Hey all, i am new to this place, i am currently considering of getting a new SUV, and i am considering quite a few of them, Rx 350 / 400H is one of them, however i am also considering ML 350 / 500, GL 450, Range Rover Sport or the Upcoming X5, i like the Rx because of all the nice gadget that comes with the car, and Rx is relative cheap compareing to it's competitor, but money is not a big factor here......i am wondering which car will u guys pick....cheers all

 

I am ex MB owner and I for one would not recommend the ML series. Here's a few gripes about it: http://www.automotiveforums.com/t318...their_ml_.html

 

What are you looking for in an SUV? It may hep if you let us kow.

 

The Range Rover has a terrible reputation for reliability, and resale values are terrible. Often dealers will not even take them in trade at all because they can't get rid of them (according to my dealer). A friend of mine was looking at SUVs and we looked into various models, and the Range Rover was soon off the menu, despite its mystique and legendary off-road abilities, which nobody uses anyway.

 

well, this is mostly a family car, 5 seat or 7 seat is fine, and we have a budget of 100k cdn dollar, we'll mostly use the car for road trips and driving in winter, the RX is very attractive with it's bell and whisler and price, but the tranmission seems dated, so i am debating between the Rx, ML, GL or the new X5 which is due to lauch in a few months.....

 

Have you looked at the GX or LX?

 

Based on your wants, I would suggest going with the RX. I also looked at the X5, ML. Additionally I looked at the FX and the MDX. I could not recommend any of the German makes due to reliability. The Rover although designed by BMW before Ford bought it, has a terrible reliability history. I saw a GL this past weekend on a road trip and frankly I find it ugly in person despite thinking it was nice in pictures.

You can go FWD or AWD for snow but if you want to go real off-roading look at a truck based SUV. Personally I would like a little more cargo room or 3rd row seat option but I have a family of 4 and we also own a Sienna.

If money is no object, I would suggest getting a Performance Package with Nav on a RX400h. It has a little better performance and small increase in fuel economy but you pay a premium for it.

Here is the Consumer Reports review of the RX.

One of the most well-rounded upscale SUVs, the RX balances a refined powertrain and comfortable ride with well-planned details and a very quiet interior. For 2007 the SUV is called RX350 and receives a 3.5-liter, 270-hp V6. The AWD works well on snow or sand. Emergency handling is forgiving and secure, partly due to standard stability control, though routine handling doesn't feel particularly agile. The well-detailed interior is as plush and quiet as in many luxury cars. The rear seat is roomy, but cargo capacity is modest. The RX400h hybrid combines three electric motors and a battery system with the V6, returning 23 mpg overall in our tests. However, the small gain in fuel economy brings a price premium of $8,000.

 

thx for your comments, i'll go test drive them all soon, the RX 400 have a really nice bumper, but i heard the AWD system is different then 350 and it is runnning an older nav unit, is that true?

 

I def go for the Lexus, but you may want to wait for the new MDX or the new BMW X5....

 

The 400h is still an 06, and has the gen4 nav with the older sound system. Also, I looked at it and was not impressed with the AWD - the rear wheels are based on the electric motors. The transmission is continuous variable - you can't lock into a lower gear.

We pretty much rejected the 400h, although we wanted to like it. Fuel savings do not appear to be there, either. We are considering the AWD RX350 as a second vehicle, but only because we have the GX for snow conditions.

If I was in Canada, I would definitely look at the GX. It has true 4WD, higher clearance, locking differentials, and 4WD low. If possible, wait for the 07 model to come out in a few months - it will probably have the new Gen5 Nav/sound system similar to the 07RX350.

 

I'd go with either an RX or MDX. If you need a little more seating and/or cargo room with better offroad capabilites go with the MDX. If you don't need the room and don't plan on going off road at all go with the RX.