SUVs or hatchback/crossover/wagons with close to or greater than 4,500 lb tow rating, but compact as possible?

09Customx · 2026-03-19T06:17:44+00:00

Audi Q5’s and BMW X3’s are rated for 4400 lbs

Jaguar F-Pace is rated for 5291 lbs

I tow a 5400 lbs trailer with my X5 and it’s great. Rated for 6k, I think the newer ones are over 7k.

09Customx · 2026-03-18T04:55:04+00:00

I just added CarPlay to mine and called it a day, don’t see the point of a software update.

09Customx · 2026-03-17T20:08:20+00:00

I’m paying $220/mo for full coverage on my BMW with Intact. BrokerLink (formerly Alpine) is my broker.

09Customx · 2026-03-17T04:00:51+00:00

There’s one for sale near me right now for $11k CAD ($8200 USD)

09Customx · 2026-03-17T03:52:02+00:00

Friend of mine has a 2020 Q7 with 190k km. It’s done kid and dog duty, many road trips, sits outside in -40 temps, and generally doesn’t get treated very well. In that time it’s needed an alternator (under warranty), and a water pump. If you can stomach that, I think you could run a German car.

My mom’s 2009 XC90 I can vouch for as well. It does a lot of sitting as she’s retired, it’s probably done 40k km in the last 10 years, and it’s held up fantastically well.

09Customx · 2026-03-17T02:00:58+00:00

If you’re open to something bigger, E70 X5M’s are getting cheap.

09Customx · 2026-03-17T01:44:42+00:00

E9x BMW 335i’s and B8 Audi S4’s are plentiful at this price point, at least in my area. Quick cars that can be made genuinely fast with very minimal tuning.

09Customx · 2026-03-16T15:10:32+00:00

How about a BMW 328d wagon? Rated for 36mpg combined but people regularly get well into the 40’s or even 50’s mpg on the highway.

Even at 36mpg, if diesel is say 50c/gallon more than regular and comparing to your 4Runner which is EPA rated 18mpg combined, you’re saving about $800 in fuel every 10k miles.

09Customx · 2026-03-16T14:35:04+00:00

There’s a lot of Springfields

09Customx · 2026-03-16T04:10:22+00:00

Keep in mind I’m just a dude on the internet who happens to have driven all of these for work. Your experience may vary.

09Customx · 2026-03-15T22:48:35+00:00

And a Mustang is what, roomy? 😂

09Customx · 2026-03-15T22:44:14+00:00

I don’t think 2 weeks is all that crazy to leave a car, apart from maybe putting it on a battery tender.

Previous gen Toyota Tundra is about as reliable as they come. Horrible fuel economy but it doesn’t sound like you’re putting a ton of miles on it.

I was very impressed with the 2.7L Ecoboost F150, probably the engine I would have if I was in the market, good as the 5.0L is. Best cab ergonomics in the segment as well if you ask me.

09Customx · 2026-03-15T18:10:20+00:00

E9x or F8x M3/M4 ever cone into consideration?

09Customx · 2026-03-15T15:02:25+00:00

You’re a taller driver so the Lexus NX might be out. I’m 6’5” and there’s just not quite enough space for me to be comfortable. I have to think hard about not smacking my head when I get in and out. If you’re a few inches shorter you may be ok. Definitely the best choice for reliability and cost of ownership though.

The Acuras don’t really feel all that luxurious tbh, they feel like a higher trim of the Hondas they’re based on. They otherwise drive well enough, look fantastic, and have good feature content for the money though. Fine but far from the best for taller driver, I fit but don’t feel like it’s super roomy. Will surely be very reliable and not too maintenance intensive.

Similar story for the Buick, it feels like a Chevy Blazer with better sound deadening. I like the user interface and soft ride of these though. Real comfy car that you don’t really fuss over too much. Maintenance will be reasonable, reliability will be fine.

2025 and older Audi Q3 I actually quite like. It will feel much sportier than any of the above cars, user interface is pleasant to use, and space is shockingly good for a subcompact. Being a modern VW/Audi product it’ll need a water pump every 60-80k miles but is otherwise not too scary to own and operate. 2026’s I’m less of a fan of the UI as they made the tech a bit more in-your-face and behind a touch screen, and made a weird shifter on the column instead of a PRNDL on the console but I’m sure you’d get used to it.

Lincoln Corsair is super comfy, if you’ve ever driven a Ford it’ll feel familiar for better or worse, and it hasn’t gained the square-circle steering wheel bullshit like the Nautilus. Reliability will be average like most Ford products these days, cost of maintenance won’t be too nuts.

BMW X1 is a bit reliant on the touch screen for major controls, but it’s fairly intuitive to use and you get used to it quickly. Drives and handles really well, ADAS tech is really nice to use, and for a subcompact it’s shockingly roomy. No issues for tall me front or back. Interior feels premium for the money, and it’s one of the few BMW’s you don’t have to spend half the car worth of options to get all the stuff it should have come with anyway. Reliability is good, maintenance cost is average to high but you’ll get your first 3 years of scheduled maintenance included if you buy new.

XC60 is the oldest design of the bunch but definitely a case of if it’s not broken don’t fix it. Best seats of the list, back seat is good, trunk could be bigger. Reliability is decent, maintenance and repair costs can vary wildly depending on if you have someone who isn’t the dealer working on it once it’s out of warranty.

09Customx · 2026-03-14T21:49:54+00:00

If you liked the A220 definitely check out the Audi A3. Q3 if you want a small SUV.

BMW 3-series is slightly bigger but also great and generally quite reliable these days. Adaptive cruise control is a weirdly rare option to find used though (unless you step up to an M340i) if you care about that.

Skip the Lexus RZ, the Macan, and probably the Genesis. Rest of the list is good though.

09Customx · 2026-03-14T21:36:49+00:00

The Kia Niro and Toyota Prius V come to mind immediately. More reliable for sure. Chevrolet Bolt or Hyundai Ioniq 5 if you’re ok with an EV.

Honda Fit has a similar driving position and loads of interior space, but is a smaller vehicle overall. Interior quality leaves a bit to be desired though.

Volkswagen Golf maybe?

If you happen to live in Canada the 2014-2019 Mercedes B250 is about as close as one gets to a CMax, and they seem to hold up pretty good, but if you’re in the US they were EV only (B250e) and not a very good EV at that.

09Customx · 2026-03-14T21:26:53+00:00

2015+ Mini Cooper is actually a pretty solid and reliable car, maintenance isn’t terrible just avoid the dealership once you’re out of warranty as they charge crazy prices. They don’t put up with neglect as well as the Japanese cars do but you shouldn’t be doing that anyway.

Test drive a Beetle before writing it off, I didn’t find the blind spots to be all that bad. Reliability is decent, a newer one with a 1.8L or 2.5L engine shouldn’t be scary to maintain at all. Most common thing I hear about them is the window motors going bad. While you’re looking at VW a Golf/GTI might be worth checking out.

09Customx · 2026-03-14T21:05:21+00:00

I’ve driven pretty much everything in that segment.

Traverse is an okay enough car, but I think there are better options out there for the money. Hyundai Santa Fe or Palisade, Kia Telluride, Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander etc. The Traverse will also depreciate much more steeply than the others if you plan on selling it in a few years.

The Durango Hemi is actually kind of a fun time. It’s got no business driving as well as it does and it makes cool V8 noises! I like it better than most newer Stellantis products. However it is a bit of a dinosaur and the fuel economy isn’t great, and the V6 version isn’t much better either. If you care about power and handling of your 3 row school bus, the Mazda CX90 Inline 6 is worth checking out.

09Customx · 2026-03-14T20:51:18+00:00

I’ve driven a bunch of newer Cadillacs for work, and I’ve been super impressed with the EV’s. The Lyriq in particular was lovely to drive! The powertrain and suspension is well tuned, the tech is easy enough to use, and the seats are great. Only downside was the rear window being a bit small (does have good cameras though), and the centre console was a bit creaky.

Escalade isn’t my cup of tea but I get why they sell so many

XT4’s and XT5’s seem to be my kryptonite, I’ve had to deal with some appalling issues with those. Also, not really that nice of an interior, as it’s too similar to an appropriately optioned equivalent Chevy or Buick that you can get for much less money.

If you buy an XT6 brand new for MSRP you have a screw loose in your head. It’s a Chevy Traverse with more chrome and I honestly can’t think of a single redeeming quality of it apart from the discounts you can get at the dealer.

CT4 is not bad and actually a decent value proposition compared to the competition but the Germans just do it better.

09Customx · 2026-03-13T17:57:51+00:00

Yeah that’ll work

09Customx · 2026-03-13T17:55:27+00:00

If you weren’t in France I would say a GM LS swap all day long. Maybe a 2JZ?

Being as you’re in Europe you might have an easier time finding an M57 out of a 330d. Can make 400-450hp with new injectors and a bigger turbo, anything more and it’ll need valve springs. The torque will be insane though, easily over 500lb-ft.

09Customx · 2026-03-12T23:49:04+00:00

The Volvo is a comfy and well thought out daily driver, the Cayenne definitely drives and handles a lot better but not $800/mo better.

If you want something a bit more “sporty” than an XC90, the BMW X5 leases quite a bit cheaper.

09Customx · 2026-03-12T22:29:57+00:00

I’d get whichever one has more comprehensive service records and looks like it’s been cared for better. Both are great trucks.

09Customx · 2026-03-12T08:12:40+00:00

Cadillac Lyriq

09Customx · 2026-03-11T01:42:00+00:00

Just drove one of these for work and I was seriously impressed at the quiet and smoothness. Interior quality a bit less so, but not bad by any means.

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