Matthew just got engaged and to add even more excitement, he and his fiance' just found out they are going to have a baby. However, she drives a Mini Cooper Clubman that is not goung to be ideal for carseats and strollers. They are looking for a small crossover or wagon, that's still fun to drive but also family friendly. What car should they buy?
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Here is the scenario.
I just got engaged and quickly found out that there's a bun in the oven. The fiance drives a 2016 Mini Clubman, which really won't translate to life with a baby and having to lug around a carriage and fit a babyseat in the backseat. The car is paid off, so a trade-in shouldn't be too painful. I drive a 2018 Camry so I'm all set for quite a while. She has always loved the zoomy-go-cart feel of the Mini, so I think a decent sized SUV with a fun amount of horsepower would help her not hate driving a larger vehicle. Our budget is $35K and we don't mind exploring used vehicles to avoid some of the painful depreciation over he first couple of years. We also live in the Boston area, so AWD or 4WD is needed for the winter weather up here. Any suggestions for a used medium sized SUV with AWD/4WD, 300+HP, decent cargo space, that won't spontaneously combust, and is under $35K?
Quick Facts:
Budget: up to $35,00
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Daily Driver: Yes
Wants: Fun, big enough for baby and gear
Doesn't want: Something too small
Read more: These Are The Cars Our Readers Wish Would Depreciate Faster
Expert 1: Tom McParland - Zoom Zoom
Congratulations to both of you, you have some exciting times ahead! Whenever I have helped folks in the market for a vehicle that were in a similar situation, I would tell them your key priority aside from the obvious safety stuff, is to reduce the stress of traveling with kids. This may mean making some sacrifices on aesthetics, performance, or features because you aren't going to really notice the difference between a 250 hp car or a 300 hp car, but you are absolutely going to notice how easy it is to load and unload the kiddo and how much gear can fit in the back.
Fortunately, there are a few cars that can allow you to have most of your cake and eat it too. The Mazda CX-50 is a fine compact crossover in a very crowded segment that blends Japanese build quality and a dash of sportiness. If you opt for the turbo motor, you will have 250 horsepower and over 300 lb-ft of torque, which is plenty of passing power for Boston traffic. Consumer Reports named it one of the most spacious vehicles among its competitors. Here is a 2023 Turbo model with under 30,000 miles right within your comfortable budget zone.
Expert 2: Collin Woodard - Four-Wheel Drive And Plenty Of Power
Congratulations on the engagement and pregnancy! It's been a few years since I lived in Boston, but Massachusetts seems like a great place to raise a family. A lot of people are going to tell you there's no reason to buy a newer, bigger car, since there's presumably only one bun in said oven, and parking in Boston sucks. Those people are also wrong.
What you really need is a Chevrolet Suburban. Of course, your budget won't cover a new Suburban, but you can definitely get one that's a few years old and still comes with a 355-horsepower V8 to make your soon-to-be wife happy. At only 224 inches long, you may have to get creative to fit all the stuff your baby needs into the last-gen Suburban, but I believe in you. You've both got this. Also, it comes with four-wheel drive and plenty of ground clearance in case it's snowing, and the plows haven't hit your street yet. Can't forget about those Boston-area winters.
Here's a 2020 Chevrolet Suburban that shouldn't be far from you with 76,817 miles on it for $32,990 that should do the job just fine. It even comes with heated front seats and remote start, which should make those Boston-area winters even easier to handle. You may be tempted to go with something even bigger, but with just one kid, something tells me you'll be able to make a Suburban work just fine.
Expert 3: Amber DaSilva - What The Hell Is Wrong With All Of You?
First off, congrats on the engagement! I wish you all many happy years. But I, apparently unlike the rest of my esteemed colleagues here, actually want to ensure those years are fun. Your fiancée drives a Clubman, she loves the go-kart handling, and we're over here talking about putting her in a Suburban? No. You don't need an SUV to fit one kid, and everyone thinking that they do is why our streets are so full of lumbering, bloated, almost-always-empty vehicles. Just get a sedan.
Of course, coming from a Mini, not just any sedan will do. You're going to want performance, handling, and I'll even match your 300-horsepower minimum and your AWD requirement. My friend, get your fiancée a Subaru WRX STI. If your Camry is roomy enough for a kid, why wouldn't a comparably-sized Subaru be?
The STI has everything you need. It has 305 horsepower, all-wheel-drive, planted handling, and rear doors that you can fit a child into. Why would putting it on stilts be better for a kid? I've never understood this mindset and I never will, sedans are perfectly reasonable cars for childrearing. This one has even had its eye-catching wing removed, if you're into the subtle look.
Don't force your fiancée to give up the enjoyment she finds in driving just to swaddle an as-yet-unborn kid in an unnecessary amount of car. Get an STI, and ensure that your years of marriage and parenting aren't built over a river of quiet resentment based on you sucking the joy from her life because you think she needs to drive a small apartment building around.
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