iaink

Confidence is a tricky thing though. I, like many people opted for a 4x4 to help deal with the winter when I arrived.

4x4 helps get you going allright, but does nothing to help you stop, which is what ultimately really matters. Winter tires is what you need for that. The danger is being a bit too overconfident due to the ability of 4x4 or AWD to find grip when there really isn't much about.

Now after a few years here I dont worry about it. The AWD Subaru is awesome in the winter, but Ive had no problem getting around in the Civic with its Blizzak tires either. The Civic with winter tires handles better in the winter than the Subaru with all seasons did. Anyway, thats probably a whole other topic...and certainly been done to death here before.

Bill_S

Are you sure about that? link

rae

have a look at consumer guide canada, or the US i suppose. looking at a pathfinder myself, but have been steered toward the toyota highlander after reading this and other reviews on the pathfinder. its good, just that there are better for the same money.

jimf

I'm looking at buying a similar vehicle - 7 seater with a decent 3rd row and possibly AWD as a first timer dealing with the Calgary winter.

I've gone Japanese with the last two cars in the UK and would probably stick with that unless the price differential seems to much.

To me the minivan choice is either the Oddysey/Sienna or Grand Caravan. Some people say the Caravan is fine others say it's a piece of junk. The Japanese vehicles certainly seem pretty good but I do wonder if the price premium is getting just too much to justify. I had a Caravan on hire last summer and it was fine but I could see aspects of the finishing that were a bit crude which makes me wonder about the durability of them. All the surveys seem to give the Caravan a pretty poor reliability rating.

The Sienna does come with AWD as an option. I was quite interested in that until I found out it has no spare and uses run flat tyres. Seems like a a complication to be avoided to me. Can you get run flat winter tyres?

The AWD option I've looked at is the Honda Pilot. There isn't quite as much interior space as the minivans but that seems to be the trade off for AWD.

R I C H

Yes

dbd33

What about the Ford Flex, that offers minivanish practicallity without being a van?

rae

looks like something you carry dead bodies in though. and its a ford.

Oakvillian

Quite. Some good friends of ours had a Pilot the same age as our Odyssey. It's built on the same platform, so overall size is about the same, and both seat 8 with all the seats up. Where the Pilot really falls down, though, is in the amount of luggage space if you're more than 4-up. The 4WD eats up a bunch of space that is given over to interior stowage in the Odyssey. I can get 8x4 sheets of ply or drywall flat in the back of the van; no way I could do that in a Pilot.

I'm with Iain on this - 4WD is completely unnecessary for almost all the suburban and/or highway driving that the vast majority of Canadians undertake. I'd far, far rather have a set of winter tyres on a FWD vehicle and take the extra usable interior space - even if that means joining the massed ranks of minivan owners. Don't see the point in SUVs at all, as I don't have anything large to tow and don't habitually drive cross-country.

Jingsamichty

I know what you mean. Every time I see one, I feel compelled to stand still and take my hat off, even though I don't wear one.

jimf

Just checked the Honda brochures for the cargo volume behind the 3rd row.

Pilot 589 litres
Odyssey 1934 litres

So with all seats in use Odyssey has 3 times the luggage space roughly.

Sienna gives you 1240 litres.

For comparison with a mid saloon, a Corolla gives you 350 litres

WendyS

Thanks for all your ideas, i'm googling all these cars you are mentioning.

Wendy

iaink

I think they look a bit like a Range Rover on steroids myself. Could be a good option for the OP, Fords pricing is pretty competitive / cut throat at the moment.

dbd33

We have an SUV, the 1987 Toyota Land Cruiser. It's useful if there's a need to go out after heavy snow and before the plough. The ground clearance makes it equal to, or perhaps superior to, the tractor in those conditions. I do use it off road but that's mainly because it's old and it doesn't matter if I fill it with hay or logs or whatever. If the plough has come then the FWD pastel Beetle is up to the job.

Louisecooke

Just googled Ford Flex, my god that's ugly and what sort of a name is Flex anyway

iaink

Be fair, its not like its a Pontiac Aztek!