Help mom pick a new CUV/SUV

I did have high hopes for getting her in a CX-5 since it is so highly rated, but alas, 0% US.

On the "American" scale, a well equipped Honda CRV is pretty hard to beat as an all around performer.

Jeep Cherokee gives 1% more content at 71% but that Jeep name may give her that false, "warn and fuzzy", American feeling.

I like the CRV but does it have real 4wd or the Real Trac they used to.

JohnRW1621 wrote: On the "American" scale, a well equipped Honda CRV is pretty hard to beat as an all around performer. Jeep Cherokee gives 1% more content at 71% but that Jeep name may give her that false, "warn and fuzzy", American feeling.

Reviews are pretty mixed on reliability with the new Jeeps, so thank goodness she's turned off of them. They just don't seem to excel at anything; power, MPG, refinement, fit and finish, reliability, comfort. Its just not on the radar at the prices they're asking. If they offered a clear advantage for her, she might consider the cost premium.

She is actually considering the Fords. (mom and dad are both die-hard GM people. Mom trading her GM for a Ford is like trading in her Steelers Jersey for a Ravens rag. In the last 40 years, the only non-GM vehicle they've had was a Scout II). Front runner right now on the Ford side is the Escape.

I think one of my reasons for really investigating these deeply is because of their GM-ness. They have always had them and just became used to their foibles and troubles. To them, GMs are (for the most part) the pinnacle of reliability. If they are going to stray off the ranch, it should be a pleasant experience. If it ends up being a problematic vehicle, they'll tuck back so far under their GM rock that they'll never come out.

I was in the same spot 3 years ago. My MIL was 80yrs old. A couple forces were at work.
Her husband had passed just a couple years earlier.
She had backed into a small pole with her T&C van.

All her life, he had chosen the cars but though she loved her first and fully loaded T&C, she disliked the second they had which had less features and cloth seats. She was never comfortable in the seats so they employed a series of cushions, etc. Since cloth, she could not slide across the seat easily when climbing up into the tall van seats. This time she was adamant that she was going to get something she liked.

The backing into the pole really scared her as I think she realized or felt that one accident could result in her loosing her licence and along with it loosing her freedom. Her other daughter had recently gotten a Ford Edge with back up camera. As such, back up camera became her most demanded feature. Her other demands were:
Smaller than minivan
Leather seats (in tan only)
Ease of egress

The choices came down to the just released Ford Escape or Honda CRV. I used the documentation above to try to sway to the CRV but the deciding item in her eyes was that her husband had never bought a Honda and she was not sure if she could trust it. Either was a fine choice so I conceded to the Ford Escape.
To get the features she demanded, she ended up with a Escape SEL. There were only 3 options she did not get:
1. AWD: this is a lady who will not leave the house if there is even a threat of bad weather. I could not see paying the big dollars for a feature she would not want to use and would have no idea if she actually was using.
2. Sunroof: she is not really a fan of bright light or wind.
3. Navigation: as it is, the car has way too may buttons that she never intends to learn how to use. My biggest complaint is that the top model has to take the really confusing MyTouch radio system. It is more than she wants and more than she wants to learn.

She has been happy with the Escape. I drove it last week and it now has 21k miles in over 3 years.

You guys have really helped narrow it down. Thank you for all the help.

The escape, CRV and RAV all seem to have enough US content to keep her happy

I have a 2007 Rav4. Yes it's a souless box, but nothing has failed on it aside from a battery and the radio broke the 2nd day we owned it.