I'm looking for some advice out there. I have two daughters in college (same school), 4+ hours away. One graduates this May the other is a freshman. They do get snow where they are. I want to get them a SUV which the youngest one will keep once the oldest one graduates and moves on. I want an SUV (4x4) for various reasons...the decision has been made. I was looking at getting a used one (2-4 yrs old) but it seems like getting a new one w/ full warranty is the way to go on the long term. Which small SUV do you recommend and why? Does anyone knows anything about the Jeep Compass?
Keko if you check out the web, consumer reports and that of the like you will see that the Compass can be had pretty cheap but they get horrible reviews and I'm pretty sure Dodge/Jeep dumped them for 2009! That will tell you something. It depends on what your looking to spend! Check out edmunds.com for your research. I like the new Hybred Ford Escape it's reasonably prised with good safety reviews. I just bought a 07 Nissan Xterra S it has all the options you need and you can get them new off the lot for between 22k-25k! It's alot of vehicle for that kind of money, 265hp, 4x4 etc. Also they recieved 5 star side and front impact ratings (w/ side airbags) I'm very happy with it. I had about 10" of snow on the ground a month ago and it rolled through it no problem, plus did I mention it has a ton of power for a midsize Suv!
Thanks, will do. I'm also looking at the Suzuki SX4 Crossover and the Jeep Patriot. Where the girls are they don't get that much snow as you do, but the hilly terrain where they are with 4-6 inches of snow can be a problem. I'm trying to keep it below $20K, so my options are limited. I’ve had terrible experience w/ domestic cars (Ford & Chrysler) so I’m trying to stay away from them. Jeep, I’m willing to give them a shot if I can be convinced that they are reliable…which I’m having a hard time finding good feedback!
My wife and i had two SUV's both were Hyunde's we had the Santa FE and the Tuscon.. THey were both outstanding vehicles. they were very cheap and also had outstanding reviews. they come with 100,000 mile warranty on the engine and trany. and 60,000 miles bumber to bumber. AWESOME SUV's you can get them fully loaded and still be in the low to mid 20k. Good Luck
Daughters like sons, the last thing they need is a ton of power. My neighbor just gave his son a S2000 and now half the car is in Mississippi and the other half is in Louisiana. With gas at 3 bucks a gallon...lets see. I would recommend the Honda CRV with the all wheel drive option. Good mileage, good resale, relatively safe, plenty of room. My wife had one and it was a pretty good open road vehicle to boot. Happy shopping!
Chapwood, I agree w/ the CRV. My wife bought one fully loaded this year and I have to admit it was and is a great bargain. One less loaded runs for the low $20K. I'm still looking for under $20K.
As far as power and what kids do, I hear you. Personally, I feel good about how they will drive it. If I felt otherway, I wouldn't be buying them a car. By the way, I didn't let my older one get even her license until she was 23 years old. When she showed me that I could trust her w/ a license then she had my blessings. And since I pay the college bill, it's my way. But she graduates now and moves on. The car will then be for the youngest one, who by the way, I made her wait until she went to college before she got her license. This might all sound hard @$$, but they know that when they earn something, they get it and they get it all. Now they are getting a new SUV. Just my style.
Regarding the Ford Escape... I have an uncle who has the Mazda Tribute (I think its a tribute). Same vehicle as the Escape, but with a different name plate. Anyway, he has been pretty satisfied with it and he drives in the snow quite alot where he lives.
Also think about a Subaru Forester. I had one and they are great for a small SUV. Great crash ratings, better gas mileage for an SUV and with the AWD subaru's come with, you cant go wrong in the snow. Not sure what todays basic models start at. I have owned two Subarus and my dad has always had them. They are great cars and last forever.
My wife had a Toyota RAV-4 back when we were dating... It was a good little vehicle... I'm not sure about the new models as far as price, but it's a vehicle I'd look into if I were you... I've owned many Toyota vehicles in the past and they last forever...
Whoa, great feedback, thanks you all. This week here in the DC area we had the car show. So I went w/ my brother-in-law and cousin and we checked all small SUVs available. Now there is what they call crossovers, which are nothing more than cars w/ SUV features (mainly AWD vs. 4x4). Anyway, I only found two SUV with automatic transmission 4x4 under $20K. Both made by Jeep (Compass and Patriot). All others were in the low to mid $20K. I liked the RAV4 but Toyota clearly knows they have a good if not the best reliable product because it was one of the most expensive. Even the Korean options such as KIA and Hyundai were way over $20K. I was impressed by Jeep because of how safe it felt inside one of these.
So I decided then to try also the COSTCO buying service. Whoa, talking about hassle free. I was contacted by my local dealer the same day I applied through COSTCO. I went down to the dealership and they had a series of Jeep Patriots and Jeep Compass for us to test drive. They also had a few 2007 and even a few front wheel drive (not 4X4) for us to compare. When we narrowed it down to two, they showed us their invoice price. Through COSTCO you pay only $100 over the invoice price plus the destination charges of $650. But then Jeep Corporation had a $500 instant rebate, the dealership had another $500 instant rebate because of the auto show, and then the sales manager gave me another $250 just to convince me to buy one. So I ended up w/ a 2008 Jeep Compass, automatic and 4X4 for $18,203. My last two previous cars both cost just under $30K (BMW 323i and Honda CR-V).
But w/o a doubt, there are more than a few options and they all seem to be good (Subaru, RAV4, etc.). It’s all a matter of establishing a budget and working w/ it.
With gas at 3 bucks a gallon...lets see. 
I would recommend the Honda CRV with the all wheel drive option. Good mileage, good resale, relatively safe, plenty of room. My wife had one and it was a pretty good open road vehicle to boot. Happy shopping!
