My husband has been trying very hard to decide between these 3 new cars: Subaru Tribeca, Toyota Highlander and the Hyundai Veracruz. We’ve read reviews and driven them. Any advice?
These three are all highly-rated vehicles with Much Better Than Average reliability ratings. In terms of making this type of tough choice, I would recommend that you ask for an extended test drive in each one so that you can better evaluate things like seat comfort and interior noise level.
Seats that seem comfortable on the typical 10-15 minute test drive can sometimes seem like torture when you have to sit in them for a few hours. In the current market environment, dealers should have no problem letting you take a vehicle for a few hours or even overnight.
Do you have particular needs regarding # passengers, child seats, etc? Make sure on your extended test drive you load each as you’ll use it. Not a bad choice among them
I’m going to agree with the others on the need for a LONG test drive. We get too many posts here complaining about uncomfortable seats in vehicles a few weeks or months old, and you can’t change the seats.
Drive all three for as long as you can, and buy the one that feels most comfortable to both of you.
Also–be sure that you test-drive the exact same model type as the one that you intend to buy, and to your test-driving during daylight hours.
I am recommending this because of the existence in many car lines of a “Sport” model, in addition to the other models. Sport models frequently have a stiffer suspension and different tires than other models, thus yielding different ride and handling characteristics and different road noise characteristics. If you test drive a “non-Sport” model, you might be sadly dissappointed in the ride of a Sport model when you drive it only after purchase.
In an extreme example of what I am referring to, several months ago, we were “treated” to the ongoing travails of a woman who apparently detested the Toyota Yaris that she bought. What did she not like? She hated the upholstery, the ride, the noise level, the dashboard controls, and the amount of interior room.
The problem was that she had test-driven a 4-door model, at night, and had then purchased a 2-door model. The 4-door model Yaris is larger than the 2-door model, with a longer wheelbase, and thus the 2 door is not as roomy and does not ride as well as the 4-door. And, of course, in the dark (and this woman was “in the dark” in MANY ways) it is difficult to evaluate an upholstery pattern and the layout of the dashboard controls to see if they meet your aesthetic standards.
Perhaps he’d like to get the one YOU like best. Help him decide. They’re all good choices.
I see you’ve eliminated the Honda Pilot…that’s the best handing and most car like IMO. I feel it’s superior to all but the Highlander. Sorry to bring up a car you have not chosen. Good luck…all are good choices and personal. Consider the dealer, if that’s where you’ll go for service, as nearly important as the car.