Gotcha.. I guess I kinda liked the boxy old style of the Pilot, but perhaps many didn't. The fact that the new one is 300lbs lighter and more aerodynamic can cause me to get over the new styling.

I'm looking into an SUV with decent 3rd row seating or even (dare I say) a minivan. The problem I have with minivans is only the Sienna comes in AWD, and I'm not sure I'm a big fan of the Sienna. AWD is a must for a big family vehicle for us. Decent third row seating is a must for 2 munchkins, our furry son, and for grandparents to ride along.

I'm a practical person (read: cheap), so don't want to spend more than I have to. I've thought about second hand, but all the horror stories of issues with pilots and Hondas' issues with v6 trannies leaves me a little concerned. I even thought about the previous model pathfinder as they're big, cheap, and practical, but haven't seen one up close. The new pilot does look interesting.. I can largely careless for tons of luxury features so the MDX probably isn't worth it to me.. If someone has thoughts I'm all ears.

Domestics are pretty much crossed off the list because they're still less reliable from what I've been told.

 

I think we're up in the air with the Rav4, CR-V, and RDX. Which has the best ride do you guys think? We're probably going to go out and test drive a few this week.

 

Hearing a lot of good things about the Mazda CX-5. I might go check one out in the near future myself.

 

I recently test drove a 2015 RDX. It was a nice ride but my overall impression was that it felt bland. We currently own a CRV and while the RDX was certainly nicer, I don't think it was nice enough to justify the price tag IMO. I think the mid-model refresh on the CRV makes it a great value. That CX-5 also looks sharp and the reviews seem pretty good in general. Just my two-cents.

 

CRV has gotten alot of accolades. Are you looking for new or used? A Honda CPO CRV, Pilot or RDX is a good deal. CRV and RDX, as mentioned above, are similar (if not same) platforms so all you are trading is luxury and the turbo in the RDX.

Can't go wrong with Toyota either. Never been a fan of the Nissans but thats just a personal preference.

 

A relative has a 2012 CRV, and it's a nice car overall. Driven it quite a bit. It's comfortable yet still drives nicely. My first impression was it was a little too comfy but I think it's actually just right (in terms of ride stiffness vs comfort).

I'm not sure what it is about Toyotas, but I've never been impressed with the way the majority of their mainstream vehicles drive. The camrys always seem to have numb/bad steering feel, and the rav4 is either too soft or too stiff (FIL has a Rav4 sport, previous gen). Toyotas are rock solid reliable, I just much prefer the way hondas drive. I'm not a big fan of Nissans either, but they're usually pretty reliable. I'm wary of hondas and their trannies that are mated to V6 engines. Not sure why they've had so many problems. I've heard complaints as well related to Honda's VCM on the V6's..

 

It depends what size you're looking for the CR-V and CX-5 are great, but about a half size smaller than the Lexus RX if that matters. The Lexus and any of the Acuras will also take premium fuel and have a higher insurance payment if that matters to your budget estimate.

What are your priorities? Power? Mileage? Creature Comforts? Styling? Does badge matter? Safety features?

My wife and I just purchased a 2014 3-row Hyundai Santa Fe, and we're in love with the car.

We could not be happier with it. It's extremely quiet and has great road manners, and the power is there with the V6. We bought ours in Limited trim with the tech package which gives you essentially everything except lane keep and radar cruise, lightly used for $30k. They have a 2-row version as well with an I4 and a turbo-4 option. You could probably pick up a 2013 Santa Fe Sport with the regular motor pretty close to $20k. The previous generation is pretty good too, I had a buddy who's GF drove one for years and abused the hell out of it, you just couldn't kill it.

If that half-size matters, a 2-row Santa Fe or Ford Edge could fit the bill, both are good, reliable, and you can probably find some options in the $20k range with a decent amount of options, definitely newer than 2010 as well. A low-trim 2011-2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee might also be able to fit the bill for you. You're not going to find a lower-mileage RX or RDX near 20k IMO.

I personally love the CX-5 in that class of car, but make sure you look for one of the newer models with the 2.5; the 2.0 they shipped with in the first model year just isn't enough power to move the thing with any authority.

 

If you can wait, you might wait for the redesigned RDX. New tranny and a few new toys inside.

 

Goal isn't power. Creature comforts are nice, but not needed. My wife hates the look of the CX-5. We don't need a 7 seater car, 5 is fine. Badge doesn't really matter, safety is a huge thing for me. That's why we're trading in the car we have now because of the recalls. I think long road trip comfort is a must considering this car will be driven from AL to WV every year. It's a 12 hour drive and the mountains aren't the most fun with an FWD car.

I think we're going to look at a CR-V. We just want a car that will last us for awhile, (10 years maybe) and then buy the car she wants when we've paid off the house and the S2000. We've got about another 6-7 years on the house and 5 or less years on the cars.

I think we're down to the RAV4 and CR-V.

 

Loved our '03 CRV, as did my son and daughter after us.

BUT... AC compressors on many Hondas of the era blew up when out of warranty to the tune of $1000+. I'd check if that's been addressed before I invested in another one.

RAV4 probably as good a package, however I have no direct experience. Other Toyo's I have driven have been bulletproof.