JoeyBalls

Ok, wife is deciding to leave her current job which means she has to turn in her company car (Ford Edge). We have a 5 month at home so safety and creature comforts are priority. I have done a little bit of research and seems like the Audi Q5 is more for those who want a "drivers experience", its a little more powerful and more responsive than than the Lexus. What I have read about the RX350 is it lacks the driving experience, however it is more comfortable and has what the reviews call "Checklist features", meaning it has all the things like Bluetooth , heated and cooled seats etc....

I was looking at the Volvo, but I dont care for the looks and the Mercedes Glk350 looks too small on the inside.

Anyone have experience with either of these two cars?

I personally don't care about the driving experience per say. As far as I am concerned an SUV shouldnt feel like a sports car, however the additonal power would be nice, especially to trailer the S2000

pbm317

As you said, they're pretty different dynamically and in overall feel. RX is more of a softer luxury feel, while the Q5 is more Germanic.

If towing is important to you, the RX is rated at 3,500 pounds, while the Q5 is rated at 4,400 pounds.

RX allows regular gas, Q5 requires premium

We've had an 05 RX and now 2010 in the family. The 2010 is sharper than the 2005 dynamically, but still sides on the smoother end of ride and handling. Which is perfect for what it is. Interior materials feel pretty plush, which I felt the Audi could feel a bit more rubbbery and thin plastics in certain spots.

If you're willing to consider it, the Grand Cherokee Overland is also a very nice vehicle, plenty of power with the V6 and as many or more luxury features than the Q5 or the RX for a significantly lower price. Dynamically sharper than the RX without having a harsh ride. Very European in its suspension tuning. I've had mine for over 18 months with 35,000 absolutely trouble free miles. Can tow 5,000 pounds with the V6, or 7,200 with the V8. Should be able to get a significant discount on a 2012 or 2013, as the refreshed 2014 (new navi and 8 speed automatics) is due out around April.

JoeyBalls

Thank you. Towing isnt too big of a deal, I would imagine a might be able to get away with towing my S occasionally if I really had too. The car is somewhat stripped on the inside, and I dont think a basic open trailer weight more than 1,000lbs

I will definitely take a look at he Cherokee. I have always loved them, wife is pretty stubborn though, lol

suprmonky73

Parents have a 2004 RX330 - drove it quite a bit over the thanksgiving holiday. I like it in some ways but I don't think I could live with it, my wife agrees.

Pros
ridiculously quiet inside
super comfortable
good interior space and rear luggage etc. capacity
decent MPG from what i recall

Cons
way too floaty. drove my wife's super basic mazda3 right after the lexus and it felt like i was back in my s2000 in comparison

it's a good car regardless, i just couldn't get past the fact it was so floaty that I had to drive a lot more cautiously. when it comes to buying a family car, safety is important, but so is being able to get out of a sticky situation quickly, which is why i prefer to drive the s2000. if i need to slam on the brakes or swerve or fly by some drunk idiot to get away from them, i know the car is capable, in the lexus i didn't feel like i could safely get out of harms way ASAP if the need arose.

cdelena

I've found that the critical test when buying (especially for a spouse) is back to back test drives. These are two good vehicles but as always the most important test is the appeal to the individual.

Slithr

Pretty much agree. I was a little surprised by the amount of road noise in the two we drove. Other than that nothing to whine about. Seats were very comfortable. Driving dynamics were pretty much what you would expect from a mid-sized COV.

JoeyBalls

interesting, especially because my wife isnt the worlds greatest driver, shes a little too cautious. She likes to slam on the brakes because she "thought" that guy was coming over in our lane etc, very annoying to drive with her, lol. She is like the typical American who thinks an SUV is safer when we all know it isnt. I feel way more safer in the S200o knowing i can be very aggressive and not have to worry about the extreme body roll or losing control due to the quick shift in weight etc.....

suprmonky73

exactly - i hope my wife doesnt want a big SUV when we have kids - hopefully i can convince her to get a more car-like station wagon

blue2k2s2k

My thoughts on the Q5:

You mentioned you have a 5 month old....might want to double check the storage capacity of the Q5 as well as backseat room with your baby seat. IMO, the Q5 is freakishly small inside, especially with a car seat installed - it is based on the A5 frame I believe. In any case, we traded in our Q5 two days after bringing home our first born.

With the car seat installed, along with the stroller and baby gear in the back, our 5 seat Q5 basically became a 2.5 seat "pick-up" type vehicle, with barely enough storage room for a trip to the grocery store.

I may be in the minority here, maybe we pack too much, but in any case, it is worth double checking.

I would imagine the Lexus would also have a space issue.

FWIW, we traded in our Q5 for a Q7. We really should have considered a "third-row" type SUV before buying the Q5, would have saved us some hassle.

Good Luck!

JoeyBalls

Thanks, yea I just read the Q5 is tiny, the RX350 Is supposed to be larger. I just want to get something that has heated seats and espresso colored leather />