RAV4 vs Santa Fe? 3 adults, luggage, ski bags

Is a RAV4 big enough for 3 adults flying for a 1-week ski trip with luggage and ski bags?  Trying to decide if paying for a Santa Fe is worth the extra money.  Two adults are not that tall, but one is over 6'.  Don't want to rent a ski rack if I can avoid it.  Once we get to where we are skiing (3 hours away from airport), we won't need to car for ski days.

How much more is the Santa Fe?

Johnnyonthespot wrote

How much more is the Santa Fe?

Not that much, $50-100 depending on which company and which discounted rate I use.  Both of my friends are bargain hunters.

Part of my thinking has to do with the fact that I'm petite.  Have driven large SUVs but prefer the smallest one that can do the job.  Hated driving a Ford Expedition around San Diego 25 years ago.  My husband thought it would be fun to check out an SUV and that was the only one left.  So we got the monster for the price he paid for a the smallest SUV for a business trip when I tagged along.  Luckily didn't have to park it downtown.

For most of my ski trips out west in recent years, I get a ride from my ski buddy in his Range Rover Sport with two ski boxes.  So haven't had to think about a rental SUV for a while.  We've know that putting a driver and two passengers into his Range Rover with luggage for three can be a squeeze, even with the skis in the boxes.

Seems like either one will require folding half the back seat and piling the bags pretty high in the back. You can probably get by with the RAV if you want. Just depends on how much discomfort the back seat passenger is willing to deal with. Are rental companies keeping mini vans on hand nowadays or is that a thing of the past?

Santa Fe.

Go with the rav.  Fold down one rear seats. U r fine.   Have had a rav for almost ten years.  Three adults and full set of race skis traveled the NE.  Much more equip and bags each weekend than a trip out west.     Oh I do also rent the small suv when flying.  So much room with only one or two set of skis per person!   The room in a rav is deceiving in a good way.   More room than my truck framed 4Runner.  Almost as much as my current highlander actually.   Save the money and get better quality.

Some RAVS have a standard luggage rack on the roof. You might be able to bungee the skis to the rack. I  have done this on previous trips out west. See if you can figure out if the RAV you rent has a luggage rack.

If you’re only using a car for airport transport, there is a shuttle that goes from ABQ and SAF to Taos. Limited times and it’s not cheap, over $100 per person round trip. It might still be worth looking into.  I’ve been following your other thread because I’m looking at Taos for a long weekend on the Mountain Collective pass. The airport logistics are making it challenging and I think I’m going to do Sun Valley instead because of the proximity to the airport.

JonC wrote

If you’re only using a car for airport transport, there is a shuttle that goes from ABQ and SAF to Taos. Limited times and it’s not cheap, over $100 per person round trip. It might still be worth looking into.  I’ve been following your other thread because I’m looking at Taos for a long weekend on the Mountain Collective pass. The airport logistics are making it challenging and I think I’m going to do Sun Valley instead because of the proximity to the airport.

Having been to Taos the last two years, with cars, it's much nicer to have wheels.  My friends and I stay at the Columbine Inn, about a mile from the TSV base.  There is a free shuttle van for skiing but nothing for going out to dinner.  We like to have the option for going into town or up to the Bavarian.  While the Bavarian has a shuttle, that limits the seating time options.  We've learned that if you have 4WD, don't need a reservation if willing to eat early.

Agree that a long weekend at Taos is probably not worth it.  Flying to SLC, Jackson, Aspen, or even Bozeman for Big Sky makes more sense.  Bill doesn't mind driving.  So for Sun Valley, me and another friend flew to SLC.  He picked us up at 11:30 and then drove to Ketchum.  Took 4 hours.  Same as my "commute" to Massanutten.  That's the only time I've used just 2 days on the MCP.  Afterwards the trip included a few nights at Alta Lodge with a couple other friends joining us.  Then we drove to Aspen.  Used Bill's Range Rover for 3 and a small rental SUV for the other 2 people.

Since I have the time, I like to stay in ABQ and/or Santa Fe before going to TSV in order to adjust to the altitude.  Sleeping at 9000 ft the first night would be rough.  ABQ is at 5000 and Santa Fe is at 7000.  So that's another reason the shuttle is not my first choice.  However, it's good to have the option when one of my friends can't match everyone else's travel schedule.

Hoser wrote

Go with the rav.  Fold down one rear seats. U r fine.   Have had a rav for almost ten years.  Three adults and full set of race skis traveled the NE.  Much more equip and bags each weekend than a trip out west.     Oh I do also rent the small suv when flying.  So much room with only one or two set of skis per person!   The room in a rav is deceiving in a good way.   More room than my truck framed 4Runner.  Almost as much as my current highlander actually.   Save the money and get better quality.

Great!  That's what I was hoping to learn.  A local friend got a RAV4 years ago and loves it.  But I don't remember the interior space that well.

x10003q wrote

Some RAVS have a standard luggage rack on the roof. You might be able to bungee the skis to the rack. I  have done this on previous trips out west. See if you can figure out if the RAV you rent has a luggage rack.

Was planning on bringing stuff to put skis on top if possible.  Tends to be a last choice.  It's hard to do when you're 5' tall. On the plus side, I fit in any airplane seat.  ;-)

Rav ! Own both a RAV ( my wifes )  and an Outback . Frankly either one is capable of handling 3 with gear . Have done so many times with two other 6 foot buddies . We used the Rav as our local drive and always us it to a mtn about 1hr and 15 minutes away , but have also used it for a drives to hills  3 hrs away .

The OB has a smoother ride (longer wheel base) , but the Rav should suit you fine

Longer wheelbase= more room for skis

warp daddy wrote

Rav ! Own both a RAV ( my wifes )  and an Outback . Frankly either one is capable of handling 3 with gear . Have done so many times with two other 6 foot buddies . We used the Rav as our local drive and always us it to a mtn about 1hr and 15 minutes away , but have also used it for a drives to hills  3 hrs away .

The OB has a smoother ride (longer wheel base) , but the Rav should suit you fine

Thanks!

Johnnyonthespot wrote

Longer wheelbase= more room for skis

Of course.  Also means a little roomier when we drive to dinner, which potentially could be five people.  That's why I'm trying to completely understand all the pros and cons between the two SUVs.

I have a minivan.  That's what I've been driving around the mid-Atlantic and the northeast for skiing for the past 15 years.  Can't really justify the expense of renting a minivan just to have more interior space.  While snow on the roads is not that big a concern for Taos in mid-Jan, I'd rather have a more snow-worthy vehicle.  Definitely useful for the drive up to the Bavarian.  That road gets plowed but not down to pavement.