Anonymous wrote:I spent a lot of time looking for higher end SUV with 2nd row captains seats. Very hard to find. Audi, Acura, Volvo, Lexus, etc. -- nothing. We ended up buying a nice, used (low mileage), one year old Highlander for about 39K. Good car, no complaints. Also, look at the new VW Atlas, which was released after we bought. I didn't like the feel of the Mazda or GMC/Buick products and thought the Highlander would hold its value longer.
We have a Highlander. Like it very well. Has nice leather seating and a panoramic moon roof which has been really nice for the kids on longer road trips. We really liked the look and feel of the Mazda CX-9, but didn't like the bench middle row and wanted cooled front seats since we don't have a garage. Mazda only offers heated seats. Consumer Reports rates the Highlander very highly which was another factor.