Perhaps the BEST B1G Forum anywhere, here at College Football Fan Site, CFB51!!!

Narrowing things down... Put in this thread as opposed to general as I'm seriously considering making the EV move now that the Flex is dead.

Right now my top options:

• Ford Mach-E
• Kia EV6 or EV9
• Genesis GV60 or Electrified GV70
• Hyundai Santa Fe
• Toyota 4Runner
• Subaru Outback

Not necessarily in order of preference... Just figured I'd list the electrics on the first 3 lines.

I don't know how well I'll fit in the Mach-E, EV6, or GV60. I think I'd be just fine in the EV9 or GV70.

Going to start looking at these soon. The good thing is that I've got the Jeep so I've got a working vehicle in the interim and I'm not going to be rushed into a purchase just because I "need a car ASAP".

I know that some of those are EV’s, but are some of them hybrids?  

Are you intentionally avoiding Tesla?  

Also, I heard you can make a great deal on a Ford Lightning.  

I know that some of those are EV’s, but are some of them hybrids? 

Are you intentionally avoiding Tesla? 

Also, I heard you can make a great deal on a Ford Lightning. 

Of the gassers I think only the 4Runner is available as a hybrid. I'm not intentionally pushing for a hybrid or non-hybrid... Those were just the vehicles I like.

I am intentionally avoiding Tesla. While they're at the leading edge of EV capabilities, I am not a fan of the way that company is run. Plus, the last I heard, they're not even a car company any more. They're an AI / humanoid robot company 

Re: the Lightning, the last thing I want to do is to buy an already-discontinued vehicle. Especially something that's an EV platform that I don't think is shared amongst any other vehicles. 

Just buy this and buy it as a CPO. Do not ever buy new. Ever. Let someone else take the beating. This is a 2021 at $38K with 45K miles (which is nothing). Someone paid $80K for this back then.

It sure doesn't look like every other boring ass SUV on the road. 

A big black Tahoe? Hell, if I end up at the airport there'll be people trying to flag me down like I'm their hired car service. 

Suburban is the same thing just about 15" longer.  The GM SUVs are among the only ones that I don't find hideously ugly.

I also like the Toyota 4Runner and the new Landcruiser.

Suburbans are awesome, wish they could tow more.

That said, I do take your point about buying CPO. That will be one of the difficult aspects of this, which is waiting for the right model/features/mileage/price to show up in the used market. That's one of the advantages of having the Jeep. Once I put the top back on it, I don't have to worry about weather conditions and I can wait around for the right vehicle to show up.

The good news for you is that you live in a highly populated area with a lot of potential inventory.  Much easier waiting for the right car there, than it would be in... say... Sioux City, Iowa.

A few notes about my process, which will also help inform why I don't want a Suburban. 

My goal was to get another couple years out of the Flex, to the point where more of the kids are out of the house. But right now, with the oldest driving, it's actually fairly rare that I use 5 seats in the Flex any more. So despite the fact that one of my sticking points when I bought it was needing a 7 passenger (third row) vehicle, I don't need that now. My oldest goes off to college in the fall, and his brother graduates in June 2027. I'll then have a 1-year overlap where my daughter is home but too young to drive herself. So I don't need the size. Ideally I'll downsize. 

There are two bigger vehicles on the list, though. The EV9 and the Santa Fe. I think to an extent those are homage to the Flex. The EV9 is like a super-futuristic electrified Flex, and the Santa Fe is just a modernized gas Flex. If the right vehicle comes available used, I'll stick with something of that size, because they're extraordinarily practical vehicles. And unlike a Suburban, they ride (despite still being "SUVs") lower to the ground and IMHO will likely be better daily drivers despite the size. But they're not on the list because I need the size.

Everything else on the list is downsizing. Because of the kids, I do need to make sure that someone can sit in the back seat behind me while driving... I've had cars in my life (the 89 Probe GT) where due to my driver seat position, there was no room behind me. That could potentially be an issue with the Mach-E or the GV60. I worry those are TOO small to be comfortable. So they might be ruled out due to my size. 

But the cars on the list are the cars that for whatever reason, I look at them I and feel like I would LIKE to own them. There are a lot of vehicles out there that would be practical and acceptable. But as I remarked to my wife:

I look at so many of these boring midsize SUVs and feel like I could just pull a name out of a hat and I'd be neither happy nor sad about what name it showed me. The idea of an Explorer or a Highlander or anything in that class makes me feel like... "Ok. Fine. It's a car. Whatever. It's better than walking."

I'm 47 and successful. I think it's time to get what I want, and a Suburban isn't that.

buy the sports car