Dear Scotty, I have a 2009 kia rondo with 260000 miles and I'd like a little rest from fixing this old car. I have been binge watching you trying to figure out which is the best new suv to buy and I'm lost. Which is worse, a new rav4 with the 4 cylinder turbo or a new crv with the dumb cvt? A new 2024 of those 2 models or maybe a 4runner is another possibility if i can still find one, (and what if i found a rav4 with a normal 4cyl.) . If you were buying a new current or recent year medium suv what would you pick? Thank you so much for all your help over the years.
T
Now. here's the deal. Depending on where you are, I know that the RAV4 sold in the states has a naturally aspirated 4 cylinder engine that's bulletproof. Now. Hondas do make very good CVT Transmissions, so it's not too much of a gamble, as long as you change the CVT fluid every 30k miles. Both are reliable, indestructible vehicles. If you're looking for a Scotty review, check out this link to our page about it in the FAQ: https://carkiller.com/scottykilmer/vid-review/vehicles-reviwed-by-scotty/
@fishingandcarsenthusiast123 Thanks very much for your thoughtful answer. Assuming that the regular aspirated 4 cylinder is very reliable, is that enough power for this mid size suv to allow it to accelerate at least as well as mouth average cars? I don't need to speed excessively, but i live in the Chicago area, people are maniacs and drive aggressively, and i need something that can at least accelerate quickly enough for me to merge into highway traffic then fly along easily between 70 and 80 mph with all the other idiots. I'm trying to listen to Scotty and not get a turbo, but a 4 cylinder sounds kind of small. What do you think?
Unfortunately I can’t tell you on the forum whether something drives “well” as that is very subjective. If I were you, I would go find one and take it out for a test drive. There’s no harm in taking it out for a drive. If you like the way it drives, then take it to a mechanic to inspect it prior to purchase. If not, maybe consider a different vehicle (e.g. the Honda in your case) that might better fit the driving experience you desire.
I personally was considering 2025 RAV4 Hybrid with regular 2.5L 4-cyl engine and E-CVT transmission. E-CVT is much better than a regular CVT. But, I'm cheap and don't feel like spending that kind of money even though I can easily pay cash for it. I'd rather keep these money invested...
@jvin Are you worried at all by what Scotty says about the complexity of the hybrid systems, and how you won't be able to repair things yourself, and repairs are very expensive? I've been thinking about hybrids too but I'm a little worried about those issues.
Watch this and decide for yourself: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMkzFgwWaGY