Life is full of compromises. Long story short: in order to get some space for a wood working shop I am having to do the car-reshuffle. I will need to drive a utility-ish vehicle rather than a sedan. the short list: Honda Pilot-New Porsche Chili-Pepper-CPO Volvo V-70-CPO Lexus 330 RX or what ever it is called-CPO. I need reasonable comfort and a tiny bit of fun with reasonable mileage (100 miles per day). Make it moderate fun. Wife needs garden-supply-store-tail-gate-utility. Any ideas?
We bought a 2006 Ford Freestyle Limited with 19,000 miles for $19K. Better interior than the previous-gen Pilot IMO. I haven't looked at a new Pilot so I can't compare, but I don't like the looks of the new one. So far it's been great. Saw 27 MPG on the trip computer @ 75 mph with everyone in the car. It's very comfortable, quiet on the freeway, not too bad in the turns, likes sweepers much more than the twisties. It's a lot of car for the money. Might not be exactly what you're looking for (it sure doesn't compare to the Cayenne) but might be worth a look.
We looked at the honda pilot (and toyota highlander) for my wife, and ultimately went with the Mazda CX-9. Nicer looking, drives much, much better (think zoom-zoom). A little cheaper too. Dom
He's a lazy bum. He's been doing a good job of keeping the squirrels and rabbits out of the back yard, though.
A 2 or 4 door hatchback should serve your needs...look at the VW GTI, Audi A3 and MazdaSpeed3 for starters...all get good MPG, have room for five plus a nice size hatch which can be made larger by folding down the back seat(s)...plus they are a blast to drive...
The V10 Toureg is really cool and really expensive. Not sure just how much space you need but look into Audi A4 and A6 Avants if you want more of a car than an SUV. The Volvo XC90 is also a really good car. The Lexus RX is one of the best cars they make but IMO it is kind of a womans car.
Small wagons might fit the bill: Audi A4/S4 Avant, BMW 328, etc. Fun and good economy, maybe not enough space Dodge Magnum SRT would be fun, but horrible mileage Ford Flex? Kinda has a hot rod/woody/beach car type vibe and crossover mileage with decent space
Audi RS6 Avant would be nice, but I don't know if you'd consider that "reasonable mileage". Touareg V10 TDIs are nice too. We had a used one at my dealership for $44k a while ago. While still pricey, a certified used one might be quite a bit cheaper than a new one.
I have a 99 V70R as a daily. Great car. 24 MPG. It needed a few suspension bits to make it a track day car (Sway bars, strut bars and some bushings). Lots of room in the back for kids, dogs, cargo. They run forever if you do the maint. The body will rust away before the engine goes bad, and the bodies are not rust prone. Getting 200K+ on an engine with nothing major going belly up is not uncommon. Oh yes, they have a reputation for being safe. They have to, the Swede's drive like maniacs. The cars will save your life in an accident. The stock Dolby Surround stereo kicks arse as well. There are iPod integration kits on the market for ~$150 and they work great. I would recommend a 2001 and up V70R. They have 300hp, active suspension (3 settings and well thought out), and a little better aftermarket support. They are sporty enough to enjoy on a track day and still haul loads of stuff around. AWD too. you can get a good 2001 for $15k. The newer, the pricier up to about $35k for a one year old car. Nothing really changed from 2001 up to 2007 so pick yer price and mileage.
The other wagons I would consider are the Magnum AWD and the Audi S6 Avant. the S6 was only made for a couple of years and only 1000 or so made its stateside, so they are hard to find. GREAT car though. 340hp V8, AWD, flappy paddle shifter. Not the best gas mileage though. Yer gunna pay $25k for a good one. The Magnum comes in AWD as well. They dont get horrible mileage as they have the variable displacement system on the R/T model (it shuts down cylinders not needed at freeway speeds). I've seen 24mpg on long trips in one. If you stick yer foot in it that figure drops through the floor. There is LOTS of aftermarket support and lots of power adders avail for the engine.
I'm gravitating to this. I just don't like driving any SUV, just don't like 'em! Is your car a manual? How's the feel of the shifting?
How about a 57 Chevy Wagon with an upgraded motor/ac/suspension? I'm sure Napolis can give ya some pointers.
The V70R's are an auto, but the 2001+ models do have an auto stick that works pretty well. you can get a V70 T5 that is a manual, but it has a lower pressure turbo and hence less HP than the R. For anything up to VERY sporty street driving or serious track the auto stick will be fine. the 99 and 2000 V70R's have a pretty good bit of understeer, but this can be solved with the upgrades I've made on mine, front and rear sway bars from IPD and strut bars from QuickBricks. Even updating the engine mount bushings helped with a more positive turn in feel. the 2001+ models have a little less understeer but they can also be modded. Note, this will only show itself if you are getting really frisky on freeway cloverleafs or at a trackday.
there is another option.... a Caprice Wagon. I had a *****IN 1991 Caprice B-Body wagon. It was HUGE. They 305cu in engine got good mileage (around 20mph) and it moved out pretty well. yes, I'm a wagon guy Image Unavailable, Please Login
I currently have 2 Honda Pilots now, an '04 and an '08. We love them and have had 0 issues so far. I highly reccomend the Pilot. They just restyled the look for '09, and its still a great vehicle. Tons of storage, dissapperaing 3rd row, 8 passenger capability, good power. Can't go wrong good luck