Toyota's Crown Signia is quiet and reliable without being too large, and it also has a killer sound system.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
We currently drive a 2018 Subaru Outback, with the 3.6-litre engine. It’s our second Outback – both have been reliable and great all-around vehicles. We do a lot of highway driving, and love listening to music, hence the reason for wanting a change. The Outback is very noisy on the highway. We tow a 2,000-pound trailer on annual vacations and also do volunteer driving, which leads to an annual 40,000 kilometres on the road.
We have been thinking about our next vehicle, and we definitely want a quiet and reliable ride that is fairly reasonable on fuel. We’d consider a hybrid, which would make in-town driving much more efficient. We’ve looked at the Mazda CX-70 as well as the Toyota Crown Signia – are there any other models you would recommend for a quiet, reliable ride with a good stereo? – Lavern and Chris
Mark Richardson: A quiet ride is a wonderful thing. If you want noisy in a quiet car, you can always open the window. It doesn’t work the other way around.
Petrina Gentile: That’s true – nothing beats a quiet ride with no engine, road or wind noise seeping into the cabin.
Richardson: Says the woman who loves convertibles.
Gentile: True. But in a convertible, I know what I’m getting – noise and wind-tousled locks. But when I’m driving a crossover or SUV, no thanks. I expect nothing but a quiet ride in the cabin.
Richardson: The quietest cars these days are electric, which make barely any noise while they’re driving. The only sound is from the tires on the road and the wind. But 40,000 kilometres a year is probably unrealistic for an electric car, especially one that’s used for towing. Even a generous range of 500 kilometres will be challenged by such daily distances.
Gentile: But a hybrid would do the trick. Let’s start with one they mentioned from Toyota – the Crown Signia. What do you think?
Richardson: That’s quiet and reliable without being too large, and it also has a killer sound system.
Gentile: And it’s very fuel-efficient thanks to its hybrid powertrain. It comes with all-wheel drive and has a spacious interior, too.
RIchardson: They’ve already got the Crown Signia on their list though, so let me go out on a limb and suggest the Volvo XC60. It’s not cheap – the gas-powered model starts at $58,000 and the plug-in hybrid starts at $5,000 above that – but it’s quiet and offers a fabulous Harmon-Kardon sound system if they want to pay the extra $12,750 for the fully loaded edition.
Gentile: No way – that’s too expensive! Even though they didn’t give us a budget, they drive a Subaru and are looking at a mainstream vehicle from Mazda or Toyota, not a luxury vehicle. I say skip it for something more affordable.
Mazda's new CX-70 comes with either a mild hybrid engine or as a plug-in hybrid.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
Richardson: You’re probably right, though the Toyota Crown Signia they like starts at $60,500. The Mazda CX-70, which is also a quiet car but without the superior sound system, starts at $53,000. Let’s take $60,000 as an upper limit. That means they should consider a Lincoln Corsair.
Gentile: I disagree – that’s a luxury model. They can get more bang for the buck with a mainstream vehicle. Maybe something from Hyundai or Kia? (Full disclosure: My partner works at Hyundai Auto Canada; however, our relationship did not influence my inclusion of this vehicle.)
Richardson: Don’t dismiss the Corsair so quickly. It starts at $52,000, and Lincoln sells its vehicles these days as being “sanctuaries.” They’re exceptionally quiet, more than most, and the Corsair offers a terrific Revel sound system as an option. Again though, you have to pay for plenty of other features if you want the 14-speaker upgrade.
2020 Lincoln Corsair.Petrina Gentile
Gentile: It is quiet and super comfy – the driver’s seat is similar to sitting on a living-room sofa. But the price can add up fast. I’m still dismissing it. There are better options out there.
Richardson: Such as? Something Korean?
Gentile: Yes. Want to start with a new Hyundai Santa Fe?
Richardson: Sure. Hyundai’s been an aggressive company in the last decade with additional standard features and good-value pricing. It doesn’t have the reputation yet for stellar reliability that Toyota and Honda can brag about, but it’s getting there.
Gentile: Hyundai has come a long way since its Pony days. The quality and reliability has improved. But they also have a long warranty for peace of mind – five years or 100,000 kilometres on most vehicles versus Toyota and Honda, which both offer a three-year or 60,000 kilometre warranty on most vehicles.
2024 Hyundai Santa Fe.Doug Firby/The Globe and Mail
Richardson: I don’t think of the Santa Fe as particularly quiet, or having a great sound system, but it’s certainly not as noisy a drive as the Subaru Outback. And the base model is a less-powerful hybrid, which appeals to Lavern and Chris.
Gentile: That’s for sure. It’s actually not too bad for wind or road noise and it has great styling on the new model.
Richardson: Great styling? That’s your opinion. I’m not sold on that boxy look myself.
Gentile: I love the boxy styling. Most SUVs look the same. At least this one stands out from the crowd. I’m seeing more on the road and it always attracts my attention.
Richardson: You think it’s a better car than its Kia Sorento sibling?
Gentile: I prefer it over the Sorento, especially when it comes to the ride and handling, which is a bit stiff and jarring on rough pavement. The Santa Fe is smoother, more composed and more forgiving on rough roads, in my opinion.
Richardson: That’ll be easy enough for Lavern and Chris to compare at Hyundai and Kia dealers, to decide for themselves which they might prefer. But I’ll still go back to recommending the Lincoln Corsair as a third option to the Toyota Crown Signia and Mazda CX-70.
Gentile: I disagree. Skip the Corsair. There’s no need for a luxury vehicle. Lavern and Chris should go for the Crown Signia and if the waiting list is too long, get a Santa Fe instead.
What car should you buy? Write to Mark and Petrina at globedrive@globeandmail.com and use ‘What car’ as as part of your subject line. Emails with different subject lines may not be answered.
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