3-4 Year Old SUV opinions
 

Hello fellas and occasional nice lady

I"m kinda doing a thing where I'm considering 3-5 year old SUV choices and I'm going to throw the ball to you.

Smart me would get a Toyota pickup but i'm dumb. You already knew I'm dumb.

Edumacate me like I'm the dumb guy you know I am!


I 'want' a 2021 Cayenne base or a 2022-23 Macan S. My sister has a 4 banger Macan and I'm not interested. 2022 Macan S has the GTS engine from 2021. I like that the Cayenne has the newer capacitive switch setup a year before the Macan. However I don't care too much about the capacitive switches becaue my old Panamera had the normal switches and it didn't bother me until you told me it's outdated now.

I also realize that both these cars will probably be out of warranty on Day 1.

No Mercedes or BMW or Jaguar. Already did it thanks.

Lexus 450h
MDX
Audi SQ5, SQ8 (maybe the same heartache and/or fun as the Porsches but 2/3 the price?) Q7 seems to station-wagony to me.


Brand New or recent Mazda CX-70 or 90

Brand New or recent Kia Telluride or Sorento

Brand New or recent Toyota Pickup.


I also considered a total banger DD like an old Dodge Caravan and then a recent Cayman or 10 year old 911 but that seems pretty dumb. Current Ms Gogar hates the SC cause it's smelly and noisy. You know the deal.





Let er fly, thank you! SmileWavy

what is your budget?

40-50k unless I went for the "beater + weekender" route

New Toyota trucks are really nice but not cheap. For what they cost, there is a wide selection of used metal available. My friends picked up this Tundra and I was impressed with how nice it is:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1752039873.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1752039873.jpg

Here's a shot into craziness. Alfa Stevio QV. I had a Stelvio and loved it. The only reason I got rid of it was because we no longer had a dealer in Hawaii...and there was an airbag recall. Spoke to Alfa NA and was told only an authorized Alfa dealer could do the repair. So off she went.

I am partial to the V6 Cayennes as wife and I each have one as daily drivers. Also like the Tundras as we have one of those for pulling the boat etc. I hate daily driving pickups as they are just a pain parking when going out for lunch or a store and they typically burn more gas. Our 6 cylinder Cayennes are very nice/comfortable driving machines that can pull up to 7500 IIRC and they do fine in snow also.

Always thought the KIA Tellurides look interesting.

F@#% Audi!!! Never again. ;):D

Trackhawk?

I'd probably go with a used V6 Cayenne.

Maybe a used Mach-E if you want to play with something electric. The depreciation is breathtaking...

Toyota Highlander

We have a 2015 Macan S, there was no 4 banger Macan at that time. We bought it used in roughly 2018/19. The paint and interior quality are excellent. Mechanicals have started to fall apart pre 100k in miles. The PDK failed while under the CPO warranty at about 60k in miles. It is right at 90k now. The last two years have been shocks, timing cover bolts to fix oil leak, plastic coolant pipe failure, drive belt (that costs $1,000 to replace), water pump, the list goes on. It's my wife's and she loves it, but my bank account hates it. I declined a bunch of other stuff because she only drives a few thousand miles a year now since retiring. This is all at an Indy that is way cheaper than the dealership. I work on the old cars and have generally avoided dealing with hers. If it were me, I'd go Acura or Lexus.

This. Stepdaughter has one. Very nice vehicle, dirt cheap used.

For 40k - 50k, you could have a Certified Cadillac XT5 or XT6. XT5 is 2 row, XT6 is 3 row. 3.6 V6. If that's too fancy for you, a Chevrolet Blazer or Traverse in Premier trim would be the same vehicle.

If you want something a little larger, go with a Tahoe.

The wife bought a '21 Blazer last fall. It's been great so far. V6, Heated leather seats, Giant moon roof. Bose sound. Cameras all over. I just wish it had memory seats since we're so different in size. Premier trim would have had that.

We test drove a Mazda CX 90, it just felt too narrow and long.

Highlander or Rav 4 hybrid + newest miata allowed by left over $$

The lexus version of the new land cruiser is nice.

Most definitely. Just might be a little more than he wants to spend on this endeavor.

have a new cx-70 - the regular is slow af.
the phev is horrible to drive.
the turbo s isn't exciting but (relatively) cheap and gets the job done.
gets decent gas mileage too. they'll sell one to you for 50k here without too much back and forth.
the alcantra on the plus is hideous so the premium (imo) is the sweet spot.

came from a gigantic box-on-wheels that required 93 and got 12 mpg so sub $ 50 fills are a joy.

any used audi needs a warranty. they break down more than pretty much anything.
mdx isn't a bad choice.
preferred the mazda to the telluride.
tundras are being given away, but the rear legroom isn't like the rams. i'd go look at one of those before the tundra. ymmv.

I absolutely love new Chevys, styling/ergonomics/comfort and they drive great. They are also generally cheaper than the higher line brands, my only concern is how long lasting they might be compared to the Asian brands. I have a 2022 Malibu that I have put 30k on in one year and it’s been flawless. It just does everything that I want it to. The longevity concerns are mostly around the 1.5 turbo engine and CVT box but I just maintain it by the book and try not to beat on it.

I’m looking at many of the same models to replace my daughter’s GLK350, which has been stellar, except I’m looking sub-$30k. I’m yet to read or talk to anyone that has good things to say about the reliability of the late model Macan or Cayenne. Honestly I have read way less negative about the SQ5, and they are excellent to drive. I know you said no Mercedes but the GLC43 is very well made and reliable and they also drive great. Another you haven’t mentioned is the Jaguar F-Pace S, pre 2021 they were a supercharged V6, 2021 and after they went turbo. Reliability seems on par with the rest of these German options. If you really want to roll the dice there’s also the Range Rover Velar that shares a powertrain with the F-Pace, and has a big HP V8 option. They are beautiful but…..it’s a Range Rover. Finally there’s the Maserati Levante S or GTS, I drove an S and was very underwhelmed.

One thing I’m finding in this class of vehicle, nearly all of the Japanese options and all of the German base models went turbo four cylinder around 2015. In a big, heavy, tall SUV, it totally ruins the driving experience. Even my daughter has noticed on test drives, because she’s used to a silky smooth 305 HP V6. She always comments that they feel jerky and slow, mostly because they have a ton of turbo lag and need to downshift to really go anywhere. For me that’s a line of demarcation, no four cylinders in big SUVs.

Lexus 450h sucks in the snow

And since it is Stellantis, you can buy a Mopar extended warranty for a very good price, and it covers the Alfa.

Well, here's one dumb ass to another:D

I have been a huge Toyota fan based on my entire driving life of owning them without any real problems so naturally I suggest the Lexus then the pick up. I drive a Duramax truck myself, when needed but I love my 4 runner only because its smaller, with security unlike a pick up. I must say, nothing is going to drive like the Cayenne GTS. They are just fast with sports car like handling. I drove an old Turbo and love its car like character but I can't get my head wrapped around the repair bills and the potential troubles it brings down the road compared to all of my trouble free Toyotas over the years.

Older Land Cruiser 200 or Lexus LXwhatever with the 5.7 V8. Might be tough at that budget but I love mine for what it is.

I decided long ago with my BMW GS that vehicles trying to be too much just don’t work, want an SUV get one, same with a sports car.

If you are up north anytime you can drive my 200 series to see if you like them.

I was going to suggest the Kia Telluride also because, well, I drive them every day at work.
With a 3.8-liter V6, a nicely equipped one is a pretty sweet ride.

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This would be my personal logic. If I am buying an SUV I want ground clearance, capability, rock solid reliability, and the ability to haul a bunch of crap. If I want sport, comfort, and fun I’ll buy a sports car or sedan. The real Land Cruiser is great at being a real SUV. Not the platform engineered new one that is basically a 4Runner. Personally I have evolved from the SUV to a crew cab 1/2 ton truck with a bed cover or topper, because it’s way easier to haul lumber or wet life jackets in a lined truck bed than a carpeted cargo area. My Ram 1500 Limited drives as good as most luxury SUVs, has a beautiful interior, and I can throw whatever I want in the back.

The end.

I like the Toyota 4 Runner.

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Subaru Outback...Wilderness Edition. Extremely thoughtful/practical/versatile. Surprisingly good pickup w/turbo. Very decent handling and firm road feel, especially in light of its 9.5" clearance. Trans. tweaks for this model actually make CVT feel more than OK - a pleasant surprise indeed!

Volvo XC60. Best seats, good ride, quality build. Plenty of room for people, dogs, groceries,trips to the lumber yard. I’ve had 6 of them, dependable,pretty much maintenance free.

My parents have a nearly new Highlander Limited hybrid. It is the most boring, soulless, vanilla vehicle I have perhaps ever driven. Which is how I would describe most modern Toyotas I have experienced.

Am I missing something here? Full size SUVs (Suburban/Yukon XL or Tahoe /Yukon) not on the list ? They are all solid SUV contenders. Suburban seats eight or nine comfortably. A quiet cruiser with gobs of power, 2WD or 4WD. Drop the seats and slide in a 4x8 sheet of plywood. Towing capacity 10K lbs. Fuel consumption is reasonable - 16 - 20 mpg.

After buying a 5th Gen 4Runner brand new in 2016 and putting 80k miles on it, I replaced it with a 2-year-old LX570 (it was the final year V8 model a 2021, before Lexus transitioned to the LX600 with the Twin Turbo 3.4L). I've owned it now for 2 years, for the price and what it is I would say it is an average truck..maybe I had high expectations.

On these LX Trucks, Toyota stopped at the 75% mark..had they continued to develop (evolve) them to 100%, they would be brilliant.
Where they fall short:
1) 13-15 mp/g and Premium fuel is recommended
2) Entertainment and NAV is extremely dated esp. when you look at the competition. No Apple Car Play in a $100k vehicle?
3) The 5.7L is lazy and very low on power. On paper it reads well with 4 cams, 32 valves and the big displacement but in the real world it needs way more time in the gym.
4) The driving experience is insulated and in my opinion not every engaging
5) The chassis rust terribly if you live in an area with winter or salted roads. In 2021 Toyota still cannot figure out how to galvanize their chassis and related components, disappointing in a $100k vehicle.

I always felt like my 4th generation 4Runner was a higher quality vehicle than subsequent generations. In my opinion Toyota was making vastly superior trucks in the early 2000s and then they got lazy.

You're not wrong but i want something I can park in the garage and I live in one of those places where everyone's driving the widest biggest most spotless truck they can find and then they put huge con-trac-tor brodozer positive offset wheels on them and yeah anyway parking

And I'm getting a little older and the last time I needed a sheet of 4x8 I needed 10 of them so I got em driven over here for free.

Just based on my personal experience, I think a 4Runner would be an excellent, very versatile choice.

We have had two 4Runners, one a 2003 I bought from OWP in the 2005 time frame and a 2020 we bought new.

The math was simple: My wife loves them.

I've had a lot of SUVs and my Macan S was fantastic. It was plush, comfy and quiet, but felt more Mercedes like. I had that at the same time as my Alfa, and the Alfa was a much better enthusiast driver. It drove light and nimble, very tossable and the little 4 banger really got up there quickly. I felt the motor was underrated as it did 0-60 in about 5 flat or less.

Toyotas are great for longevity, but as far as driving experience, they leave a lot to be desired. My Tacoma is great for hauling and is very dependable, just not a really enjoyable vehicle to drive. I did add a couploe mods to help the driveability. A Sprint Booster and an intake and they really woke up the engine.

I agree with this statement.

Hahaha, no Apple Play was one of the reason I like the NAV etc. Screw Siri, I refuse to turn it on.

My 5.7 runs great and I am at altitude, so not sure what was going on with yours. Plus Toyota produced about a zillion on those V8's so parts are plentiful in the event something goes wrong. Not like the newer engines Toyota has.

Mine does not take premium fuel, I put 87 in mine and get 15-17 on average, 20 on the highway.

It is not a sports car, its a big heavy SUV that drives exactly the same in dry, wet and snow covered roads with the full time 4wd. I have found it to be extremely stable in the worst conditions.

Different strokes for different folks, I would never buy the Lexus, when the Toyota is exactly the same vehicle and cheaper.

On the plus side I could sell my 21 Heritage Edition with 30,000 miles on it for what I paid for it, so yeah they are terrible, stay away.

I liked our older v6 better than the new turbo4. The turbo is better on fuel though.

I have a 77 FJ40 and would love a well used 100 or 200 series as a DD. Their values are so strong, I would guess partially because Toyota moved away from the traditional LC with the 250 and mostly because they are such great rigs. Unfortunately, I tow a medium sized TT about 7,500 miles per year and need a truck for that.

It feels cheap for what it costs and the cvt makes it awful to drive.