Hi! I’m a divorced mom of two (ages 11 and 14) and love my Honda CRV but I will need a new car soon since mine is very high mileage and starting to have problems. I’m comparing the Toyota Rav 4, the Honda CRV and the Hyundai Santa Fe. I drive mainly in the suburbs and have a very short commute. I will probably buy used and the cheaper the better. Thanks for your thoughts.
All good choices, newer = better, I don’t like the spare on the Rav 4 blocking the view, but that’s me. If you don’t need all wheel drive the front wheel drive versions would be cheaper to own and maintain. If you do need awd then I’d also look at a recent Forester.
What’s your budget?
You should read comparable reviews from auto magazines. Edmunds.com is a good site for research. I like Honda and Toyota so of the 3 I’d go for another CRV. They are a bit bigger than your current CRV and I think last longer than Rav 4 and Santa Fe. If you think you’ll keep this car for 7 to 10 years you should consider a new one. A used car might have been well cared for or neglected. Since used car prices now are on the high side, I’d look at new as well as used. Manufacturers incentives, rebates, and low cost financing aren’t part of the picture with used cars.
You might also drive these vehicles and see if you prefer driving one.
go with honda.more reliable and you`ll get many more miles out of it.
A 2008 Santa Fe SE will cost abut $18,200 at a dealer. The equivalent CR-V EX will be about $19,100 and the Rav-4 Sport will be $18,700. Hyundais are reliable these days. If you want to save a grand, the Santa Fe is worth a more serious look.
Unless you absolutely need a 4 wheel drive vehicle, I would go for an intermediate sedan with 4 cylinder engine.
A Ford Fusion, Hyundai Sonata, Chevy Malibu, Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Mazda 6 come to mind. All these will cost less to operate and maintain, have more useful interior room, and are more pleasant to drive.
Also worth noting is the “high theft vehicles list”. In most states cars on this list will cost more to insure. Also consider if the vehicle requires premium gas, which adds to your overall expense.