Highlander. Not even a question. Audis are junk.

I used to drive an RX350 and now drive a Pilot. I looked at the Highlander but like a lot of pps mentioned, the 3rd row is mostly unusable for anyone other than ES age kids. Trunk space was also a bit smaller than the Pilot. I also thought the Highlander felt plasticy/cheap compared to the Lexus and even the Pilot (I got the Touring which is the 2nd highest trim). I needed the 3rd row, and the Pilot does the job. It feels more like a Lexus in terms of features and finishes, and the 3rd row is comfortable for my tall middle schooler and even grandparents when they come to visit. The MDX is another choice, but it only came with captains chairs in the 2nd row and a console in the middle, so access to the 3rd row wasn’t any easier than the Pilot and I lost a seat.

I just bought the newish Subaru ascent- a bit bigger than the highlander or pilot, AWD and great visibility when driving. I recommend.

Hate to throw another car in the mix but have you looked at the Acura RDX? I just downsized from an 11 year old MDX to the RDX and love it. I don't really need the third row anymore either. I looked at lots of cars and felt like I was getting a lot for my money with the RDX (I didn't look at the Highlander though).

What about the VW Atlas?

I have a Highlander and I like it. We use the third row all the time. However -- I am not used to a luxury car. If I could afford a luxury car, i certainly would get one!

Anonymous wrote:Thanks so much for replies. We definitely plan to keep over 10 years.

PP - Do you mind sharing the details for the good deal on a lexus?

Definitely not the Audi then. I personally find Toyota to be very plasticy. So, I assume the Lexus would be nicer, but I tried to buy one once, and they would not give me any money off MSRP, so that was a deal breaker. What's the cost difference between Lexus and Highlander?

Thanks so much for replies. We definitely plan to keep over 10 years.

PP - Do you mind sharing the details for the good deal on a lexus?

Test drive them all and decide what you like best.

How long do you plan to keep it?

The Lexus RX 350L has a 3rd row if you feel you need it, and only costs $1,500 more than the standard RX 350. But again, it's really tight like the Highlander (of course)

The Highlander has a hybrid version, which has captain's seats for the second row and therefore easy access to the small, but useable third row.

Also the RX takes regular gas, whereas the Q5 requires premium... which alone isn't a deal breaker but with premium gas running 50-60 cents more a gallon it adds up over the lifetime of the car

We just went through this exact decision a month ago. The Highlander's 3rd row is useless as it's too small - but the Pilot/MDX is actually 'ok' FWIW. Go sit in them and you will see they are really just for young kids and emergency short trips where you aren't going to be in the 3rd row for more than say 15 min.

We looked at the Q5, which is a very nice vehicle and found its second row is cramped compared to the RX, which makes a difference to us since our kids are still in car seats. We ultimately negotiated a good price on a 2018 Lexus RX.

Looking for help deciding on the following cars. Background is we have two teens, an old Lexus RX 330, and need a car for lots of daily use (school, work, sports) and road trips to visit out of state family (10 plus hours each way). We thought we wanted a third row, but can't decide if we really need that. Toyota Highlander is cheapest and has a 3rd row. We have loved our Lexus, reliable, easy to drive, luxury features are a bonus. Audi Q5 comes up higher on every consumer list.

Also, we don't care about whether it's a 2018 or 2019. So looking for bargains on a new car.