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Hi,
We are a family of 3.5 (we have a 2.5 year old and a baby on the way) and we are looking for a second vehicle. Currently we are thinking a wagon (or possibly an SUV) given the space requirements. Ideally around $12,000 (could go up a little for the right vehicle).
Ideally we would like the safest vehicle we can afford and preferably an AWD/4WD variant (as opposed to a FWD or RWD) given we are living in New Plymouth and the winter conditions, etc. We also do a lot of traveling to Auckland and Whangarei (more than monthly) so need something that cruises well, can overtake with relative ease, etc.
So far we have considered:
- '03 - '05 Subaru Outback or Legacy 3.0L H6 wagons only (but we are worried about maintenance/repair bills???)
- '04 - '06 Toyota Avensis wagon (only variant with 4WD is the 2.0L not the 2.4L engine so worried about power loss when cruising)
- Honda Accord Euro wagon 2.4L (not many 4WD)
Can you please let me know your thoughts on service/repair costs & reliability for the above and if there is another wagon and/or SUV that we should be looking at. Any and all advice is greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
Obviously, you are narrowing down your options if it must be 4WD/AWD and you prefer a wagon over an SUV. For this budget, there are some things to look out for.
The 3.0 litre Subaru is very thirsty and as they get older, maintenance can be an issue, but overall reliability seems to be OK, so could suit your needs if you don't mind the hefty fuel bill.
The Avensis is OK, although they do have a CVT transmission and definitely have less power than the 3.0 litre Subaru. Perhaps another Toyota option could be a Caldina 4WD, but avoid the D4 engine.
The Accord Euro 2.4 4WD wagon could be a real contender, although to be fair, there are so few of them around that we don't have much experience with them. But as a generalisation, the Accord Euro has been a very good model, is a nice car to drive and could be the compromise between the 2.0 litre Toyota and 3.0 litre Subaru.
Thank you very much for the reply! It has really helped.
Just to throw the cat amongst the pigeons we (read: my wife) have changed our thoughts on needing a 4wd/AWD and are now thinking about the Accord - but in a sedan! Go figure... I think our biggest 2 requirements are safety and boot space. The Euro sedan has loads of boot space which is great.
Are there any known issues with the 2.0L vtec Accord Euro or any reason to avoid them over the 2.4L vtec variant?
Are there other sedan we should consider/compare with the Euro or are they the best for age & price?
Thank you again and sorry for tipping this one on its head.
This changes everything and gives you many more options!
The 2.0 litre Accord is fine, but the 2.4 would be the preference. Other models to consider would be Mazda6/Atenza or Toyota Camry. From a driver's perspective, the Mazda6 is arguably the best in class, Honda is known for being the most comfortable and Toyota for fairly bullet-proof reliability.
Thank you so much! Surprisingly the wagons are cheaper than the Accord Euro sedans, but not by too much. It looks like the sizeable boot and comfort of the Accord is winning.
Just for something a little different, mitsubishi airtrek. As long as you avoid one with GDI, they are great wagons. You can get them as 2wd or 4wd. The 2.4 mivec engine is great - the 2L turbo is better but more thirsty.
Also, the have a proper auto trans, not a CVT