RX Fsport would be ideal as I like interior and exterior styling much better but they are very rare, I think only 2-3 that are CPO in my area. Need to drive RX tomorrow to see how we like it.

 

No mention of the Volvo XC 70???
Ive had great luck with Volvo's and that model would tick every box.
I'd add another nod to the subie outback as well.
Of course this being Club Lexus , we'll all get behind a CPO RX !

 

Volvos tend to ride quite stiffly, even with adjustable suspensions, and their dealer network is not very widespread. Service and repairs can be expensive if and when they are out of warranty.

 

Please don't consider X6 for baby duty. The back only fits a stroller and diaper bag, and I would never take mine to Costco shopping because there is no space in the back!

And don't expect much driving dynamic from regular X models, BMW soften up them to have wider buyer range, and only left the driving dynamic to M models. Many discussions online address this, and after driving my buddy's loaded M-sport X5 confirmed it: the sport+ suspension mode rides softer than my comfort mode.

 

Spent most of the day at the dealers - what a pain it is to test drive these cars. Honestly there should be a much better and more efficient process!
Up first Mazda - time wasted 30-45min.......No test drive bec the dealer had 1 plate, spent 20min waiting and we left!
CX-5: Backseat way too small. This thing is out of consideration.
CX-9: Too Big and expensive
Mazda6: Blown away how nice the interior is and backseat is great. No AWD though or parking sensors. $31k msrp loaded plus 0% fin for 60months.....Really need to test drive this thing.

Next up Honda - salesman was very good and we test drove CRV and Accord. Dealership was full of customers. Time spent ~3hrs including 1hr for lunch, wife needed a break.
CR-V: Its OK, the AWD Touring with all features is like $34k. Interior tech / design is showing its age, exterior is hideous. Most likely out of consideration.
2017 Accord Sport: Great car for $25-26k but No AWD and key features like NAV, sunroof, start button, heated seats or parking sensors. The 19s look nice but ruin the ride quality, i prefer the pre-refresh 18s.
Accord V6 Touring: $34k but has all features on my list except for AWD. Is it worth the $8k over the 4cyl Sport Model or the $3k over the Mazda6???

Last stop Lexus - salesman was also very good and we drove 2013 RX Fsport. Time spent ~1hr.
2013 RX350 Fsport - great build quality overall, car had 40k miles but was smooth on highway with 0 rattles. Handling is very floaty, steering is decent, but 8speed trans was really lethargic. NAV graphics / size look really Dated. Cosmetics of this car were REALLY Bad - scratches, dings etc. Interior was even worse shape. They wanted $36k for it as a CPO.
They had couple other RX350s that were non-Fsport for about $32k with 30-35k miles but also were in rough condition. This is why i hate used cars. lol

Anyway still need to drive the RAV4, Mazda6 and Subaru Legacy / Forester.

 

You'll find the RAV-4 generally competent, well-built, and with a slice drivetrain, but many of the interior materials are flimsy and second-rate. The seat-back folder for the rear seat, though, is solid as a rock.

I did a condensed-review of a new RAV-4 not long ago.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/car...a-rav-4-a.html

 

If the Mazda 6 is a contender as a sedan, going to be hard to beat that for the money.

The CX5 is small for a family vehicle, all of those SUVs are.

 

I would get a 2014 GS350, Used RX, acura rdx or mazda cx9 2016.

 

with child seats and stowing strollers i think you should rule out sedans. suv's are just a whole lot easier. mind you, i do have 2 friends who each have 1 kid, and each have a bottom trim mazda 6 (they're both frugal, lol) and both love them. like you, i was blown away by how nice the interior is on the mazda 6!

glad you're open to trying other vehicles...

about subaru's, while i have a soft spot for them (had a legacy wagon a long time ago and it was great, if cheap interior), i still find the interiors wanting. looks like the forester is a bit nicer than the last time i looked at one a couple of years ago, but nothing special (reminds me of vw).


have you considered a ford escape? a titanium model will check all your boxes and is really nice. interior:


the 2017 gmc acadia is also REALLY nice...



there's just a ton of great vehicles out there these days.

 

Update on my search:
I ruled out the Crossovers (CR-V, RAV4, Forester) as the sedans ride much better, have larger back seats and cost less for similar features. Not planning to go off roading.

1) Mazda 6 Grand Touring, MSRP $31,XXX - Drives very nice and interior materials are outstanding for the price. For some reason can't get comfortable in the front seat, also headroom is really lacking compared to Accord / Legacy.
2) Honda Accord EX-L with Nav, MSRP $31,XXX - Drives OK but looks ugly since its not a Sport trim. You can't get NAV or Apple CarPlay in the Sport which sucks otherwise I may have gone with Accord as they have GREAT discounts on them.
3) Subaru Legacy 2.5 Sport, MSRP $28,XXX - Drives great, steering was on par with Mazda but the ride was much more comfortable. Engine was really smooth and you can't hear it at all almost like in a luxury car. Under load makes a nice noise actually. Car has AWD, NAV, push button start, Heated Seats, Eye Sight system, Rear Sensors....Anyway really liked the car plus they have 0% financing for 60 months.

So I think now it between the Legacy or a L-certified 2013-2014 RX or GS350 AWD. The ones in decent shape with ~30k miles are in low to mid $30 range.
What would you guys do?

Some pics of Legacy Sport in the Blue color i would be getting.

 

A 13 GS is a ton of car for that money. Have you made sure there's enough room in the back seat for you?

I'm a new car guy, but I would have a hard time buying a Legacy over a CPO GS. I wouldn't be interested in the RX.

 

^
Yes the GS is superior car in every way but its about $5-6k more. Also the backseat is smaller but it will be sufficient especially after the rear facing seat is no longer needed. I'm looking for an Fsport too lol. The Base cars can be had for around $32k but Fsport is around $2-3k more on average.

I think the Subaru rides more comfortable though prob bec of softer susp setup and much larger sidewall tires.

 

The Subaru will ride better, but the GS will be a lot better to drive. Just depends on which is more important to you.

 

Two pretty different cars so I guess it comes down to which one wins you and your family over more. I can't see a misstep with either .

 

I am late to this discussion but once I saw that the OP had decided against SUVs/CUVs, I wanted to comment on something to consider when looking at cars (sedans) rather than station wagons or utility vehicles.

The trunk openings of cars has been getting smaller. I would advise trying to fit your stroller(s) into the trunk opening of any cars that you are looking at. My wife has a current-generation Accord, which has a fair-sized trunk opening. My ES, on the other hand, has a smaller (front-to-back, from base of the rear window to the rear bumper) opening. A stroller (especially one that comes in a combo-pack with an infant carrier) may fit the Accord but not the ES; the Mazda6 and the Ford Fusion trunk openings may be rather small also. I do not know how large or small the trunk opening on the Subaru Legacy is.