My Revised Car List After Extensive Test Driving (Feedback Appreciated)
Okay, this saga ends within two weeks....I PROMISE!!
Anyway, as I've mentioned to a few of you, i'm very oddly proportioned. At 6'3" and some change, I have an absurdly short inseam, to the point that I have the upper body of someone 6'6" or so. Being fairly broad shouldered does not help any either. In fact, the one expensive handmade suit i have, the tailor who made it told me I was the toughest tailoring job he'd ever had.
So, the bottom line of me telling you all of this is to let you know that I just don't fit very well into anything outside the luxury SUV/Sedan market. I fit just fine in an Infinite G35 or a Lincoln Navigator, but don't necessarily want to spend that kind of money. Additionally, for a variety of reasons I want the capabilities of an SUV'ish vehicle. As I've found in the last several days, most traditional SUV's, because of the concern for rollovers, sacrifice head room in order to have the entire chasis raised. As a result, there are very few traditional SUV's I fit into, and the more likely candidates have shifted towards hybrids. Currently, my top handful are as follows:
1. Subaru Forrester Turbo - This is the second fastest (stock) SUV on the planet...trailing only Doc M and his Porsche Cayenne, with the Porsche only fairing 0.3 seconds better in the quarter mile according to car and driver. The interior is very roomy, and it comes with a number of luxuries I'm impressed with in addition to AWD. The only real downside to this, and it's a fairly significant one, is the abysmally boring exterior...it's VERY plain for my liking.
2. Pontiac Vibe AWD - I'm as shocked as you that this made it to the list. It's not the best performance-wise, but pretty well loaded and still at a modest price, it comes equipped with some fantastic options (dvd navigation for one) and appears to be very, VERY versatile with regards to cargo space and seat configuration. Mileage is also incredibly better than most othe selections. The only real downside on this one is performance...room was far better than I ever would have anticipated.
3. Nissan Murano - CVT gives the thing an absolutely incredible ride. It's got some nice options, a nice look to it and it is from the nissan...of which my family has driven fairly exclusively. The only real downsides to this vehicle, aside from cost, is the fact that it looks a little too non-suv, ie, i can't quite picture strapping some bikes on top like i can with the above two vehicles.
4. GMC Envoy - I just make it in to this one, and as i've mentioned in another thread, I'm a big fan of several of its options, with the one downside being the iffy reputation of american made suv's...particularly the motors.
5. Honda Pilot - Great fit, great performance. An all around solid vehicle...the one downside is cost. Not so much the number, but the fact i'm paying for a lot i don't really need (third row seating, huge backseats, etc). It's more of a family suv, and i don't have a family.
Again, as always, any feedback on ANY of these vehicles is appreciated. I'm pretty sure that by the time i actually buy, i'll owe everyone on AR a ride. Nonetheless, you guys and girls have been very helpful thus far.
