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Test driving new SUV's lately

68EFIvert

68EFIvert

Well-Known Member
My wife and I are looking at getting a new SUV. The year end has a lot to do with it. We can use the accelerated depreciation to help out on our taxes. Of course that is not the only reason. We need seating for 7 and it can't be a mini van. I also need to be able to tow my Mustang.

We test drove the new Explorer Sport with the EcoBoost engine. It was pretty fast and the technology in the car is fantastic. The only thing I could not stand is the torque steer it has. Get into the throttle and the car felt loose and pulled to the right. Not what I expected and is likely the only reason I don't own one now. The other thing is U-Haul will not allow you to rent a trailer if you own an explorer due to past legal expense. I assume that is due to the Firestone tire thing years ago.

We also drove a BMW X5. I loved the car but the third row seat is worthless and when it is up there is no cargo space. The seats in the BMW are amazing! I have never seen a seat with as much adjustments as they have. The car was a diesel and you couldn't tell. Had good power and was fun to drive.

W then went to drive some GMC vehicles. The Acadia Denali was first. The car was well optioned and looks good. The problems with that were the front passenger seat felt like you were going to slide forward and did not have a tilt adjustment on the bottom. It was also under powered and the engine was noisy when accelerating.

A Yukon was next. It felt just like our Toyota Sequoia we have now and we want something a little smaller this time. The only odd thing about the Yukon is that the steering wheel is not centered. It is off about an inch or two to the center of the car. Why the hell would GM allow that to happen is beyond me.

We also went to drive an Audi Q7. Very nice car and well equipped. It felt stable and had enough power. The fit and finish felt like the BMW but the seats were no where near as nice. Nice and comfortable but didn't fit like a glove. The only downside was the rear area was a little low. We have a couple dogs and they are going to be a bit cramped when they ride in the back (area behind the 2nd row. I think we will proceed with negotiations with the Audi but if anyone has any other ideas please let me know. (no Dodge vehicles).

Has anyone owned a Q7 and what do you think? Is there a way to find out what a dealer payed for a car to help with negotiations? At this point the dealership doesn't seem to be interested in budging from MSRP very much but we will see when they come back with some real numbers.
 
We drove all those and had the same feelings.

I broke down after being prompted by the kids to drive the new Durrango with the Hemi in it. The lot didn't have one so we drove the crew model with the V6 and most of the options my wife wanted. It was Ok, but not a V8.

I found a 2011 on a lot with low miles and a Hemi, drove it and since it was the Citadel it had everything you can get on any luxury vehicle! It was awesome!

I finally settled for a 2012 Citadel that was a dealer demo car with 2300 miles on it and got nearly 10k off the sticker. It has the backup camera the tilting mirrors when backing, the Hemi of course, leather heated and cooled seats, heated steering wheel, blind spot detection, accident avoidance (which works!) sunroof, tilt and telescoping wheel, AWD, tow package, NAV, sat radio, Ipod hookup, third row seats my adult kids said have good room on the long trip we took a week out, when the seats are folded down there is a ton of room, Oh, it has power everything and driver presets which even include radio presets.

The warranty is awesome from them too!

I also found from a guy on the Durrango forum that the 12 airbags work and saved his wife's life in a head on accident.

This car was written up in a couple magazines as the Mercedes without the price tag. It is still on the Mercedes M class platform, no Fiat in it yet. There isn't much aftermarket for it yet, but I am sure that will change, they are very popular.

We get 17 MPG on the wife's daily commute 17 miles one way and on long trips I get 20+. I have seen as much as 23 MPG in it on a long trip to SLC.

The DVD system works well per the techie kids of mine who watched DVDs on the way to a Journey concert in SLC, they even hooked up the laptops and got Netflix with a teather to one of their phones.

This is just one awesome vehicle!

Mel
 
Are you towing an enclosed or open trailer?

I don't think any of the vehicles you mentioned would handle an enclosed car trailer very well for any real distance.
 
Just an open trailer. Mostly to the exhaust shop or body shop during the construction phase. No long hauls or big hills to deal with.
 
The durrango has decent towing. Guys on the forum are towing some pretty large trailers, boats and even horse trailers.

I have an open trailer I think would be no issue.

Mel

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2
 
Come on down to Davis Ford in Canton, Il. --lol--I know the flex is not super sharp but people people who bought them really seem to like them---eco boost v6 would pull your trailer short distances. Or what about a expedition--5.4 v8---maybe they run like the 5.4 in the 650 horse mustang--(the dealership supposedly has one of the Mustangs coming, I will do my best to drive it!)
 
Flex should be explored. no pun intended.

I've been waiting for Ford to issue a SPECIAL EDITION FLEX. It would have the most powerful engine offered in a FLEX, add paneling, have a 3-way tailgate and be called 'The Country Squire' edition....
 
Curious why you're going with the Q7 over the X5, is it due to the smaller 3rd row seats? Seems based on your experience in test-driving, the BMW rated higher.

My wife will be needing to replace her '02 Explorer sometime in the next 6 months, so interested in reading about comparisons.
 
We considered some of the other Ford vehicles like the Flex and Expedition but I don't like the body of the Flex and my wife doesn't want a car as big as an expedition. The Expedition would be my first choice in a Ford though.

We like the Q7 more than the X5 becasue of rear seat room and storage space. The X5's 3rd row is useless. My 8 year old daughters knees are about an inch away from the 2nd row. A couple years from now the kids won't fit back there. The other thing about the X5 is when the 3rd row is up there is no space behind it for anything. Maybe a couple bags of groceries but not a small suitcase so we couldn't use it to pick up grandma and grandpa from the airport with the while family. The Q7 give a great driving experience and the only thing that would make it a fantastic driving experience is to put the BMW's sport seats in it.
 
"68EFIvert" said:
..We like the Q7 more than the X5 becasue of rear seat room and storage space. The X5's 3rd row is useless. My 8 year old daughters knees are about an inch away from the 2nd row. A couple years from now the kids won't fit back there. The other thing about the X5 is when the 3rd row is up there is no space behind it for anything. Maybe a couple bags of groceries but not a small suitcase so we couldn't use it to pick up grandma and grandpa from the airport with the while family. The Q7 give a great driving experience and the only thing that would make it a fantastic driving experience is to put the BMW's sport seats in it.
Click to expand...

Here's a quote from Consumer Reports 2013 buying guide.

Q7 (2nd to best rating) Audi's luxury SUV shares the components with the Porsche Cayenne and VW Touareg, but offers a tight 3rd row seat. A 3.0L supercharged V6 and 3.0L V6 turbodiesel are the only engines offered. Handling is fairly nimble but the Q7 doesn't shine at its limits.

X5 (2nd to worst rating) The X5 has a stiff and choppy ride, particularly at low speeds. Handling is capable and secure. Both gas engines deliver ample acceleration. The transmission is quick to respond, but the complicated shifter is frustrating. The interior is impeccably trimmed. The diesel version got 22 mpg overall, but lacks refinement.

I'd steer away from the X5. Maybe a Touareg?
 
No 3rd row on a Toureg and I think the q7 is on the same platform a as the Toureg and Porsche Cayenne but larger. We put down money to hold a Q7 today and will go pick it up on Saturday.
 
All those choices are too expensive for what you get....

Seriously go drive the Citadel, you will not be sorry. There are new guys on the forum that switched from the Q7 and X5...

I do like the Cayenne!

Mel
 
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