Any SUV Experts out there?

[X66]

Looking to pick up an SUV this year for my wife, needs to be a 7 seater.

Does anyone own any of the follow or have recommendations on them, these are what I'm looking at so far...

Acura MDX
Infiniti QX 80 or 60
Audi SQ7/Q7
Lexus NX
Mercedes GLS

Thanks

Click to read more...

 

[HansonBro]

Not a Chevy guy? Lol

 

[Winger98]

7 seater? Got kids/dogs? You can get whatever you want but for hauling family my honest advice is to throw a couple of minivans into the mix. Get past the stupid stereotype BS and the crap your neighbors and extended family might comment and give them a look. If you have small kids, like baby/toddler small, who have to be in seats you have to strap and buckle in the lower ride height and doors that slide entirely out of the way at the press of a button are pretty darn nice.

 

[X66]

7 seater? Got kids/dogs? You can get whatever you want but for hauling family my honest advice is to throw a couple of minivans into the mix. Get past the stupid stereotype BS and the crap your neighbors and extended family might comment and give them a look. If you have small kids, like baby/toddler small, who have to be in seats you have to strap and buckle in the lower ride height and doors that slide entirely out of the way at the press of a button are pretty darn nice.

Thanks for the reply, any recommendations?

Yes to kids, and just extra storage space helps as well.

 

[Winger98]

Thanks for the reply, any recommendations?

Yes to kids, and just extra storage space helps as well.

I've had 2007 and 2010 grand caravans and live in Ohio, so rust is an issue but mechanically they've been dependable and solid. I made sure to have the stow away seats, so you can just fold them down. They can fit 4x8 sheets of plywood with the seats down, and I've gotten 4x4x10 posts in the older one while still being able to shut the hatch (12 footers were a different matter, but maybe??? room if you also take out the passenger seat). Drove a 2012(? maybe a 2011, it's been awhile) Honda and it seemed to lack of some the get up and go of the dodge, but from everything I've read the Honda and Toyota minivans are better made, and I know Toyota invested a lot of R&D into making them very driver/passenger friendly. There's a lot of talk about transmissions being bad in the Grand Caravans and if you make it to 150K miles you've done well. I've around 170K in the older one and it doesn't seem to have any issues. If cost isn't an issue I'd go Honda/Toyota, though. Just better track records. I haven't seen anything really bad said about the Kias, either, other than that they are Kias.

If you're going on vacations, I'd invest in a rooftop carrier regardless of what you buy. We got a bag (not a hard shell), been on two or three long trips through all sorts of weather and haven't had an issue. Getting all of the luggage out of the car makes long trips way more comfortable. Also, if you can, have a hitch on it. Even if you're not pulling anything you can get these little shelf things you can attach to it and strap coolers and stuff. Like the bag, it just gets stuff out of the body of the car so you and the family have more room.

 

[TD Charlie]

I’m not crazy about ANY of those choices

Ive been a Dodge Journey guy for a while now. Gotta be a Pentastar though. Other than that, I would look at Tellurides, Palisades, and CX-90s

cost is most definitely a factor for me.

 

[HansonBro]

Im only supporting one truck

 

[FMichael]

2021 Toyota Sienna are all hybrid across all lines (from basic to luxury)...If I were to trade in my beloved 2015 F150 I'd seriously consider this.

Honda Odyssey.

Toyota Land Cruiser.

Toyota Sequoia.

I'm just a regular cretin that prefers the standard brand of vehicles - no upscale ride for me.

 

[NyQuil]

My brother has owned three Toyota Siennas.

Just gets a new one when the old one comes off warranty.

 

[TD Charlie]

2021 Toyota Sienna are all hybrid across all lines (from basic to luxury)...If I were to trade in my beloved 2015 F150 I'd seriously consider this.

Honda Odyssey.

Toyota Land Cruiser.

Toyota Sequoia.

I'm just a regular cretin that prefers the standard brand of vehicles - no upscale ride for me.

i had an Odyssey 6ish years ago. Maybe it was 7. I forget.

anyway, loved that car. Drove beautifully smooth. Room for half the neighborhood. All the options, good power and mpg.

“Lost” that car in divorce but i would happily drive one again. Just a living room on wheels

 

[tucker3434]

New? The new MBUX in Mercedes is pretty awesome. I'm not as big of a fan of the new Q7. They went a bit too far with their touch controls. The NX is tiny. You mean the GX/LX? The Acura will run forever but lags behind the germans for interior. The QX80 is an ancient platform. I wouldn't touch an Infiniti. The whole line is well overdue for a redesign. I think they've dumped a lot of resources into their new EV platform but it's still a couple years off.

 

[Fantomas]

Buy her a Mazda. Fun to drive and reliable. Not sure about 7-seaters though.

If you're splurging, buy the Genesis. Although Lexus is very reliable, they make extremely ugly cars.

European cars are overpriced and not at all reliable.

 

[JMCx4]

Looking to pick up an SUV this year for my wife, needs to be a 7 seater.

Does anyone own any of the follow or have recommendations on them, these are what I'm looking at so far...

Acura MDX
Infiniti QX 80 or 60
Audi SQ7/Q7
Lexus NX
Mercedes GLS

Thanks

When I started shopping for my first SUV two summers ago, I considered each of the last 4 models in your short list. I fell in man-love with the Mercedes, but then decided it was too much money for a vehicle that was more for style than for function. The other models suffered the same imbalance in value, IMO, just to a slightly lesser degree.

As much as they have become unfashionable, I agree with @Winger98 that you should seriously consider minivan models in your search. Functionality is one reason, average gas mileage is another. Unless your wife is stuck on keeping up with the neighbors and/or insisting on a stylish vehicle; in that case, you'll get her what she wants or you'll regret that you didn't. That's just how life works.

 

[ProstheticConscience]

Or if gas mileage means nothing to you, you could always try to find a Ford Excursion. They're still unmatched for carrying capacity. If you can find one with low mileage, you're laughing. Hauls your entire Mormon family, all their stuff, and tows a boat at the same time.

 

[HansonBro]

Or if gas mileage means nothing to you, you could always try to find a Ford Excursion. They're still unmatched for carrying capacity. If you can find one with low mileage, you're laughing. Hauls your entire Mormon family, all their stuff, and tows a boat at the same time.

Thats not a Tahoe/Yukon...

There I said it

 

[X66]

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions and feedback.

Going with the Acura MDX.

We test drove them all and even though I liked driving the Mercedes the most she doesn't want to deal with doing any of this again so she wanted the one that would last the longest lol.

 

[TD Charlie]

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions and feedback.

Going with the Acura MDX.

We test drove them all and even though I liked driving the Mercedes the most she doesn't want to deal with doing any of this again so she wanted the one that would last the longest lol.

goodchoice. I’ve never known unhappy MDX drivers

Me, I’m waiting on a Durango or Sorento Hybrid. Whichever deal drops to me first. So far, dealers in my area refuse to flinch an inch going on two weeks of aggressively hunting