db4690 and texases, thank you - this is the kind of feedback I was looking for. I’ll say I’m a little surprised to hear this about the Tahoe - we used to run exclusively Chevy pickups at the construction company I managed, and routinely got 250K+ miles out of them (with employees no doubt beating them up pretty good) and only an occasional problem. Seats did wear but considering how they were used, that was to be expected. I also thought the Chevy pickups rode better than my personal F150.
I wonder whether the onboard NAV system was changed since I bought my 2011 Outback.
I have found the car’s onboard NAV system to be better than both Garmin and Tom-Tom, and it is head and shoulders above Google Maps. The only system that I have found to be superior is the Waze app on my smartphone.
These days, you don’t need a huge SUV for winter driving. In fact, if you get something large, like a Chevy Suburban, GMC Yukon, or Ford Expedition, you might find it difficult to park it in tight spots and maneuver in tight areas.
There are many crossover SUVs that would suit your needs, and you could select an all-wheel-drive version if you plan on driving in really showy weather. Try test driving a Toyota Highlander. I think you’ll like it.
My only issue is with traction, and I’d have that issue whether you were driving a Suburban or a Honda CR-V. If you were going to only be driving up north, I’d recommend a set of winter tires. If you were going to be driving in the south, I’d recommend all-season (really, three-season) tires. With mixed driving, I’m going to suggest you go with all-season tires, but bring some tire chains or cables with you so you can install them if you need them.
I can’t recommend a particular brand of chains or cables, but I do recommend you pick up a set for your vehicle as soon as you cross into a state where the locals use winter tires, and I recommend you pick up two pairs, one for the front and one for the back.
These days, I can’t recommend spending money on a GPS unless you don’t have a smart phone.
I prefer the Maps app that came with my iPhone, but Google Maps is pretty good too, and both are free. The only catch is that, with some providers, using your GPS eats into your allotted data. I don’t have that issue with T-Mobile, but my sister does with AT&T, and almost nobody has truly unlimited data anymore without paying an arm and a leg for it unless your employer provides your phone.
The point is that between smart phones and your data plan, there is a good chance you already have a pretty good GPS right under your nose without spending any additional money. All you’d need is a kit to mount the phone on your dash. I prefer the ones that use a suction cup to attach to the inside of the windshield and a magnet to hold your phone. They come with a metal plate you can stick to the inside of your cell phone case.
Apple Maps frequently tries to make me do illegal u-turns, or left turns where banned, etc. It’s as if Apple hasn’t accounted for the peculiarities of the driving laws here in BC. It also has more trouble searching for the intended destination than Google Maps does. I still use if quite a bit because it’s the default and Siri works with it, but I have to work around its limitations.
I guess I should pop in with my favorite app, it’s Rand McNalley road atlas. I get the large size from Walmart because it has a Walmart locator, not that I’m a fan of Walmart but sometimes it helps to know where they are because there are plenty of other business located around them.
Back in the day (a decade ago), that’s what I used too, but nothing compares to the convenience of having a GPS app.
When I go home from work in the evening, I have three different routes I can take. In less than a minute, I can see which one is the fastest based on current traffic. Now imagine being able to do that no matter where you go.
…also, being directed around a huge accident scene where the highway is shut down is very nice.
…also, I like being able to map out my fuel stops where the fuel is inexpensive.
My cell phone goes 2 full days on a charge if I need it to, and I can plug it in to the car’s power port. No service zones are almost nonexistant unless you get off the highway (I even get service at my mother-in-law’s house, which is in the literal middle of nowhere in a town with less than 40 residents in SD), and you can pre-download the maps for your trip before you leave home so that no-service zones are irrelevant anyway, from a navigation perspective.
Personally, I much prefer verbally telling my phone “navigate to the nearest BBQ restaurant” than flipping through a road atlas, which won’t tell you what you need to know anyway unless you know the address of your destination. Had enough of that in the pre-technology days.
If, for some strange unfathomable reason, I couldn’t plug my phone into the charger and charge it on the car’s 12 volt outlet, I carry a solar charger that has a USB adapter and my portable jump start pack also has a USB outlet.
The only no service zone I’ve been in in the last decade was way up in the mountains in a rental cabin, where I wanted to get away from it all.
…and I still have my old trucker’s atlas from 2007 in case the zombie apocalypse should ever materialize. I’m pretty sure it won’t though. The point being that having an atlas and having a smart phone don’t have to be mutually exclusive.
I guess they both have their uses. I like to get an overview of where I’m going first that is best with a map. The navigation is great for the detail. The thing about a map though is that it doesn’t keep yakking away while you’re trying to drive. So on a trip I’ve got a map, a nav system saying one thing, and then the cell phone saying nearly the same thing. I’ll never get lost.
I’d probably consider a 4x4 configured Rav-4 for that. Definitely stick with 4X4 over AWD, and the SUV format, not a pickup truck (poor weight distribution for snow). Any of the vehicles you’ve mentioned above should work fine for that task too.
The part about a winter trip and preparing meals out of the back of a SUV just does not sound like anything I would want to do . That seems to be a lot of trouble .
Tailgating isn’t just for NASCAR and football games.
I’ve been looking at small camper trailers, and the ones with outdoor galleys appeal to me in particular.
…but now that I think of it, tailgating in winter doesn’t sound that appealing to me either unless we’re gathered around a campfire or a propane heater.
A minivan has many helpful aspects for this kind of travel. The sliding side doors provide easy access even in close parking situations. If you remove or fold down the middle seats you can sleep inside. It has the high seating position that SUVs have, and often better visibility. MPGs a bit better, too.