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Hi everyone,

Currently driving a 2003 Montana, front wheel drive, and looking to buy a 2007 or 2008 4WD.

I am hoping that the experience in this newsgroup can help in deciding what is most suitable in the current market (Dodge Caliber, Kia Sportage, Toyota RAV4, Pontiac Torrent… etc).

I live in Saskatchewan, Canada, and shoveling snow in the back alley is no longer a pleasant pastime.  These are my requirements:

- City driving about 6,000 km/yr and a couple of yearly trip to west coast, 5000 km each.
- Comfortable sitting space, I am 6’1’’ and spouse is 5’10”
- Good leg space in back seat.  Usually 4 people on the long trips.
- Automatic transmission and non-skid features

What should I be looking at?

Thanks,
Boris  

Hi Boris,

You might want to look at the new Ford Taurus X crossover. It's very similar to last year's Freestyle, but it's got a little more power. Plenty of interior space, and all-wheel-drive.

Also, the Subaru Forester is a great small SUV, but if you're going to be travelling with four people the Tribeca might be more comfortable, but it's considerably larger and more expensive.

The RAV4 is a great small SUV. It's a real rocket with the optional V-6, but the 4-cylinder is no slouch. Definitely worth a look.

Finally, I'd recommend checking out the Mazda CX-7 or CX-9, depending on your space needs. The CX-7 is the smaller and sportier of the two, the CX-9 is larger and more luxurious.

I drove a Jeep Compass (nearly identical to the Dodge Caliber) and honestly wasn't very impressed. I'd definitely take a look if you think you might be interested, but don't get your hopes up too high on that one.

Hope this helps!  

Thanks Edward,

You have given me something to work with and I will start checking the availability here and do some hands-on testing.

Cheers,
Boris