I’m looking for what may be only a dream vehicle.
It must be:
1. be large enough for 5 adults
2. be repairable at (almost) any mechanic, especially in rural US towns
3. safe (small children passengers, and sometimes newly licensed drivers)
4. relatively fuel efficient
5. able to be the back up shelter on a camping trip (with 2 people)
6. reliable
7. compatible with iPod or new music technologies
8. rides similar to a truck, or minivan
9. reasonably priced
The only vehicle I have found so far that fits most of these qualifications is the 2008 Ford Edge. Are there other ones out there that fit these qualifications?
Thanks in advance for your help!
To sum it up you are looking for a preminum mid-size crossover. There are 7 related vehicles in the Ford/Mazda line up,any of these better or worse for you?
You should be able to find plenty to compare.
Reasonably priced,fuel efficient,reliable, all subjective
The repairable issue has me stumped,who makes a unrepairable vehicle today?
The Honda Pilot sounds like a very good match to me.
Used: Taurus wagon
New: Ford Flex, Edge, Chevy Uplander, Dodge Caravan, probably a Toyota or Honda would be okay. I’ve lived in rural towns all of my life and there’s always someone who knows how to work on a foreign car, it’s not like they just came to America last year.
I’d like to address number 7, because that’s something that has been really exploited by car manufacturers in the last few years. “iPod compatible” means a lot of different things.
If we’re just talking about an auxiliary input, that’s not a big deal. It’s the lowest-quality “compatibility” that a stereo can have.
Newer cars are starting to include actual interfaces (that connect to the device’s dock connector) are a little more of a big deal. The audio quality is much higher (because it’s receiving a line-level output), you can control track skip/search and playlist selection from the car’s audio controls, and the connection charges the music player’s battery.
The thing is, if you buy a used car and invest a couple of hundred dollars in a new stereo, you get a unit that is 100% iPod compatible and usually a higher-quality stereo than what you’d get in a new car.
8. rides similar to a truck, or minivan
That is the first time I have ever heard anyone list that as a positive thing. 
If you eliminate #3 & #7 you could choose most any 1960's car.Try the product adviser from the main site: http://www.myproductadvisor.com/mpa/auto/inputSummary.do
Toyota Sienna(2005+). Incredible comfort for even 7 or 8 adults and room for gear. Decent enough MPG. Any mechanic can work on it as the Toyota v6 is beyond common no matter where go they exist in the plane jane Camry.
Otherwise a deep discount slight used(bargain) vehicle with less MPG and likely a bit less reliable(not unreliable) is the Dodge Grand Caravan/Chrysler Town & Country. Every little town mechanic has seen this.
As others point out, the Ford Flex meets most of your needs. I would also look at the new Toyota Venza, a room crossover vehicle in which the backseat folds down for emergency sleeping.
You may have difficulty getting over the looks of the Ford Flex; it is a return to the station wagon of yore, but without any redeeming aesthetic features.
When all is said and done a Kia minivan with the smallest engine presents the best value for money. It will do everything you ask for at a modest price, has a very good warranty, and reasonably good fuel economy!
KIA is not the best as far as part distribution or aftermarket supply. You will be hanging out in a small town for a bit for delivery of parts.
Agree that is a consideration. We live near the Rocky Mountains, but within a 30 mile radius there are 3 Kia dealers. Kia and Hyundai are the fastest growing brands in North America. Chrysler is the most rapidly SHRINKING brand.