer cars are in the same range to maintain, not like the past where the was a big swing. She was ready to get the Volvo XC 60 and I suggested the MB. She said "I see no reason to spend $10k more just because it says Mercedes on it" so I pointed out it was actually $8k cheaper than the Volvo...

Here is an example of what I'm suggesting. It's a 2020, CPO, that's $10k less than the original MSRP, and below your budget. 

Modern Lincolns supposedly have great seats with tons of adjustment.

Lincoln Corsair is Macan sized and starts mid-30s new. You might even be able to get a gently used PHEV version (top trim level) with 28 miles of EV range at the top of your budget:

Nautilus is slightly larger (based on Ford Edge) and starts in the Mid-40s:

And then you have their Cadillac competition as well:

XT4 is compact and starts in the mid-30s:

XT5 is medium sized and starts at $44k:

We purchased a new Honda CR-V at the end of September and left on a 4,500 mile road trip.  It's not a bad place to spend time.  Comfortable and reported 32+ MPG over the course of the journey.  

My wife is 5' on a good day and she has tested both the GLE and the GLS and both were perfect when it came to seating position.  She preferred the GLS for how it drives but she likes big vehicles.  

In full disclosure, I've never purchased a "domestic" vehicle, well, other than the Tundra, which I actually read contained more US parts and labor than the trucks out of the Big 3.  No idea whether that is true or not true.  Rightfully, or wrongfully so, my biased opinion was that if was planning to drive a vehicle for 150k miles, and own for 10 years, I was better off staying away from domestic long term.  (This is an opinion based upon no actual facts, like most opinions :-) )  The toys have mostly been LBCs, German track day toys, and even the two vintage FFs have been British (Reynard and Van Diemen).

Although at the amount my wife drives, particularly when we purchase this, and Jr drives himself to school, we'll be dead before we hit mileage issues.  

I did get to spend some time in my buddies new Cadillac Blackwing, and that thing was impressive.  Very nice interior, and went from pick-up the groceries daily driver, to making fun race car sounds with a flip of a switch and a mash of the go pedal.

Steve_J - That Mercedes you linked is very similar to what I have saved to go look at this weekend.

Probably older than what you are looking for (last made in 2019) and possibly not the fit/finish level of most of the vehicles on your list, but you should drive a Ford Flex, specifically the Limited, EcoBoost AWD version. IIRC it is build code 303A. Most search engines don't separate the regular (NA) AWD from the EcoBoost so you have to do some hunting. This model also optioned with a towing package (up to 4500lbs) and would happily tow another FF.

I would ask what trim level of CX-5 you drove. The upper trim levels are NICE. The lower ones, I wouldn't bother with. 

Wife is 5ft, we had an NX200t Fsport for about a year.  She liked it, not a single issue with it.  Power adjustable everything helped and the overall size was good.  Only complaint she had was no sunglasses holder.  Probably would still have it if we didn't go electric

Placemotorsports said:

 Only complaint she had was no sunglasses holder.  Probably would still have it if we didn't go electric

She should have looked in the owners manual, she would have found it, it's hidden. 
 

So Day 2 of this "fun" effort was completed yesterday.  We ruled out cars fast and furious without ever leaving the lots, seating mostly.  So we ruled out just yesterday:  GLC300, NX, XC60, F Pace, and the Stelvio.  She liked the seat in the F Pace and the Stelvio but didn't like the vehicle as well as the Q5.  Unfortunately, we also test drove the Audi SQ5 (has the same engine as the Macan S), I really liked it, but the SQ5 only comes with a seat with an under thigh bolster, which again proved to be an issue.

BUT, we did test drive a 2020 CPO Macan, with about 12,000 miles. The 8 way Macan seat didn't work, but the 14 way ones were perfect.  Surely 14 has to be enough, even for my short legged bride.  We both liked like the Macan. The Q5 and the Macan share the same base platform and engine options (0-60, and 1/4 mile are about identical).  The Macan feels a bit more sporty, with the PDK, louder exhaust, and stiffer suspension, but the Q5 has a more useable backseat.  So a bit of a toss-up.  An equivalent years / miles Macan costs $10-15k more than the same Q5, on the higher end of that if it's a CPO Porsche, the local Audi dealers don't have a CPO program.

Here is where the analysis paralysis is setting in (damn internet).  Horror stories about $300 oil changes, timing gasket leaks that are well into the 4 figures, $3000 30k services, exploding PDKs that cost half what you paid for the vehicle etc. The CPO is nice in that it adds 2 additional years to any remaining factory warranty, but there is a cost adder for CPO at the dealership vs. buying from a non-Porsche dealership.  We would own this for 5+ years so longer than the warranty.  While i have a fully equipped shop with a lift, and have done some significant automotive projects including a full restoration, I generally try not to work on anything that my wife HAS to drive tomorrow. 

BUT (that word again), the Macan ranks significantly higher via JP Power than the Q5, both over-all and in reliability. 

Anyone in the GRM fold that has any direct experience with the Macan vs. the Q5?

This probably isnt much help.

My wife is 5' if she curls her hair right. I'll have to pry her Suburban from her cold dead hands or replace it with a new one. 

I've tried to talk her into something smaller but she's not particularly interested. 

I ended up telling her to pick her own car and let me know what she decided. So far she's keeping the 340k mile Suburban. That's a pretty easy choice for me.