Need Advice for Buying Smaller SUV - Good Rear Visibility a MUST!

I loved my CRV with a back up camera. I never relied on the camera and loved the visibility I had with it, but the camera was a nice extra layer of protection. When I back out of a parking space, I look all around and proceed out. I then look in my camera, that's when I saw the little kid running in the parking lot. Without the camera I would of hit the kid. Even if you don't get a car with a camera, they are not that expensive to install. I needed a bigger SUV and had to give up my CRV and was so upset. Now I have a camera with sensors. The problem with the sensors if the object is not big enough to register on the sensor, it won't go off. But I still like having the sensor.

The best I could find was my Honda CRV. I sit very short in the seat, and this gave me the best sight lines.

We love our Subaru Forester...you should go test drive one and see if you like it. Visibility is great.

Many of the newer models come with a rear view camera. My mothers new car has it and it surprised me the first time I drove it, you could see everything.

I absolutely LOVED my Jeep Cherokee!!
(Until I crashed it into a bridge).

I don't like relying on mirrors for backing up or seeing out the back.
A friend offered to let me drive her new Mustang and there was no way. I couldn't see where the back of the car actually was and I couldn't really tell where the front of the car actually was. Plus, it sits so low to the ground I didn't even like riding in it because I felt like my fanny was dragging on the road.

Anyway, I really miss my Jeep. I'd love to have another one someday.

Best wishes!

http://ask.cars.com/2009/12/is-the-2010-honda-elements-bl...
The above link is for a good article about the rear visibility of small SUV's and the things to think about.

Honda CRV! There is little difference between my new one and the 2007 I traded in on it.

My new one has the back up camera but I only use it to judge when my car is in the garage because I back in.

If you are looking for a reasonably priced SUV w/ good visibility, go w/ the CRV. We drove one of our Hondas to 225,000 miles. They last forever !

My friend just looked at a new Equinox and she did not like it, either. My other friend has a Forester...and she loves it !

I have a "rounder" SUV and the blind spot/visibility is awful !!!

The 2002 Honda CRV does not have a blind spot and the visibility is not all that bad. The price would be reasonable !!!

I just rented a Cherokee... And I was blind as a bat. Ugh. Nope! It was like the windows were decorative. I'm also taller than the average bear. (6'1)

My Wrangler (Rubicon) was awesome, and perfect for what I needed it for (mountain/snow/off road), but they're small.

The older Cherokees Ive driven were stellar (ditto 4runners & land rovers).

But most of the new ones that Ive rented have convinced me into buying an Outback, next. (4WD is a must).

Which is a suggestion: For $30 you can "test drive" a rental for 24 hours. For $75 for the weekend. You can't check out everything on the market, but you can check out a lot.

We had a Subaru Forester for several years that had really good visibility all around. Part of it is the windows. But part of it is also the rearview mirror! That car had a nice fat rearview mirror... so you could see everything that was visible if you turned your head around and looked directly out the back of the car. Actually better, since if you turn around, you are craning your neck around and can't see one side very well.

Visibility is always a big condition for me, too. I don't like my husband's car that much, b/c I don't feel like I can see everything I want to in it. (He drives a 2003 Mazda 6). I have a 2005 Xterra and I love the visibility in it. It's one of the reasons I chose it. I got in several other SUVs at the time we were shopping and some of them, I didn't even bother to drive, b/c I just didn't feel like I could see the out of the sides/rear of the vehicle well enough.

Good luck on your hunt. I have noticed that many of the newer vehicles, the rear door windows are smaller and start higher up the vehicle--to make them appear more streamlined. But it does cut into the visibility factor.

If the only thing you hate about the car is the visibility when backing up, you may be able to get an after market rear view camera put on. It depends on what kind of radio unit you have and whether there is a way to display the camera's view.

I had a back-up camera added to my car, but I wouldn't have been able to do it if I wasn't already getting a new radio unit put in. The radio unit also gave me navigation and bluetooth handsfree phone so I didn't get it just for the camera.

BTW, I don't suggest driving by camera, but it is helpful as an extra aid. My camera is wide angle so I can see a lot more in a single view than I can by whipping my head all around. I still use my mirrors and look around, but it gives me an extra view and confidence that nothing is back there. It also helps to know how close you really are to something.

Just an alternate suggestion in case backing up is the only thing you hate about the car.

I love my Hyundai Tucson. I have an 05 and the visibility is great

I like my Volvo xc 90 it is an 05 and has the rear bumber sensors. Also great visibility.

We just bought a small SUV, we put it down to two, the Honda CRV and the Toyota Rav4. We ended up with the Rav4 and absolutely love it, but if rear visibility is a big issue the CRV is probably better, the tire on the back of the Rav4 makes parallel parking difficult.

Before buying we drove both cars often via rentals. CRV seems a little more compact, but I like the back end better than the Rav4. The Rav4 just felt "right" for us, the first time I got it as a rental car I decided I REALLY liked it. The CRV I always thought was nice, and I'd like one, but I didn't have the same reaction as I did with the Rav4.

Advantage also - the older CRVs are the ones I liked, they recently changed the design slightly and the rear end looks weird to me now.