oldcajun

The lease on my 2014 ES350 is up the end of July. I traded my 2009 LS460 expecting that the new car would be available by now. Since that is now another 2 years away, I have another decision to make. My knees and back want higher seats, so I'm looking at SUV's and want to stay below $60K loaded. I've checked a lot and have narrowed down the list a bit.

I loved the look and interior of the Volvo XC90, but equipped the way I want, it is much too expensive.

The Audi Q7 is too expensive and the Q5 is too small. There is also the issue of trusting them after dieselgate.

The X5 is too expensive when equipped.

My list is now focused on 4. The RX350, Lincoln MKX, and Mercedes GLC300 and the oddball KIA Sorrento SXL.

The RX350 is the easy choice. I like the dealer and my last 6 cars have been Lexus. Downside is that it is really ugly and doesn't drive very well. Maybe more time will change my mind about the ride and noise issues.

The MKX fits everything I want in the way it drives. It is quiet, smooth, and handles well. With the 2.7 turbo engine the performance is good. Despite what Motor Trend says, I find the 22 way seat great for comfort. Downsides are the local dealer and questionable reliability.

The GLC300 is pretty good, but it is smaller inside than the other two. The little turbo four has good power but it is a little rough particularly at idle.

The high end KIA gets close to the others at a great price. It may not be a true luxury vehicle, but the quilted Napa leather is really nice. List price undercuts the others by at least $10000 plus there are some incentives.

I plan to do serious test drives and financial comparisons in the next couple of weeks.

Steve

PS: I haven't seen the new MDX, so it might also deserve a look.

JDR76

I really like the new Sorento. Any consideration for the Highlander or Murano?

dseag2

My lease isn't up until January, but I've also done some research. I'm leaning toward the S5/SQ5 because I really don't give a **** about Dieselgate, but I understand that is too small for you. That SUV has been in production for 9 years, so it is virtually rock-solid.

If that is too small for you, I would recommend the MKX. The reviews I've read have been very positive and it seems to be a reliable SUV. The MKC (which would be the size I want), not so much.

Yes, the MDX would certainly be worth a test drive as well.

oldcajun

The Highlander really doesn't match up very well with the Sorento particularly in the SXL trim. The Murano is even uglier than the RX without the pluses I see for the Lexus.

Fizzboy7

All of the vehicles you listed are fine and all rate very well. So you really cannot do wrong with your decision. The only one I personally have an issue with is the GLC. This is still one size down and does not compare apples to apples with the RX and Lincoln. I don't buy into manufacturers creating new models that are a few inches bigger than their predecesors, only to be bumped up one class in their opinion. That doesn't count.
I think it will really come down to your own personal preference on comfort and style. As far as reliability, don't worry about it. You will be under warranty the entire time.
If I were in your shoes, I'd be fine with the RX. The styling is funky, but it's a Lexus and has a nice interior to make the time go by. That would be enough to keep me going.

mmarshall

The vehicles you mention are good candidates, but also check out the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Don't let the crude reputation of past Jeeps fool you on this one (I'm serious).....the newer JGCs are a class act (though I can't necessarily say that for the rest of the Jeep lineup). The Grand Cherokee has a Lexus-grade interior (some owners actually think it beats the new RX350 in that department), has the road manners and refinement of a luxury-grade vehicle, and a smooth versatile drivetrain. The only fly in the ointment is that reliability is sometimes spotty (some owners have had problems, others none at all)....but you will probably only have it leased for a couple of years, so that probably won't be a long-term issue for you.

Rhambler

Acura MDX, nicely loaded can be had for less than $60k easily.

I drove an MDX loaner for a few days and they're nice. Very comfortable and relatively roomy. You'll either love or hate the two screens, though. I hated it personally.

Just have to prepare yourself for Honda's 100k, $1200+ timing belt and water pump change, but other than that, the Acura I had previously was reliable. Just be aware that their direct-injection engines are notoriously loud. If you think our "ticking" is bad, theirs is worse, although the model I drove was a 2014, so not sure if they tempered that down a bit.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

have you checked out a jeep grand cherokee summit?

EZZ

The three cars mentioned were recently compared on Motortrend. The Merc won and the Lincoln got second.

rogerh00

Check out the new 2017 Cadillac XT5. It's really sweet. It does get up there when loaded though.

BrownPride

I like the GLC of the bunch. My only gripes are the lack of a 300 hp motor and the rear end design. Otherwise it's a nice all-rounder.

The MDX is definitely worth a look. It's nice looking, reliable, and good value. However it does feel very "Honda" inside. The interior is no match for the GLC.

I'm an avid BMW guy and would recommend giving the X3 a look. It's interior design does look somewhat dated without the right color and wood combinations.

oldcajun

The X3 is pretty small and the ride is harsh and noisy. The interior on the one I drove was definitely not luxurious. With reasonable equipment, even the 4 cylinder version is over $50,000. It didn't come close to making the cut. The interior of the Sorrento SXL was much nicer with the quilted Napa leather seats.

So far, my real concern with the GLC is that it is quite a bit smaller than the others, especially in front and rear leg room.

LexBob2

I recently took a long look at the MKX. It was on my short list of replacements for our Q5. As I recall, with the 2.7 twin turbo engine and AWD, the list price hits over $50k very quick and $55k is easy to get to. And that's only moderately equipped. I really like the MKX but couldn't quite get over the hump of paying that much for a Lincoln, although I think the discounting is pretty good now. I buy my cars, so reliability is a factor for me although not above everything else.

The GLC was up there too and was my wife's favorite.

oldcajun

You are right on about pricing. Equipped the way I want, list is $57K. Right now there is a $1250 incentive and the dealer is suggesting something like a $3000 discount on top of that. I'm thinking that a $50K price is about right. The RX350 is near the same list price but with less discounting and currently no incentive.

The reason the Sorrento is on the list is that the loaded model is $45K with a $4000 incentive plus some additional dealer discounts. It is at least $10K cheaper than any of the others. How much is the luxury worth? I don't know yet.

LexBob2

I was disappointed that the new RX wouldn't be on our list. I can't get past the new styling and my wife, who's not a car person, said no way just on exterior styling alone.

From what I've seen, the Sorrento generally receives favorable reviews. Motorweek just did a Long Term Test Update on theirs and they like it.