FocusCanada Forums

Here we go.

MAZDA CX-7


We were gonna go with the CX-9 but they have those stupid "jump seats" in the back that are utterly useless. Most 7-seat models in this class have this major design flaw.

SUBARU TRIBECA


Great fit and finish, a little more pricey and the wife liked this one best.

HYUNDAI SANTE FE


Wow Hyundai has come a long way. Decent pricing, good solid car and I have a few friends that have had nothing but good things to report.

And Finally....

NISSAN MURANO



Beautiful all the way around, a little more $$$ than the rest (options I wanted) but sweet, inside and out. Only problem is.... it requires premium gas :(


The wife and I are looking to make the purchase in the fall. We test drove others too, the Edge as beautiful and well priced as it is... (I'll never own another Ford) The VUE (not very solid) Mazda CX-9 (too much for what we need)

All of these would be the AWD versions.

What would you guys go with?

My first choice outta that group would be the Murano, followed by the CX-7. I think they're just the best looking of the bunch.

I find the rake of the Murano's windshield too much - I'm admittedly taller than average but I have to contort myself to even get into it - IIRC they also had some problems with its CVT, but not sure if that still applies ... any reason you didn't put the Kia Sorento on your list - essentially the same as the Hyundai IIRC but with 5yr / 100k bumper to bumper warranty vs. 3 yr for Hyundai ... I know one person who owns the Sante Fe and one who owns a Sorento - both are happy with their vehicles. Good luck.

i would go with the Tribeca for a few reasons.

1st of all , the symetrical awd of Subaru is astonishing, I've driven many subarus in my life , winter and summer time, it goes great.

2nd the security of the car, my dad was hit on the highway at 120 km/h in his subaru outback 2005 and hes alive because of the car. If you had seen the van and the lady inside the van, you wouldnt believe it, both were destroyed. As the subaru, only windows were broken and the front was damage of course( but not horribly) but the cockpit, the inside didnt move an inch. The car didn't even stop, the engine was still working when the police and the ambulance got there! The police told my dad that he's never seen a car that tough, the captain in charge of the case said he bought a subaru after seeing my dad's car.

3rd The new engine in the Tribeca now is a 3.6L with a little more torque, than the previous model, and I've driven one 2 weeks ago, I loved the ride. It's got enough power to have fun, and a HUGE trunk capacity!

definitly a good choice! and they've anounce this week that the 2009 model of the subaru (in quebec as far I know) will be 4300$ less than the 2008 one!

Hope it helps you out!

CX-7 your going to have to run 91 octane cause of that 2.3 turbo in it.

Go with the CX-7 or Subaru.

My 1st choice would be the Subaru.

2nd would be the Cx7, Andrea and I actually thought about that before getting the WRX, but I read some rather nasty stuff about it. I do think most of it has been fixed with the later years though.

i would pick the sube as well out of all those

you better be using all 7 seats + trunk space or else you should look at a wagon :)

FocusGuy7476,May 12 2008, 12:56 PM Wrote:CX-7 your going to have to run 91 octane cause of that 2.3 turbo in it.

Go with the CX-7 or Subaru.
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The new CX-7 engine no longer requires premium.
It was the FIRT thing I asked the guy :lol:

The Murano is a bit thirsty as well IIRC, I spoke to a gent last year who owned one and was doing some heavy duty travelling in it (from New Hampshire to Toronto and other points in the N.E. U.S.) and he said the only thing he disliked was the gas mileage.

Of the list you have, the CX-7 would be my choice, but only because the Subaru still has the ugly gene running through it :P

NefCanuck

SanteFe, mother in-law has one and i was impressed with the quality of it. Also as you said price is really good. She got hers all loaded for 27K, she got the 3.3L FWD model.

Are you going to lease or purchase? sometimes some companies give you better rates then others so maybe that would be a deciding factor as well.

I would seriously take a look at the new subie forester also. they re-designe dthem this year and they are much bigger than previous gen's.

Flofocus,May 12 2008, 12:52 PM Wrote:I would seriously take a look at the new subie forester also.  they re-designe dthem this year and they are much bigger than previous gen's.
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Yes but the motor isnt the same you cant get the H6 in the Forester. The Foresr has a H4 2.5 XT (the best one, base model is a 2.5 none turbo) but the Tribeca is a H6 3.6L, its also a "horizontal" engine but its just like the Porsches, a lot smoother than the 2.5 turbo but as I said, it depends what you want!

the 4 cyl is also horizontal

lgSPI,May 12 2008, 02:41 PM Wrote:Yes but the motor isnt the same you cant get the H6 in the Forester. The Foresr has a  H4 2.5 XT (the best one, base model is a 2.5 none turbo) but the Tribeca is a H6 3.6L, its also a "horizontal" engine

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thats why I said its ALSO a horizantal! ;)

I'd vote for the Murano, mainly because I've used them off and on for many of the winter months at Adesa, and I can tell you they are Fantastic in the snow when you lock them in 4X4 mode, I have gone thru 2 - 3 foot high snow drifts, and the Murano ate thru them like they were nothing, Everyone that works there loves the fact the don't get stuck easily (they only get stuck when they have bald tires) Price wise I know they are a bit up there, but they retain their value well, and you can get a good used one for a fair price, and the first gen Murano uses regular gas, and has few recalls.

One Down fall on the CX-7 is the turbo lag for sure, not to mention dealing with it when ever you put your foot down.

Flofocus,May 12 2008, 01:52 PM Wrote:I would seriously take a look at the new subie forester also.  they re-designe dthem this year and they are much bigger than previous gen's.
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Agree.
Sat in one at the car show and had the little lady sit in one at the dealership.
For some reason she has a real "thing" against wagons.

Too bad too, because I was sizing up a new Iprezza. :lol:

but the new impreza is a 'hatchback' now not a wagon so you are good to go. '08 STi FTW

EDIT: until we get some tech posted about any similarities between the subaru 3.6L H6 motor and the porsche 3.6L H6 motor lets not go around saying stuff like "its just like porsche"

even the 2.0L WRX motor which is widely accepted to be "best thought of as 2/3 of a Porsche 956/962 engine" source is a long ways away from being an endurance racing monster like the porsche 3.6L motor

Ford hater.

You know, we could get you a nice discount. Tell the wife that she would get almost $5k off an AWD SEL and that might sway your decision.

You'll learn how quickly the others are just the same. A car is a car is a car. And you taking it to the dealer numerous times won't change with any other car company.

But it's your $$$.

meford4u,May 13 2008, 01:24 AM Wrote:You'll learn how quickly the others are just the same.  A car is a car is a car.  And you taking it to the dealer numerous times won't change with any other car company.
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hmm.. i'm going to have to disagree on this one.. each one of em is different.. i drive the same mountain road with every car i can get my hands on. from a $13k toyota econo box to a mega $$$ 'super car' each one of them is different.

the way it feels when you sit in it, how it sounds when you start it, the feedback thru the seat and steering.. even the 'coolness' you feel from being in the car.. different for every single vehicle

Not a fan at all of these types of vehicles, but as for looks.. the CX-7 wins.. they all look like roller skates :)

Or, you could go with the Family Truckster. You can't go wrong.