Small cross-over SUV functional for adventuring?

[holly13elizabeth]

Greetings all, I am new to this forum.

My question is this. I would like to buy a practical functional small cross-over SUV to take off-road for the purpose of making it safely to adventure destinations. (so while rock-crawling and all that could be an obstacle to arrive at some destinations that is not the point of the vehicle). I took a RAV4 on a 4 wheel drive road to make it to this point in Iceland and thought it did pretty well (https://www.extremeiceland.is/en/attractions/landmannalaugar-information) .

Main points of concern would be reliability (I dont want a car that breaks down a lot), gas mileage, functionality and safety off-road, value. I currently have an old 4 runner sport, which is bad-ass off road but a lunk to drive around the city day to day, and gives appallingly bad gas mileage. I don't care about bells and whistles unless they clearly boost the functionality or safety of the car. I live in S. Cal so a lot of trips would be desert, but mountain adventures as well.

I am looking at Rav4 AWD, RAV 4 Hybrid, Subaru Outback, Forester or CrossTrek. I got caught up in the technicalities of X-Mode, Dual Function X-Mode, the downsides of CVT, and whatever they call the AWD system on a Rav4 Adventure. I have looked online to the point that I am spinning my wheels (pun sort of intended). I would be so grateful for any input. Thank you so much.

 

[calicamper]

Skip the CVT options. I had 23yrs of Subarus. I just sold my Last subaru Outback with cvt because I kept getting stuck in the parking lots at ski resorts. The CVT stalls out and wont spin tires and cuts power to avoid damage. Skip the cvt.

The RAV actually isn’t that bad its by far the best of the bunch right now. Ford is coming out with a baby bronco basically a Escape with better clearance numbers though its likely going to be cvt not a proper transmission. I think RAV4 is the only some what decent option right now.
Nissan is dumping the cvt next Path Finder will be with a decent transmission also but that could be 5 yrs from now.

 

[holly13elizabeth]

Skip the CVT options. I had 23yrs of Subarus. I just sold my Last subaru Outback with cvt because I kept getting stuck in the parking lots at ski resorts. The CVT stalls out and wont spin tires and cuts power to avoid damage. Skip the cvt.

The RAV actually isn’t that bad its by far the best of the bunch right now. Ford is coming out with a baby bronco basically a Escape with better clearance numbers though its likely going to be cvt not a proper transmission. I think RAV4 is the only some what decent option right now.
Nissan is dumping the cvt next Path Finder will be with a decent transmission also but that could be 5 yrs from now.

Thank you so much for your reply. Do you have any sense as to whether an adventure trim RAV 4 is worth it?

 

[calicamper]

Thank you so much for your reply. Do you have any sense as to whether an adventure trim RAV 4 is worth it?

Knowing Toyota they put stickers on it and different seat covers and mark it up $4500 and give it a different name. Check to see if the Adventure trim gets real stuff like locking center diff or different bumpers for better clearance etc. Guessing not. A mid level trim with better tires will likely be better than a stock Adventure whatever version.

 

[dreadlocks]

Touareg TDI, the 1st gen motors that got bought back by dieselgate are flooded in the market and made em cheap as hell.. and you get a pretty decent warranty with it.. the CPO's are coming with unlimited mileage warranty for 2 years if you like to drive you could get more warranty than it had new.. they get about 30mpg on highway.

 

[calicamper]

I would go Subaru. Others may disagree but Subaru and Audi have the best AWD system. Every other light, efficient cross over markets systems which compromize the AWD potential. Re the CVT, I was never a fan of them either but Subaru has a proven system and my wife loves her CrossTrek. Zero issues in 4 years. There are no "Teckie Tricks" with Subaru AWD, it just works great in all conditions. This is our 3rd Subaru in 20 years.

The cvt is junk I just sold mine after 130,000 miles. Its only decent in snow on road but even that I ran into multiple cases of being stalled in the ski resort parking lot till I kicked ice chunks that had fallen off the mud flaps is ice tire chalks out from behind the tires the cvt won’t back over them or for that matter even one tire dropped off the pavement it wont back out the cvt stalls and the rpms get chopped.
Same thing happens going forward when your on a trail with minor steps to climb.
Just do your self a favor skip the cvt’s.
My wifes Ford plugin hybrid cvt will actually spin tires the Subaru won’t it chops power

 

[calicamper]

The Small VW thing is actually better at getting power to the wheels which with all of these CUVs is the biggest issue. They run out of getting power to the wheels before they have other problems

 

[s.e.charles]

is the forester or outback a "better" choice? or are the running gear & engines equal? I think the forester is 300# heavier, but don't know if it's metal & glass or heavier innards.

thanks

 

[calicamper]

is the forester or outback a "better" choice? or are the running gear & engines equal? I think the forester is 300# heavier, but don't know if it's metal & glass or heavier innards.

thanks

Identical cvt management. Mine was mint zero issues well cared for cvt drain fill every 60,000 even though Subaru dealers started to actually say no to that even though “high stress” use they advise to do fluid changes. Again skip Subaru cvts.

 

[al_burpe]

A Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk is going to be the best off road cuv that you can get. You can find articles comparing it to the RAV4 Adventure. It probably won't be as reliable or get as good of gas mileage, but it take you further off-road.

 

[s.e.charles]

Identical cvt management. Mine was mint zero issues well cared for cvt drain fill every 60,000 even though Subaru dealers started to actually say no to that even though “high stress” use they advise to do fluid changes. Again skip Subaru cvts.

I guess I don't know enough to understand this response. is there a reason dealers would not perform the service? does Subaru offer a non-cvt version? i'm in the dark here.

 

[Florida Native]

The latest issue of Car and Driver took a RAV4 through an OHV park and it did surprisingly well. The rear diff overheated through a deep water crossing, but he was able to keep going on his own power after letting it cool for a few minutes. Never ended up needing to be tugged out from anywhere.

If reliability is your top priority, it's hard to go wrong with Toyota.

-Mike

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[Grassland]

Cherokee Trailhawk, but fuel economy isn't great, and reliability isn't fantastic. But 3 wheel drive is pretty sweet, especially with a locking rear end. I also think the newer ones look good. Also expensive.

Compass Trailhawk is also heavy and unreliable, but underpowered as well.

We looked at RAV4 Trail (adventure in the USA, Trail in Canada) but the price tag was too high. It looks nicer than the other trims, not sure what the other difference are but it's rated to tow 3500# while the other trims aren't.
Don't think there are any skid plates available for the RAV4 though, but I've seen small lifts. Could do a mild to medium all terrain tire or better yet go smaller wheels to get more sidewall. The wheels are huge on the Trail trim.

 

[calicamper]

I guess I don't know enough to understand this response. is there a reason dealers would not perform the service? does Subaru offer a non-cvt version? i'm in the dark here.

Its a 15 minute service but requires the tech to pay attention and not screw up or they are replacing a transmission and many have screwed up so they don’t like doing the service. Or they quote you stupid $$$$ to do a 15minute job that has a $90 dealer cost. Most good indi shops don’t want to do it because Subaru is having lots of parts quality issues and if you get a bad part and they service your cvt Subaru won’t step up and fix their junk. Also a big reason I quit buying Subaru.

Just too many issues engines, transmissions bad batches of parts. Subaru is having a rough time regarding major failures and bad parts.

 

[s.e.charles]

have we considered the honda crv or is it too foo-foo for adventuring?