What would you buy?

~joanna~

New member
After the loss of two coworkers in car accidents in one weekend we have decided that we need to upgrade our 2002 CRV. There are so many new safety features that can make our family safer while driving. Now however, I can not seem to decide what to get. We are test driving tomorrow and will decide in the next month or so.
The small overlap test is where I am having the most problems. We enjoy our CRV and its size but so few small SUVs passed the small overlap test. Also, since the larger SUVs haven't been tested I have no idea if they would do any better. Soooo, what would you buy.

Two kids (6 booster and 3 rear facing)
Enjoy our current CRV
Under $35,000
Decent MPG

Thanks for playing...
 
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tl01

New member
If you want something that is supposed to pass the small overlap test... I'd get a 2014 odyssey. They made structural changes for that test supposedly. It's also very comfortable and great for car seats.
 

SavsMom

New member
Subaru Forester - I had a 2010 and loved it. The 2014 has been updated and did very well in testing, is very similar in size to your CRV and has phenomenal reliability and resale value.
 

SafeDad

CPSDarren - Admin
Staff member
Do consider that the small overlap test is just one aspect of many in terms of crashworthiness. Plus, it's not one of the more common types of crashes. Certainly, pick a model that did well if you have a choice, of course. On the other hand, it wouldn't be so bad if you chose a vehicle with a "marginal" or "acceptable" result, or if your vehicle was later tested with one of those results, provided all the other IIHS and NHTSA test results are good.

Right now, if you want top crash test results across the board from both the IIHS and NHTSA in an SUV, the 2013+ Volvo XC60 is the ONLY choice.

A close second is the 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, that did very well in IIHS testing, and reasonably well in NHTSA testing (nothing worse than a 4-star result). Most other SUVs have not yet been completely tested by one or both agencies. For example, the updated 2014 Subaru Forester is not yet tested by the NHTSA, so hopefully it will do better than the 2013 model in the side pole test result.
 

~joanna~

New member
Thanks everyone. We went test driving today and drove:
Volvo XC60
Acura RLX
VW Passat
Honda Accord
Honda CRV
Subaru Forester
Subaru Outback

After all of our driving and a massive sunburn I think we have it narrowed down to a used 2012 Volvo XC with 2500 miles on it or a 2013 Subaru Outback. Both vehicles would cost about the same and they both get good crash test ratings. Does anyone have opinions about car seats in these vehicles? Other opinions about either one?
Thanks,
joanna
 

SavsMom

New member
Thanks everyone. We went test driving today and drove:
Volvo XC60
Acura RLX
VW Passat
Honda Accord
Honda CRV
Subaru Forester
Subaru Outback

After all of our driving and a massive sunburn I think we have it narrowed down to a used 2012 Volvo XC with 2500 miles on it or a 2013 Subaru Outback. Both vehicles would cost about the same and they both get good crash test ratings. Does anyone have opinions about car seats in these vehicles? Other opinions about either one?
Thanks,
joanna

My parents currently have a 2013 Outback - they love it (they got their first in 2010). I've had a Nautilus, Frontier, Maestro, SecureKid, Symphony, Complete Air, and probably a few other installed in theirs without any issues. The Outbacks maintain one of the industries highest resale values and tend to hold great reliability ratings. I know my parents have said the AWD in their Subaru is superior to anything they have had before (they drove it through 3 foot drifts in South Dakota last winter) and it is the best car they have owned. They have the 4 cylinder and average 30+ mpg on the highway.

The Volvo is also very nice but I don't have any direct experience with them -
 

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