I bought an 07 Outback (2.5i Limited) last summer for the purpose of having our caregivers transport my wife to cancer treatments in the winter, carry the dog, and haul stuff around. The car has been excellent at winter traction, carrying the dog, and hauling stuff. However, it is uncomfortable for me to drive any distance (uncomfortable seating positions and sweaty unventilated leather seats) and does only a fair job transporting my wife. I don't have too much trouble getting her in and out because I use more of my own strength. However, her caregivers use the more proper technique of having her grab the window frame when entering and exiting the car. The Subaru, with frameless windows, kinda shoots that all to heck. Also, since the rear seat in the 07 Outback has very little legroom, any winter trips my wife, her taller caregiver, and I took were in the Lexus because the caregiver is nearly 6' tall.

I'm considering selling the Subie, either this fall or next spring, and finding some other wagon or crossover with the following features:

- No taller than the 07 Outback
- Doors with framed windows
- Basic cloth interior (I'll get a slippery seat cover for her seat for positioning.)
- More comfortable driving position and more rear seat legroom
- About the same amount of total cargo space as the Outback with the seats folded
- Not worried about lots of options like nav, sunroof, etc. The cargo area will get covered by a Canvasback liner to protect it from the dog, yard waste, etc.
- Target price, new or used, under $20K. May go as high as $25K for the right vehicle.
- Prefer to be rated at 30 MPG or higher on the highway
- Probably has to have automatic transmission (drat) as caregivers will often be driving it
- Willing to sacrifice AWD if necessary.

I checked out the Ford Focus and Fiesta hatches and ruled both out. The Focus has a lower body valence that will poke into my wife's calf when she sits back into the seat. I felt the Fiesta was too cheaply built.

The Honda Fit seems like it may be a good option, but I haven't yet tried to get my wife into it. It may be a bit narrow. No other Hondas will work.

The Mazda5 may work, but I really didn't care for the sliding doors. The same will probably be true for the upcoming Ford cmax.

As for Toyotas, the upcoming Prius V has potential, but will likely be too pricey. A base Prius is a possibility, but I think it would lack cargo space. I'm not a fan of the Matrix, but maybe I should consider it.

I plan on checking out the updated Outback, and would target a 2012 model if it isn't too tall. A new base Outback would be near the high end of my price range. (Probably avoiding 2010-11 Outbacks due to the shaking problem)

Any other suggestions to check out? I won't consider any Chrysler products and don't care for the quality propects of GM cars. (Trucks are a different story, but too tall for us.) I've never been impressed with Nissans, but may consider one. I haven't really investigated Kia or Hyundai.

 

I was going to mention the shimmy/wandering problem in the 2010-11 Outback, but you beat me to it.

I have a 2006 Outback that, except for having cloth seats, is probably very similiar to yours. It's been a reliable and fantastic all-around car for bad weather and slippery-surfaces, and, being single and rarely carrying back-seat passengers, don't have the back-seat legroom problem you experience.

As far as the upcoming 2012 outback, I think they will (finally) get the long-standing front-end problem solved, but some other quirks remain. Subaru took the engine-temp gauge out of the 2010-11 models, replacing it with an (unneeded) fuel-mileage analog gauge, and I see nothing that indicates that the temp-gauge will go back into the 2012 model. Folding side-mirrors were also removed for 2010 in the name of cost-cutting, but the customer-uproar was so great that they were added back the very next year, for 2011. Body-side mouldings are now a dealer-accessory instaed of standard like before. Two good things on the new 2010-2011 models, though, are struts to hold up the hood, and swing-away roof-rack cross-bars that fold back and clip along the sides...that makes the (now-taller) roof easier to wash. Also keep in mind that the 4-cylinder automatic models are now all CVTs....IMO, the old 4-speed auto should have been replaced instead with a 5 or 6-speed auto, as I don't trust long-term CVT durability.

As far as a non-Outback replacement, check out the Volvo XC-70 Cross-Country. It's about the same size as the older Outbacks, has about the same room inside, and, of course, has the famous Volvo safety-engineering. It also has a more-efficient automatic transmission, with more gears, and a rock-solid frame. But its Haldex-derived AWD system, while generally well-done, is probably not as reliable as the well-proved Subaru symmetrical AWD systems, and Volvos, like many Euro-designed cars, arenoted for electrical problems. For example, I see a lot of them with burned-out headlights/taillights, wiring, sockets, and relays.

 

used Toyota Venza

 

Disagree. The 19-20" wheels on the Venza, IMO, are ridiculous, and will take some $$$$ to replace the tires when they wear out. If AWD and a wagon-body cargo space in back are not needed, a better choice would probably be the Camry itself.

 

I too second a volvo. I think I read somewhere that their seats were designed by chiropractors, can't get any more comfort than that

 

Just a few off the top of my head; A4 Avant, 328i(x) wagon, A3, Edge, Murano, WRX hatch, Mazda3 hatch

 

Update:

Visited Subaru dealer and the new Outback is too high. Don't care for the Impreza wagon. WRX (non-STI) hatch is interesting, but I don't know if our second caregiver can drive stick. Base WRX new is at the top of my price range. I wouldn't buy a used gas turbo.

From other ones suggested:

Volvo: MPG too low
Edge: Too tall
Murano: Prefer no CVT and I believe it is too high
Mazda3 hatch: Too small
Audis and BMW: Haven't researched them. Would have to be CPO.
Venza: No due to the ride quality.

Others considerations for you to comment on:

Reconsidering Mazda5
Prius 2 or 3
Jetta wagon TDI
Scion Xb

 

Is there a reason why the Honda Crosstour doesn't work?

 

Not enough cargo space.

 

Are those Ford Transit Connects available to the public? Not the nicest looking thing but it can get the job done.

 

I've thought about the transit connect, but wondered about the quality of a Turkish built Ford - and if my wife would appreciate the vehicle's stunning good looks.

 

Just put a cool decal on the side of it

Only gets 21/26 and starts ~21k though

 

We bought a 5 Passenger Transit Connect XLT as a part time delivery vehicle for my parents dry cleaners, and it has been extremely solid through the first 10K miles so far. Good gas mileage, tons of space inside. It's definitely lacking on interior plushness and amenities, and it's not going to wow you on raw power, but it is great for what it is. And it can cruise on the highway at 80 mph for 4-5 hours with fair smoothness overall.

They've introduced a more passenger friendly one (windows all the way around)

 

What's the mileage your folks are getting?

 

What about a Ford Flex or Audi Allroad Quattro