New ride for SWMBO: Help me pick one

We're looking to upgrade the fiancee's car. She wants a crossover/hatchback with some room. Her current car is an '06 Focus sedan. She likes it well enough, but misses the cargo capacity and utility of her previous Pontiac Vibe. I don't think we're looking brand new, but '12-'17 used, spending $10-20k, with the following considerations:

1) Reliability. I don't want to have to work on this thing much, or at all.

2) Utility/Cargo space. Mini-psteavs are in the near future. Not looking at compacts...I think a current-gen focus is about as small as we want to go.

3) Fuel economy.

4) Fun-to-drive. It's going to be an automatic, but I'll spend a fair amount of time in it.

Other stuff: AWD is a nice bonus, but not a requirement.

The short list I've got right now is Focus hatchback, Fit, CX-5, Current-generation Escape, CR-V, and RAV-4. Willing to listen to other opinions, but would love to hear real-world feedback from people who own one of these.

I haven't driven the others but I wouldn't put the CR-V or Rav-4 in the fun to drive category.

We have had a crv for several years. I wouldnt call it fun, but it does an excellent job checking the rest of the boxes.

Our answer to this question was a Ford C-Max. It's at least as fun as any of the crossovers on your current list (but probably not as fun as the Focus or the Fit). It's a hybrid that's actually not hateful to drive - the flip side of that coin is that fuel economy is a bit disappointing...for a hybrid. It's probably still the MPG winner among your list in the real world.

CX5 hands down

I've got a '12 Focus hatch, it is pretty useful but I don't think it's quite as big as a Vibe (might be, I just perceive the vibe as being bigger).

We'd driven several CX-5s, and I thought they were really nice; nice driving, a very pleasant interior. Pretty sure you'd have no cargo issues with that one.

We also drove an Escape, the CX-5 seems nicer, but I'd bet used car prices would indicate that. The Escape, by the way, drives just like my Focus. I love my Focus, but to me the Mazda was a better vehicle.

The wife has a '16 CRV, after all was said and done, and I think the Honda has better overall finish than the Mazda, and maybe drives maybe a little softer or smoother than the CX-5, but not by much.

I sat in a RAV-4 (we never drove one), didn't like it as much as the Mazda or the Honda, but that might be personal preference. Sitting in it feels like sitting in any other Toyota, which to me, are for some reason soul killing. But it's a Toyota, so you won't go wrong in any stretch.

Fun to drive wise, I think the Mazda was the best of the bunch of the "cross overs", hands down. My Focus is fun to drive, but, I have the 5-sp (which is extremely easy to drive, btw, my wife gets in and drives with no problem and she rarely, if ever, drives my car/any manual trans), and with an auto trans Focus you run in to the real potential of a problem with the DCTs in them. Some have had thousands of miles of trouble free operation, and some have had a horrible experience. I'd err on the side of caution with that.

Mileage wise, I don't think any of your other choices would touch a Focus (or a Fit), but, see above.

On the higher end of the budget, I'd go for the Mazda or Honda CRV, and CX-5 probably ticks the most boxes, but I don't think you'll go "wrong" with any of them.

Klayfish wrote: CX5 hands down

I had a very long winded way of saying this....

Nicest/Largest/Newest Mazda CX-"X" you want to buy.

That's really the only answer.

I'd drive what's on your list and see what you like best. I suspect a CX-5 will best meet your "fun to drive" requirement.

CX-5 is definitely at the head of the list. Biggest issue with them (in MO at least) is lack of a used market, and good resale when they do come up. It seems that I can get a significantly newer and lower-mileage Escape/Focus/Fit for an equivalent price. If we were buying new (not out of the question), I'd buy a new CX-5 AWD and call it a day.

C-Max is one that she has mentioned she likes, but I haven't really looked into. I'l check it out.

Have you driven the CX-5?

Another +1 on the CX-5.

Transit connect, it's her focus underneath only built to move stuff with lots of interior volume

Last year mazda5.

I can't tell you how much I dislike the Ford 4 cylinder auto. Please don't get one. Buy a Mazda!

If you are considering new, the CX3 looks promising. I doubt it is much smaller than a CX5 and a new AWD model is 22,150 with destination.

I hate driving the C-Max. Probably one of the worst modern cars I've ever had to deal with. I've driven one on 20 dif fervent occasions each time at least 100 miles or more.

Go CX-5 or Forester,

singleslammer wrote: If you are considering new, the CX3 looks promising. I doubt it is much smaller than a CX5 and a new AWD model is 22,150 with destination.

While it's not much smaller, it's also not much cheaper. The CX-5 is only a couple grand more.

You should really take a look at this:

http://www.autotrader.com/car-reviews/2016-mazda3-vs-2016-mazda-cx-5-whats-the-difference-252313

Bought a 3 for my wife after test driving the Volvo and Fords based on the same platform. The feel and handling was by far the best on the 3. Interesting that the article says there is more rear leg room on the 3 than the CX5!

The Mazda3 is definitely a better car than a Focus. However, the Focus' depreciate quickly and you can get a nice newer one for very little coin.

I have the Focus Sedan with the 5 speed manual and really enjoy it as a commuter car.

Subaru crosstrek or outback

VW allroad / golf sport wagon, or just a golf

My wife went with the Buick Encore. At places like CarMax they can be had with low mileage for $20 - $24 depending on trim. Her primary criteria was that she wanted all the bells and whistles. She got a top-spec model with AWD, power everything, leather, backup warnings, memory seat, mirrors that dip when you reverse, backup camera and so on and on. It also had the more powerful motor. We have had it for about 6 months and so far, we both love it.

It is based on the Chevy Sonic IIRC, so it is small. But compared to her Kia Soul, space in the hatch is much greater and there is more room inside. We have a car seat in the back, and it's easy to get kids in and out. It is a perfectly acceptable 4 seater. (If you are tall, the front seats slide WAY WAY back so even tall people will fit, but they go into the rear legroom obviously.) Small also means easy to drive and park, but still a good view of the road. We even add roof racks and a roof bag for longer trips, they pop right on and off, a great design.

It has a 1.4 liter (snicker) 4 cylinder, but its a turbo and plenty peppy for the way she drives. It has a manumatic function that is pretty useless, but it's there. It is also great on gas. Haven't tracked mileage, but its 30+ on the highway easy. Overall, I am very impressed with our little Encore. It is Buick's bestselling car worldwide AND the best selling small CUV by a wide margin. It's also the only premium small CUV, so. Anyway, check it out. It might be just right for you too.

1st choice? IMHO, a CX-5. Perhaps someone else has mentioned that as well.

Bang for the buck, my wife wouldn't trade her Fit Sport for anything else she's driven. And don't let that exterior fool you. There's a lot more useable room inside than you can ever imagine unless you're in the parking lot of a big box store!

Having said that, have you looked at a Honda Element? They're funky, fun to drive, come in FWD and AWD, and will almost hold a Honda Fit inside. Plus the RW gas mileage is insanely high!! Or it was on my FWD version with a stick.

We bought a new Rav4 for my wife about a year and half ago after exhaustive shopping, including most of the cars you mentioned. The Rav4 actually felt the most sporty, even more so than the Mazda. She previously had a CRV and it was bulletproof, and that is what she wanted to replace it with, but after driving them all, it was pretty clear which one to buy. A year and half later, it still looks, feels, smells and drives like the day we bought it. Zero complaints. It can even haul a lot of crap if crap hauling is needed.

Back from the dead!

General consensus seems to be CX-5 is the best bet without taking price into consideration About what I had anticipated. We haven't driven one yet, but we checked new ones out at the dealership and she seemed to like them a lot.

However, it seems like you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a Ford Escape - and they are CHEAP. Here's one we are going to test-drive tomorrow:

Escape for sale

KBB says retail should be about 18.6k and purchase should be 18k even.

Comparable CX-5 from the same chain of dealerships are running between 18-19.5k (although they do have a couple).

Anyone actually got a 2nd-gen Escape or experience with them that they'd like to chime in with?

Rupert wrote: Having said that, have you looked at a Honda Element? They're funky, fun to drive, come in FWD and AWD, and will almost hold a Honda Fit inside. Plus the RW gas mileage is insanely high!! Or it was on my FWD version with a stick.

Funny you mention that. We have two different friends with Elements, we test drove one from CL, and she likes them a lot. But they hold their value insanely well, and they're hard to find with mileage under 125-150k. I understand they're a Honda and thus reliable, but I don't want to pay $7-9k for a ten year old cute-ute with 140k miles, no matter how reliable/funky/practical it is. I'm trying to find something she can drive for the next ten years. She is not a gearhead, and as long as the vehicle is big enough to haul her theater stuff, is comfortable on long trips, gets decent mileage, and is reasonably reliable - she will not want to change/trade in the near future.