Re: Results of Weekend Shopping for a New Car For My Mother

Earlier this month I asked for advice regarding a new car for my Mother to

>replace a Ford Freestyle that was totaled in an accident. I mostly was >looking for advice regarding the Toyota Venza and Highlander. Well we >finally went shopping and my Mother is getting a new Highlander

I'm not disagreeing with your mom's choice but why does she need an SUV?? What were her needs from a technical perspective?

Reply to
Ashton Crusher
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For parking lot bumper car?

Reply to
Sharx35

Maybe it was a preference as opposed to a technical need.

Reply to
Stewart

First of all, the Highlnader is not an SUV. You might get away with calling it a "Crossover" but in no way is it an SUV. In my opinion, it is nothing more than a Camry Station Wagon. Of the vehicles we looked at, the Edge was the closest thing to an SUV and it wasn't particularly close, although Ford tries to pitch it as one. The Venza is called a car, but the only substantial difference between it and the Highlander is the height of the roof and the level of standard equipment. The CR-V would like to pretend to be an SUV, but it misses the mark by hundreds of miles. It is just a Civic Station Wagon with an AWD option. Even the Pilot, although a nice vehicle, can't be considered a legitimate SUV. Anything that is primarily front wheel drive and has very limited towing capacity is just a station wagon (or I guess a "Crossover" which in my mind is the new name for "Station Wagon").

My Mother never said she wanted an SUV. She just wanted something that she could sit up in and see out of. Until she got a Freestyle, my Mother always drove a full size vehicles (Galaxie, LTD, Grand Marquis, etc.). The Freestyle was the smallest car she had ever owned, and at least it gave her a decent view. Most cars that claim to be full size these days wouldn't have qaulified as an intermediate in the 60's and they all tend to place you very low and don't provide a very good view of the road in a world dominated by large trucks and SUVs (my Mom lives in a rural area and more than half the vehicles are large trucks or SUVs).

Anyhow, if you think a front wheel drive, four cylinder Highlander is an SUV, I think you are using a different definition of an SUV than would be reasonable.

Ed

Reply to
C. E. White

I know nothing about Highlanders except that I've seen pictures of them. Sounds like you got her what she needed.

Reply to
Ashton Crusher

On the Toyota webpage it is in the SUV section, but they don't have a crossover section.

At the dealers we looked at they had plenty of 2WD or AWD (seemed to be more 2WD than AWD). My Mother lives in a relatively flat area, it snows no more than a few days a year, and she has no need to go on bad dirt roads. Her Freestyle was AWD, but I don't think she knew or cared and I saw no reason to pay extra for AWD for the new Highlander. If things are bad enough that 4WD is required, she still has my Dad's '99

4WD Ranger available.

Ed

Reply to
Ed White

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