Thought Experiment: ~$60k "performance" Small-ish SUVs

[LJP]

We rented a Volvo V90 T8 wagon in Norway. I *loved* driving that car. We drive it around in the rural areas for 7 days, then for 5 hours on the highway, than around Oslo for 3 days. Other than the high window making it impossible to rest my arm on the sill, I had not one complaint. That's part of what's piqued my interest in the Volvo line. I'd really like to have the V90 T8 Cross Country but it's a little long and they only offer the T6 in the US. I don't actually recall any driver assist features beyond the parking sensors...?

Obviously 10 days on vacation is way different than dealing with it in the real world.

As I recall from chatting with him about it, the “lane departure” system was his biggest complaint. Basically, it engages at unpredictable times and nearly yanked the steering wheel out of his grasp. The software and hardware interface did not seem very well engineered to him. Mind you, this is coming from a former military chopper pilot... he is just not nearly impressed enough with the vehicle to keep it beyond the lease end.

[rob_s]

As I recall from chatting with him about it, the “lane departure” system was his biggest complaint. Basically, it engages at unpredictable times and nearly yanked the steering wheel out of his grasp. The software and hardware interface did not seem very well engineered to him. Mind you, this is coming from a former military chopper pilot... he is just not nearly impressed enough with the vehicle to keep it beyond the lease end.

the wife's Honda Pilot has some kind of lane departure thing. My driving is definitely more wobbly than it seems to want to allow, haha! I seem to kind of recall it being on the V90, but not obtrusive in any way, and in both the Honda and the Volvo you can turn it off.

[Rex G]

We live in a small, independent city, but being surrounded by the sprawling amoeba of Houston, Texas, we are urban. Hurricanes Ike and Harvey, in 2008 and 2017, and TS Allison, in 2001, have reminded us to keep buying high-clearance vehicles. We have his-and-hers 2WD Toyota Tundras, and a TJ Wrangler.

We almost bought a 4Runner, this year, but the huge interior capacity of the maximum-cab 4-door Tundra appealed more, to my wife, and it was her turn to choose. (Her Tundra replaced a 4-door Wrangler.)

If I were to choose a new SUV, today, priced within the parameters of this discussion, it would be a 4Runner.

[RJ]

The new 2020 Porsche Macan S seems on point - $59k without options, and a rated 4.9s 0-60 time with Sports Chrono, according to Porsche web site?

Obviously Porsche packs the options list with a lengthy and expensive set of seemingly unlimited choices. So that 59k price can balloon quickly.

Normally I’d not suggest a first model year car. Mrs. 2019 Cayenne has been relatively problem free, so far. Although we only have 3,300 miles on it. The forums I’m on seem mostly to be electrical gremlins.

As to performance, Porsche horses are larger than stated, usually. So I would not doubt that Macan S would scoot.

And of course Porsche DNA.

I had a 2018 Macan loaner a few weeks ago. I spent the day wondering if I’d left the handbrake on. The 2.0T was distinctly underwhelming. I think the 4 banger got tossed in the 2020 update though.

Hope this helps. Lots of good choices out there.

[RJ]

As I recall from chatting with him about it, the “lane departure” system was his biggest complaint. Basically, it engages at unpredictable times and nearly yanked the steering wheel out of his grasp. The software and hardware interface did not seem very well engineered to him. Mind you, this is coming from a former military chopper pilot... he is just not nearly impressed enough with the vehicle to keep it beyond the lease end.

Wife’s 2018 Honda Accord had a system like that.

We turned that crap off ASAP. Stupid system was alerting as we tried to steer onto off ramps - not infrequently with YOU ARE ABOUT TO DIE! Messages on the console and accompanying steering wheel nudges.

[RevolverRob]

The 2.0T was distinctly underwhelming.

It's underwhelming in a 3000 pound GTI. 0-60 in 6.0 seconds? Rob_S wants to buy an SUV that's that fast.

I'd be kind of pissed if I spent $35k on a GTI to discover the kid down the street with a 25k EcoBoost Mustang can not only beat me to 60mph, and beat me down the 1320 by a full second, but also can pull more Gs than me on the skidpad and stomp on my autocross times.

In fact, I'll say it - the vast majority of VAG's engine and transmission choices are pretty much hot garbage. This is why Porsche usually eschews them entirely or at least builds the VAG architecture in house and tunes them.

[Zincwarrior]

Get a Nissan Rogue. With the difference buy guns, lots of guns! and bullets!

[RevolverRob]

Get a Nissan Rogue. With the difference buy guns, lots of guns! and bullets!

Rob_S doesn't even like shooting that much. And his solution to all things "guns" is a Glock 19 and some flavor of AR15.

You have to come at this from the right frame of reference - really ~60k performance SUV is a compromise until the kids go off to college and he has a full-on midlife crisis and buys a C8 Corvette or a Hellcat Challenger.

Until then - he wants to drive like a d-bag and have stop-light drag races with teenagers in lowered Civics. While he convinces himself that he is superior to them, because he's 30-years older with a career and more cash in the bank, all while longing for the freedom of their relatively responsibility-free lives. All of this alongside simultaneously contemplating why he didn't buy himself a vasectomy for a 25th birthday present, so he could be driving something else besides a boring dad mobile.

[dontshakepandas]

We live in a small, independent city, but being surrounded by the sprawling amoeba of Houston, Texas, we are urban. Hurricanes Ike and Harvey, in 2008 and 2017, and TS Allison, in 2001, have reminded us to keep buying high-clearance vehicles. We have his-and-hers 2WD Toyota Tundras, and a TJ Wrangler.

We almost bought a 4Runner, this year, but the huge interior capacity of the maximum-cab 4-door Tundra appealed more, to my wife, and it was her turn to choose. (Her Tundra replaced a 4-door Wrangler.)

If I were to choose a new SUV, today, priced within the parameters of this discussion, it would be a 4Runner.

This. I looked at many of these options and ended up with a 4Runner TRD Pro.

One option I haven't seen mentioned is the Alfa Romeo Stelvio. I think it is one of the best looking in the class. Handling is supposed to be fantastic. 0-60 is 5.4 seconds in the standard model or 3.3 if you want to go over budget for the Quadrifoglio.

I'm not a huge fan of the partial self driving features. Once all cars are driving themselves I might consider it, but until then I don't really want anything taking the control away from me.

Also, none of them seemed reliable enough for me to spend my money on them, and I would have to imagine the Alfa Romeo would come in pretty close to the bottom of the pack in that regard.

[RJ]

Rob_S doesn't even like shooting that much. And his solution to all things "guns" is a Glock 19 and some flavor of AR15.

You have to come at this from the right frame of reference - really ~60k performance SUV is a compromise until the kids go off to college and he has a full-on midlife crisis and buys a C8 Corvette or a Hellcat Challenger.

Until then - he wants to drive like a d-bag and have stop-light drag races with teenagers in lowered Civics. While he convinces himself that he is superior to them, because he's 30-years older with a career and more cash in the bank, all while longing for the freedom of their relatively responsibility-free lives. All of this alongside simultaneously contemplating why he didn't buy himself a vasectomy for a 25th birthday present, so he could be driving something else besides a boring dad mobile.

Heh.

I like this guy.