Another question for everyone. Many of these cars come with turbo 4cyl. engines. Is that anything to worry about?
6 cylinder will be much smoother and quieter and give you more even power delivery.
I wouldn’t want a turbo 4 on a 4-5k lb vehicle.
Since you say it’s mainly a commuter car……
My neighbors have a delivery business (mostly documents). They just retired a Subaru with 647,000 miles on it. They have another Subaru with 350,000 miles on it. They bought a new Subaru suv/wagon looking thing.
I would never own any of your 1st 3 on your list. Not many dealers and they are cars that must go to a dealer for MANY things.
Reliable = Honda/Toyota
Ease of service=any American brand because GM/F/C dealers everywhere
And every brand has an occasional lemon BUT some people can ruin an anvil! 
JM .02
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>buckybadger wrote:</div>
Jeep Grand Cherokee – Overland PackageThat’s what my wife drives and it’s been phenomenal for us.
Is that the 3.6L V6?
Yes hers has the 3.6 with 8 speed transmission. It’s very smooth to drive. It absolutely eats snow and icy roads compared to anything else I’ve ever driven.
Take a look at the Hyundai Palisade. Wifes got one and loves it. You get a better warranty and its much cheaper if you go fully loaded.
I have a grand Cherokee, If I didn’t have to tow anything, a Subaru would be in my garage. We had a bunch of foresters that my wife drove and then passed down to kids, 0 problems.
My pilot will cut from 6 to 4cylinders on the highway for better mpg. Test drove the highlander but it didn’t handle as well as the PILOT IMO. I really liked the feel of the MDX and almost bought one, Pilot had more clearance and does not require premium gas. The little trim display says 4wd, this is not true, they are AWD and their is a difference, that said the pilot has never failed me at some very sketchy landings.
Toyota has there new hybrid Highlander out for 2021. If this is a work commuter the gas mileage would be great on the Hybrid highlander.
Yeah, anything new will be beyond my budget limit most likely. Even slightly used vehicles will be a little too high I’m guessing.
More than likely I’ll be looking at a vehicle with 30,000 miles or more.
If I didn’t own and love the Chevy Silverado, I’d be driving a Toyota. Consider a Highlander.
Aside from the gas hog Tundra, I’ve never driven a Toyota I didn’t like, and they hold up forever. Their sedans and mid-sized vehicles are awesome.
Toyota Highlander.
Same vote here, but for the 4-runner. I have it and a Tacoma now, both the best running and dependable vehicles I’ve ever owned.
I wanted to thank everyone for the feedback! I’ve narrowed down my list to the following:
Ford Edge ST
Buick Enclave or Envision
Chevy Traverse
Jeep Grand Cherokee
Toyota Highlander
Each of these will fit my budget with the trim level and mileage I’m seeking. I’m hoping when the time comes there’ll be some 2020 Highlanders in my price range because I believe the 2020 design is slightly larger than previous model years. I think Envision is coming out with a re- design for 2021, but those will be too expensive in the Premium trim (but the re-design looks nice). And I give a slight edge to the straight 6cyl models over the turbo 4’s because i too believe the more complexities, the more chance for failures.
So thanks again and I look forward to test driving each of these!
I wanted to thank everyone for the feedback! I’ve narrowed down my list to the following:
Ford Edge ST
Buick Enclave or Envision
Chevy Traverse
Jeep Grand Cherokee
Toyota HighlanderEach of these will fit my budget with the trim level and mileage I’m seeking. I’m hoping when the time comes there’ll be some 2020 Highlanders in my price range because I believe the 2020 design is slightly larger than previous model years. I think Envision is coming out with a re- design for 2021, but those will be too expensive in the Premium trim (but the re-design looks nice). And I give a slight edge to the straight 6cyl models over the turbo 4’s because i too believe the more complexities, the more chance for failures.
So thanks again and I look forward to test driving each of these!
Just an FYI- If you are hoping for a 2020 highlander this fall in a”clearance” event be mindful of what may happen, any 2020 model for that matter. Due to covid shutting down plants, 2020 inventory is limited on a number of models it seems, other models have excess.. Manufacturing has started back up but only for 2021’s. We just purchased a new 2020 pilot solely due to a hell of a discount offered and stock around the cities is getting lower. One dealership had 120 some left, another one only had 20… and that’s a big mixture of various trim levels and colors. Otherwise we were going to wait until later this fall to buy. Hopefully the highlander is different, but since they are direct competition I’m not sure?
For what its worth, a used 2018 pilot same trim with 30k miles was only $5,000 less than we paid, not to mentioned the interest rate difference 
I hope you find what you’re looking for!
Just buy a Highlander already and get it over with…lol! Try to find a Gen 2 or 3 maybe with some reasonable mileage. V6 for sure. 4 speed auto with OD. Not as sexy as a 2020, but they last and last if maintained…
Signed,
Biased Toyota owner
We have a fully loaded 2019 buick envision awd turbo and it is a great ride. I still choose my ram over it any day but it is a very nice smooth and quick ride. It wasn’t cheap but it is a nice respectful every day cruiser
I’m a chevy guy and I would say please don’t ever support or buy the traverse
Got the fw a 2019 traverse last year and we have had no issues with it except a tree fell on the roof and we are waiting for a new one.
VW Atlas. Best road car we have had. Traded a Jeep GC Overland that spent more time in the shop than on the road. The Atlas also is big enough to fit real people in the third row and still have room for some stuff in back. You might be able to get in a new one in the price range you stated…
I’d definitely suggest either Honda or Toyota. We ended up with the Honda Passport and not a Highlander. The Passport would eat the Highlander for lunch on the road with less horsepower. The Highlander we test drove was very mild mannered and uninspiring. The Honda is more “sporty”. Both will have far better resale compared to pretty much any other brand. Unfortunately for the big 3, there’s one for sale on every corner.
This is all subjective, all manufacturers are going to have their good ones and questionable ones. But with all the talk about reliability of Honda and Toyota, I need to chirp in, because they are not guaranteed good either.
A good buddy swore by Honda, had many Honda cars, and then had 5 kids and upgraded to the Pilot, and now is on his 3rd. 2 of the 3 were terrible for him, in the shop more than not. I will say, he is still a Honda loyalist.
Another buddy had every manufacturer of trucks you can imagine, and had trouble with all of them. With family, and all the hype on Toyota, he purchased a Toyota 4-Runner. He has all kind of quality issues with it, interior and mechanically, and says he will never buy a Toyota again.
I have been an American brand loyalist my whole life, knowing they typically are not built in American anymore than most of the others, but still felt American. I now own a Mazda and a Subaru. I will throw the Subaru hat in the ring of something you should look for, especially as a commuter vehicle. We bought a Subaru Crosstrek as a cheap, new, family 3rd/commuter vehicle. And I will say, it is fantastic so far, and first one out the door takes the Subaru every time.
We have a Chevy full size truck, 100,000 miles, zero issues. A GMC Acadia Denali, 60,000 miles, zero issues. Subaru Crosstrek, 25,000 miles, quickly, zero issues.
I have been managing independent car repair shops for 20 plus years and for what you want and have already said, there is only one choice. Toyota Highlander. Just go buy it and you wont regret it. With all of the others listed you can and will have problems. I am a chevy guy at heart, always have been but if its not full size then stay away! Also if buying used like you said take it in for a inspection somewhere you trust no matter what the mileage.
We own the Buick Enclave, put 80K miles on it so far and we love it. no issues.
We also loved the Highlander. The newer Highlanders didn’t fit me as well (6’6″ 230 lbs). basically the only reason we went with the Buick. I know of several Highlander owners and they all rave about them.
I have bought a lot of cars (20+) over the last 40 years. I used to be on a first-name basis with the owner of the garage where I had vehicles repaired. 10 years ago I bought my wife a Lexus crossover. Nearly 200,000 miles later and they only time it has been into the shop has been for routine service i.e. brakes, fluids, etc. We had a similar experience with a RAV4 that got my daughter through high school and college. If Toyota made a 1-ton pickup, every vehicle I own would be a Toyota.
They cost more on the front end, but their longevity and reliability are incredible.
Is the Lexus a 4wd or Awd? What year do you reccomend? I think they look great.
Just looked, new ones START at 86 large. I’m out.
FWIW –
I have switched off between Jeep Grand Cherokees or Toyota 4Runners for 18-20 years now. I like the Grand Cherokee better than any vehicle I’ve had except for one item – their long-term maintenance record (drive train, electrical stuff, etc.). A close second in terms of liking is the 4Runner (admittedly more of a truck than a Crossover which doesn’t bother me since I tow).
Bottom line is if I’m going to drive a Jeep – I lease it for the duration of the warranty and then move on before maintenance stuff happens on my dime. If I were to buy a vehicle (new or used) to keep long term I’d be 100% 4Runner. Wife had a Highlander too – liked it even better than the Lexus SUV she had prior to it. Honda Pilot a distant 3rd, the ride quality of the Acura MDX sucked (her words not mine).
Is the Lexus a 4wd or Awd? What year do you reccomend? I think they look great.
Just looked, new ones START at 86 large. I’m out.
That’s the Lexus LX… Basically a Lexus Land Cruiser. Toyota LC also starts at $85k so not even remotely applicable to this discussion.
The Highlander comparable is the Lexus RX. They start at $45k and used ones are cheaper than similar year/mileage Highlanders.
Sorry to bring up an old dead thread, but when it comes to buying, I see that these online dealers are far less expensive on low mileage vehicles than
regular dealerships.
Is it worth buying from an online dealer like Carvana or others? Or avoid them at all costs?
Aside from the gas hog Tundra, I’ve never driven a Toyota I didn’t like, and they hold up forever.
@bassthumb320 Was gas mileage your only complaint? I LOVE my Sequoia aside from the mileage.
Is it worth buying from an online dealer like Carvana or others? Or avoid them at all costs?
My SIL just bought her second car from Carvana and said she would do it again for sure.
We bought a 20′ Santa Fe SEL this spring. First import car in my entire family, I’m still hearing about it. We plan to own it for 9.9 years, sell it once the warranty is up…Not very many other mfg’s can you get an AWD moderate trim level SUV of that size for under 30k. With a 10yr warranty to boot.
Whatever happened to the buy american crowd? That is all I heard growing up in a union house. It seems to me with all the chest thumping that many here should have fallen into that group on this page. That is unless you are talking about an outboard then forget about that mentality and buy a Yamaha. Not quite as many on the Toyota bandwagon as the Yamaha, but plenty never the less. Just curious what happened to that movement? It would seem it isn’t on anyone’s political agenda any longer so it isn’t important anymore, unless you drive a German car. They (the German car manufacturers) are evil.
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