Hannah's Top Picks
Wave 2 shortlist — 22 candidate groups researched, grouped by tier. Each group may have several tracked listings on the main page.
Strong contenders
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Honda Passport (2019-2022)
Best cargo geometry in the set and the strongest sit-high on the list, but CPO years list $26-30k in Denver — over-budget.
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Nissan Frontier Pro-4X (2017-2021)
Bulletproof old-platform truck with genuine 4WD and the strongest truck-feel in the list. Trade-offs: IIHS Marginal small-overlap, ~$2,800/yr fuel cost.
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Subaru Forester (2019-2022)
Hits every one of Hannah's requirements: excellent symmetrical AWD, best-in-class 8.7 inches of clearance, high truck-feel seating, top safety ratings, plenty of cargo for 1 dog + field gear.
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Subaru Outback (non-turbo) (2018-2021)
Forester's sibling — same Subaru AWD and reliability, more cargo room, and a lower loading height that's friendlier on the dog jumping in and out.
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Toyota RAV4 Adventure (2019-2022)
Toyota reliability with 8.6 inches of clearance on Adventure trim and strong safety scores. Over-budget territory — worth it only if CPO math closes.
Conditional — investigate
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Ford Bronco Sport (2022-2024)
Genuine off-road credentials (twin-clutch RDU, 8.8-inch clearance). Fits the adventure brief but carries the F-150 transmission trauma pattern.
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Ford Ranger (2021-2023)
Modern truck capability with Co-Pilot360 safety (AEB + BSM + lane-keep) standard — best safety pick in the truck subset.
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Honda Pilot (2019-2022)
The only Honda in the Denver radius passing all three filters — backdoor to the Honda platform in budget if you want Honda specifically.
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Hyundai Tucson (2022-2024)
Sportage's platform sibling, one model year older so slightly cheaper. Long Hyundai warranty plus decent safety scores.
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Kia Sportage (2023-2024)
Newest platform in the list, 8-speed auto (no CVT), and CPO reinstates the full 10-year/100k powertrain — the warranty is load-bearing.
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Mazda CX-5 (2019-2024)
Quietly rare combo of NA engine + 6-speed auto (no CVT, no turbo) with excellent reliability. Trade-offs: lowest seating and smallest cargo in the set.
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Mitsubishi Outlander (2022-2024)
Rogue-platform mechanicals with the best warranty in the whole list — CPO gives 10-year/100k transferable powertrain coverage.
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Subaru Ascent (2019-2024)
Subaru AWD plus 3-row flex plus turbo power for altitude. Trade-offs: larger footprint and CVT fluid discipline is non-negotiable.
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Subaru Crosstrek (2020-2022)
Same Subaru AWD in a smaller footprint. Matrix-strong but the low ride height fails the 'sits high' preference; 2.0L is underpowered at Colorado altitude.
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Toyota 4Runner SR5 (2014-2016)
The actual body-on-frame truck-SUV Hannah's truck-feel preference describes. Matrix-high but budget math barely closes — sub-75k-mile examples run $27-32k.
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Toyota Sienna (2018-2020)
Toyota reliability, category-leading cargo, sliding doors. Archaeology concern: 6.9-inch clearance plus long front overhang can scrape on rural access roads.
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Toyota Tacoma (2012-2015)
Bulletproof 1GR-FE V6 + 5-speed auto — same drivetrain as 5th-gen 4Runner. Comfortable OTD math, but supply is thin and miles run 100-180k.
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Toyota Tacoma (2019-2021)
Genuine truck-feel and Toyota reliability. Market timing is the real bottleneck — $25k OTD with under 75k miles is thin supply.
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Toyota Venza (2021-2024)
Toyota hybrid drivetrain (300k+ mile proven) with TSP safety. Car-like sit height and smallest cargo kill the fit for Hannah specifically.
Cut / demoted
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Honda CR-V (2019-2024)
Solid reliability and best-in-class cargo flexibility, but the 1.5T oil-dilution lawsuit covers 2019-2024 and Salida's winters are the exact failure environment.
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Honda Ridgeline (2017-2022)
Pickup bed + in-bed trunk offers unique cargo flex for archaeology gear, but every Denver listing under $25k exceeds the 75k-mile filter.
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Nissan Rogue (2022-2024)
Active federal recalls on VC-Turbo bearing failure plus throttle-body (100% defect rate) across the full 2022-2024 window. The opposite of lemon-prevention.