What to buy? SUV/Crossover suggestions, please.

[Yukon Maiden]

Oh, one other thing. My last two vehicles were Toyota Camrys. So for about eight years, I thought my night vision had become so bad that I thought I would have to give up driving at night- no lights on many roads here. Well, it turns out the camry's lights just sucked. With the multiple lights and xenon headlights the outlander has, I can see just fine. I can see! I can see! Yay!

[AltaRed]

With the multiple lights and xenon headlights the outlander has, I can see just fine. I can see! I can see! Yay!

Having had HID (xenon) headlights the last 4+ yrs, I wouldn't consider anything else any more. The difference is astounding. Just have to be sure they are levelled correctly (if not auto self-levelling) to avoid blinding oncoming drivers.

[Yukon Maiden]

It has a dial to the left of the steering wheel that adjusts the headlights up and down, six positions. Having been half blinded by on-coming traffic with those lights, I am careful not to do the same. I notice when I am carrying a heavy load that makes me bum heavy, I need to tweak them down a bit.

I was snowblinded at 17, and my eyes have been very sensitive since then. I have to wear sunglasses while driving or outside during the day, and my night vision is the pits. The lights were a big selling feature on the Outlander for me. Driving home that first night with it, I was just thrilled to be able see the road properly. The differance was amazing.

[flywaysuzy]

Adding height to a vehicle sure does improve the visability. My highlander and the trucks have a much better night view than the poor miata. The type/style of light makes a difference too.

[Yukon Maiden]

It had 14,000 km on it. $33,500 all in. With it being slightly used, I avoided a lot of the extra charges new vehicles get hit with. Fully loaded and then some. I am surprised at how much I love the navigation/sound system/ music server. It's the cat's meow. Leather seats, bum warmers, sun roof, all the good stuff. I really love having 4wd and the extra clearance and cargo space. I can't believe I didn't switch to an SUV sooner. It is a much better vehicle for where I live and what I do.

I have had zero issues with it. I love, love, love it!

I forgot to mention that they also gave me 3 years of free oil and filter changes. Not sure how common this is out there.

[Bylo Selhi]

Not sure how common this is out there.

Increasingly common. As more people use brokers, services like Car Cost Canada and/or do more comparison shopping over the Internet, the margins on new car sales have fallen. Most car dealerships run sales and service as separate profit centres, so what they lose on the former they try to make up on the latter.

To compound matters, car servicing intervals, including oil changes, have increased in recent years. That means that owners don't bring their cars in for service as often as they used to, never mind that they might get their cars serviced by another dealership or by an independent garage. Offering "free" oil changes is just a way to incent owners to bring their cars to the selling dealership so that the dealer can make up the profit they lost on sales at the service department.

I wonder who at the dealership "pays" for the "free" oil change offer — the sales department or the service department?

[Zipper]

After about a year and a half we finally settled on a 2011 Dodge Journey.

We did all the research and test drives and this one stood out for value, ride, power, room, and comfort.

[Yukon Maiden]

The 3 years of free oil and filter changes was written into the sales contact I wrote with them. After the deal was sealed, they tried to get me to sign a piece of paper saying in order to get the free oil changes, I had to use them for all the other regular maintenance services. I refused to sign it. They are still honoring the free oil changes. They didn't disclose that little tidbit up front, and it wasn't a part of the contract.

[zinfit]

I figure the best choices if you don't need a seven seater are the Venza, Crosstour, Murano and Edge. The consumer reviews on MSN and Edmunds are off the charts for this type of vehicle . I will likely go for a Crosstour because my past experiences with Honda's has been very good.

[Yukon Maiden]

And the winner is...a Mitsubishi Outlander XLS. 6 months old with just 14,000 km. $7000 off of new price. All the bells and whistles. Even my first colour choice. I'm a happy girl. Thank you all for your suggestions and insight. Impressive 5 year, 100,000 km bumper-to-bumper warranty, plus 10 year 160,000 km power train warranty. Also 5 year, unlimited km roadside assistance that is valid where I live.

UPDATE

One year and 29,000 km later...I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Mitsubishi Outlander XLS V6!
Absolutely no issues with it. It has just been in for routine maintenance. I can't get over how fabulous it is to have 4WD and good clearance. Add to that top of the line winter tires, and oh my goodness! I can go just about anywhere! Down any snow clogged street! Park in that snow drift, hey, I know I can drive back out! Wheeeeeee! I will never own anything less then 4WD for as long as I live in the North. So happy!

[zinfit]

Is this 4WD or AWD ? There is a big difference. If you are going to travel through some real difficult conditions AWD is limited in what it will do. AWD is a good feature for driving on icy or wet pavement. If you driving through mud or heavy snow its a different story.

[Yukon Maiden]

Some XLS remarks that explain it better then I can.

XLS now stands out from the pack with a new, more sophisticated all-wheel drive system known as "Super All-Wheel Control" (S-AWC).

Using an electronically-controlled Active Front Differential, this system offers three operating modes: Tarmac (FWD on dry pavement), Snow (4WD with a slight front-wheel bias on wet/snowy roads) and Lock (4WD with a locked rear differential and a slight rear-wheel bias for driving in the worst conditions).

This system regulates the torque from left to right and from front to rear depending on vehicle dynamics and road conditions. The result is superior traction and control at all times and on all types of driving surfaces.

[HardWorker]

It's not a true 4x4, but doesn't sound too bad of a system, only if the locking rear axle isn't just a fancy limited slip. I'd say 90% of the time it'll do very nicely.

[Yukon Maiden]

Mitsubishi calls it 4WD when lock is selected? Whichever, it works. I don't plan to go off-road mud bogging with it, I just want to get through deep snow, handle icy hills, etc. It's been great.

[HardWorker]

Mitsubishi calls it 4WD when lock is selected? Whichever, it works. I don't plan to go off-road mud bogging with it, I just want to get through deep snow, handle icy hills, etc. It's been great.

The locked you mentioned means your driver-side rear wheels get equal power as the passenger-side because they're "locked" together. If they weren't locked, then the wheel with the least traction would get the most power, which means you're stuck.

A true 4wd would lock the front axle with the rear axle, and then a true 4x4 would lock the front axle with the rear, as well as lock all the wheels together. My Jeep is a true 4x4, so even if I have 3 wheels hoisted in the air, the 4th wheel gets power and will drive the Jeep out of the situation. You don't really need that unless you're very well off the beaten bath.

[adrian2]

the beaten bath.

Must be a novelty sauna experience!

[Yukon Maiden]

"The system can send power to front or rear wheels, left or right, whatever wheel has the most traction."

Would this not give similar results as true 4WD, combined with all the other stuff?

[Nemo2]

the beaten bath.

Must be a novelty sauna experience!

Vihta do you mean?

[HardWorker]

the beaten bath.

Must be a novelty sauna experience!

Hahaha, it's not my day

[HardWorker]

"The system can send power to front or rear wheels, left or right, whatever wheel has the most traction."

Would this not give similar results as true 4WD, combined with all the other stuff?

I don't know the technical details of your system, but from the sounds of it, no your system isn't 4wd.

[Yukon Maiden]

Well, whatever it is, it works really well.

I have also found myself really liking some of the bells and whistles it came with more then I would have thought. Absolutely loving the Rockford Fosgate sound system/music server/navigation system. I find the rear view camera useful. I was surprised that the rain sensing wipers really work, and work well. I like that the bum warmers have a low and high setting. I like that I can easily carry a heavy load in the back, and the ease of loading the drop tailgate provides. I love the Xenon headlights. I can see! I can see!

I have not yet used the DVD player, and rarely use the sun roof. I like the idea of the paddle shifters, but need more practice with them. I have yet to need, and likely never to need the third row seating hidden in the floor of the cargo space. But I knew that when I bought it. It just happened to be a fully loaded top end model that fell in my lap.

All and all, very happy with it.

[AltaRed]

Well, whatever it is, it works really well.

Only hard core off road 4wheelers would debate those technical details. What you have is the best solution 'on road'.

[HardWorker]

Well, whatever it is, it works really well.

Only hard core off road 4wheelers would debate those technical details. What you have is the best solution 'on road'.

Furthermore we mock 'em, and giggle like little school girls when they get stuck

[Yukon Maiden]

My goal is to stay "on road". I have no desire to drive in the rhubarb. The only vehicle I enjoy taking off road, is my horse.

Oh, I do smirk a bit riding past the stuck 4WD off roaders.

[HardWorker]

^ The classic 4wd system, it can't be beat. Just don't tell my wife, or she'll trade all of toys with me included for your horse.