I did some spur-of-the-moment furniture shopping this weekend. Luckily, I was driving an SUV with 101 cubic feet of space in the back.
SUVs like the Mazda CX-9 can save you lots of moolah on delivery fees. The three-piece set fit nicely into the back of the CX-9 with the second and third row seats folded...
The third row was already flat and the second row seats were super easy to fold with one hand. No fumbling with latches and levers, just grab the handle on the side and they pull right up. Light and easy.
My 6'1" passenger had to move his seat forward quite a bit for the 2nd row on his side to lie flat. But on my 5'4" driver's side, there was plenty of room.
The back hatch is manually operated but the load height is comfortable, not too high for lifting chairs into the back.
Now if I could just break the habit of bringing home furniture that I don't really need.
Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor @ 15,665 miles
firstwagon says:
06:12 PM, 06/ 2/08
101 cubic feet sounds like a lot until you look up the Caravan at 140.6 cubic feet.
cx7lover says:
06:31 PM, 06/ 2/08
Cubic feet wouldn't matter with cargo like this, load floor length would.
Anyway, the CX-9 is a great comprimse for someone coming from a sport sedan, and not wanting a minivan.
chavis10 says:
02:36 AM, 06/ 3/08
And who said SUVs are now obsolete? !!!
jaguar36 says:
07:50 AM, 06/ 3/08
But can you fit a 4x8 sheet of plywood lying flat in the back?
2002blksle says:
08:01 AM, 06/ 4/08
I dont think most families would use a $35K+ vehicle to haul 4X8 sheets of plywood on a regular basis. If plywood is on your shopping list, rent a truck for $18 at the home depot and save the scratches and splinters for someone else. Better yet, bring measurements and they will make the first few cuts for free and you can haul it off for your DYI project.
IMO:
AWD, Towing, and more flexible capacity make crossovers a viable option over family sedans.
Better handling, AWD, and a more pleasant driving experience make crossovers a viable option for people not needing something as utilitarian as a minivan.