I need a new SUV.

[LitigatorChick]

I have an Acura MDX, which is our "family" car to haul the baby around. I need plenty of room in the back for trips, etc., and the MDX accomplishes that. But I am tired of the Acura, and need something new.

I am drawn to the Lexus GX or RX. Let me know your thoughts!!!

 

[PugLover]

I have an RX and I love it!!! The exterior looks great, the interior is comfy great looking, but not over the top. I get pretty good gas mileage and I''m not sure where you live, but it is greeaat in the snow and the ice. Also, the warranty is very good, if you purchase a Lexus certified used (or new of course) pretty much everything is covered, without any deductible

 

[LitigatorChick]

PugLover, I also really like the look of the RX (and we would be buying new), but I was worried about the space in the back (thus leaning to the GX). How much crap can you pack in there?

I live in Calgary, so snow (read - slush) is a reality for a good portion of the year.

How is the performance? I need more zip than my Acura!!!

 

[moremoremore]

I loved my RX350 (until it was totaled LOL)....Loved it. BUT, it didn't have a lot of room in the back for seating. Very cramped. But a great trunk space. Not huge though. I checked out the new MDX and it was bigger than the lexus for sure. The GX is huge!!!! Depending on the type/age of the MDX, I'm not sure how much more zip the RX350 over the MDX.

I checked and ended up with the Volvo SUV (XC 90 of CX 90 or something like that LOL....I forget) and loooovvvee it!!!! The room in the back is sick. It comes with third row seating and even with the third row, the trunk space is great for food shopping...with them down, the space is great. We moved from NY to NC all packed up with the beasts in the back and it was a great ride. We had .00001 inch of snow this year so I can't comment on the snow....but I wanted a safe, comfortable ride...The ride is nice and smooth and feels elegant... I ended up getting silver b/c I was afraid of the heat down south (I love a black car)..and think the Volvo looks bad-a** in black and very sporty... If you get the V8, you'll be sucking gas but will be haulin' ass. for sure...I decided on the V6 which still has nice pep for a V6. I checked out just about every mid-sized SUV out there and really rec'd it. Best of luck. I definitely don't think you can go wrong with the Lexus GX either. The Lexus service was so fabulous.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

I am in the same boat. I actually really love my Honda Pilot, but doubt I''d get another of the same thing. You know what they say about familiarity......

I think the larger Lexus looks too boxy. Not sexy enuf for me

. If I had to choose a product in the Toyota lineup, I''d buy a LandCruiser. Pretty cool looking and ultra reliable. My BIL drove one for 500kms (at the time he was a well site geologist) and still sold it for $$ bucks. He has another one--bought from the States.

Recently I looked at the ML 500. Never wanted at MB in an SUV, but they arn''t took bad looking these days with their body redesign and they''ve improved in stats. Next on the list would be the Audi or Volvo. My neighbour has the latter and loves it.

cheers--Sharon

 

[LitigatorChick]

Canuk, I agree with you entirely on the boxy look of the GX. I like the look of the RX way better, but then it will not give me the space that I have in the MDX. Argh!

I am not thrilled either about a MB. Hmmm, landcruiser warrants further investigation.

Keep your input coming, ladies!

 

[pennquaker09]

Date: 3/5/2008 8:29:55 AM
Author: LitigatorChick
PugLover, I also really like the look of the RX (and we would be buying new), but I was worried about the space in the back (thus leaning to the GX). How much crap can you pack in there?


I live in Calgary, so snow (read - slush) is a reality for a good portion of the year.


How is the performance? I need more zip than my Acura!!!

I had a GX and for me it was a love/hate kind of relationship. Overall, I really loved the car, but with twins on the way I needed something bigger. The GX is not a full size SUV, but it has a "third row." It''s not a true third row and that''s one of the things I absolutely HATED about the thing. You have to either take the seats out and leave them in your garage (which is what I did) or they fold up to the side in the back, which is also quite annoying. Another thing I didn''t like was that the back door opened out and not up.

Performance wise, it''s awesome. And even though it''s a luxury vehicle, it is also meant to be a very capable off the road or in your situation, with snow. Also, if I''m not mistaken, the GX holds its value better than all other luxury SUVs.

If you''re going to look into the Land Cruiser, you might as well look at the Lexus LX cause they''re basically the same thing. I like it, but it took me a while to get used to driving it because I''m a small person. It''s kind of big. The LX has a great sound system (as do the GX, I''m not sure if the RX has the Mark Levinson system or not) and it also comes with Lexus Link. It''s kind of like GMs OnStar, but much better. I had to brake really hard once and my Lexus Link adviser was coming through asking me if I was alright. But I think that all goes back to the experience of buying a Lexus, I''ve been looking at cars since December and Lexus has the best service hands down. Mercedes and Land Rover probably come in at a close second and third.

Other than that, the Mercedes GL is really nice. I was surprised at how much I liked it and at one point, we were going to buy one. But since we''re moving I decided to hold out for a little while. My uncles wife has a GL and she raves about it, but my uncle works at the plant that builds them so I think they''re biased. I have to agree, when I think of Mercedes, I think of sedans and convertibles.

Another car that I really liked was the Chevy Tahoe. I looked at the hybrid version, but I did the math and it makes no sense.

 

[oobiecoo]

I''m not really sure about the amount of room in these, but I am really loving the Volvo SUV and the new Landrover LR2 (any landrover really)! What about an Infiniti QX56? They are pretty large and have a 3rd row.

 

[LitigatorChick]

I am really like Goldilocks - too big, too small, just right! The Infiniti is just freakin'' massive. I love my Infiniti Coupe, so I was inclined to go to infiniti for the SUV, but the "mid-size" SUV I need is not offered by them.

 

[diamondfan]

I have had the largest Lexus, which had terrible spacing in the third row at the time, and like Penn said the seats were cumbersome and tough.

I had the largest Infiniti and it was a boat and had brake problems, since resolved, but it is HUGE.

I now have the Land Rover LR3 HSE, and it is fine.

I want the new largest Mercedes SUV for my next car. My current car does not have the camera for backing up, which I got used to, it just beeps. Third row is not automatic, as in the Mercedes. And when I am using the third row it leaves limited room behind. But I do not always have the third row in use.

It is great on bad roads though, and Range Rover really takes honors for that, as they are meant to be driven in punishing conditions.

 

[pavelover]

Hi just chiming in as I will be looking for an SUV in the next few months. I can''t comment on the lexus brands suvs but they sure do look nice. Does anyone have any info on the highlander or highlander hybrid?
PennQuaker- why didnt the chevy tahoe hybrid make sense when you ran the numbers? thanks in advance for your response

 

[ephemery1]

Since nobody has mentioned it yet, just thought I'd throw out the BMW X5. My mom and brother both have one, and they are great SUVs... reliable, comfortable, spacious, heavily loaded with "luxury" features, and most importantly, nice-looking.

We are a BMW-crazed family though, so perhaps a bit biased. Before this, my mom had a 2006 BMW X5, an Acura MDX, and a Lincoln Navigator. The Nav was ginormous, and the MDX was nice (and pretty!) but not quite as loaded with features as BMWs. She also considered the Lexus RX400h, but it didn't have quite the same "luxury" feel, and for whatever reason, that was a priority for her. It's also significantly smaller. My MIL drives an RX though, and likes it a lot. If I had the money (and lived somewhere where I needed a car!) I would look into a Volvo SUV... I love the feel of Volvos in general. And I like Lexus too... I'm not as picky as my mom, I guess! Oh, and my car-obsessed brothers really like Land Rover/Range Rover, for what it's worth.

Good luck making a decision! You may just have to get out there and drive some to really know what will work best for you. Personally, I tend to get a very definite "feel" about a car as soon as I'm sitting in it.

 

[Sparkalicious]

Date: 3/5/2008 4:32:55 PM
Author: ephemery1
Since nobody has mentioned it yet, just thought I''d throw out the BMW X5. My mom and brother both have one, and they are great SUVs... reliable, comfortable, spacious, heavily loaded with ''luxury'' features, and most importantly, nice-looking.

I was going to mention the BMW X5 as well. Also, a Land Rover or Range Rover might suit your needs?

I have a neighbour who is a Mercedes mechanic. He has warned me off the Mercedes ML suv ... says it just has too many problems. Thought I would just mention it as one to avoid.

 

[moremoremore]

you know, if the budget included the larger Lexus, I would definitely look at the X5. The guy I worked with had the new 2008 X5 and it's awesome. The only negative is that the baby seat really pushes the passenger front up a lot...but then I'm about 5'11. Oh, I also looked at the Landrover which has a great look but it is one of the worst rated SUVs bc of unreliability. Same thing with the Mercedes...that car dragged benz down bc of it's bad rep...maybe it's been addressed.

 

[pennquaker09]

Date: 3/5/2008 12:55:37 PM
Author: pavelover
Hi just chiming in as I will be looking for an SUV in the next few months. I can't comment on the lexus brands suvs but they sure do look nice. Does anyone have any info on the highlander or highlander hybrid?

PennQuaker- why didnt the chevy tahoe hybrid make sense when you ran the numbers? thanks in advance for your response

The price of the car is not the issue (personally I mean). But when you consider the price of the car and the current price of gas, it doesn't really end up saving you money. With that size SUV, I don't think the hybrid train helps all that much. Now, if it's just the normal Tahoe then it would be fine. Other than that, Nate said no.

Also, Mercedes has 2 SUV classes, the M and the GL. The GL is the full size and the M is the mid size.

 

[diamondfan]

I am interested in the GL. It has been out for around a year, and has mostly gotten excellent reviews. Hubby has bypassed the 500 series sedan for a few years because he heard from others that mechanically it is not well made. We have friends who have issues with theirs. The GL series is supposed to be a great vehicle. I need the room and like a lot of the features but wanted to give it at least one model year just in case.

 

[LitigatorChick]

Price - keep it under $80K (bearing in mind, I am in Canada).

Tahoe - I am not a fan of domestic cars, so only imports for this chicka.

Mercedes - not a fan of the SUV. Don''t like the reviews on them either.

Worried that the big Lexus is just too freakin'' big.

 

[canuk-gal]

Date: 3/6/2008 8:32:22 AM
Author: LitigatorChick
Price - keep it under $80K (bearing in mind, I am in Canada).

Tahoe - I am not a fan of domestic cars, so only imports for this chicka.

Mercedes - not a fan of the SUV. Don''t like the reviews on them either.

Worried that the big Lexus is just too freakin'' big.

HI:

Hummer out then?

Range Rover too big IMO. Just don''t like the looks of ''em.

Every second SUV in Calgary is a BMW--I guess reliability trumps....

Have you seen the new Audi''s and Volvo''s? Lucky for you the car show is just around the corner.....

cheers--Sharon

 

[LitigatorChick]

Yah, Canuk, I don''t think those monsters would fit in my garage!!!

My BIL is a mechanic at Acura, and they partner with the Volvo dealership, and he has nothing nice to say about the Volvos. So that makes me nervous initially about them.

The Lexus'' are so highly rated, I really feel like that is where I end up. I wonder if there is a redesign for 2009???

 

[AGBF]

I don't want or need as much car as some of you seem to and I can't afford a luxury SUV. (I did try to get my husband to go for a Volvo last time around, but he wouldn't.) We can't afford to spend $80,000 or more on something we will use up in 3-4 years. (I drive huge distances.) It isn't like a house which appreciates or jewelery which at least doesn't depreciate.

At any rate, I have had three Jeeps, the last two being Grand Cherokees. Except for my hitting the edges of my garage with the two Grand Cherokees, they are a manageable size. The regular Cherokee was probably even better in terms of manageability, but I liked the added weight of the Grand Cherokee in terms of safety.

I started out with Jeeps when I first had a baby because someone said that it was easier to get a baby into a higher seat. No one mentioned large, arthritic dogs, however. At that time I had an elderly Golden Retriever who had to be lifted up into the Jeep. Since then we have also had a Lab who went through all the stages of life, including an arthritic old age in which he had to be lifted into the Jeep. If I weren't so in love with the Jeep I wouldn't keep driving it, because I have no baby anymore and it certainly isn't convenient for dogs or gas mileage!

I need the all wheel drive in Connecticut, although not in Virginia, though!

Deborah

 

[pennquaker09]

Date: 3/6/2008 8:32:22 AM
Author: LitigatorChick
Price - keep it under $80K (bearing in mind, I am in Canada).


Tahoe - I am not a fan of domestic cars, so only imports for this chicka.


Mercedes - not a fan of the SUV. Don''t like the reviews on them either.


Worried that the big Lexus is just too freakin'' big.

I really think you''d love the Lexus GX because it seems to have all you need. It''s not to big, and it''s not to small. There were just a few things that I didn''t really care for. I noticed that you said you didn''t really like the boxiness, but the color of the car can remedy that. Personally, I think they look best in black or white (I had a red one

). The silver is the one color that makes it look awful. It does comes with the third row, but you can take the seats out and it will definitely have all the space that you need. I like the look of the RX too (plus I REALLY want a hybrid) but it just doesn''t have any space.

The LX is truly a big SUV, but it''s really easy to drive. Again the third row is annoying, but it''s not as annoying as the GX''s third row. I know that the LX was just redesigned and by the time you add a package to it, the price will exceed 80K. You can get a fully loaded GX for less than 65K.

Another excellent option would be a Toyota 4Runner. It one of the best SUVs out there and it has a great price. Or a Cadillac Escalade.

 

[moremoremore]

AGBF- I also have had a Grand Cherokee...great car!!! I wasn''t crazy about the new body type when it was time for a new car, but she was a pleasure to drive and it had a LOT of power!

 

[AGBF]

Date: 3/6/2008 3:26:14 PM
Author: moremoremore

AGBF- I also have had a Grand Cherokee...great car!!! I wasn't crazy about the new body type when it was time for a new car, but she was a pleasure to drive and it had a LOT of power!

I'm always glad to meet a fellow Jeep lover (not that I'm just meeting you, of course!). I am not sure what the "new" body type is, though! It may be a type I don't even know about! My latest Jeep is a 2004. My 1995 is still chugging along, too, and takes my husband to the metro station each day.

Deb

 

[Sundial]

I have owned a Lexus RX and a Toyota Land Cruiser and now drive the Lexus GX. It is perhaps not the sexiest of vehicles, but the size is a nice compromise. It is enjoyable to drive, handles well, and has been trouble free for two years. I liked the appearance of the RX better, but it was just too small for me. The Land Cruiser was great, but a little large and it drove like a boat. I would really recommend the GX. I just took out the third row seats and stored them and there is a ton of room back there.

 

[~*Alexis*~]

I have a 2004 Cadillac Escalade and I LOVE it there this navigation and 3rd row seating, xm radio, dvd and its got the towing package 4wd.

Is that an option??

 

[diamondfan]

You should measure your garage. There is a regular Escalade, which was not large enough for me, and there is the ESV, which is the extra long version. It often is too long for many garages, just FYI.

 

[pennquaker09]

Date: 3/6/2008 9:36:56 PM
Author: diamondfan
You should measure your garage. There is a regular Escalade, which was not large enough for me, and there is the ESV, which is the extra long version. It often is too long for many garages, just FYI.

The ESV is ginormous! I would feel bad driving that thing.

 

[diamondfan]

I know, but honestly the extra length gives you the storage space in the rear.

If I take all three kids and my nanny and the dog to our mountain house, I cannot take much in the back. But I did not get one!!! I wish one of those larger cars was a hybrid...is that possible?

 

[pennquaker09]

Date: 3/6/2008 10:35:38 PM
Author: diamondfan
I know, but honestly the extra length gives you the storage space in the rear.


If I take all three kids and my nanny and the dog to our mountain house, I cannot take much in the back. But I did not get one!!! I wish one of those larger cars was a hybrid...is that possible?

I think it would depend on how the hybrid train is developed. Toyota (Lexus) has the best hybrid technology, but I do think that GM is making great strides with theirs. In September, the hybrid Escalade is supposed to be introduced. I''m not sure if the ESV is going to be equipped with a hybrid system, but I think it would be great if they were.

BTW, I''m really torn. I really want the Mercedes GL, but Nate is trying to talk me out it.

 

[diamondfan]

I need one. I like my Land Rover, and did the top of the line LR3, the HSE, and loaded up with extras. But it does not have auto lift gate, back up camera or the third row being put up and down automatically. These are things I had in my car before this one, and I miss it. But it is great in the snow. It is a V8, and has good pep.

In this house I am not sure the ESV would fit. In our new house we are building it will, but that is 2 years away. By then, if the hybrid is out and the kinks out, great. Though American cars have not been my favorite, I would certainly look at it.