Reply to SUVs: What are alternatives to Acura MDX (trying to avoid a "chick car")

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I would look at a Pilot if you want to make a smart choice.  The MDX is basically a "nice Pilot" and comes in at a relatively reasonable price point compared to some of the other SUVs suggested in this thread.  The Pilot is being redesigned for MY 2016 and the new one improves a lot on the boxy looks of the existing model, IMO.  The others suggesting Infinitis and Audis, etc. don't seem to understand money very well or perhaps place a high value on trying to look like they have it.  There is simply no defensible argument for a car like that and I'd challenge anybody on the forum to put one up that we can't collectively shoot down in a couple sentences.  The Jeeps, although very offroad capable, are notorious pieces of dung from a reliability and maintenance perspective.  I would steer clear of anything Jeep unless you need something very offroad capable or need to project that offroad Jeep image.

In order to make a reasonable recommendation we'd need a little more information from you on your use case for the vehicle.  Do you haul a lot of big stuff? Do you drive a lot so gas mileage is important?  Do you do a lot of snow driving (skiing, trips, etc.) or light offroading?  Do you ever tow anything?  If so, how heavy is it?[/quote]

OP here.  My commute downtown is not that far (18 miles roundtrip -- mostly start and stop).  On weekends, we like to go camping, hiking, skiing, etc.  We've actually used our minivan quite a bit for these trips.  
We do a lot of carpools for kids' activities.

Since I've had my heart on an Acura MDX for at least 10 years (and can finally afford it), I'm still kind of leaning toward it.

Having said that, I really like the look of the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the GMC Acadia.  Also someone above suggested the Mazda Cx-9, which I just at online, and that looks good too.

I'm hoping for something fun to drive that isn't too hard to park in underground parking garages.   But yet I don't want it to be too small. (The Acura RDX seems too small, for example.)  I like the look of the Honda Pilot, but I wonder if it's a wee bit too big, or even if not, if just seems like a very practical choice (and we are OK to spend a bit more).

The Highlander has been a good, solid car but am perhaps looking at something a little bit nicer, just because we've always had conservative good cars (Honda Civics, Honda  Odyssey, etc).  This would be the first time considering a "luxury" SUV.

Thanks for any additional input![/quote]
Based on your described use I don't think you need a "truck based" SUV.  Any of the standard ones will work and generally have better gas mileage than the more burly variants.  The MDX is a great choice as is the Pilot or Highlander.  These will all fit well in parking garages as long as you do not mount snowboard/bike racks on the roof.  Your description of light duty snow driving, camping, etc. also doesn't necessitate something with offroad prowess so I think you can get whatever you like and be fine.  As far as luxury SUVs go, the MDX is about the smartest choice you can make since it isn't nearly as overpriced as some of the other offerings.  The Mazda comes in at a reasonable price point too and you could also throw the Hyundai Santa Fe in there as well.  It comes with a ridiculously long warranty and all sorts of other service related perks that we had never seen from another brand (although we ended up going another route).
[/quote]

OP here.  Great points!  Can you suggest an SUV that is not truck-based, but that looks masculine and that a teenage boy would like to drive (when he shares it with me)?  I guess that the Pilot and Highlander would both do.  How about the Chevy Traverse?  I like the look of it.[/quote]

Haha, that's the crux of the problem.  All the sensible choices aren't ones that a teenage boy would want to drive!  I bet he'd love to be driving around in an Audi, Infiniti, Jeep or Land Rover, but those just don't make much sense from either a cost or reliability standpoint.  Like the PP, I am leery of anything American, but maybe that's just my old age coming through and all the old "don't buy American" problems have been fixed by now.  Then again, I have friends with a Suburban that has been nothing but problems from the get go and always seems to have one light or another coming on and needing this or that fixed.  We tend to avoid American cars as a rule and, like the PP, always buy Japanese.  If it were me and he's ok being seen in a Highlander or MDX then I think that's what I'd get, but maybe someone with more experience with Chevy SUVs will come along and enlighten us on their quality and reliability.[/quote]

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