It has now been well-established that I have some regrets about buying a new Subaru Forester back in 2016, mostly predicated on the realization that my annual expenditures for the car somehow exceed what I spend to keep my 20-year-old high-mileage BMW running. My Subaru is disproportionately expensive to maintain, not particularly efficient, and brings me very little joy.
Love is what makes a Subaru a Subaru for, oh, say the first 15,000 miles. Then a constant, Ship of Theseus-like replacement of parts is what makes a Subaru a Subaru. That and little surprises, like headlights that fail faster than Taylor Swift can put out albums and wheel lug studs that break with a Harvey Korman-like frequency.
But it’s also paid off. The Subaru is fine. It’s largely disappointing, but it’s fine. It does what I need it to do and it always gets me where I need to go. It’s also right-sized for my one-and-done kid situation. The best car is one that you don’t have to pay for every month. With interest rates still high, why am I in such a hurry to get something new?
Because I love cars and I’ll always spend just a little extra to have a better car. While my E39 BMW makes me very happy, I also drive new cars for a living and there are just too many good cars out there for me to ignore. Here’s what I’m considering right now and the pros and cons of each.
Ford Maverick Hybrid – $34,085
I got a great deal on my Forester because it was the old model year and it’s going to hurt to spend more than $25k, but I think my Forester can probably fetch $10k or better, so that brings my net cost back down to $24,000 if I can get decent financing.
As a Texan, I want a truck. As a semi-rational human who lives in an apartment at the edge of New York City with no regular place to plug in an electric car or PHEV I want a regular ol’ hybrid. My options are fairly limited in this regard as the Tacoma hybrids are a little more truck than I need and the hybrid F-150 is a little big. The Maverick Hybrid is just about perfect.
Like many human beings with a functional brain and a romantic heart, I love the Ford Maverick. it returns almost 40 MPG in the city, where I’ll mostly drive it. It’s just trucky enough to do truck things, but it’s also basically a Bronco Sport/Escape underneath, so it’s comfortable enough to live a normal life. I’ve even driven my family around in one and they like it, though not as much as I do.
I’ve built one online and a blue XLT with the luxury package (heated seats), bed organizer, and tri-fold tonneau cover is just $34,085 MSRP with destination and everything else included. I know Mavericks have been going above the MSRP, but … I know a guy.
Pros of a Maverick Hybrid:
- Nearly double the city MPG, which is where it gets driven.
- Theoretically more robust than a Forester.
- A truck bed for camping and moving stuff and the Tractor Supply Co. life I want to live.
- It looks awesome.
- It’s a truck.
- Fords are historically cheap to keep running.
Cons of a Maverick Hybrid:
- It’s a little smaller inside than the Forester.
- I’m basically going to have to use the truck bed as a trunk, because kid stuff.
- It’s only FWD and it does snow here, though this is part of my secret plan to buy a set of the cool steel wheels and rock those with winter tires.
- Family likes it, but doesn’t love it.
Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid – $33,255
Of the cars I’ve driven recently that I could imagine owning, the Corolla Cross Hybrid was a surprise. While I think the vehicle looks fairly anonymous in the way that most Toyotas have, I thought it did everything well.
On my commute back-and-forth from school and groceries, I barely used the gas motor. Sure, it has a CVT, but it also supplements it with a rear-mounted electric motor that helps overcome the usual CVT sluggishness. I liked it. Nothing about the way it performed or handled was any worse or any better than the Forester. It’s also about 30 cubic feet smaller inside than my Forester.
All of those are issues, of course, but it has one big thing going for it: It’s a Toyota. If my biggest gripe with my Subaru is that I’m constantly having to spend money on it, that’s the one place where Toyota historically does better than almost anyone else. It doesn’t eat tires, brakes, batteries, or anything else. It just keeps going with minor, infrequent maintenance.
Pros of a Corolla Cross Hybrid:
- Better MPG than the Forester in every situation.
- I can get it in two-tone so I don’t keep losing my own damn car in the parking lot.
- It’s a Toyota.
- Even a nicely spec’d one is relatively cheap.
- It has a storage area.
- AWD.
Cons of a Corolla Cross Hybrid:
- It’s smaller than the Forester inside.
- My family does not remember driving around in it.
- It’s hard to find one for MSRP.
- It lacks a certain pizzazz.
Kia Carnival Hybrid – $38,995 (est)
If you asked my family today what our next car should be, they’d definitely say the Kia Carnival. We road-tripped one to Michigan and it was a comfortable delight. I only have one kid and zero dogs, but my daughter has friends and we have grandparents/et cetera so there’s something nice about being able to move everyone if necessary.
Even better, Kia is coming out with a hybrid soon. This means that I can have my cake and eat it, too. I think. There’s a lot of information lacking right now about the system, so I’m making a few big guesses here and assuming it costs about $38k for a lower-trim model and should return 33 mpg city/highway, which is still better than my much smaller Forester.
Pros of a Kia Carnival Hybrid:
- Better MPG than the Forester, probably.
- It’s way bigger inside with room for eight people.
- It looks cool.
- It’s a minivan, so I get sliding doors.
- The smugness of being a dad cool enough to drive a minivan.
Cons of a Kia Carnival Hybrid:
- It’s bigger than my Forester.
- It’s the most expensive thing I’m looking at right now.
- Kia has a decent cost of ownership, but maybe I’m setting myself up for disappointment again?
- I will probably have to pick up more people from the airport.
Wildcard: 2024 Jaguar F-Pace Type SVR – $96,523
This thing rules. It’s probably the last time you’re going to be able to buy an English car with a big, 550-horsepower supercharged V8. Let alone a big ol’ crossover/SUV thing. Not only that, you’ll probably never get one that looks this good.
Why did I ask to borrow this car? Because they’d let me. Sometimes I just drive cars because I’m excited about driving cars. If you can’t get excited about this thing I don’t think we’re going to have a lot to talk about.
It sounds fantastic. It snarls. It growls. It pops. It’s also engineered to let you drive faster than you want without killing yourself, even if it’s super snowy and slushy outside as when I had it. Is it comfortable? Hell yeah it’s comfortable. My daughter didn’t want to get out of it. Here’s her hugging the car:
Bad news, kid, it also costs more than every other car I’ve ever owned combined.
Pros of a Jaguar F-Pace SVR:
- Looks rad as hell.
- Is loud.
- Is comfortable.
- Drives better than most cars.
- Will never get lost in a parking lot.
Cons of a Jaguar F-Pace SVR:
- My daughter better get good at fencing, because I can’t pay for college if I buy it.
- Is way less efficient than my Forester.
- I’ll live in constant fear of hurting it.
Conclusion
If it were up to me I’d buy a Maverick, although I’m holding out for an AWD one to be announced with a motor for the rear axle. If it were up to my family I’d get the Carnival. Is the Corolla Cross the best compromise?
I’m open to your ideas here. Let me know what I should do.
What does Ms Hardigrette want?
I don’t understand why Ford hasn’t started offering AWD on the Hybrid. It made sense when they introduced it to force you to pay for the Turbo to unlock AWD and increase profits. However in the mean time Hybrid demand has proven to be much stronger that anticipated that they were able to make the Hybrid powertrain the extra cost option, so might as well open up AWD for the additional profit.
What about the Santa Cruz? It’s still a truck, its more stylish then the Ford and has AWD.
I tried sitting in that while at the Hyundai dealership, at 6’4″ it is a no go. Not comfortable up front and no way anyone would fit behind me. I realize my height isn’t normal but I think the whole family needs to be well under 6′ tall (no car seats either) for this to work.
Buying the Corolla is stupid. It’s basically a smaller version of the same car. Sure you’ll spend less on gas and maintenance, but that will be way more than eaten by having another payment, and you won’t get any enjoyment out of that extra money you’re spending on that payment.
No, it’s a Maverick, or the Carnival. Those are the real choices.
Or just keep the stupid Subaru.
Usually I’m a stick and stay and make it pay kind of guy, but I’d probably go with a Maverick if it was me. The nice thing about those folding tonneau covers, is you can take them off when you need to haul tall things.
How about a final-year 2025 Legacy! Oh wait …
I don’t understand the problems you have with your forester. I have my 2017 forester since 2019 and didn’t have more problems than other cars I had. To be honest, it’s the car I had less problems with and it’s the one I put the most mileage on. I got it at 50000kms and now it has 230000kms. I replaced 3 bearing/hubs and 2 of those under warranty. I looking to replace it with a 2024 ev6 land that I’m trying Friday, but that’s cause I’m fed up paying a new car payment on gas(shit is expensive here up north).
What about the Aztek after David is done living in it? 😀
This is America and cars are an expression of ourselves, do you see yourself as a Corolla Cross jelly bean blandmobile, or a fun Maverick pickup that could haul an actual full size refrigerator and the whole family?
wheel bearings on Subaru’s need to get replaced almost as often as tires .
A constant issue with all models that hasn’t been fixed in twenty years.
Just one kiddo? No minivan for you.
Near NYC? FWD with winter tires or Michelin CrossClimates is fine.
I have a Mav Hybrid and average 42mpg in mixed city+highway driving. I love mine, even if it is a little, dare I say, boring. But it checks ALL the boxes from my suburban dad needs. I ordered a ’23 in fall 22 and got it for $27K. At $34K it’s less of a bargain. Sooo….
A thought: Have you priced out an Escape hybrid with our friends in North Hills? It’s a little shorter than the Mav, so easier to park in the city, more comfy, and start at about $34K. The new front end is WAY less dory than before, and it actually comes in COLORS!
Get the Carnival. Nearly every time somebody is willing to even consider a minivan, it’s the correct choice. It’s objectively the best transportation vehicle you can buy.
I once had a 2016 Sedona as a loaner. It was much nicer than my Toyota in terms of materials, styling, fit and finish, and build quality.
The driving experience on the other hand, felt as refined as an old Cavalier. It made my Toyota fell like opulent luxury by comparison.
This Carnival looks much nicer than the rest of the current minivan offerings, but I wonder, how is it to drive?
I think the Kia will suit your needs best. The back seats of a Maverick will feel small as your daughter, and her friends, age and a tonneau cover is no substitute for a trunk when it comes to security for your cargo.
The Cross makes sense on paper, but I couldn’t get over the quality and sheer prevalence of plastic. Combined with the seating position I felt like I was sitting in a deep-walled tub of black plastic!
KIA Carnival. I’m trying to sell my wife on one of these as a replacement for our terrible Forester… but without kids this is a hard sell.
Out of these, I vote Corolla Cross, followed by the Maverick.
IMO the Carnival is overkill for a family of 3. Despite the knee-jerk “Minivan = God’s gift to mankind” attitudes around here, we’re talking about a giant vehicle with the weight and inefficiency of a full-size pickup truck.
Aside from being a POS, it sounds like the Subaru is working for you. Why not take a look at the CRV and RAV5 hybrids- the vehicles your Forester wishes it was. I was pretty impressed last time I sat in my friends 2018 CRV, I’m sure the new one is even nicer.
Maverick if it was AWD, sucks that it isnt. So now you have to buy the Toyota. I looked VERY hard, multiple times at the Kia MVP or whatever, but, in the end theres two killers. 1) No AWD and 2) its a fucking KIA and I would need to go to their dealer.
Sorry about the toyota, its the least fun option, but its the right one.
Be true to your roots and get the Maverick.
We need more pickup owner articles anyway.
If you’re going to be paying *that much* for a Maverick and (presumably) putting a topper on the back, why not just get a Bronco Sport and be done with it?
Because the Maverick Hybrid has more cargo space than the BS while also sipping fuel.
AWD may outweight these two advantages, though.
I completely thought the BS hybrid was already on the market, which I think invalidates my question altogether. On the other hand, the free wheeling package…
I keep saying they are missing out not having a Bronco Sport hybrid. I’d consider one. Not an Escape though.
The only reason I can think of is supply issues making it more economical to prioritize hybrid drivetrains for the Mav and the Escape.
Everyone always forgets the other hybrid truck, and it’s the only one with a 5.7L V8. Until the new engine comes out in 2025, all the RAM 1500’s are hybrids. It doesn’t do too much, but it does add about 10% combined fuel economy compared to the trucks that didn’t have it (it was optional for a few years). It’s still too big for your use case just like the F150. I only have the RAM because I need to tow a camper 5-6 times a year.
Maverick is a good choice, and will be fine with winter tires. My experience has always been that winter tires>AWD. Otherwise the Corolla Cross is a good choice too.
If you think the Forester has been unreliable then you better buckle up before buying a recent FoMoCo product….gonna be a rough ride.
The Other Blue Oval 😀
Dude… Ford isn’t prefect, but nothing is shittier than a Subaru.
Source: Our 2010 Forester has cost its various owners about $17,000 in repairs between 80-160,000km.
-Head gaskets leaking, Engine #1 removed from vehicle to resurface block @ 100,000.
-Catalytic converted replaced for burning oil
-Engine #1 blows up @ 120,000, replaced with ‘good used engine’ of lower milage.
– Head gaskets on engine #2 start to leak @ 150,000
-Give car away
-Friends install new head gaskets and cat…
None of this includes brakes, oil changes or failing suspension components.
This is pretty much what happened to my in-laws 2011 Forester Limited with the EJ253 engine. 1st set of headgaskets went at age 8, 2nd set of HGs went 4 years later. They ended up cutting their loses and sold the car at scrap value. They swore out American vehicles for many years but their 2017 Compass (1st gen, 2.4 engine, 6 spd Hyundai auto) has been much more reliable.
How can it be so hard to design heads, blocks, and gaskets that just work, in 2024?
Because of being locked into the boxer? I love the low CG. Sideways just makes lubrication and sealing more complicated. That can be fixed with expensive, but not at Subaru.
It defies belief that this could happen to so many Subarus and the brand could squeak by untarnished.
Ford’s FWD based Hybrids have used Toyota patented powertrains for the last 20 years. It’s not uncommon to see older Ford Hybrids with over 300K miles.
The ‘22 maverick hybrids have had some issues, I believe most of those have been resolved in the ‘24s but I suggest checking Maverick truck club and other forums.
My ‘22 awd ecoboost has had a couple of recalls but if I had not received a letter from Ford I would not have known there was anything wrong (side curtain airbag replacement was the only one that was more involved than a software update).
Heated seats and heated steering wheel have been a decadent extravagance to to me, ruined me for other cars 🙂
You forgot the biggest con of owning a truck in NYC:
THE OPEN BED!
do people use it as a trash can? I’m rural, and even in small city visits to home depot I haven’t seen that.
We did just get our first catalytic crew busted in the newspaper the other day, so maybe I will start seeing litter soon!
Your choices are only NEW vehicles? Do you read any of the other authors?
My advice is unchanged for years. You have the luxury of not being in dire need of a replacement, so you can take your time to find the gem. The population is aging out, and low mile, high end, garage kept, pampered gems are out there for far less than $30k.( I should have jumped at quite a few over the years). Keep your search limited to local so you aren’t reluctant to walk away, target wealthy areas that pay for the good stuff, and keep them maintained. Research before you go so you know what to look for, and have negotiating ammo.
As someone that’s always in the market for the pampered gems the issue is they always end up as trade-ins and then the dealer charges insane money for them, like 2x private sale prices and probably 3-4x what they gave for trade in. While it can still be a better deal than a new car the principle of it bothers me. The wealthy never waste their time selling a car privately, only to people they know.
Yeah, I look pretty regularly. Even if you find a Grandma special with 30k miles on it over 5 years, it is priced too close to a new car to be worth it.
I have a deep seated loathing of parasitic middlemen, and never subject myself to them. While your statement is largely true, especially for those that trade up every few years, there are smart ones out there that bought CPO, and 3-5 years later the dealers really don’t want that old of stock on their lot, so they low-ball trade in value, and the owner, or their offspring are happy to get $1k more as private sale.
Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
If you can actually get a Corolla Cross hybrid in yellow, get it 😀
Unfortunately, Toyota is known for their stupid allocation shit. Just because you can configure it on their site doesn’t they’ll actually make it Toyota just makes whatever they feel like making and then has the dealers fight over what they build.
Since you are considering a Toyota hybrid and a minivan, why not a Toyota hybrid minivan? The Sienna 😀
How about an Outlander PHEV? It’s the cheapest 7-passenger PHEV. However, it might not have as much room as a Carnival or Sienna.
If used is ok, get a Transit Connect.
All mini-van companies are really slacking in this current gen. Toyota doing the only AWD is a big sell, but its pricy and sucks otherwise.
My uncle purchased a 2023 Sienna LE Hybrid for $40K. It’s cheap inside, it can barely get out of its own way and it buzzes/drones way more than it has any right to. I’ve been to older Siennas with the V6 and they were quieter and quicker off the line
When I looked into mini-vans, I read a lot of articles and opinions on the “new gen” from Kia, Toyota and the Pacifica. People have not taken to them well, I am unsure if they have tightened things up so far post-covid and improved on that though.
A new Outlander PHEV will also help Mitsubishi survive, god help them
They’d do better if they hadn’t needlessly jacked up the price of the Mirage.
New Mirage prices practically doubled over the past few years as its competition disappeared 🙁
None of these are the correct answer, which is a gently used Cayenne S Transsyberia.
Research the woes of the V6 engine they use in the Carnival before you pull that trigger…
Uh oh…
the hybrid isn’t going to have the V6. The Carnival hybrid will have a turbo I4
Go for the van. No reason to admit defeat with life and buy a CUV thing.
honestly, that van is pretty swanky, too
You hate Matt hu? Asking him to go to a kia dealer and kia service center for the next 3-6 years? Did he sleep with your girl in high school or something?
Ooof I didn’t think about having to deal with a Kia dealer. That’s enough for me to want to stay away despite Kia putting out some get products.
their style is great, and initial happiness as well I agree.
They aren’t all bad. My Dad has owned a Kia for a while now and hasn’t complained about the dealers, which I am pretty sure he still uses for service.