ISO Need luxury used SUV suggestions

[lexie's mom]

We own a Ford Expedition that we bought in 2004. It was the Eddie Bauer Edition with all the bells and whistles. That became my DH'a vehicle when we leased a Nissan Rogue and I hate it. I feel like it is very light weight, small and cheap. So, the lease is finally up soon and I want it all in a midsize SUV including heated seats. I was thinking about going a little used to get a better deal but would love suggestions on any specific SUV's.

I have been looking at the following from 2010 through 2012:
Buick Enclave
Ford Explorer
Nissan Pathfinder
Lexus RX 350 - but heard it was small
Volvo - largest SUV

I would appreciate it if anyone could offer me any recommendations on the above or a y other SUVs I should consider.

Thanks!

[MSWR0319]

I LOVE our Infiniti QX56. Very luxurious, rides like a car, plenty of room, and drives smoothly. I don't think we'll ever get anything else. You've got to give it a try!

[AnnieW625]

I would go with an Acura MDX. A friend of mine was a loyal MB fan and went from an M Class to the MDX in 2010 and loves it. The Lexus RX is nice as well, it drives like butter. I also really like the Audi Q5. If you want a car similar in size to the Expedition then I would get an Escalade or a Yukon Denali. Super nice and comfy IMHO, plus GM makes the best AC units on the market. I hated how big our 96 Chevy Silverado extended cab was but that AC was awesome.

I really like the Volvo XC60 as well and I believe the reliability of the XC series is continuing to get better each year. Had that been out in 06 when we bought our Pilot we would have home with that. DH loved the XC90, but it was way more than we wanted to pay and gas was reasonable back then so there weren't a lot to chose from used. Volvos depreciate a lot in the first year or two so you might be able to find a good deal on one.

[Momit]

We had the Volvo XC90 and loved it. Safe and solid with all the bells and whistles. We sold it to our friends when we moved overseas, they had borrowed it once and offered to buy it as soon as they found out about our move.

My FIL always drives Lincoln Navigators and loves them. It's a smooth, luxurious ride and pretty easy to drive for a large SUV.

[codex57]

No to the Pathfinder. There's a brand new one coming, but for the model years you posted... NO! Friend has one. I think it'd be awesome if you went offroading. For luxury (and they have almost all the bells and whistles), it's lipstick on a pig.

And while it doesn't have a 3rd row, the Lexus RX feels bigger inside than the Pathfinder IMO. It's basically a raised Camry/ES350 station wagon.

Of your list, I think the Enclave or Volvo interest me the most. The Explorer excited me the most when it first came out, but reviews destroyed that interest. My neighbor has one but I've only checked it out while it was stationary. Anyways, check the reliability ratings on the Enclave and Volvo. They're both REALLY old designs now so there should be a lot of reliability data.

But yeah, I'd pick the Acura MDX or consider the new Infiniti JX. There may be a model that someone traded in for some reason.

[arivecchi]

I love my BMW x5. Handles beautifully, awesome heated seats ;), great in snow. It has been a work horse and has not given us any trouble (it's an 05). The trunk space is not huge (although I can fit my 150 pound great dane in there!), but I like that it is a more compact size. Super easy to drive and park and a very smooth ride.

[flashy09]

I really like the new generation BMW X3. It's the size of the old X5 and very fun to drive.

[pinkmomagain]

We have owned both the Lexus RX and the BMW X5 and adore them both. Can't go wrong with either one.

[MMMommy]

For the last few years we leased a MB GL450, which DH and I ended up really disliking. I don't recommend it at all. The MB GL450 engine was very noisy, the ride was not smooth, and the bluetooth/voice activated console was atrocious (it NEVER recognized anything when using voice activation). Great third row, but that was the only positive about it for us. Perhaps the new 2013 model is better.

After being fed up with the GL450, I knew I wanted to go back to Lexus for my next car. I love Lexus. Got the 2013 Lexus GX 460 and couldn't be happier. The third row is automated now (and has been for a few years), the console works great (especially the voice activation), and the ride is smooth. It is bigger than the RX, but not as big as the LX. However, the GX third row isn't very comfortable for anyone over 3 ft. tall (heh, heh). We don't use the third row very often, so it isn't a big deal for us. But the third row does come in handy for when I have to chauffeur playdates and such. I also am a fan of the Lexus RX if you really don't need a third row ever. Great car, smooth ride, lots of bells and whistles. Thumb's up for Lexus.

[lexie's mom]

Thanks everyone! I know have lots of more research to do and greatly appreciate all the feedback. I really hate this ahold process but know that I'm going to finance and keep it for a long time so I want to love it.

Thanks again! I am off to make a list w/all the makes and models that everyone commented on to further investigate...

[smilequeen]

How many people do you need to fit? How much cargo space do you need?

I have 3 and they play hockey. I drive a 2012 Infiniti QX and love it, but it's huge (although not as big as the Suburban I'll probably need when my 3rd starts playing too!).

Have you seen the brand new Pathfinder? Same car as the Infiniti JX. It's too small for me, but for fewer kids or smaller cargo needs, pretty awesome.

My DH drives an MDX. While I love the way it drives, I personally think it's cramped. The passenger seat leg room is not enough for me (I'm tall but not THAT tall...5'9" and a bit leggy). The kids don't have a ton of legroom in the backseat either and fitting 3 across is a real pain (but can be done). He's probably going to trade it in soon. But if I had 1 or 2 kids, I could see it working.

I know a lot of people with Enclaves and they all love them.

[ourbabygirl]

Not on your list, but I really like our Audi Q7... I believe ours is an '07 that we've had since early 2010, and I especially love the looks of it, the comfortable and roomy heated seats, & back-up camera, and it handles well in the snow. :)

[Indianamom2]

I don't have any experience with any of those SUVs listed, but I did just buy a used Buick Ranier SUV and I LOVE the bells and whistles and the way it drives/handles, at least in comparison to the old minivan I was driving. It feels luxurious to me. I LOVE the look of the Enclave, just couldn't afford one right now.

[endlessheather]

We have a Buick Enclave and love it. I traded in my 2008 for a 2012 this past fall because I didn't have awd on my first one. Obviously we really must have liked it to get another. :) It's a very nice smooth quiet ride and the space is great. Many of the 3 row vehicles you can not fit comfortably in the back. My DH is 6'4 and he has sat in our 3rd row - although he would prefer not haha but it's not just for tiny children at least!! We didn't want a full size SUV/gas mileage to go with it so this was kind of the goldilocks just right size for us.

[AnnieW625]

Another thing is that if you look at the Honda Pilot Touring or the Toyota highlander limited you get a lot of bang for your buck for the same price as buying used. I got my Pilot EX-L (leather, 3 rows, heated seats, sunroof) for $6500 less than MSRP. I couldn't get the same deal on a Highlander, but I have many friends who have the Limited or Hybrid Highlander and they love them.

Our original plan was to buy a used Lexus RX, BMWX5, Acura MDX, or Volvo XC90, but couldn't find what we wanted for under $30k.

When gas prices are high it is a great time to buy an SUV.

Also if you are a member of Costco I highly rec. using their service.

[khm]

Also if you are a member of Costco I highly rec. using their service.

Can you explain how the Costco thing works? I am just starting to think about looking....

[Zukini]

Lexus rx350. Certified pre owned. Their service is phenomenal and with regular maintenance, you can drive those cars into the ground and they look fabulous all the way, inside and out.

[jd11365]

I have the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder and LOVE it!!
It's now the same as the Infinity JX, but not as expensive. I have all the bells and whistles, heated seats, 3 rows of moonroof, back up camera, leather seats, etc. Love, love, love it!

[tg_canada]

I have the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder and LOVE it!!
It's now the same as the Infinity JX, but not as expensive. I have all the bells and whistles, heated seats, 3 rows of moonroof, back up camera, leather seats, etc. Love, love, love it!

The Pathfinder tows 5000# vs the JX's 3500# tow rating. Which is great for those who camp in a reasonable sized popup trailer or small travel trailer.

[lmintzer]

I just got a Mazda CX-9 this past September. I love it! If you are looking at something as large as the Buick Enclave, I'd definitely check this one out (it's smaller than the Buick--at least in width). It seats 7 (with actual room in the 3rd row), has heated leather seats, power moonroof, remote keyless entry, really good back-up camera, etc. I bought the middle model with some extras. If you buy the highest-end model, you also get rain-sensing windshield wipers, blind spot protection warning system, and few others. The only thing missing from mine that drives me crazy is it doesn't have auto-off headlights (the highest model does).

I love this car's ride! It drives like a much smaller vehicle and has decent pick-up for its size. It's also (IMO) nice looking--very sleek and attractive. Of course, that's such a personal thing--everyone has different tastes.

I had thought about the Acura--the reliability and the quality of the manufacturing were tempting. But the 3rd row? OMG--it was SOO awful back there. I couldn't stand being back there for 2 minutes. It was so claustrophobic. And a fully-equipped Mazda was 10K less.

At any rate, that's my two cents.

ETA: You should be able to get a 2012 model (new) for close to 30K. You may go over by a few thousand.

[jd11365]

The Pathfinder tows 5000# vs the JX's 3500# tow rating. Which is great for those who camp in a reasonable sized popup trailer or small travel trailer.

Yes! We have a boat, so this was a nice consideration for us!

I test drove them all, and the new Pathfinder (not 2012 or before, but 2013) had everything I was looking for and more.
Explorer - Too truck like, I didn't like how the back seats folded down
Highlander - Too small
4Runner - Too big
Pilot - 2nd choice, but too boxy
Pathfinder - Juuuust right. It had more of a luxury feel vs truck.

[lhafer]

I have a 2012 Nissan Quest minivan that I'm leasing currently, and can't WAIT for my lease to be up so I can get a new Pathfinder!! I will probably try to get out of my lease early to get into a Pathfinder.

[ECMom]

Whatever you buy, please check reliability ratings (ie, consumer reports, other on-line car buying websites). Some listed here have poor ratings. However, if you only plan to keep 2-3 yrs, it probably will be ok. If you plan to keep the vehicle for the long haul, I'd stay away from the ones with poor reliability. The last thing you want is high maintenance costs after you've spent a large amount on a vehicle.

I have a Lexus GX & have been happy with it. I test drove the RX as well but found it had a blind spot & was no larger than the SUV I already had. My goal was something bigger with 3rd row seating.

I also bought preowned, 1.5 yrs old, & would do it again. Good luck with your search!

[jammytoast]

We just got a used Toyota Landcruiser and I love it--big enough for all of us + all of the gear and loads of bells and whistles. Not usually a Toyota fan (hated the Highlander and Sequoia) but the LC is a different class.

[arivecchi]

OP, I came across this article regarding midsize luxury SUVs:

http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/rankings/Luxury-Midsize-SUVs/

[pomegranate]

I really like my 2007 BMW x3. We're a family of 3 and it fits us right when we travel. I would think it's a tad small for a family of 4 w/luggage. I got mine CPO from the dealer.

[mackmama]

Lexus 350 is a great SUV. A little small but excellent ride, great mechanicals, very reliable.

Also look into Toyota sequoia.

[codex57]

We just got a used Toyota Landcruiser and I love it--big enough for all of us + all of the gear and loads of bells and whistles. Not usually a Toyota fan (hated the Highlander and Sequoia) but the LC is a different class.


Also look into Toyota sequoia.

I prefer the Land Cruise a TON over the Sequoia. The Sequoia just doesn't do luxury well. There's a reason they made a Lexus version of the LC and not of the Sequoia. I love how the Sequoia looks. Far more than the LC actually, so I really tried to like it. Just can't. Toyota, right now, has a problem with certain models feeling unusually cheap. The Sequoia is one of them.

[arivecchi]

Another article from the same publication which ranks non-luxury midsize SUVs:

http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/rankings/Affordable-Midsize-SUVs/

[codex57]

FWIW, I think Consumer Reports knows diddly squat about cars (other than reliability). I only read the non-luxury rankings from that US News link and apparently, I think US News knows diddly squat too.

[khm]

FWIW, I think Consumer Reports knows diddly squat about cars (other than reliability). I only read the non-luxury rankings from that US News link and apparently, I think US News knows diddly squat too.

I was using US News for awhile in our latest search. I kept noticing they kept routing you around to the same couple odd-ball cars, like they were sponsored or at least favored or something. They didn't get great ratings anywhere else, which I thought was super odd but whatever.

Then it was RAVING about some used Mazda, how it was top of the heap for whatever class, #1, fantastic ya ya ya. But, it's reliability for that year was 3 stars out of 5 and didn't get great safety! Whuck? How can that be your all star best car??

[lexie's mom]

How many people do you need to fit? How much cargo space do you need?

I have 3 and they play hockey. I drive a 2012 Infiniti QX and love it, but it's huge (although not as big as the Suburban I'll probably need when my 3rd starts playing too!).

Have you seen the brand new Pathfinder? Same car as the Infiniti JX. It's too small for me, but for fewer kids or smaller cargo needs, pretty awesome.

My DH drives an MDX. While I love the way it drives, I personally think it's cramped. The passenger seat leg room is not enough for me (I'm tall but not THAT tall...5'9" and a bit leggy). The kids don't have a ton of legroom in the backseat either and fitting 3 across is a real pain (but can be done). He's probably going to trade it in soon. But if I had 1 or 2 kids, I could see it working.

I know a lot of people with Enclaves and they all love them.

Thanks. There is only 4 of us so I don't need too much cargo space and we still have the Expedition if we need more room. But, I'm crossing off the MDX from my list. Happy to hear about Enclave.

Thanks everyone...still working on this and taking all options into consideration.

[arivecchi]

FWIW, I think Consumer Reports knows diddly squat about cars (other than reliability). I only read the non-luxury rankings from that US News link and apparently, I think US News knows diddly squat too. I completely agree about CR! I do not trust them for anything. I don't know who has good car rankings TBH. They always seem to be all over the place, but at least the US News list serves as a decent overview of the cars included in the mid-sized category.

[AnnieW625]

For blogs/print: Jalopnik, Motor Trend, Motor Week, Road & Track, and Car & Driver. Each publication is kind of bias though. You will find zero love for beige Camrys on Jalopnik, but I think Car & Driver is slightly more biased towards BMW or Honda. Motor Week is great for middle class every day drivers, but a tad conservative on the fun scale. Top Gear UK (tv show on bbca) loves BMW SUVs and wagons, Land Rover, and Volvo SUVs, but can't stand the Audi Q7.

[lhafer]

I completely agree about CR! I do not trust them for anything. I don't know who has good car rankings TBH. They always seem to be all over the place, but at least the US News list serves as a decent overview of the cars included in the mid-sized category.

I find that almost all car reviews (even professionals) tend to be way skewed towards specific brands (namely Honda and Toyota). And I feel like this is why Honda and Toyota always get the "good" rap.

I don't have anything against Toyota, and prefer them to Hondas...but I don't like how they drive, and feel like Toyota nickel and dime you for everything. And every single person I've known that has a Honda (and right off the top of my head I can count 6 different families with all makes of Honda) have had issues with them. So I don't trust their "great" reliability scores. Actually Honda/Acura just had another massive recall on their Pilots and some Acura makes (2004-2006 yrs I believe). Something to do with the brakes.

I tend to trust Edmunds a lot. I like they have professional opinions as well as consumer opinions. I go and look at professional reviews (Edmunds, car and driver, Motorweek, etc) of cars I happen to either own or know well, and see what they have to say about them. Then I can get a reading on how they view cars, and if I would agree with them or not.

[mom2beofboy/girltwins]

I have a GMC Acadia. Its the GMC version of the Buick Enclave. I love it. I think I have just about every option on it possible - including heated AND air conditioned seats :) I wanted something bigger than my previous 4 runner and a vehicle with three true rows.

I test drove the Sequoia, but was uncomfortable driving it and felt like it was massively huge (ie, difficult to even reach the stereo controls). I also drove a loaded Tahoe, and while nice, it felt too truck-like and I didn't like how physically difficult it was to move the third row seats.

While at the Chevy dealer they had me look at a Chevy Traverse. There were aspects of the layout and features that I liked, but the look of the vehicle just wasn't what I wanted. That's what lead me to drive an Acadia. Traverse, Acadia, Outlook and Enclave are all the same vehicles made by different GM manufactures, with differing looks, trim levels and options. Finally decided on the Acadia and have been happy with it since.

On another note, I agree with a PPs suggestion of using Edmunds.com for information, its always been helpful. I especially liked that they showed you the "MSRP", the invoice and also the True Market Values so that you are armed with that information when the dealer tries to inflate the option costs.

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

[codex57]

Edmund's TMV has been useless in my experience. Of much better value has been Edmund's forums. Find the specific vehicle you're interested in and there's likely a pricing thread devoted to it. That gives you much more accurate info on prices nationally and in your area. I know when we bought the Lexus, there was some guy who was able to figure out the price I should expect to pay down to the taxes and stuff. A lot of dealers rip you off on the various fees and stuff you talk about in the finance office and it can be hard to find out online what is actually legit and at what price (like DMV fees, etc). You should also always check Edmunds to see if there are hidden rebates (like manufacturer to dealer).

FWIW, I think the golden age of Japanese reliability was in the early to mid-90s. After that, and they've been kinda trending a bit down towards the Americans (which have gone up in reliability in the past 3-4 years). Toyota's reliability has stayed up longer. I think it's more mid-2000s before I noticed a dip in reliability.

However, the reason BMWs and Hondas are so loved by the pro car reviewers not because of reliability, but because they're more fun to drive. Toyota is most definitely an appliance to get from A to B without noticing the car or the road. They HATE that (even Consumer Reports reviewers have that attitude, but they won't ding a car for not being fun to drive much). Honda consistently turns the basic commuter car into a much more fun driving experience than Toyota (its main rival) or even most of the other competition. For regular people, some care, some don't. Because it's front wheel drive, it's kind of harder to tell. I can definitely tell. BMW is on a whole nother level tho. Even my wife, who really could have cared less about how a car drove before (mainly cuz they only had Toyotas with the odd Buick thrown in) suddenly started sounding like a car magazine reviewer after we owned a BMW. Even my lowly 325Ci, which even tho it had a sports package, was still the basest model at the time, had a MUCH better driving feel than my buddy's Mercedes C32 AMG, which was Mercedes absolute most sportiest offering back then (the bigger cars had more power, but more weight which affects driving feel a ton) couldn't match the BMW feel. Suddenly, when a reviewer says a car is "telepathic", you understand what that means. My mom had a Merc E320 w/ Sport Package same year as my BMW and yeah, an Accord felt sportier. The Merc was faster than an Accord, but the Honda felt better (dad had a 3 yr older Accord than our cars at the time).

So, the love the magazine reviewers have for BMW and Honda is legit... based on their priorities. It's just that driving feel isn't necessarily a priority for everyone. And, differences in driving feel can be much smaller depending on what category of vehicle you're comparing. I mean, yeah, my Honda Ridgeline pickup was sportier than the Toyotas and Fords I tried, but it was still pretty miniscule. The difference between minivans is barely noticeable. Btw my old BMW and my current Lexus, well, I take a 90 degree turn in the Lexus and I have to concentrate to make sure I fit. I literally used to take the same corner 30 mph faster in the BMW (literally out in the boonies surrounded by farmland so there's no other traffic or even curbs to hit) and the BMW felt like it was doing it at a much slower speed than in the Lexus. All while making me feel I could adjust the path an inch to one side or another if I felt like it.

[AnnieW625]

......FWIW, I think the golden age of Japanese reliability was in the early to mid-90s. After that, and they've been kinda trending a bit down towards the Americans (which have gone up in reliability in the past 3-4 years). Toyota's reliability has stayed up longer. I think it's more mid-2000s before I noticed a dip in reliability...........
So, the love the magazine reviewers have for BMW and Honda is legit... based on their priorities.

:yeahthat: especially the bolded part. Call me crazy, but as reliable as our 01 Corolla has been I much preferred driving my base model no power steering 1990 Corolla. Had it not been totalled when I was hit on the freeway in 2001 I would have seen myself driving that car until I had DD1 in 2006. Both DH and I loved my 96 Accord coupe (car I bought when the Corolla was totalled in 2001). Had it been 4 doors I would have probably been able to keep that car till around maybe 2009 and it would have had probably 225K miles on it by then. Loved that car. We bought our Pilot because it was a Honda and we had been super happy with the Accord, but DH has never quite warmed up to the Pilot. There is something about it that just feels off to him about it. I soo wanted to like the '13 Accord based on the spy shots I had seen of it that made it look like a mid 2000s BMW, but even though I am slowly getting used it in certain colors (deep red, black, and the pearly white) it still screams middle aged suburban mom or Grandma car. It's like the Avalon of Honda, but then I don't care for the angular look of it's luxury cousins, the TL, and TSX.

[KLD313]

I love my 2012 Acadia Denali. It has everything in it and it drives really nicely. I've always liked the cushy ride of a GM automobile.

[lexie's mom]

I have a GMC Acadia. Its the GMC version of the Buick Enclave. I love it. I think I have just about every option on it possible - including heated AND air conditioned seats :) I wanted something bigger than my previous 4 runner and a vehicle with three true rows.

I test drove the Sequoia, but was uncomfortable driving it and felt like it was massively huge (ie, difficult to even reach the stereo controls). I also drove a loaded Tahoe, and while nice, it felt too truck-like and I didn't like how physically difficult it was to move the third row seats.

While at the Chevy dealer they had me look at a Chevy Traverse. There were aspects of the layout and features that I liked, but the look of the vehicle just wasn't what I wanted. That's what lead me to drive an Acadia. Traverse, Acadia, Outlook and Enclave are all the same vehicles made by different GM manufactures, with differing looks, trim levels and options. Finally decided on the Acadia and have been happy with it since.

On another note, I agree with a PPs suggestion of using Edmunds.com for information, its always been helpful. I especially liked that they showed you the "MSRP", the invoice and also the True Market Values so that you are armed with that information when the dealer tries to inflate the option costs.

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Thank you for sharing. It seems that we are looking at those vehicles. Trying to narrow it down before going for a test drive. Do you ever use the air conditioned seats?

Thanks again everyone. Going to check out the Edmunds reviews but Im sure the opinions here will be better :).

[KLD313]

Thank you for sharing. It seems that we are looking at those vehicles. Trying to narrow it down before going for a test drive. Do you ever use the air conditioned seats?

Thanks again everyone. Going to check out the Edmunds reviews but Im sure the opinions here will be better :).

The air conditioned seats were the best last summer when I was pregnant. Love them!

[codex57]

It can feel nice, but I honestly use the heated seats a lot more than the cooled. The cooled seats can feel wet sometimes. Not actually wet, just feels that way. However, I also have special tint on my car so I don't feel the heat as much as in a normal car.

[lexie's mom]

Thanks again. I didn't have air cond seats as a must so wanted to make sure I wasn't missing out on something.

[crl]

I think it is bigger than you are looking for, but since some other possibilities mentioned are in the same class, we are very happy with our Ford Flex. It is not a peppy fun sports car. But it is very solidly built, quiet inside, with comfortable seats. Dh is quite happy with it--and he usually prefers German cars. It feels very spacious inside, which you would expect with the size, but we found that the Mazda CX9 felt very tight inside even though it is just about as big on the exterior. The Flex comes at a lot of different option/price levels so it can have many of the features of the higher end SUVs depending on what you are looking for.

Catherine

[lexie's mom]

Thanks for the suggestion about the Flex. I never thought of that one and will check I out.

[lexie's mom]

I LOVE our Infiniti QX56. Very luxurious, rides like a car, plenty of room, and drives smoothly. I don't think we'll ever get anything else. You've got to give it a try!

My DH is not helping much but he loves this one!

[lexie's mom]

Another thing is that if you look at the Honda Pilot Touring or the Toyota highlander limited you get a lot of bang for your buck for the same price as buying used. I got my Pilot EX-L (leather, 3 rows, heated seats, sunroof) for $6500 less than MSRP. I couldn't get the same deal on a Highlander, but I have many friends who have the Limited or Hybrid Highlander and they love them.

Our original plan was to buy a used Lexus RX, BMWX5, Acura MDX, or Volvo XC90, but couldn't find what we wanted for under $30k.

When gas prices are high it is a great time to buy an SUV.

Also if you are a member of Costco I highly rec. using their service.
I never thought a bout going through Costco. I'm a member and it seems you were in the same situation. I really don't want to go over the 30k mark so that is why I was thinking used. Maybe I can have it all and get a new SUV.

Thanks!

[Melbel]

We have an Lexus RX330 and Infinit QX56. I previously drove a Limited Edition Explorer and and Ody with kids.

My husband's Lexus is definitely small for our family of 5. We rarely use it for the entire family.

I love my QX56, other than the gas mileage. My favorite features include:


Standard features for most things we would want (i.e. leather, navigation, rear camera, automatic rear lift, automatic 3rd row fold). After negotiations, we came in lower than a similarly equipped Sequoia that we did not like as much.

Full size third row with plenty of leg room that is easy to access (2nd row seat folds one handed)

Flexible cargo space for part or all of third row when needed.

Drives more like a car than any other SUV we test drove.

I like the real wood/chrome finishes over the fake plastic alternatives.



We have had it over five years now and I still love driving it.

[AnnieW625]

I never thought a bout going through Costco. I'm a member and it seems you were in the same situation. I really don't want to go over the 30k mark so that is why I was thinking used. Maybe I can have it all and get a new SUV.

Thanks!

Costco offers great deals off invoice depending on the brand, and dealership. One dealer offered me $500 under invoice, the other dealer offered me $800 under invoice. They also have deeper discounts for certain brands. GM was taking part in some of those deeper discounts around the time I bought my car.

All you do is go on the Costco auto program website and then you chose the car/features you want and then you hit submit and it tells you the name of the dealer in your area. They will send you an automated email with the reps. email you. You can gauge prices using True Car, Cars Direct, Edmunds, or cars.com.

[lexie's mom]

We have an Lexus RX330 and Infinit QX56. I previously drove a Limited Edition Explorer and and Ody with kids.

My husband's Lexus is definitely small for our family of 5. We rarely use it for the entire family.

I love my QX56, other than the gas mileage. My favorite features include:


Standard features for most things we would want (i.e. leather, navigation, rear camera, automatic rear lift, automatic 3rd row fold). After negotiations, we came in lower than a similarly equipped Sequoia that we did not like as much.

Full size third row with plenty of leg room that is easy to access (2nd row seat folds one handed)

Flexible cargo space for part or all of third row when needed.

Drives more like a car than any other SUV we test drove.

I like the real wood/chrome finishes over the fake plastic alternatives.



We have had it over five years now and I still love driving it.


So happy to hear that you still live it after 5 years!!! What a great review! Thanks.