Well, it’s the worst time on my lifetime to be blooming for a car, but my beloved 2010 Hypnotic Green Mica Scion XB is really on its last legs and I don’t know when I’m going to find myself stick somewhere on the side of the road.
I got preapproved by my credit union. I’m hoping to find something within $25,000 but just in case I asked for $35,000.
I was dreading having to find a new car because the Scion is just so damn comfortable. Almost every other car I’ve ridden in or rented in the past few years has been pretty uncomfortable because I’m a wide guy and even supposedly big cars these days have strangely cramped drivers seats.
I loved my 2003 Corolla but somehow more recent Corollas have gotten too squat for my comfort. I like to sit upright like in a chair.
The one car I drove that I really liked was a Chrysler Pacifica but that’s going to be out of my price range (and really too fancy for my needs) so I was thinking along the lines of a Dodge Grand Caravan or equivalent.
Whatever I get I know I’m going to need to sit in it first so I don’t know if these newfangled car buying apps are going to be good for me.
So any advice from those who have bought cars more recently?
A few years ago I would absolutely have bought a Chrysler 300, but luckily rented one for a week first. Never have I experienced such car-related torture. I’m not tall and not all that wide, but my ass was sitting more or less on top of the hard, hard hip bolsters. I tried a few different models later on, and they were all equally painful. What’s up with that? This is America, don’t they build cars for non-skinny people? Good luck, anyway.
I have the same problem, and I’m not that big a guy. 6’0", 200 lbs. I had to get rid of my old 2003 Ford Escape which I loved simply because it started hurting so much to sit in it. Tried a Mazda CX-5, and had sciatica pain before getting out of the parking lot. The bolsters were like rocks poking into your side.
The new model (then - 2015) Escape was MUCH more comfortable. It was pretty much the only reason I bought it after trying so many uncomfortable cars. The Jeep Cherokee was pretty comfortable as well. If you like ‘command seating’ where you are sitting up and looking over traffic, an SUV is pretty much the only way to go. I’d look at the Cherokee and Escape. The Escape has a Plug-in Hybrid option that looks sweet if you do a lot of commuting.
The Wrangler (four-door) squeezed me between the door and the center console. I had to hang my left arm out the window just to fit. And then it shook me to bits. Every time I got out of that car, it felt like someone had been beating the crap out of me.
The Compass (?) made me sit with my legs pointing 45 degrees to the left, because the center console widened out to take up the place where my legs and feet should go.
I’ll look sideways at any Jeep.
I love Toyotas, but these days they (and Hondas) are unnecessarily overpriced.
Well, the Wrangler is famous for being a harsh, uncomfortable ride. The Compass is small and cheap. I would at least sit in a Cherokee and see if it fits you. I was very surprised.
Like you, I had tried other Chrysler/Jeep products and found them horrific for comfort. The PT Cruiser was the most uncomfortable vehicle I ever sat in. The Jeep Liberty was pretty close as well. But the Cherkokee (new one) was much different.
Trim levels might also matter. Higher end seats tend to be more adjustable and perhaps softer.
FYI, Chrysler discontinued the Caravan a few years ago, so you’re not going to be getting a new one. The current equivalent is the Chrysler Voyager, which is pretty much a low end version of the Pacifica. Of course if you’re interested in a minivan you might as well look at the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna, too. And Kia makes a minivan that I can’t remember the name of at the moment.
Oh, wait, I just Googled it, and the Chrysler Voyager is no longer in production, either. That didn’t last long. I think it was mostly just car rental companies that ever bought them in the first place. Actually, maybe you can buy a used one from a car rental company.
I’m curious why you would choose a minivan. We owned minivans when we had a small child, and it was awesome for getting the kid in and out of the car seat. The big sliding door is useful for getting people into the third row seats as well.
Other than that, a compact SUV had it beat in every way. More fuel efficient, smaller, easier to park, better handling, better in winter, etc. After we no longer needed the child seat, we got rid of the minivan as soon as we could.
I see minivans as niche vehicles for big families or special purposes. Outside of that they are a compromise. In my experience, anyway.
My advice would be to rent any car model that you’re considering and drive it around for a day or two. I’ve also had really good luck buying cars that are low mileage lease returns or loaner cars. They are a lot cheaper for a car that’s still in very good condition.
I’m currently shopping for a gently used BMW X7. I feel your pain.
I have a '17 Kia Soul that I bought used about 1.5 years ago. I love it. One thing I like is that it feels… maybe solid is the word. I mean it feels very well put together. Nothing strange with panels not aligning, nothing that squeaks or rattles. It feels ‘German’ in the best sense of the word.
I’m a fairly big guy: 6’2", 250 lbs. It’s comfy, upright driving position, great visibility. I doesn’t have the latest and coolest tech, but good enough for me: Apple Car Play/Android Auto, back up camera (low res), auto headlights and wipers, sunroof, decent infotainment and fairly good sound system. No adaptive cruise, though.
I have the dual-clutch, not so much for that, but the engine has a bit more kick. I mean, it’s not zippy or sporty, but I think the smaller power would be a bit sluggish (It’s the same size engine, the one I have has 204 hp).
Try it. Maybe you’ll fit, maybe not. It’s a great little car anyway, considering what it is.
I’m also a wide (and tall) guy and when I was shopping for a new car in the fall of 2019 I came very close to getting a Kia Soul. They’re small and boxy like your XB but there’s a significant amount of room in them – including the driver’s seat. They’re comfortable, lots of headroom and legroom, and the windows are bog and numerous so the view out the back and sides is superb. I really, really wanted one.
The only reason I ultimately chose something else was the fact that the Soul for that year had a DCT that was not reliable – it actually had been recalled in Korea. However, those DCT are no longer offered (nor is a traditional stick shift, which is a shame) and now a bombproof CVT is offered across the entire line. They’ve also updated the styling of the front so the 2023 models look much better while having the same size and utility.
The last time I priced those was a few months ago and they were priced (dealer price, not MSRP) well below $35k. So it might be something to consider.
FTR what I ended up getting was a Civic sedan which, while not exactly comfortable climbing in and out of, is actually quite comfy once I’m nestled into the seat. It also has a traditional 6-speed which is ::chef’s kiss::
Edit: I just realized the Soul has been mentioned already. Apologies.