Need a new SUV, opinions wanted!
05-09-2011, 05:42 PM
#1
Former Moderator
Thread Starter
Need a new SUV, opinions wanted!
What's up guys,
I've made a few of these threads before when I was car shopping, but recent events eliminated everything off that list, and a new list emerged. I currently own my s2000, a 2009 CRV EXL 4WD, and a 2000 Acura RL. I gave the CRV to the wife, and now drive the RL. The RL has 105000 miles on it, and I bought it off my dad at 100K miles when he got a new 2011 RL. Now, where I live (NYC metro region) all the states are broke, and the roads are getting worse and worse. I have had to replace 2 brand new tires on the RL from potholes in the last 3 months. I've had it. I am officially sold on big SUVs. I love my CRV, loved it in the winter, and love the go anywhere freedom you have with an SUV, and now, I have absolutely no interest in regular sedans. Maybe if I lived somewhere with great roads, but NYC area isn't one of them. So, I have narrowed the choices down to two.....2012 Acura MDX with Technology Package or a 2011/2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland 4x4.
The Acura is like my dad's RL, only taller and "beefier." It most likely has Acura reliability. My RL with 105K never had so much as a lightbulb go out. It is, for lack of a better word, flawless. The MDX has all the luxury I would want, every toy imaginable, and great build quality.
The Jeep is my wildcard. I love the way it looks. I've always liked the Jeep "lifestyle" and I LOVE LOVED my friends wrangler when he had it. They are unstoppable if properly equipped. The new ones seem to be made MUCH better as well, with a nice interior (photos at least) and supposedly, an extremely quiet ride.
Both cars can be had with great warranties, Jeep being better with the max lifetime care program. Both cars are just a smidge under 50K.
Now, I don't really offroad, other than driving through a snowstorm, but I think, think being the key word, that if I had an offroad capable car, I would do it. 99% of the time, the car would be on tarmac though, with snow in the winter.
Just curious as to what you guys would choose in my shoes, or even in your shoes.
P.S. I am looking to get the car sometime within the next 5 months or so, and I've heard that the 2012 Wranglers will have the new Pentastar V6 (the motor is what has stopped me from buying a wrangler but the new one has gotten nothing but praise, so that may be a choice as well.)
P.P.S. I considered a Raptor for a hot minute, then snapped to my senses, since it's nothing but yet another useless car that's just a toy.
I've made a few of these threads before when I was car shopping, but recent events eliminated everything off that list, and a new list emerged. I currently own my s2000, a 2009 CRV EXL 4WD, and a 2000 Acura RL. I gave the CRV to the wife, and now drive the RL. The RL has 105000 miles on it, and I bought it off my dad at 100K miles when he got a new 2011 RL. Now, where I live (NYC metro region) all the states are broke, and the roads are getting worse and worse. I have had to replace 2 brand new tires on the RL from potholes in the last 3 months. I've had it. I am officially sold on big SUVs. I love my CRV, loved it in the winter, and love the go anywhere freedom you have with an SUV, and now, I have absolutely no interest in regular sedans. Maybe if I lived somewhere with great roads, but NYC area isn't one of them. So, I have narrowed the choices down to two.....2012 Acura MDX with Technology Package or a 2011/2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland 4x4.
The Acura is like my dad's RL, only taller and "beefier." It most likely has Acura reliability. My RL with 105K never had so much as a lightbulb go out. It is, for lack of a better word, flawless. The MDX has all the luxury I would want, every toy imaginable, and great build quality.
The Jeep is my wildcard. I love the way it looks. I've always liked the Jeep "lifestyle" and I LOVE LOVED my friends wrangler when he had it. They are unstoppable if properly equipped. The new ones seem to be made MUCH better as well, with a nice interior (photos at least) and supposedly, an extremely quiet ride.
Both cars can be had with great warranties, Jeep being better with the max lifetime care program. Both cars are just a smidge under 50K.
Now, I don't really offroad, other than driving through a snowstorm, but I think, think being the key word, that if I had an offroad capable car, I would do it. 99% of the time, the car would be on tarmac though, with snow in the winter.
Just curious as to what you guys would choose in my shoes, or even in your shoes.
P.S. I am looking to get the car sometime within the next 5 months or so, and I've heard that the 2012 Wranglers will have the new Pentastar V6 (the motor is what has stopped me from buying a wrangler but the new one has gotten nothing but praise, so that may be a choice as well.)
P.P.S. I considered a Raptor for a hot minute, then snapped to my senses, since it's nothing but yet another useless car that's just a toy.
05-09-2011, 06:32 PM
#2
Chevy Suburban.
05-09-2011, 06:34 PM
#3
Former Moderator
Thread Starter
Not a chance. It has neither the luxury, nor the offroad prowess. I wouldn't take one for free. Great car if you want to haul refrigerators. Chevy dealers are also worthless. I wanted to pick up a Tahoe 2 years ago, the dealership was going bankrupt (and is now closed) and they had two lots full of them. The guy gave me a shitty price and told me to come back when I can afford it. The quality is also sh!t.
05-09-2011, 07:05 PM
#4
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I got a 2011 Grand Cherokee Overland 4x4 with the V6 a little over a month ago, and have now driven ~4,000 miles with zero issues. I was blown away by how the new Grand Cherokee looks inside and out, and how it drives. The leather stitched dash, contrasting piping on the seats and super thick steering wheel on the Overland are all great. Love the adjustable QuadraLift and Panoramic Sunroof. I've been a Toyota/Lexus/Honda/Acura supporter for a long time, but I've always loved a German driving dynamic, which I'd say the Grand Cherokee definitely has a flavor for. Yes the nav/radio interface is a little dated compared to some systems out there today, but hey, at least it's also used in a Ferrari! Hahahaha. The V6 is fairly spunky around town and still decent on gas mileage. MSRP on mine was just about $43K and I got it for about $1,100 under invoice with an additional warranty and service coverage added in.
That said, I had a 2007 Acura MDX Sport/Entertainment, the equivalent of the Advance today. It's a solid crossover and has a passable 3rd row seat for quick trip across town. I'm surprised with how expensive the Advance model is now, MSRP well over $50K. I believe the MDX will be replaced pretty soon, not sure if that's a big deal to you. I loved the upgraded leather and magnetic dampers of the Sport, now Advance, model.
If you need the 3rd row, I'd get the MDX. If you don't, I'd take a good look at the Grand Cherokee.
That said, I had a 2007 Acura MDX Sport/Entertainment, the equivalent of the Advance today. It's a solid crossover and has a passable 3rd row seat for quick trip across town. I'm surprised with how expensive the Advance model is now, MSRP well over $50K. I believe the MDX will be replaced pretty soon, not sure if that's a big deal to you. I loved the upgraded leather and magnetic dampers of the Sport, now Advance, model.
If you need the 3rd row, I'd get the MDX. If you don't, I'd take a good look at the Grand Cherokee.
05-09-2011, 07:35 PM
#5
Former Moderator
Thread Starter
I got a 2011 Grand Cherokee Overland 4x4 with the V6 a little over a month ago, and have now driven ~4,000 miles with zero issues. I was blown away by how the new Grand Cherokee looks inside and out, and how it drives. The leather stitched dash, contrasting piping on the seats and super thick steering wheel on the Overland are all great. Love the adjustable QuadraLift and Panoramic Sunroof. I've been a Toyota/Lexus/Honda/Acura supporter for a long time, but I've always loved a German driving dynamic, which I'd say the Grand Cherokee definitely has a flavor for. Yes the nav/radio interface is a little dated compared to some systems out there today, but hey, at least it's also used in a Ferrari! Hahahaha. The V6 is fairly spunky around town and still decent on gas mileage. MSRP on mine was just about $43K and I got it for about $1,100 under invoice with an additional warranty and service coverage added in.
That said, I had a 2007 Acura MDX Sport/Entertainment, the equivalent of the Advance today. It's a solid crossover and has a passable 3rd row seat for quick trip across town. I'm surprised with how expensive the Advance model is now, MSRP well over $50K. I believe the MDX will be replaced pretty soon, not sure if that's a big deal to you. I loved the upgraded leather and magnetic dampers of the Sport, now Advance, model.
If you need the 3rd row, I'd get the MDX. If you don't, I'd take a good look at the Grand Cherokee.
That said, I had a 2007 Acura MDX Sport/Entertainment, the equivalent of the Advance today. It's a solid crossover and has a passable 3rd row seat for quick trip across town. I'm surprised with how expensive the Advance model is now, MSRP well over $50K. I believe the MDX will be replaced pretty soon, not sure if that's a big deal to you. I loved the upgraded leather and magnetic dampers of the Sport, now Advance, model.
If you need the 3rd row, I'd get the MDX. If you don't, I'd take a good look at the Grand Cherokee.
Have you had any problems with your sunroof or the QuadraLift? It seems that is the achilles heel of the Jeep. I may wait for the 2012 models to come out before I pull the trigger, maybe they will work the kinks out.
05-09-2011, 08:08 PM
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I haven't had any problems with either the sunroof or QuadraLift. I know some people have had some issues with QuadraLift, haven't heard too much about the sunroof. I use the quadralift daily.
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05-09-2011, 10:03 PM
#10
I was looking to replace our 2003 MDX with 200K miles. I checked out a bunch of different SUVs and crossovers. We never tow, but take frequent trips all over the West coast, including several annual trips to the ski country.
Tahoe/Yukon: these were the 2nd place finishers in my search. Aside from the fact that they're overkill for our use (we never tow), I have no negative to say about them. I have always loved GM powertrain, and the 5.3 is bullet proof. Interior is pretty nice, very roomy.
Suburban/Yukon XL: didn't consider, just way too big.
Ford Flex: I wanted this one, with the EcoBoost engine. Wife doesn't like the shape, saying it looks like a stretched out Scion Xb/Honda Element/Kia Soul,....
Buick Enclave: Super nice interior, above average exterior. Too bad the drive is not very sporty, very roomy though.
Lexus RX 350 and RX 450H: Bland, bland, bland driving experience. Interior is also very nice.
Toyota Highlander: Worst of the bunch regarding driving experience, interior and exterior styling.
Honda Pilot: weak engine, relative to the MDX. Weird interior. Exterior is good.
Escalade: I don't want to drive this beauty to work and having to park it where I have to park it, safety issue. The styling is top notch, best imo. Interior is also A+.
Porsche Cayenne: I hate Porsches, overpriced status symbol.
Toureg/Q5/Q7: I don't trust VW and Audi long term reliability.
BMW X5: I don't like BMW in general.
The winner: our new 2011 MDX with the Tech and Entertainment package. The power is more than adequate. Exterior is very sporty to me. Interior is extremely nice and comfortable. SH-AWD is totally legit, I definitely wanted a "driver's" experience, not just a vehicle to get from point A to point B.I love as much technology as I can get in my cars, and this one does not disappoint. I'm sure you already know about the available features. The Premium sound system is so awesome I sit in there longer than I should, just to listen to music. I wanted the Advance package, but it was out of our budget.
Tahoe/Yukon: these were the 2nd place finishers in my search. Aside from the fact that they're overkill for our use (we never tow), I have no negative to say about them. I have always loved GM powertrain, and the 5.3 is bullet proof. Interior is pretty nice, very roomy.
Suburban/Yukon XL: didn't consider, just way too big.
Ford Flex: I wanted this one, with the EcoBoost engine. Wife doesn't like the shape, saying it looks like a stretched out Scion Xb/Honda Element/Kia Soul,....
Buick Enclave: Super nice interior, above average exterior. Too bad the drive is not very sporty, very roomy though.
Lexus RX 350 and RX 450H: Bland, bland, bland driving experience. Interior is also very nice.
Toyota Highlander: Worst of the bunch regarding driving experience, interior and exterior styling.
Honda Pilot: weak engine, relative to the MDX. Weird interior. Exterior is good.
Escalade: I don't want to drive this beauty to work and having to park it where I have to park it, safety issue. The styling is top notch, best imo. Interior is also A+.
Porsche Cayenne: I hate Porsches, overpriced status symbol.
Toureg/Q5/Q7: I don't trust VW and Audi long term reliability.
BMW X5: I don't like BMW in general.
The winner: our new 2011 MDX with the Tech and Entertainment package. The power is more than adequate. Exterior is very sporty to me. Interior is extremely nice and comfortable. SH-AWD is totally legit, I definitely wanted a "driver's" experience, not just a vehicle to get from point A to point B.I love as much technology as I can get in my cars, and this one does not disappoint. I'm sure you already know about the available features. The Premium sound system is so awesome I sit in there longer than I should, just to listen to music. I wanted the Advance package, but it was out of our budget.