Need Help Choosing Next Vehicle

One passenger car, and two compact CUVs?

Apples to apples, look at a Toyota RAV4. Every vehicle you listed is now direct-injection, and the problems with engine oil fuel dilution are generally overblown. Remember, online fora attract complaints, not good outcomes.

RAV4 or CR-V, both are fine vehicles. Mazda CX-5 is competitive in terms of reliability and safety, with better driving dynamics. If you really like the Hyundai or its KIA cousin, they're fine, although I tend to look at them as everything the Japanese nameplates were 8 years ago (which by now, is still very good).

Don't fall for the "I have AWD so I am good with all-season tires in the snow" thinking though; AWD will move you forward in almost anything; snow tires help you stop ;)

Personally, I would recommend the CR-V over the Tucson due to the preceived reliability and resale value assocaited with Honda's in general. If you dont like the CR-V, you can get rid of it in the future and get most of your money back.

As I like the small suv practicality over any sedan, I would go with that pick of the three that you mentioned.

In terms of other suggestions, have you considered the Subaru CrossTrek? Great reliability and awesome resale value. Lastly, just goint to throw this out there given the end of model run and the associated discounts available, take a look at the Acura RDX as well. You may be surprised at some of the current deals on the 2018 models given that the 2019's are out.

Well sticking with what you give us lets look at the reliablity of them.

Toyota Camry - according to Consumer Reports, rock solid. They don't have many problems at all. If you don't need AWD (like climbing mountains) it is hard to go wrong with this car. Note that there have been some reports on electrical issues over the years (going back to 2012 which was a redesign year), paint and trim, and squeaks and rattles but besides those minor problems and the electrical, there is nothing else going wrong with these cars over the last 8 years. This year is a redesign year so no one knows yet what it will be but usually Toyota gets it right (but this time, they made major changes to the design in 2019 so the risk level is higher something goes wrong this time).

Hyundai Tucson - Hyundai and its near twin Kia (same engineering team) build reliable cars as well most of the time. However, the launch year of the redesign (2016) was plauged with problems. Transmission, drive system, climate controls, suspension, and in car electronics were all problems that first year. In 2017 transmission and in car electical issues continued. Is it fixed as of 2018? You take your chances on this one.

Honda CRV - in 2015 the redesign year, those cars some are experencing transmission issues and driveablity issues according to Consumer Reports, which is not a surprise as every time Honda has a new transmission, they need a couple of years to work out the problems with it. In 2016 the problems seem to be corrected as the transmission had no problems at that point. Both in 2015 and 2016 there were some electrical issues as well. In 2017 the car goes above average and really has no problems in CU.

The issue you describe haunted the 2015 model year. I have not heard about it in 2016 or 2017 in TrueDelta or Consumer Reports. Hopefully Honda put it behind it.

In the end, the Toyota is the safe bet, the Honda is a pretty safe bet as well with a little risk, and the Hyundai in this case you are taking your chances as uncharacteristically for the brand, they are having reliablity concerns as of late on the Tucson.

Subaru's are always a good bet as mentioned alhthough some will burn oil and you have to monitor that (about 10% of all of them sold after four to five years of ownership). Buick is a good choice too as that is the direction I went and bought a massively discounted 2018 Buick Envision recently. For the price which was less than any of the above cars, it was a steal for a new car and it is also reliable as well. Best of luck in your choice.

homeyclaus had a great point about the snow tires and how AWD only helps move the car forward (snow tires do that, too).

Camry - Great car, reliable, handles well, more luxurious than the SUVs mentioned. It has always been a reliable car. The 2018 model is new, so it won't be as reliable as a used 2017 model. It is still reliable, though. The 2018 will have a firmware update that will add CarPlay next year or this year.

CR-V - Another great car, nicer than the Tucson, practical, high seating position. Available with CarPlay. I wouldn't consider anything below an EX because the turbo engine is a good one and it has some key features that I wouldn't like to live without. Reliability has been pretty good, but the Camry and RAV4 are more reliable.

Tucson - Not as reliable, cheaper purchase price, many features for the money, and practical. The 2018 is reliable, but not the 2017 or 2016 especially. The dual clutch transmissions had a high failure rate. Don't get the Value or Limited trims. The SEL Plus is the best trim to buy. There is no SE Plus for 2018 anymore.

If you really only care about reliability and how long it will last, the Toyota RAV4 can't be beat if you want a small SUV. The RAV4 and Camry both have bulletproof reliability. If the RAV4 is too boring for you, the Mazda CX-5 is the next best choice. It is fun and reliable.

I'd stay away from Honda new turbo engines in very cold climates as they fueling the crankcase and diluting the motor oil and recently recalled 350,000 in China. The CR-V before 2016 is good but 2017 and later have higher repair frequency and the AWD system requires a rear differential fluid change every 20,0000 miles as an added cost. You can read the current Motor Trend as they have a CR-V long term and the cost of ownership is almost as high as a Mercedes Benz GLC they also have in their long term fleet. It is also one the more expensive cuvs along other Honda's and Toyota's in general cost more to purchase and usually require more maintenance like timing belt and water pumps.

The Subaru is a other good, cheap car. If you were doing a lot of highway driving I would avoid as most models lack adequate sound insulation and may create tinnitus if you have excellent hearing like me. Consumer Reports knock Subaru infotainment as it freezes up, goes black, or reboots on owners leaving them stuck on one radio and no access to vehicle settings and safety settings.

The Esxape has been a good lease vehicle for my wife's Aunt as they are on their second one. It is an older model with many updates and would prove reliable today due to having all the bugs worked out.

The GM and Ford turbocharged engines are amongst the best as they've had about a decade to work through the engine and transmissions. There have been no major issues with their turbo-4 engines.

I would get the 2018 Camry, or perhaps for a bit less money a Mazda 3. I own a 2015 Mazda 3 Sport GS, with about 70,000 kms on it. No problems so far (touching wood). With Nokian Hakkapellita (sp?) R2 winter tires on it, it's good in snow, so long as the snow is not more than a foot deep.

Edmund's CX-5 longterm:

Performance
"The 187 horsepower is more than adequate for normal cruising speeds, but if you push the CX-5 at all or try an aggressive lane change, the lack of power is very noticeable. The engine growls loudly, but the CX-5 does not move to match the sound. Also in terms of fuel economy, I was averaging just over 20 mpg, which falls short of the EPA ratings. Compared to the fuel economy you can get in the Honda CR-V, which feels larger and more powerful, the Mazda CX-5 doesn't compare."

Savagegeese's review

He said about the 2017 CX-5, "It is the best cohesive package from the ground up. What you get for the price is extremely impressive... Best handling car in the segment by a longshot... Put it as one of the top SUVs to look at on your shopping list."

Google search "CX-5 slow" and plenty of owners have remorse buying Mazda because some magazine told them too or some internet, car-jockey said this is the car for them.

I just did and the results are all positive except one forum that said he likes the car but thinks it is slow. He didn't notice it during a test drive. Mazda's goal is to make cars that are engaging, not fast, and they are succeeding at that as they always have. The CX-5 is still .8 seconds faster than a 1.5T Equinox comparing base engines. What negative articles did you see?

I think Norm is pulling from Mazda boards and reviews in this case so he is not wrong - that is one knock on the CX-5 - that is slow, some say, too slow. Some examples:

Jeffrey James -Hi all, just pulled the trigger on a CX ? 5. I really like it. It's just super slow! I couldn't really step on it during the test drive. I wasnt expecting a rocket, but jeez, it feels like a go cart at times.

Motor Trend -In a2017 First Test, we noted that due to its additional curb weight, the new CX-5 is slower than its predecessor and it the non-defeatable stability control made it a handful during handling tests. (However, they were more positive about the rest of the car).

John Eod - Consumer Review -Disappointed by sluggish engine

Car & Driver - "Could use more power, fuel economy is only so-so." They mention because the turbo engine is no more, it is under-average in fuel economy and is a little underpowered.

Last, there is a website where people complain about the CX-5. I don't think this is the norm, but one person who owned it for 5 months describes in detail how he liked the car, and all the things that went wrong with it. I would hope it is an outlier and Mazda was good to him - they bought the car back (almost unheard of in this day and age). https://lateralme.wordpress.com/2016/06/11/5-months-owning-the-2016-mazda-cx-5-hands-on-review/

I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with Mazda's and they are fun to drive in my experience, but this is not fast by any stretch and some complain about in the latest version some "cheapness" with the current model such as loud air-flow with the AC on high.

My two cents if you are interested - read the above review (the first one on the page) I link you to and if you are still interested test drive it for the things he complains about. If you still like the car, then get it.