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Pontiac Torrent

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Anyone have any comments on the Pontiac Torrent? We are looking to replace our 2001 forester with something slightly bigger for when baby arrives next year.I haven't been in the 2009/2010 forester yet, but it is also at the top of my list.What else would you consider?

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Well the "top 3" come to mind - Ford Escape (and Escape Hybrid), Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. The first two meet the "slightly bigger" criteria. The last one is a lot bigger. There should be some good deals on the Torrent given that Pontiac is on its way out. Might as well look at its sister the Saturn Outlook too (or is that a midsize??)If it doesn't have to be AWD, then the Mazda5 fits the bill too. It's affordable, practical and easy to park.

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I'm not sure they are that much larger, inside or out, than either the Forester or the Torrent. But I'd honestly avoid a GM right now -- especially from a lame-duck division like Pontiac or Saturn -- unless the deal is ridiculous. $10K off sticker would be a starting point.

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Personally, I would never consider an SUV. They really don't offer any more space than a wagon.My second car is a Mazda3 Wagon and it is fantastic. You would not believe how much crap I can stuff inside that thing, and highway cruising I get in the 6.0LPH range with 4 people and gear. I would not heistate to pick up a new Honda Fit. The storage in the car is fanatastic with the fold up rear seats, very smart putting the fuel tank under the FRONT seats, makes for a lot of storage space. My other two faves right now are the VW Jetta wagon TDI (for obvious reasons) and the Audi A3, which is now available with the 4 cylinder turbo with AWD and DSG. A really good combo if you are looking for for something more upscale.

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All great choices. I too wouldn't consider any sort of (real) SUV -- though honestly the CR-V is closer to a car than a ute -- unless I had to tow things regularly.

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Thanks guys. I might also consider waiting to have a look at the new Chev Equinox or the Torrents replacement, the GMC Terrain. In the 4 cylinder, FWD versions they are rated for 6.7l/100km on the highway.We test drove a Torrent GXP. Has a 3.6l V6 with 264hp, and a 6 speed auto and is rated for 8.3l/100km highway, which is the same as the 3.4l version which has a 5 speed auto.what I really liked about the Torrent was the massive amount of space in the back seats. I'm 6'2" and with the drivers seat all the way back, I still have like 4 inches in front of my knees. And I had 2 or 3 inches between my head and the roof. And the rear seat slides back and forth. It is also AWD, which we would really like again cuz the winters up here involve a lot of thick heavy snow, and slushy roads.I wouldn't mind a wagon so much, but my wife doesn't like them. We are looking for something that makes it easier to load/unload a baby and then toddler. The 2001 forester has small back doors and a small back seat, and is lower to the ground. It is basically an impreza with a square body.

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I would not consider buying an SUV,unless it has AWD.The whole purpose of having one, is so you can go anywhere, in any type of weather.If you are carrying no more than a total of five people, why not check out the new Suzuki Grand Vitara?There are some great buys on brand new 2009's, and maybe if you are lucky enough, you can find a brand new 2008! (like i did!)Beautiful interior (if you buy the JLX-Leather), loaded with all the options, and still gets reasonable milage. About 25MPG city, 32MPG highway.

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All great choices. I too wouldn't consider any sort of (real) SUV -- though honestly the CR-V is closer to a car than a ute -- unless I had to tow things regularly.

Well, the CR-V (and Acura RDX) are just a jacked up, AWD version of the Civic, so it is probably closer to a car than you think ... :)

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VW is re-introducing the Golf TDI for the 2010 model year and it is available in a Wagon as well, so it might be something to look at although it may be a bit on the small side compared to the Forester (Jetta Wagon not available with TDI in 2009/2010?) and unfortunately no TDI other than the Touareg seems to be available with 4Motion.

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2010 TDI Jettas are available here, for sure. In the rest of the world, the Jetta wagon is actually called a Golf. On the IV, the North American version got the front end from the Jetta while the rest of the world retained the Golf front end. There are a couple of Jetta wagons in Montreal that have been converted back to Golf wagons.

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Another of my considerations is having a local dealer for warranty stuff. I'm tired of planning my vacations around getting my smart checked out.So, local options are mazda, subaru, gm, toyota, honda, chrysler, there used to be a VW dealer here, but they shut down cuz they didn't want to renovate to the brands new show room or something, now they do servicing only, but i don't know if they can do warrant work anymore

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As an owner of a 2002 Forester which is just like yours, you owe it to yourself to check out the 09-10 model. It is that much more of a vehicle and has MORE rear leg room than the 01-02 model. Also a better AWD system than the 01-02. If you like the 01 you'll really appreciate the new version. :)

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If it were me, I'd stick to a car, and if enthusiastic driving and enjoyment is not high on the list, a Honda Accord or Toyota Camry Hybrid would be good choices. Light SUVs have less room inside than the sedans they're based on.

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From all the comments here, looks like he might as well stick with the new Forester! It's cheaper, has a lower centre of gravity, is slightly larger than his old Forester and is something he's familiar with. I'd also throw in my votes for the Jetta and Golf TDI wagons.

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It's too bad more people don't consider Suzuki S.U.V.'s. The new Grand Vitara's have Elecronic Stability Control, Brake Assist system(just like the smart's),and unlike the smart, full time four wheel drive, with the ability to lock the transfer case, for true four wheel drive, when the road gets tough.Even a low range, for real rough stuff.The leather interior is beautiful too.The heated seats are great. Even the rear seats' backrest angle is adjustable.The Double over-head cam,24 valve v/6 is rated to pull 3000LBS,when needed.The FIVE speed automatic works great.It shifts quick, and is always in the right gear.You can lock it out of fifth gear for towing, or to get better engine braking on downhill slopes!The 'Smart Pass' keyless entry works great!Just keep the keys,and key fob in your pocket. walk up to the vehicle and push the button on the door. The door unlocks! You don't even have to put the key in the ignition! Just turn the switch,and the engine starts! It doesn't get any better than this!

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The 'Smart Pass' keyless entry works great!Just keep the keys,and key fob in your pocket. walk up to the vehicle and push the button on the door. The door unlocks! You don't even have to put the key in the ignition! Just turn the switch,and the engine starts!

So, curious about a possible downside to this; You get out of the car, say to get a parking pass out of a meterless spot. While your back is turned, someone hops in the car and drives away.MG

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Absolutey true; I had this system in a 2006 Renault Scénic in Europe and it was a constant worry.

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So, curious about a possible downside to this; You get out of the car, say to get a parking pass out of a meterless spot. While your back is turned, someone hops in the car and drives away.MG

From my understanding these system will disable the car if it travels too far away from the key, ie is stolen.

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Forget the Torrent. If you like GM, then get the NEW Equinox, sans le bad engine.Rav4 is a good vehicle, made in Canada I think.Suzuki Grand Vitara has always been reliable. There should be some excellent used deals out there.

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Pontiac is a zombie now anyway, so best to leave the Torpid idea alone ;)

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Well thanks for more comments. All is good to read.I should have expected that most people here wouldn't be into a GM product. And I wasn't expecting to either, just found this one here and thought I'd check it out.I don't see the fact that Pontiac is being canceled as being a deterrent. It's still just a chevy equinox in different clothing. And this one has stiffered, lowered suspension to go along with the 3.6l V6.kheran - we have checked out a 2010 forester, and yes, it is great. I fit behind the driver's seat with it all the way back, about 2" between my knees and the seat. It's not as roomy as the torrent, but a hugh improvement over the 2001 forester. But it is about 10K more than the 2008 torrent.PrairieBoy - there is no suzuki dealer here. I would have to go somewhere else to check it out and have warranty work done. Unless a GM dealer could do the service.MikeT - we want something with AWD for our winters, and for going to the ski hill. The torrent has a huge amount of interior room, and the 2010 forester has enough room for me. For cars we did consider the B200, and some others, I liked the old vibe/matrix, but my wife doesn't like hatch backs.smartzuuk - I do like the new equinox, but i like it's twin the GMC Terrain, even more. And with the 4 cylinger model it is rated at 6.9l/100km (FWD) a bit more for AWD. And if you want, you can upgrade to the 3.6l V6, the same as what is in the torrent GXP we are looking at.My reason's for wanting this particular torrent is it's the GXP, tons of room, and with 48K kms it is a lot cheaper than a brand new vehicle. If we go for it, we would buy it soon. If not, then we are going to wait till next summer to buy something. My other consideration is that our current forester will need some significant maintenance in 6K kms, (timing belt, etc.) and the summer tires are good for only one more season. I don't want to put a bunch of money into it, and then sell it right away. So I'm wondering if I should sell it now instead, before all that stuff comes up.Sorry for the long post. Thanks for reading and commenting.

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According to edmunds.com, a Torrent GXP AWD averages 12.4 L/100 Km, or roughly double what you quoted above. 14.7 city, 9.8 highway.

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So, curious about a possible downside to this; You get out of the car, say to get a parking pass out of a meterless spot. While your back is turned, someone hops in the car and drives away.MG

If the car is still on, yes but that's no different from leaving the keys in the ignition in a normal car.If the car is off, the car cannot be driven away unless the fob is inside the car and it's very sensitive. Even if you were standing by the door, the car won't start. You have to be inside the vehicle.

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Sameguy- I'm not sure which post you are referring to. In my last post, I'm referring to the 2010 equinox with the 4 cylinder engine. The Torrent GXP AWD is rated at 8.8l/100 km, so i can see actual mileage being closer to the mid 9's.

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Yes, your post -- which I guess mixed me up by commenting on several vehicles:

I don't see the fact that Pontiac is being canceled as being a deterrent. It's still just a chevy equinox in different clothing. And this one has stiffered, lowered suspension to go along with the 3.6l V6...

...I do like the new equinox, but i like it's twin the GMC Terrain, even more. And with the 4 cylinger model it is rated at 6.9l/100km (FWD) a bit more for AWD. And if you want, you can upgrade to the 3.6l V6, the same as what is in the torrent GXP we are looking at.

The usually-more-generous NRCan rating for the 2008 Terrain GXP AWD isn't much better than the new, more conservative EPA numbers: 13.0/8.8 for a combined 11.2 L/100 Km. Don't forget that NRCan thinks the smart fortwo cdi gets a combined 4.2 L/100 Km, something you and I have yet to reach (I'm at 50,000 Km).

I find it's better to go to places like Edmunds.com and consumerreports.org for information on real-world fuel economy, as the NRCan figures for that are notoriously inaccurate in the real world (some much worse, some much better). In many cases, the NRCan numbers are still based on the older tests (very forgiving) while others on the updated EPA cycle (very conservative numbers -- wasteful driving).

From Edmunds.com review of the 2008 Torrent:

The base Torrent is equipped with a 3.4-liter V6 good for 185 hp and 210 pound-feet of torque. It's mated to a five-speed automatic transmission. Though the output of GM's familiar "3400" V6 is uninspiring, it offers adequate low and midrange torque for most situations. The GXP features a 3.6-liter V6 that generates a much more impressive 264 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque. It comes with a six-speed automatic transmission with manual shift control. Properly equipped, the Torrent can tow 3,500 pounds. EPA estimated fuel economy is similar for both front-wheel- and all-wheel-drive versions: 17 mpg city/24 mpg highway for the 3.4-liter engine and 16 mpg city/24 mpg highway for the 3.6-liter V6.

CR's test of the 2008 Torrent 3.4L AWD yielded 18 mpg (13.1 L/100 km) -- 12 in the city and 24 highway, while CR's review was pretty brutal. The summary:

This twin to the Chevrolet Equinox has easy access to its roomy rear seat. The 3.4-liter V6 lacks refinement and gets just 18 mpg overall; the powerful 3.6-liter is more refined. Handling is clumsy, and the absorbent low-speed ride becomes unsettled at speed. We found the front seats uncomfortable. Interior quality is subpar, and some controls could be better located. Curtain air bags are standard.

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