I have a 2018 NX with some rarer options that I am considering getting rid of. The NX is my daily and I also have a larger vehicle for hauling stuff. If I get rid of the NX I likely will go for something bigger so I can consolidate two vehicles down to one.

Has anyone done this? I am interested to hear the pros and cons of current (or former) NX owners. Top contenders right now are high spec Toyota Highlander or Mazda CX-9.

 

It really depends on what you are halting, how much and how offen you need to halt these large items? Halting 10ft lumber is a lot diff. Than halting garden soil and mulch.

 

Fair point. My other car is a 2000 Ford Taurus wagon so it’s a true beater, but is super clean.

I do haul soil (in bags) and hay from time to time. Also a black lab as well and he is too big to be in the back of the NX.

Likely will keep the third row folded for 99% of the time.

The number one thing that appeals to me in this is getting a car that serves dual duty. Saving on taxes and insurance is good too.

Considering selling my NX in the Marketplace but not sure if I want to go through all that.

 

If the taurus wagon is enough space, then the highlander will be fine space wise if you want to stay in the Toyota family. Other options are the Rx350 which can be had for almost the same price as the NX. Other suv I might look at in this class are the Volvo XC60, Acura MDX, Honda Pilot, VW Atlas and the Mazda CX9.

 

We recently replaced our NX and the Highlander was a top contender. These are excellent vehicles, and in the platinum trim have every option available on a Lexus. We were about to pull the trigger, but we really didn’t need the third row and the Highlander was pretty large for us. We ended up with the RX for a couple of reasons. The RX is a bit quieter at highway speeds and the hybrid has power that was more to our liking, although at a cost of worse fuel economy and premium fuel is recommended for the RX.

The Highlander is about two inches smaller in every dimension. This is an important distinction when planning for a large dog. I think you would be happier with the interior height of the Highlander. Plus the RX has a more raked rear window, which also reduces available cargo space. The RX is the quietest of the three, but the Highlander isn’t bad - probably about the same level as the NX. The Platinum Highlander even has laminated front windows.

The bottom line: the Highlander is an excellent family vehicle and would likely meet your needs for combining the two styles of vehicles. I would take it home on a test drive and see how it fits in your garage and see how well your dog fits in it. The RX is also very nice but a tad smaller.

The Highlander also has a smoother and more composed ride than the NX. One thing we really liked about the Highlander over the RX was the dash configuration. The Highlander is more upright (less sloped/raked windshield) and the dash has several useful cubbies. Apparently Lexus owners don’t travel with miscellaneous goodies like Toyota owners.

As always, opinions vary and the only real test is a good test drive. Happy hunting!

 

Staying in the Lexus family you could look at a GX. 3 rows, plenty of room, able to tow and go off road if needed. And from what other members have stated on CL, solid as a rock if you plan on keeping it for the long haul. Only negatives I see are gas mileage and maybe not all the safety features of some of the newer models unless you go for a '21.

 

Thanks so much for the feedback. Lots to digest. Have narrowed to leasing rather than purchase.

I did do some research and have test driven a few. Some observations on recommended models are below.

Volvo XC60: I ruled out the XC60 for being too small. I also have some concerns about the touchscreen interface for most functions. Prefer hard buttons.
Acura MDX: Looked at this one. The 2022 has this very odd driver interface with big dials which are not great. Looked at the 2020 and the tech is too old. Lease residuals are terrible as well.
Honda Pilot: Not a fan. Too close to the Odyssey in terms of drive and very boxy as well.
VW Atlas: Nowhere near as nice as others in the class.
Mazda CX-9: I really liked this one. My mother has a CX-5 and do think the way it handles is closer to the somewhat sportier feel of the NX. That said, the drivetrain is a bit too loud. I am wanting to go with a lighter grey interior too and that is not an option. It does have the best feature set though.

So the Highlander is my top pick right now but I am a bit torn. I have test driven and agree with everything you said. Coming from a Lexus I am spoiled feature wise. The Platinum trim has all the premium features I want (panoramic roof, adaptive lighting, rain sensing wipers, heated rear seats) except it only comes with captain's chairs in the second row which is a non-starter for me. Too much like a minivan for my liking. If I go Highlander it would be for a Limited with bench seat and optional 12.3 audio system for the bird's eye view. But I would be losing the aforementioned premium features which is a trade off I can live with. My current NX has everything but pano roof and heated rear seats. I know a Highlander will be a bit louder and rougher than the RX but it did seems like an improvement over the NX. Certainly the Highlander beats the CX-9 in terms of smoothness and resale, which lends itself to better lease residuals. The fuel economy loss from the NX will be somewhat overcome by being able to use regular gas too.

The RX is a certainly in contention and I do want to stay in a Lexus. Great drive, good resale, premium features, etc. The tech is a bit dated even when considering the 2020 updates but I could live with that. The one thing that has me stopping from considering the RX is that starting this month Lexus discontinued owner loyalty rebates on purchase and lease. That does equate to about the $42 per month more pre-tax when amortized over the typical three year lease. Of course it could return next month though. So while I am OK paying a bit more for a Lexus, a bit more plus $42 is more than a bit more.

GX is not even in the ballpark for me. The tech is way outdated and would be a step down from my current NX. I also have the same concerns on the lack of owner loyalty as the RX.

No matter what I do I still will be a Lexus owner with my 2004 LS430 still in the stable. It is my weekend treat car!

 

Not sure how they lease, but have you considered a Genesis GV80 or Kia Telluride? Both are pretty spacious and considered top of class.

Also, the Volvo XC90 seems to lease pretty well and you would grow to love the Sensus. We originally had the same concerns when my wife got her XC60 but the interface is well designed.

Happy hunting!

 

The Kia or the Hyundai twin is a nice option...it's a bargain for what you get.

I assume Cayenne, X5, GLE, Q7 are out of budget? Thinking more in the RX class.

 

Both the Genesis GV80 and Kia Telluride are in the same class and MSRP range, but they are hot right now. So much so that there are no rebates or incentives. Oftentimes they are marked over sticker. Considering I am leasing, and neither has a high resale value, it does not bode well for payment.

To put into perspective, I am working with a broker to get some quotes on a Highlander Limited AWD with 12.3 and a rear bench. We are at around $420 pre-tax with only first payment and doc fee of under $400 due at signing, no other out of pocket. This is in large part due to incentives/rebates and a high resale. Since Highlander is a volume model that can sell well under sticker before applying rebates or incentives, the numbers work out fantastic. Cross-shopping models around the same price is really hard when comparing apples to apples purchase and lease. I believe I could get close on the Mazda too.

The Volvo XC90 is a more reasonable cross-shop and I have had Volvos in the past. Maybe it's the venerable 5-cylinder low pressure turbo nostalgia, but something has me worried about the powertrain on current Volvo models models. The 2.0 liter engines are tiny for a vehicle of that size and under enormous strain, regardless of whether you go T5 with just turbo or T6 with turbo and supercharger. It also is a bit long in the tooth as well. And with their talk of going fully online for sales by 2030, the dealerships are likely going to have to make up the difference in the service department.

I am very thankful for everyone's feedback and I think I have landed on the Highlander. Likely will pull the trigger closer to the end of the month to see if I can do a bit better, and will continue to cross shop. Might also send out some really out of the realm asks to sales managers in the surrounding area too. Who knows, maybe there will be a close deal on an RX if I can lower my list of feature requirements.

I agree the Kia/Hyundai are nice options. They are scarce and pricing is like the real estate market though with competing offers over ask! Many of their top trims also suffer from the dreaded rear captain's chair only.

Cayenne, X5, GLE, and Q7 are definitely out of budget. I maybe could swing an X3 and that could work, but finding one with driver assist options is hard and they are usually high spec'd mid-$50K at least.

Either way, I think I need to figure out what to do with my NX. Not really looking to get hosed on trade in so will likely start with Carvana, Carmax, and Vroom. Maybe Marketplace here too.

 

That’s a great deal on a Highlander. If you prefer the Volvo, remember service is covered for the lease.

We had a great experience selling to Carvana. Good luck!!

 

Got an amazing offer from Carvana. Completed the documentation process and scheduled the car for pickup for next Friday. I then decided to get another selling quote from them for the same car. The offer went up almost $800 more than I had already agreed to. They then updated my sales price to match.

 

I'm looking to sell my 19' F-Sport but despise selling cars. Maybe I'll check with them and see what they offer.

 

One piece of advice. When entering details about the car before you get your offer, if you have a loan or lease, DO NOT TELL THEM. When you do, the offer is usually closer to your payoff.

I did two quotes in the same day for the same vehicle. The only difference was the first time I mentioned the loan. The first offer was nearly $3,000 lower. Don’t worry though. When I finally accepted the higher offer, it let me add the loan payoff details but kept the higher offer price.

I would suspect an algorithm that would offer a lower amount based on satisfying the loan balance is the culprit.

 

Update:

Sold my NX to Carvana and it was a very smooth transaction. Gave them a payoff letter and they cut me a check for the difference.

If anyone is looking for a used 2018 NX it’s currently listed. Here is a link to my former car: https://www.carvana.com/vehicle/1793564

I took excellent care of it and it is equipped with some rarer options. It has Luxury package and triple beam LED lights. I also added Apple CarPlay to it.

I ended up getting a Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring Reserve. Have a Mazda in the family and owner loyalty made the deal even sweeter. Payment is the same and it has 70% more cargo area behind the back seats than my NX. Very responsive engine and has HUD which is nice. Beautiful almost white real leather. Could not be happier.