research
So.
I went to look at cars to replace my sorry XC90.
The XC90, which has betrayed me terribly, goes back to Volvo in less than a year so, while this was not 'serious shopping' for a new car, it was a reconnaissance mission.
I wanted to look at small SUV's or cross vehicles in the $30,000 price range with the hopes of going down a price and size notch from the evil Volvo.
Now Volvo/Ford/Mercury/Lincoln/Mazda/Land Rover are under the same ownership - and I know that they all have a smaller cross vehicle coming out, and I had an opportunity to see them all. Plus some.
Here's what I learned:
Apparently, it's all about the GRILLE.
This is the Ford Edge.
And this is the inside of it -- sorry, the interior.
There's lots of good press about the Ford Edge, though it tends to be lauding the design of the Ford Edge. We won't know about its reliability for a while because it's very new. I did like the Ford Edge, I need to test drive the Ford Edge - this particular Ford Edge, which had features that I do want, is $38,000.00.
I kind of don't see me driving a $38,000 Ford.
Plus, I feel like it's kind of chunky...
Next I decided to look at the Lincoln version of it - which is called the MDX (I think). It's the car with the sexy surfer mom commercial, and it is the SAME CAR as the Ford Edge.
WITH BLING.
I liked this more expensive, more luxurious version. But K says we can't have a Lincoln. We aren't Lincoln people - but that's why I think it would be funny as hell.
I can HEAR me saying "should we take the Lincoln?"
HA.
Too funny.
Almost as funny as this:
K in a $100,000 Mercedes.
NOW THAT'S FUNNY.
He didn't even FIT in the car.
He SWEARS he'd fit in one of these -
But BACK TO WORK.
I don't like the Mazda version of the Edge. Too round. Ugly interior. Really ugly.
But wait. The Land Rover LR2. Land Rover...great design, terrible reliability records...but, OH DEAR...It resembles an old Ford Explorer from the exterior.
I liked it very much.
Oh no. I do. I like it.
And I look JUST FINE in it.
But I needed to get my head out of the clouds.
So we walked over to look at the Honda CRV, which has been redesigned.
I had such great visions of me driving around in a Honda, which I have NEVER been attracted to as I DO NOT EVER DESIRE JAPANESE VEHICLES. I would be saving TONS of money and it would be so utilitarian and efficient. Visions.
And my brother, who knows me well, and knows cars well, said: don't kid yourself, you will hate it...
AND HE WAS RIGHT.
It's plastic-y, and has a weird layout inside, and isn't comfortable. And we went to sit in it in the Acura version and were only slightly more impressed.
We checked the RAV4 -
Why so ROUND, Toyota - what's wrong with a couple of rectangles?
And we checked the redesigned Highlander, which looks great but we couldn't sit in it and it's too big...
We looked at this...
Which - I hate to tell you, IS JUST CRAP. $40,000 of crap. Cheap plastic interior fittings, tight inside, and neither a smaller 5 series SUV nor a larger 3 series sedan re-fitted as a cross. (My brother told me about this too.)
Bored with all this?
You can check out some Ferraris...
You can sit by the virtual fireplace, have a glass of wine and hang out with the rock stars.
Oops. Sorry. No you can't.
What does all this add up to?
DAMN THAT VOLVO WHICH HAS BETRAYED ME.
I went to look at cars to replace my sorry XC90.
The XC90, which has betrayed me terribly, goes back to Volvo in less than a year so, while this was not 'serious shopping' for a new car, it was a reconnaissance mission.
I wanted to look at small SUV's or cross vehicles in the $30,000 price range with the hopes of going down a price and size notch from the evil Volvo.
Now Volvo/Ford/Mercury/Lincoln/Mazda/Land Rover are under the same ownership - and I know that they all have a smaller cross vehicle coming out, and I had an opportunity to see them all. Plus some.
Here's what I learned:
Apparently, it's all about the GRILLE.
This is the Ford Edge.
And this is the inside of it -- sorry, the interior.
There's lots of good press about the Ford Edge, though it tends to be lauding the design of the Ford Edge. We won't know about its reliability for a while because it's very new. I did like the Ford Edge, I need to test drive the Ford Edge - this particular Ford Edge, which had features that I do want, is $38,000.00.
I kind of don't see me driving a $38,000 Ford.
Plus, I feel like it's kind of chunky...
Next I decided to look at the Lincoln version of it - which is called the MDX (I think). It's the car with the sexy surfer mom commercial, and it is the SAME CAR as the Ford Edge.
WITH BLING.
I liked this more expensive, more luxurious version. But K says we can't have a Lincoln. We aren't Lincoln people - but that's why I think it would be funny as hell.
I can HEAR me saying "should we take the Lincoln?"
HA.
Too funny.
Almost as funny as this:
K in a $100,000 Mercedes.
NOW THAT'S FUNNY.
He didn't even FIT in the car.
He SWEARS he'd fit in one of these -
But BACK TO WORK.
I don't like the Mazda version of the Edge. Too round. Ugly interior. Really ugly.
But wait. The Land Rover LR2. Land Rover...great design, terrible reliability records...but, OH DEAR...It resembles an old Ford Explorer from the exterior.
I liked it very much.
Oh no. I do. I like it.
And I look JUST FINE in it.
But I needed to get my head out of the clouds.
So we walked over to look at the Honda CRV, which has been redesigned.
I had such great visions of me driving around in a Honda, which I have NEVER been attracted to as I DO NOT EVER DESIRE JAPANESE VEHICLES. I would be saving TONS of money and it would be so utilitarian and efficient. Visions.
And my brother, who knows me well, and knows cars well, said: don't kid yourself, you will hate it...
AND HE WAS RIGHT.
It's plastic-y, and has a weird layout inside, and isn't comfortable. And we went to sit in it in the Acura version and were only slightly more impressed.
We checked the RAV4 -
Why so ROUND, Toyota - what's wrong with a couple of rectangles?
And we checked the redesigned Highlander, which looks great but we couldn't sit in it and it's too big...
We looked at this...
Which - I hate to tell you, IS JUST CRAP. $40,000 of crap. Cheap plastic interior fittings, tight inside, and neither a smaller 5 series SUV nor a larger 3 series sedan re-fitted as a cross. (My brother told me about this too.)
Bored with all this?
You can check out some Ferraris...
You can sit by the virtual fireplace, have a glass of wine and hang out with the rock stars.
Oops. Sorry. No you can't.
What does all this add up to?
DAMN THAT VOLVO WHICH HAS BETRAYED ME.
Comments
But that's just me.
-J.
That gets my vote.
Our neighbors bought a Lamborghini. Talk about looking strange in the ol' subdivision...
Good luck in your search. I think we've narrowed my K's Middle-Aged Vehicle Purchase down to an Audi Quattro something-or-other. I am rather sorry to say I no longer car what I drive, as long as it's save for the 2 hooligans. And they can't kick the back of my seat!
The Rav 4 and Honda are too tiny. And I know you hate Japanese babe, but they are MIGHTY hard to avoid when it comes to cars that are reliable AND f-u-n-c-t-i-o-n without the XC90 visits to the car hospital.
Thank GOD I didn't see a Subaru in
that selection list.
The Edge, meh, not bad, but like you said...38K for a Ford...ah, no thanks.
Acura, Infiniti? Ooooops. Sorry japanese.
Wait? Aren't you the woman who loves all things Japan. Me confused...