[tiger_handheld]

Looking around for a sub compact / compact suv.

What i must have:
- seats 5
- decent trunk space (lets say fit a dog, or stroller in the future)
- AWD
- *prefer import*

What i've figured so far:

Mazda cx 3 - jacked up mazda 2, no trunk space.
Nissan juke - looks pretty uggs
Kia Soul - any thoughts? hows the resale value?

No subaru's - maintence is way to exp!

Any other options?

[rps13]

Toyota C-HR or Honda HR-V

[Akinari]

The HR-V is great. If you dislike the CX3 you're probably going to hate the C-HR. Might as well not have rear seats, those rear passenger windows are sad.

[fliptuner]

CX-5

[mos_skeeto]

I looked at a bunch of compact SUV's before settling on a Jetta. Here are some of my conclusions:

They have awful storage. You have to go mid-size suv before you get any decent storage room and even they're surprisingly comparable with a sedan.

AWD option is 1000-2000 bucks on most models and they have systems that are mostly front wheel drive. They do not drive like a 4wd car. Personally, I prefer systems like Subaru even if it does waste a bit more fuel.

The CX3 is fun to drive. It's a bit small but I find them to be overpriced. Mazda 3's hit the sweet spot in pricing and I think the CX3 should be priced well below a Mazda 3. Fully loaded they almost cost the same.

I test drove a Soul and I hated the way it drove. It felt floaty like a Jeep without the off-road capabilities.

Another thing to consider if you're not driving stick is CVTs are all over the place in this class. They're the worst.

[Bender Unit]

They have awful storage. You have to go mid-size suv before you get any decent storage room and even they're surprisingly comparable with a sedan.

All the Subcompact SUV have tiny trunk space. (HRV, Juke, CX-3...etc)
No way to fit a stroller in there.

Plese go take a look at CUV instead (CRV, Rav4, CX-5, Rogue...etc.)

[!Aznboi128]

You can not fit a stroller in the back of the CX-3 however the trunk can be extended. the false floor and spare tire takes up valuable space. take a look here (http://www.revscene.net/revscene-reviews-2017-mazda-cx-3/)

If you want to get something small the HR-V is the way to go. BUT if anything spend a bit more get the CX-5 or Tucson it's Roomy.

http://i.imgur.com/QAjYgYl.jpg
Tucson you can fit a dog/ stroller with ease

[tiger_handheld]

for the guys suggesting Tucson and even Kia Soul - how's the resale value? Does the soul have AWD?? Can't find that info..

are the old stigma's still around? (Hyundai's build their cars from carshed air plane steel, etc)

There is incentive(better finance/lease rates) for me to go Cx-5 being a current mazda owner. But I saw Car & Driver name Kia as the #1 sub compact.

I also like the compact feel - feels like driving a gokart. But maybe I have to give those up and be adult?!?

[mos_skeeto]

Resale value: You can check Canadian Blackbook (google it) to get an estimate. It really depends on how long you're going to drive it. If you're trading it in at 3-5 years you may want to stick with Honda or Toyota.

Hyundai's are fine. I'm a bit biased but I find that they tend to cheap out on things below the surface, but for general reliability they're fine.

Please don't use Car & Driver for any purchasing decisions. Go test drive and check forums for reliability problems.

I like 'the compact feel' too but more importantly I like cars with a lower centre of gravity. I would take a sedan (ex Civic) over a bubbly and raised SUV for driving dynamics.

Also I'm not sure why the Soul is in your list because it's anything but a CUV/SUV. It's a compact economy car in the shape of a box.

[6o4__boi]

my wife just got the HR-V with AWD

i've yet to actually drive it...she did the test drive cus she'll be driving it mostly but it felt pretty good as a passenger.
i like how the rear seats can be configured to accommodate vertical storage as well.
Not sure if they have a promo but iirc finance rates were pretty good

sport mode with paddle shifting looked pretty fun though i can't imagine it having that much zip to it as it has the same engine as the 9th gen non-si civics.

my only gripe was that the entire climate control was one big touch panel unit. I would've preferred buttons there.

[flagella]

Your wife bought a car without you even driving it for once?

[6o4__boi]

does that bother you?

[originalhypa]

does that bother you?

I didn't drive my wife's Highlander before we bought it. Like you, I didn't care, because it's not my vehicle. Then I actually drove it in terrible snowie conditions, and realized "Damn, this is an awesome little suv".

:awwyeah:

I honestly don't think you can go wrong with any of the import mini-suv's these days. Everyone seems to be doing a good job with what they're offering.

[godwin]

Soul doesn't have AWD.. I think it is designed to compete with the boxy segment which seems they are the only one left on the market.

and I agree with Hypa all mini suvs these days are really similar, the differences are minor (in within the same price range) in ergonomics and trim levels. One thing I noticed about the Koreans is their start prices are lower, but when you load it up to similar equipment levels to their competitors, the difference is negligible. The only difference is companies with premium brand (tiers) ie Honda vs Acura, they reserve some things like LED headlights for Acura.

Also note the size and price of SUVs have grown, so it doesn't hurt to look at older models. I got my friend's Macan for a few weeks and it is about the same size as an older Cayenne.


I honestly don't think you can go wrong with any of the import mini-suv's these days. Everyone seems to be doing a good job with what they're offering.

[white rocket]

Hyundai and Kia have great warranty with decent resale but cheap-ish components and not the tight fit and finish you get with Toyota or Honda. Reliability is average. Not terrible but I've heard some horror stories with some of their product. Perhaps these particular examples were lemons, not sure. With warranty you shouldn't have any issues.

Honda and Toyota would always be my top two choices because of fit/finish, reliability, and resale but your entry price is a bit more. Mazda is creeping into this territory with me over the last 5 years or so. I like their offerings more now then a decade ago.

I find the compact SUV's way too small with little cargo area. Kinda silly since you buy a vehicle like that because you want cargo area. I'd look at the CR-V and Rav4 first, then check out a Tuscon or Sportage to see if their quality vs price point entices you compared to the Honda or Toyota product. If you still prefer Honda or Toyota then consider the HR-V and see if the limited cargo space vs lower price point is worth the savings.

Personally the CR-V or Rav4 would get my vote as I enjoy those brands and have had excellent success with them over the years. My mom has had 4 CR-V's, wife had one and now has an Odyssey (had a Prius too at one point). Mom currently shopping for a larger SUV and the Highlander or Pilot Touring are the only two I'll allow her to buy. Lol!! So yeah, I'm pretty biased.

My $0.02. Good luck :)

[vitaminG]

id rather have a civic or mazda 3 hatch then a subcompact suv. either of them are probably more spacious and similar price.

[jjson]

I looked at a bunch of compact SUV's before settling on a Jetta. Here are some of my conclusions:

They have awful storage. You have to go mid-size suv before you get any decent storage room and even they're surprisingly comparable with a sedan.

AWD option is 1000-2000 bucks on most models and they have systems that are mostly front wheel drive. They do not drive like a 4wd car. Personally, I prefer systems like Subaru even if it does waste a bit more fuel.

The CX3 is fun to drive. It's a bit small but I find them to be overpriced. Mazda 3's hit the sweet spot in pricing and I think the CX3 should be priced well below a Mazda 3. Fully loaded they almost cost the same.

I test drove a Soul and I hated the way it drove. It felt floaty like a Jeep without the off-road capabilities.

Another thing to consider if you're not driving stick is CVTs are all over the place in this class. They're the worst.

Great points here! The Jetta's trunk space is huge compared to these compact SUV's.

Really wish VW would bring their new MQB based Tiguan here and kept it the same size as the out going version and not a stretched wheel base with seating for 7. But good on them for not going CVT's on any of their cars.

[thumper]

i don't know much about these but what about the mitsubishi rvr?

http://app.canada.com/chrome/get.svc/image/387247?resize=compare:search

http://driving.ca/mitsubishi/rvr

[mos_skeeto]

They're basically a jacked up Lancer. Pros: Cheap, long warranty, awd, drives ok. Cons: Old platform, iffy resale, CVT, kinda slow. I had a lancer and the dealership servicing was awful. At least with a Subaru or something there are a bunch of options around town.

[thumper]

Looking around for a sub compact / compact suv.
Kia Soul - any thoughts? hows the resale value?



Any other options?

instead of the soul, what about the sportage? i think that comes with AWD here? i watched a euro spec review on youtube and the model that was being tested off road had the option of a driver-selectable locking center diff...

http://o.aolcdn.com/dims-shared/dims3/GLOB/crop/1624x914+177+179/resize/800x450!/format/jpg/quality/85/http://o.aolcdn.com/hss/storage/midas/e4d2005a422475bc089f291ae3a494e7/203010708/kia-sportage-10.jpg

https://youtu.be/4VpNY1VxstM

[godwin]

Japanese manufacturers went with CVT because their cars are mostly lower torque cars and CVT is the most efficient in that power band. It is optimized for city environment (think Tokyo, HK etc).

Europeans and especially VW invented DSG and different combinations.. their engines have much higher torque than the Japanese.. so that and the IP generated, they wont' go to CVT unless there is significant cost savings.

Koreans they have developed their own DSG... then also see US as a main market.

Americans, Ford / GM collaborates on automatics, while FCA shops around to anyone that will give them a good price on components.


Really wish VW would bring their new MQB based Tiguan here and kept it the same size as the out going version and not a stretched wheel base with seating for 7. But good on them for not going CVT's on any of their cars.

[mos_skeeto]

Mazda doesn't CVT and I honestly think it's because they care about driving feel. I have a Scion tC paired with a non-dsg slushbox automatic and it gets the job done. I've driven other Toyota's with a similar 2.5 litre paired with a CVT and it drives like poop.

[EvoFire]

Echoing other sentiments about subcompact CUVs having no space. My Mazdaspeed 3 has comparable space to a lot of mid size CUVs, the subcompacts will hold nothing.

I would lump Toyota and Honda in the same category, and Mazda slightly under. I like Mazdas, but find their pricing has crept a little too high, but they are willing to deal. I'm not a fan of Nissans.

I don't mind Hyundai/Kia, but they are only good deals on the low-med trims. The high trims are just as expensive as the Japanese. Also I still find their suspension tuning lacking, and component quality lacking. You really have to pick their expensive offerings (ala Genesis) to get good cars. Also don't take Hyundai/Kia's rated HP at face value, they drive a lot slower than what the rating says.

[J-Chow]

Mazda cx-5.
Owned one before I traded it for the Toyota Sienna. If I were to go back to a compact SUV, I would buy the cx-5 again. It's got AWD option, enough cargo room and seats 5 no problem. Handling is just amazing . Better than my Subaru Impreza. I referred it to my buddies and they bought it without regret.

I can't comment on kia, but the interior appears cheap. We had a 2012 Hyundai accent and interior was cheap as hell. Plenty of features but drove like shit. That's where I find the difference between Korean and Japanese imports. Kia and Hyundai have improved a lot, but it's the added features they give you when comparing prices with Japanese imports. Japanese makers will be a bit more pricey but you can tell by sitting and driving in one.
Just my two cents.

[vitaminG]

Japanese manufacturers went with CVT because their cars are mostly lower torque cars and CVT is the most efficient in that power band. It is optimized for city environment (think Tokyo, HK etc).

Europeans and especially VW invented DSG and different combinations.. their engines have much higher torque than the Japanese.. so that and the IP generated, they wont' go to CVT unless there is significant cost savings.

Koreans they have developed their own DSG... then also see US as a main market.

Americans, Ford / GM collaborates on automatics, while FCA shops around to anyone that will give them a good price on components.

its got more to do with emission requirements. germans and americans went with turbo engines and japanese like nissan went with CVT. they basically both allow manufacturers to game emissions and fuel economy standads, while offering little benefits to end users.

[jcmaz]

i don't know much about these but what about the mitsubishi rvr?

http://app.canada.com/chrome/get.svc/image/387247?resize=compare:search

Mitsubishi RVR 2017 - View Specs, Prices, Photos & More | Driving (http://driving.ca/mitsubishi/rvr)

RVR owner and Mitsubishi fan here. We have a 2012 RVR with CVT and AWD with the 2.0L motor. One of the best features of the RVR is the adjustable drive mode from 2wd, 4wd auto, and 4wd lock. The recent snow storm demonstrated the sure-footedness of the awd system; we have General AT2 tires on it right now. On OEM tires, we get around 12km/L, AT2 around 10km/L.

I would spring for the 2.4L motor for a but more power and torque when going up mountain passes. The 2.0L is sufficient around town and going to Whistler. Stock brakes arent that good since it weighs more compared to a Lancer. I'm planning to upgrade to better rotors, pads, and fluid. Most engine/brake parts are shared with the Lancer.

For your uses OP, it can sit 5 people but the middle person will be cramped. The interior is basic but acceptable as an appliance vehicle. Heated cloth seats are comfy but lack bolstering. The trunk is of decent size, you should have no issues in storing a stroller.

I would look for the earlier models as they were built in Japan. You can probably get one for cheap since they are a couple years old already.

Overall, OP, if you can't/don't want to get a bigger CUV/SUV, then the RVR is most capable off road/trail vehicle out of the subcompact CUV segment.

[mb_]

+1 for CX-5

[6o4__boi]

so i drove my wife's HR-V around yesterday

Christ...the D mode was slow as all hell. It's probably great for city driving but i just can't.

The redeeming quality is the sport mode using the paddles. You'll definitely feel the difference right away and it's really the only way to drive the car. It's too bad the 2017 didn't come with a turbo engine...I'm assuming the next gen HR-V's will follow the civics and put turbo's on the higher trims.

[!Aznboi128]

so i drove my wife's HR-V around yesterday

Christ...the D mode was slow as all hell. It's probably great for city driving but i just can't.

The redeeming quality is the sport mode using the paddles. You'll definitely feel the difference right away and it's really the only way to drive the car. It's too bad the 2017 didn't come with a turbo engine...I'm assuming the next gen HR-V's will follow the civics and put turbo's on the higher trims.
Because the HR-V follows the Fit, I don't think a turbo will be going in anytime soon.

[Hakkaboy]

might be a little bigger (and expensive) than you want, but the new CR-V seems to be very well reviewed

[tiger_handheld]

lots of good info here...

found out Kia is not AWD, so it's no longer on the list..

Mazda CX-5 / Honda HRV seem to be the front runners. I will also look into the Hyundai Tuscan.

Any thoughts on the Nissan Rouge? I know the older rogue model had a huge blind spot according one my neighbours. Murano is too big for me.



For the guys that own CX 5 or HR-V ... what trim levels do you own? How's the comfort and features? Has Mazda implemented the dead man's pedal for the accel. on all it's models? CX-3 was the first to have it. It felt good on the foot.
For what it's worth, I'll be going from a Mazda 3 GT - so sunroof, heat seats, HID's, rain sense wipers, auto headlights, fogs, 17" rims, sports mode.

PS if any Honda, Mazda, Hyundai sales reps reading this. Feel free to PM me. Not looking to be forced into purchase but you can count on my sale when I'm ready.

[cdizzle]

I have the 2015 GS trim, I think everybody will agree on the 2.5L over the 2.0L anyways :)

I also test drove the Rav4 but did not like the rear seats, found them much less comfortable than the CX5.

[a90a93]

Personally, I'd go for the Mazda CX-5 but check out Kia again. The Sportgage comes with AWD.

[mb_]

My dad has it in GT trim. It's not going to win any drag races by any means but it's no slouch either especially for a 4 banger. I tried out a RAV4 with my dad, driven a Tuscon, Rogue and CR-V and the CX-5 felt the best all around and probably had the most sporty feel to it. We kind of looked at the CX-3 but shut that idea down right away after seeing the interior room lol. Only thing I wish it had were paddle shifters but my dad didn't care about it :lol

The 2016.5 GT has Blind Spot Monitoring and Rear Cross Traffic Alert on top of the features you just listed with your Mazda 3 GT if that makes any difference.

Another CUV I suggest is the NX200T but that's $$$ compared to what we've been discussing in this thread so far lol

[k3mps]

Having driven part of our road trip down to Portland in a friends new RAV4, previous gen CR-V (not the one that just came out), CX-3 / CX-5 , Sportage, and Rogue (I work for Nissan), I would go with the CX-5. Pony up the extra $ for the 5 and you won't regret it.

If I was in the market for a new CUV/SUV, it's the car I would buy.

[6o4__boi]

For the guys that own CX 5 or HR-V ... what trim levels do you own? How's the comfort and features? Has Mazda implemented the dead man's pedal for the accel. on all it's models? CX-3 was the first to have it. It felt good on the foot.
For what it's worth, I'll be going from a Mazda 3 GT - so sunroof, heat seats, HID's, rain sense wipers, auto headlights, fogs, 17" rims, sports mode

My wife picked up the HR-V EX-L with navi which is pretty much the highest option available. It's great for her so far, comfortable and pretty cozy.
Comes with pretty much everything, AWD, has heated seats but no cooled seats, fogs, wiper de-icer, auto lights, heated mirrors, power dimming rearview mirror, forward collision warning, lane departure warning and the honda lane watch camera.
One odd thing i noticed was that Canadian HR-Vs did NOT come with any TPMS which is pretty surprising in this day and age.

Imo though, if you're coming from a 3GT you'll probably find the HR-V lacking in terms of power. As I've said previously, D is depressingly slow and it pretty much needs to be driven in sport paddle mode outside of city traffic. Paddles are fun and does give the car more power but even then it only has decent power compared to the CX-5 which will have more oomph.

[EvoFire]

lots of good info here...

found out Kia is not AWD, so it's no longer on the list..

Mazda CX-5 / Honda HRV seem to be the front runners. I will also look into the Hyundai Tuscan.

Any thoughts on the Nissan Rouge? I know the older rogue model had a huge blind spot according one my neighbours. Murano is too big for me.



For the guys that own CX 5 or HR-V ... what trim levels do you own? How's the comfort and features? Has Mazda implemented the dead man's pedal for the accel. on all it's models? CX-3 was the first to have it. It felt good on the foot.
For what it's worth, I'll be going from a Mazda 3 GT - so sunroof, heat seats, HID's, rain sense wipers, auto headlights, fogs, 17" rims, sports mode.

PS if any Honda, Mazda, Hyundai sales reps reading this. Feel free to PM me. Not looking to be forced into purchase but you can count on my sale when I'm ready.

The CX-5 and HR-V are in different classes, if you can get them in around the same price, I would spring the CX-5 no questions asked. The new Rogue is comparatively larger than the rest of the market because they offer 3rd row seating. Nissan is bringing out a Rogue Sport soon to sit in between the Juke and regular Rogue in sizing.

And since you already have a Mazda, you can get a rate reduction if you finance/lease with them I think.

Any reason why Subaru is not in the running?

These compact CUVs get really expensive really quickly lol

[NNT]

I see you mention a dog some where, make sure you get the car have leather seat and opt for it.

[tiger_handheld]

The CX-5 and HR-V are in different classes, if you can get them in around the same price, I would spring the CX-5 no questions asked. The new Rogue is comparatively larger than the rest of the market because they offer 3rd row seating. Nissan is bringing out a Rogue Sport soon to sit in between the Juke and regular Rogue in sizing.

And since you already have a Mazda, you can get a rate reduction if you finance/lease with them I think.

Any reason why Subaru is not in the running?

These compact CUVs get really expensive really quickly lol

Subaru not in the running because maintenance is exp.

I see you mention a dog some where, make sure you get the car have leather seat and opt for it.

leather with a dog? won't it get punctured or have chance of? I plan to keep the dog in the trunk/hatch area.

[TouringTeg]

I liked the way the CX-5 drove. Agree that it is the most sporty.

Although the drive is not as good the we went with the CRV because it feels a lot more spacious.

[snake]

My family LOVES our Rav4 Sport! Highly recommend it.

[LP700-4]

Subaru not in the running because maintenance is exp.


Is it that much more than other brands? Only service every 10k kms as per dealer.

[GLOW]

just curious. are there any CUV's sized like a CRV/CX-5 that have an optional additional 2 bench seats to make it "7 seats"?

i heard RAV4 and rogue had that option but maybe not in canada?

[fliptuner]

Glow, you starting a daycare? Lol

Anything that size, with additional 2 seats are pretty useless. Pretty sure the Kia Rondo had that option.

[mb_]

Can't think of any, don't recall the RAV4 having that option.

[NNT]

leather with a dog? won't it get punctured or have chance of? I plan to keep the dog in the trunk/hatch area.

You use seat cover/Hammock to protect the seat if letting the dog seat in front but no matter where you put the dog, dog hair get stuck in cloth seat and its next to impossible to remove all from a cloth seat.

[GLOW]

Glow, you starting a daycare? Lol

Anything that size, with additional 2 seats are pretty useless. Pretty sure the Kia Rondo had that option.

nah, just thinking could be useful in a pinch for short trips or whatever. i thought some had the option that take up the storage when in use without having to go up to the next class.

[Urrtoast]

[I also say a CX-5 best value and tech around :D

https://youtu.be/PUXCKaR9ZUo

[underscore]

I will also look into the Hyundai Tuscan

I've driven my parents FWD 2012 Tucson a fair amount and I like it (for what it is). Comfy in the front and the back, lots of room, feels solid on the highway. They've put quite a bit of mileage on it (including moving across the country) and never had a problem aside from needing to do the brakes to pass an OOP (they were fine but the shop was picky).

[Fobman]

Come check out the cx-5 in person and test drive :)
I'm at signature mazda Richmond

[sdubfid]

I have a RAV4 7 seater (2 midgets) with the v6 4wd and really pleased with it. 270hp, rated for 3500lbs towing, 10l/100km in town. They stopped making them in 2012 though. I am looking for a second one.

[sonick]

I have a RAV4 7 seater (2 midgets) with the v6 4wd and really pleased with it. 270hp, rated for 3500lbs towing, 10l/100km in town. They stopped making them in 2012 though. I am looking for a second one.

I'm guessing OP wants new, but ya I love my V6 Rav4 as well.

[Mr.JDM]

Anyone looking for a rav4 v6 have an 09 v6 limited planning on selling in the next couple of months.