Hi everyone!

We have recently moved to Calgary from Vancouver (emigrated from West Sussex 5 months ago). I did a posting before leaving for Canada but was spending so much time looking for work, I did not have time to post to this site! Had to keep focused....

Anyway now we are in Calgary and I have found a good job (took a while!!!) we are looking to buy a 7 seater SUV (mid range). Perfect timing with the high gas prices. . ... At the moment we are thinking about the Nissan Pathfinder but I thought it was worth asking if anyone had any advice or could recommend any similarly equipped models we have not thought of. We can't afford Lexuses (Lexi?) or Infinitis, but equally are too snobby to go for Kias (). Although we hired a Kia once and it was quite nice. But we were worried what the Jones' would think. .

We don't want a people carrier either because they aren't our bag.

Anyway I hope to be posting to this site a lot more now that I have a bit more time and wish to thank you all in advance for your interest!

Much appreciated!

Ken

So you're obviously not concerned about keeping up with the likes of Alan Partridge then!

sounds like your one of those that think they shit pork and piss wine to hells with the jones just get out there and get the kia

Don't do it, Ken. It'll be the thin edge of the wedge. A Kia one day, a Canadian haircut the next day. Before you know it, you will have gone native.
x

On our last trip we were given a GM Acadia as our rental and it turned out to be our favourite so far... there is talk that they will make a hybrid version.

Just bought the Hyundai Veracruz and love it, has all the bells and whistles on it to make me happy and has 7 seats for the family and relatives that frequent our house on numerous visits a year - 100,000/ 5year warranty best in class, AWD for those long winters etc.. Based on the Lexus so looks the same....half the price (not quite but you know what I mean)
Early days for reliability (only done 600kms) but so far so good. Everything I've read about it says that it's good....

Cheers

DOBBIE

I'm confused... you want 7 seats, don't want a minivan 'cause it's not "your bag," can't afford the posh ones, but don't want a Kia. Sorry to be blunt, but a couple of things spring to mind:

• Kia doesn't have the same brand disassociation here that it does in the UK. If you like it, buy one. The Jones' probably won't notice, let alone care.
• If you can't afford a Lexus, can you afford to throw fuel down the neck of an SUV at all? Why not get a van - they tend to give better mileage.
• What is it about an SUV that appeals? Less internal space, poorer handling, worse economy, etc etc, than an equivalent sized minivan. If you need the seven seats, why not get a vehicle that was designed from the ground up with multi-passenger transport in mind?

My advice for people wanting a 7 seater SUV is to buy a bloody minivian. No one cares what you drive here, and if they do, that says more about them than it does you.

Better handling, better economy, better comfort, less environmental impact and fewer people wondering what it is you are overcompensating for.

We've got a Kia and a 7-seater non-minivan

Oakvillian's right. Kia's not exactly cool but it doesn't have anywhere near the stigma it does in the UK. We got a Sorento, at the time it was the only non-Hyundai-based vehicle, it got good reviews and we've been delighted with it. No problems other than paint on inside door handle peeling apart - they've been replaced without question. It hasn't happened again since leaving Winnipeg - maybe warmer climate and garaging has solved the problem I don't know anything about their minivans, I've been in them a couple of times and they looked the same as other minivans.

And for the 7 seater, we've got a Buick Enclave which is lush. It's painfully slow away at lights but a good cruiser. Loads of space inside, we took every extra going and have no complaints about them or finish. It's also available with slightly different shape/styling as GMC Acadia, Saturn Outlook and Chevy Traverse...not sure how the prices vary. I don't think there is any other 7 seater with such good 3rd row access - in others, the 3rd seems to be a flip-up from the boot and clamber over 2nd row affair. This one is an easy walk through. I've sat in the 2nd row and 3rd row, I'm 5'8 and both are very comfortable.

I drove/rented the new Taurus which I believe they call a cross-over with 7 seats
took 7 adults quite well (drove it in city Denver and up the mountains and faired well in the snow too)

mileage was difficult to tell (work paid), but nice drive and pleasent inside

What he said.

I think you will find in general that Canadians are not as hung up on brand names and 'what the Jones' would think' attitude. If you like a Kia, go for it.

BTW..people carriers are referred to as minivans here....they are neither.

Isn't there a Mazda that holds 7 people. Others that come to mind are the Toyota Sienna/Honda Odyssey in the minivan category. Personally, I'd stay away from anything from 313 (Daytrois) if you are thinking of a minivan.

Inspired by, or a copy of, but not based on any of the same mechanicals etc - Lexus and Hyundai are completely separate companies.

My neighbour has a Dodge Durango which has 7 seats - but I am not sure whether they are classed as a minivan or a SUV or whether they are mid-price range, low-price range or top of the range - or what the Jones would think of it.

So I'm not much help really!

Who said they were?