Starting the search for a new family car

[Ribbedroof]

Wife had a Flex, still bemoans selling it. Second-row room second to none, including the Expedition it replaced. My biggest gripe was the rear suspension...terrible design if you live on rough roads. Very little adjustability, and was great at eating rear tires. Other than that, heater hose assembly at 170K. And the fuel tank design sucks. It uses a jet pump to transfer fuel from one sump to the one with the high pressure pump, and they are notorius for dying and leaving you dead with fuel still showing. The tank is designed for the driveshaft of the AWD versions to pass through, leaving you with 2 sumps. My fix. had we kept it, was to use bulkhead connectors and braided hose to link them together, since ours was FWD.

She still talks about buying another one from time to time, though.

 

[Built6spdMCSS]

That's what I'm thinking, something similar to a Flex.

 

[mikester]

My wife is 5'7 and has been driving full size SUVs for a long time. I think she started with a full size Blazer back in '88. Right after our son was born in '90 we bought a '91 Jimmy. My daughter came along in '95 so we got a '96 4 dr Tahoe, Then a 2003 and now shes still driving a 2010 Yukon. It was great having a full size. Plenty of room for all the crap and a family of 4. I dont think we will ever downsize. Ive been driving full size crewcabs. I guess its just what youre used to.

 

[86LK]

Highlander would be good too for room, just more car/comfy than the rugged Tacoma/4Runner. Built in Indiana, with me having a small hand in it.

built on a Friday or a Monday? 😁

 

[bruisedbanana79]

As nice as it would be to have an off-road capable vehicle it’s not a necessity anymore. Worse the car would need to do is about a mile on dirt where we tow the trailer to in the desert. Highlander would be far more than enough to make it. We are leaning more towards comfort in this car so we can make longer drives when needed.

 

[bruisedbanana79]

Is the third row in the flex removable? That’s the only negative I see so far for us is that that seat just folds in half and doesn’t drop to a flat floor

 

[abbey castro]

Gotta look to the Germans for cool wagons Audi RS6 Avant. Or an RS2 / S2. I don't think the RS3 Avant was offered in North America. The MK4 Jetta wagon with a VR6 and a stick is a blast. I believe up until 2019 you could get a golf sportwagen with awd 6speed stick and 2.0t EA888. An APR tune and bolt-ons made them a great 30mpg sleeper.

Yeh at 100K plus they are cool. My son has one.

 

[rogue_ryder]

Is the third row in the flex removable? That’s the only negative I see so far for us is that that seat just folds in half and doesn’t drop to a flat floor

The 3rd row isn't removable BUT There's 3 electronic options (on ours anyway) fold completely flat, fold forward or convert to rear facing "tail gate mode" seats.

In the stowed mode it's always been MORE than enough cargo room for us. We've loaded it up with camping gear and dogs out to Moab before with a dirt bike in the hitch hauler.

 

[86LK]

anecdotal evidence:
my friend has always owned Acuras and Subarus for the last 30+ yrs, both him and the wife. he finally had to break down about 3-4 yrs ago and get a Ford Flex to carry around the 3 boys and MiL in a wheelchair. I asked him how he liked it and whether he's had any problems. says it's great and no issues.

 

[Doug Chahoy]

The newer Chevy Blazer and the Equinox till 2016 have a neat feature , the back seats slide back and forth like the front seats . In my wifes you slide the back seat back and it doesn’t matter how you adjust the front . Plenty of room . In 2017 Chevy down sized the Equinox. The current Blazer is really the rebodied Equinox from 2016 . Plus they come with the regulars gas 310 HP V-6