[Mardio]

We just finished car shopping for small SUVs. We didn't test drive the Subaru but did test the CRV. I really was not impressed with the CVT transmission, it sounded whiny at times. My other gripe was it was loud at highway speeds. The interior also looked really cheap and plasticy. I'm sure in the grand scheme it's a very reliable vehicle however. We ended up buying an Acura RDX instead.

[SteveinArizona]

I saw an outback in the supermarket parking lot yesterday. It looked huge. Definitely has grown.

[Dexter Morgan]

I was looking at this class this past winter and picked the CR-V for several reasons:

-Honda reliability
-Honda resale value
-CarPlay and AndroidAuto availability (surprisingly, Mazda and Toyota don't offer these)
-Safety (although not on the same level as Tesla, Honda's active and passive systems are very competent)
-Value (especially when compared to the X1, XC40/60, GLA/C, Lexus NX). Although the XC60 Momentum is an especially great buy if you're thinking of the CR-V Touring.
-I came THIS close to ordering the XC60 Momentum and then Motor Trend gives the CR-V the "SUV of the year award". That was enough for me to pick it over the Volvo.

[Alfisti]

X1? crv fights the x3.

[ShocknAwe]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

X1? crv fights the x3.

Only if you can get one from the previous generation (N52/N55). The new X1 is appallingly bad.

[Poi2333]

It depends, I think I would go with outback. Because everything is more than a CRV

[blschaefer1]

I have a 2017 Outback as a company provided car. Liked it at first but have grown to hate it. The engine (2.5l at least) is drastically underpowered in this day and age, plus it is loud and rough and the CVT does not help things. I find the front seats awful, too soft, and uncomfortable on long drives. The Eyesight features work well but the rest of the electronics and interior feel as though they are a generation old. On the plus side, the utility of the Outback is great.

We had a 2016 Forester XT in the family too for awhile. Better engine but did not pair well with the CVT and interior refinement even worse that the Outback. Shorter wheelbase and taller structure made handling terrible.

One of my daughter's recently got a new 2018 Crosstrek, which is based on the new Impreza platform. Very nice and they have addressed many of the issues mentioned above. It's the sweet spot in the Subaru lineup in my opinion, and others must agree because she had to wait six weeks for it to arrive. She is an avid hiker and rock climber and vehicle fits her lifestyle perfectly. She had the prior generation Crosstrek before, very reliable but lacked the refinement of the new one. Night and day. And she is straight and does shave her legs, BTW.

My other daughter just got a new Mazda CX-5 and it is head and shoulders above any of the above in driving dynamics and interior quality. It’s the one I’d pay money for in the segment. Simply a well executed vehicle.

[jkoral]

Originally Posted by Real Dodger

The CRV, MX-5, and several others are nice, but while we no longer need the 3rd row seats, we still need storage room for big road trips. After looking at the CRV, it just doesnt have the room. And I suspect the MX5 is the same way.

An MX-5 will definitely not have the room. (MX-5 is a Miata, CX-5 is the compact SUV/crossover).