We have been driving a 2012 Ford Flex for nearly 2 yrs, and since it was recently in a hail storm we are considering keeping the insurance claim check, trading it in (trade in would cover amount we still owe on it), and purchasing a different vehicle.
I love a lot about the Flex (design, interior leg room, AWD, storage is adequate for us, 3rd row seats), but....I still have difficulty parking it due to the long square front end, and the large doors often cause issues when loading and unloading the kids.
My first thought was the 2015 Odyssey:
Top 1% rated vehicle (all 5 stars and good ratings on the scales)
The shorter front end, smaller turning radius, and sliding doors would be wonderful
On the downside though, I wonder if I would miss AWD (we live in a mountainous area, and have snow, hail, and lots of rain)?
Also, I am concerned about the low ground clearance at 4.5 inches; our Flex is 5.5 and can still scrape on some parking curbs
I had never considered a Kia until tonight when I learned about the Sedona redesign for 2015
Top 1% rated vehicle (all 5 stars and good ratings on the scales)
Same shorter front end, turning radius and sliding doors like the Odyssey
It's a tad shorter and narrower, and has a wider wheelbase than the Odyssey which I think I like
It has a higher ground clearance at 6.7 inches (even higher than the Flex) which would be good I think for snow/slush ruts in the road, etc
The EX trim comes with 18 inch wheels which is a big plus since we could use the current snow tires we already have, whereas with the Odyssey they would be useless
As for negatives, again, we would lose the AWD function
And DH is VERY concerned with whether or not the Kia will hold it's value anywhere near how the Odyssey would so not sure how willing he would jump on board with this. Also uncertain of Kia's track record regarding maintenance issues since I've never considered that make before
The third option would be the 2015 Nissan Rogue
It would give us the 3rd row option we want (though not sure about its functionality)
Some in the SV trim have the 18 in wheels, and it has AWD and the higher ground clearance
Has a lot of safety features though some were optional on the SV trim
Only has 4 stars on frontal crash, and is smaller and lighter than the other options
We still wouldn't have sliding doors with this option
While we only have two kids (one HHB and one FF Harness), we really don't want to lose the 3rd row seating, as we frequently have family riding with us.
I would greatly appreciate any input on the above because my head is spinning!
Thank you!
I love a lot about the Flex (design, interior leg room, AWD, storage is adequate for us, 3rd row seats), but....I still have difficulty parking it due to the long square front end, and the large doors often cause issues when loading and unloading the kids.
My first thought was the 2015 Odyssey:
Top 1% rated vehicle (all 5 stars and good ratings on the scales)
The shorter front end, smaller turning radius, and sliding doors would be wonderful
On the downside though, I wonder if I would miss AWD (we live in a mountainous area, and have snow, hail, and lots of rain)?
Also, I am concerned about the low ground clearance at 4.5 inches; our Flex is 5.5 and can still scrape on some parking curbs
I had never considered a Kia until tonight when I learned about the Sedona redesign for 2015
Top 1% rated vehicle (all 5 stars and good ratings on the scales)
Same shorter front end, turning radius and sliding doors like the Odyssey
It's a tad shorter and narrower, and has a wider wheelbase than the Odyssey which I think I like
It has a higher ground clearance at 6.7 inches (even higher than the Flex) which would be good I think for snow/slush ruts in the road, etc
The EX trim comes with 18 inch wheels which is a big plus since we could use the current snow tires we already have, whereas with the Odyssey they would be useless
As for negatives, again, we would lose the AWD function
And DH is VERY concerned with whether or not the Kia will hold it's value anywhere near how the Odyssey would so not sure how willing he would jump on board with this. Also uncertain of Kia's track record regarding maintenance issues since I've never considered that make before
The third option would be the 2015 Nissan Rogue
It would give us the 3rd row option we want (though not sure about its functionality)
Some in the SV trim have the 18 in wheels, and it has AWD and the higher ground clearance
Has a lot of safety features though some were optional on the SV trim
Only has 4 stars on frontal crash, and is smaller and lighter than the other options
We still wouldn't have sliding doors with this option
While we only have two kids (one HHB and one FF Harness), we really don't want to lose the 3rd row seating, as we frequently have family riding with us.
I would greatly appreciate any input on the above because my head is spinning!
Thank you!