Help me choose my next car

[AreWeThereYet0]

Simple and sweet. I am interested in Awd and self parking, I don’t want an SUV. so far I have found my best option to be a Prius. Self parking is a rare feature. Any good options I have overlooked? I don’t want to spend over 50K. Thanks.

 

[RunningBum]

Be aware that the Prius AWD isn't all that great.
https://newatlas.com/automotive/review-2020-toyota-prius-awd-e/

 

[njhowie]

DW has a Volkswagon Tiguan and loves it. Her model doesn't have AWD or self parking but others do. Their self parking is called "park assist" - it controls the steering, driver still controls gas/brakes.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

2nd Tiguan, we purchased a 2020 AWD and are very happy with it.

 

[LiveBelowMeans]

Subaru

 

[SnowballCamper]

Subaru

+1

 

[Bamaman]

Prius? Go for the Camry Hybrid for a larger car and great fuel mileage too. Mine gets 49 mpg on the highway and 46.5 in city traffic. And I'm not missing a thing versus the non-hybrid version. My hybrid is also quicker than the gas Camry--especially coming off a red light.

 

[aaronc879]

Prius? Go for the Camry Hybrid for a larger car and great fuel mileage too. Mine gets 49 mpg on the highway and 46.5 in city traffic. And I'm not missing a thing versus the non-hybrid version. My hybrid is also quicker than the gas Camry--especially coming off a red light.

If they add AWD then maybe.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

I don't get the fixation with AWD. A good set of winter tires will get a two-wheel drive car through snow and slush perfectly well. Better, in fact, than an AWD vehicle with many types of all-season tires. When I had to get to w*rk during 12-inch snowstorms I'd see SUVs in the ditch while my FWD Taurus with Nokian snow tires was under total control.

 

[aaronc879]

I don't get the fixation with AWD. A good set of winter tires will get a two-wheel drive car through snow and slush perfectly well. Better, in fact, than an AWD vehicle with many types of all-season tires. When I had to get to w*rk during 12-inch snowstorms I'd see SUVs in the ditch while my FWD Taurus with Nokian snow tires was under total control.

Not the experience I have had. I have gotten stuck many times in my Acura Integra and Toyota Corolla. I never got stuck in my AWD Subaru Forester. The Forester went thru a foot of fresh snow with no problems multiple times. A regular car wouldn't even get started in those conditions in my experience

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

You need proper tires for winter. Bridgestone Blizzaks, Michelin X-Ice, Nokian Hakkapeliittas. Were your Acura and your Corolla were equipped with them or something similar?

You have to drive on a set of modern winter tires to understand how much more grip they provide in slippery conditions. More importantly, they have much more stopping power than all-season tires. Like the man says, AWD can help to get you going, but it doesn't do much to help you stop.

 

[someguy]

Tesla model 3 dual motor
Lexus LS AWD used

Both have full self park where you just sit there.

Make sure you test drive and test the auto park in a real life example — ideally literally the places you would use it as an owner. I know several who thought they would use that feature and don’t.

 

[travelover]

I don't have any problem parallel parking and am surprised that anyone even would find it useful. AWD I can see, though as has been pointed out, a good set of winter tires goes a long way toward safer winter driving.

 

[JRon]

You have to drive on a set of modern winter tires to understand how much more grip they provide in slippery conditions. More importantly, they have much more stopping power than all-season tires.

This is so true. DW drove a 2012 Camaro with Blizzak tires in the winter. One snowstorm, with about a foot on the ground, I went to her office and drove her car home while she road with my son in our SUV. I had no problems whatsoever, even going up the hill to our house. Those tires were amazing.

 

[OldShooter]

True enough re tires. In fact, AWD, masks the poor traction of summer or "all season" tires but it does nothing for braking. This is an issue any time the car is on snow and ice, even packed snow.

My winter tires are on a set of wheels, both bought from Discount Tire. Part of their deal is to swap the tires spring and fall for no charge. So I'm there every spring and fall. The biggest hassles are stuffing all the tires into the car to haul them over there and the storage space needed in the garage.

 

[someguy]

I don't get the fixation with AWD. A good set of winter tires will get a two-wheel drive car through snow and slush perfectly well. Better, in fact, than an AWD vehicle with many types of all-season tires. When I had to get to w*rk during 12-inch snowstorms I'd see SUVs in the ditch while my FWD Taurus with Nokian snow tires was under total control.

I like AWD on daily driver cars for confidence in accelerating in all conditions, especially rain. There are plenty of instances of needing to turn out onto a busy/fast road without a signal. There are (IMO too many) left turns at major intersections that either have no left turn arrow or an arrow that won't activate until there are a number of cars queued which can take several complete light cycles.

IMO, half the "SUVs in the ditch" are the result of driver overconfidence from AWD+SUV, not lack of actual capability (eg versus a 2WD vehicle with dedicates snow tires).

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

IMO, half the "SUVs in the ditch" are the result of driver overconfidence from AWD+SUV, not lack of actual capability (eg versus a 2WD vehicle with dedicates snow tires).

When I was doing a daily commute here in southeast Wisconsin, I had a round trip of about 85 miles. My FWD snow car was equipped with Nokian Hakkapeliitta Q tires. On a snowy day, if I could see pavement in the tracks on the highway I could confidently maintain a speed of about 55 mph. In rutted snow I could do about 40-45 per, assuming there wasn't a driver in front of me crawling along. Fortunately, my commute was usually in off hours with light traffic.

It may sound like I was overconfident or I'm exaggerating, but believe me, I wasn't, and I'm not. That's the kind of traction good snow tires can provide.

Years ago I owned an '87 Audi 4000 quattro because I thought AWD would be helpful for my drive to work and back. Over time I concluded that I didn't need AWD if I had good tires. The quattro had some interesting features, but it was something of a money pit and I never got more than 21 mpg from the 2.2 liter engine.

There's more going on with winter tires than the tread pattern, BTW. They generally have a softer rubber compound than all-season or summer types. That gives them better traction once the temps drop into the 40s and below, when the rubber on more general-purpose tires tends to stiffen up. So they can deliver enhanced performance in a cold rain in addition to snow or ice.

 

[someguy]

I wasn't saying you/those in 2WD cars with snow tires were overconfident, but rather that the AWD SUV drivers in the ditch were. At least around here, a nontrivial number of SUVs drive in moderate to serious winter conditions no differently than normal weather. No car or tires can defy the laws of physics and common sense.

I believe the gap between the best all-season tires and virtually all dedicated snow tires has narrowed considerably. See, here, for example. I couldn't find it again, but CR recently recommended quality all-season tires for everyone except those in extremely snowy northern climates. My personal experience has indicated the same.

Also, dedicated winter tires wear faster, are noisier and less comfortable on dry pavement, and often don't brake as well on dry and/or warm/wet pavement. Finally, and because of the aforementioned issues, in my climate zone there is a timing game of freak early/late winter weather vs some years of extended fall or early spring. And of the course, the expense and hassle of switching, and the increased ongoing tire expense (at least from my own experience).

When I was doing a daily commute here in southeast Wisconsin, I had a round trip of about 85 miles. My FWD snow car was equipped with Nokian Hakkapeliitta Q tires. On a snowy day, if I could see pavement in the tracks on the highway I could confidently maintain a speed of about 55 mph. In rutted snow I could do about 40-45 per, assuming there wasn't a driver in front of me crawling along. Fortunately, my commute was usually in off hours with light traffic.

It may sound like I was overconfident or I'm exaggerating, but believe me, I wasn't, and I'm not. That's the kind of traction good snow tires can provide.

Years ago I owned an '87 Audi 4000 quattro because I thought AWD would be helpful for my drive to work and back. Over time I concluded that I didn't need AWD if I had good tires. The quattro had some interesting features, but it was something of a money pit and I never got more than 21 mpg from the 2.2 liter engine.

There's more going on with winter tires than the tread pattern, BTW. They generally have a softer rubber compound than all-season or summer types. That gives them better traction once the temps drop into the 40s and below, when the rubber on more general-purpose tires tends to stiffen up. So they can deliver enhanced performance in a cold rain in addition to snow or ice.

 

[brett]

We live in the snow zone. We have never had snow tires. We have very good all seasons. But, most of our travel is in the city. We only drive across the mountains when the road is clear of snow.

Large million plus city. None of our police vehicle have snow tires either. It is snowing now!

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

Call me crazy, but I have AWD and I swap out good summer tires for good snow tires every year! It may be overkill, but I LIKE IT!

 

[Koolau]

I tend to come down on the side of FWD rather than 4WD. I've had both and I've relayed before that 4WD can get you into trouble a lot faster than the brakes can get you out of it. I know this from real-life experience. A friend ended up totaling my 4WD by getting ahead of her ability to stop. FWD has always been enough for me, but YMMV.

Regarding 'self parking', I guess I don't get it. If you can't park yourself, there are schools that can help learn. If you really can't pick up the skill, I would (respectfully) suggest it might be safer that you not drive. I hope that doesn't sound too judgmental - I don't know a nicer way to say it.

I know a lot of folks who grew up in "my" era who never learned how to drive a manual transmission. They had real problems when only a manual was available, say at a car rental (actually happened to me once - back in 1987!) Probably wouldn't happen now BUT having to park your own rental car very well might.

Once again, I apologize in advance if I seem too aggressive on this subject because YMMV.

 

[Closet_Gamer]

I've done both the Blizzack/FWD route and the AWD route. I prefer AWD but the Blizzacks are amazing at what they do.

Back to the OPs question, if you're willing to play up to the $50K mark (which is how I interpreted your post), you can swing into German luxury territory. Personally, I would go for a slightly used, CPO Audi or BMW with xDrive. Have had both. Enjoyed both. Tho you're paying German repair rates! You could get a nice, used Audi for <$40K and toss a bit to the side for repairs.

I love car shopping

 

[RunningBum]

Call me crazy, but I have AWD and I swap out good summer tires for good snow tires every year! It may be overkill, but I LIKE IT!

I'm the same, as of last year. We don't get that much snow, but since I live on a mountain I'll take all the help I can get with all of the ups and downs.

 

[1242Vintage]

Driving wife to a medical appt earlier this week and the check engine and a couple other warning lights came on in her 2004 Toyota. Her first thought was YIPEE she finally gets a new car. Sadly for her new car dream, can’t kill the old and well-maintained Toyota. I repaired and back on the road.

However she’s looking at new cars since the old Toyota is approaching 200k miles. Leaning towards a Subaru Crosstrek or Legacy. We get icy roads in the winter and occasionally a little snow so whatever we end up with AWD is essential. As long as she’s happy and I can attach a big bike rack to the roof it’s all good.

Our other car is a Subaru Outback. Great car but wife prefers a smaller vehicle.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

Sorry if I strayed the group off topic with the tire debate. Someguy, it's an amusing coincidence that I'm scheduled to have some of the Nokian all-weather tires mentioned in that CR report installed on DW's Prius.

On the subject of the Prius, at least my wife's Gen 2 has a pretty touchy traction control function under slippery conditions. It's designed that way because the electric drive generates a great deal of torque that can shock the drive train when transitioning from a slippery patch to dry pavement. When it senses wheel spin it throttles down, which can make it hard to power out of a slippery spot.

On newer cars I've become skeptical of the direct-injection turbocharged engines like Ford's Ecoboost. Emissions systems generally route exhaust gases from the crankcase back into the intake to reburn them. Those gases carry oil vapors and other varnish producing substances that deposit themselves on the intake valves. Port-injection and even carbureted engines delivered a solvent past those intake valves (gasoline) that tended to wash them clean, but that cleansing action is no longer present with direct injection. Eventually, valve deposits affect performance and have to be removed manually.