OT: Midsize SUV

RockyDog

All-Conference
Jan 2, 2023
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It's irritating that most "SUVs" now look similar and have terrible tow capacity.

Even with a small 20 foot "lightweight" camper you need a full size SUV or truck which all now sit in the 50-60K price range to start.
 
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Irondawg

Senior
Dec 2, 2007
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We did this dance late last year as well. Finalist were the Grand Highlander and the Honda Pilot. Wife chose the Pilot and has been pleased. I don't love the gas mileage but do like that is has the V6. At least for her, she just like the feel and layout of the Pilot a bit better.

I'd drive those two and a Palisade/Telluride. Some of the others people are mentioning on here won't have the 3rd row space you say you need (like the MDX)
 

Seinfeld

All-American
Nov 30, 2006
11,176
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We have a Palisade. I let my wife research for whatever SUV she wanted (as long as it was easy for me to drive since I’m 6’6) and she landed on the Palisade. It has a lot of nice features for the price range it’s in. The Kia Telluride is its sister car and really nice as well.

ETA: The third row is actually functional. I can sit in the third row
Did you go with the 2nd row bench or captain seating? One of the things that has caught my eye with the Palisade is the captain chair option which I love, and I don't feel like you find it very often with midsize SUVs.

Somebody help me understand lease pricing, though. I mean, I completely get the concept. What I don't get, though, is why they'll advertise an offer for $379/mo for a car with an MSRP of $40k, but then when you find one from dealer inventory that's $42,500, the lease price is suddenly $620 even with a 10% down payment. What am I missing?

Also, anyone happen to notice the $10,500 incentive on the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xE? Not bad for someone in the hybrid market
 
Nov 16, 2005
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Did you go with the 2nd row bench or captain seating? One of the things that has caught my eye with the Palisade is the captain chair option which I love, and I don't feel like you find it very often with midsize SUVs.

Somebody help me understand lease pricing, though. I mean, I completely get the concept. What I don't get, though, is why they'll advertise an offer for $379/mo for a car with an MSRP of $40k, but then when you find one from dealer inventory that's $42,500, the lease price is suddenly $620 even with a 10% down payment. What am I missing?

Also, anyone happen to notice the $10,500 incentive on the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xE? Not bad for someone in the hybrid market
Captains chairs. They are really comfortable and plus if there’s kids riding that need to go to the third row they can just climb in between the captains chairs on the second row. We are a family of 4 so captains chairs are perfect.
 

johnson86-1

All-Conference
Aug 22, 2012
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Yeah. But that that's the case for all mid sized SUVs. The Grand Highlander gives you a little more room.
I've been in two different pilots (not sure of the years, one probably a 22 or '23 and one probably somewhere in the late teens and their third row is pretty decent and seem to be as good as the Grand Highlander (which I've only sat in on teh lot). I wouldn't say roomy and I probably wouldn't want to ride several hours back there, but it wasn't like a lot of third row seats where you crawl out and have to stretch after a 5 minute ride because you've been contorted to get in there.
 

patdog

Heisman
May 28, 2007
57,014
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It's irritating that most "SUVs" now look similar and have terrible tow capacity.

Even with a small 20 foot "lightweight" camper you need a full size SUV or truck which all now sit in the 50-60K price range to start.
SUVs aren’t for towing anything anymore. They’re for suburban moms to haul their kids and all their sh*t around.
 
Nov 16, 2005
27,674
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It's irritating that most "SUVs" now look similar and have terrible tow capacity.

Even with a small 20 foot "lightweight" camper you need a full size SUV or truck which all now sit in the 50-60K price range to start.
That’s not what midsize SUVs were designed for.
 

theoriginalSALTYdog

All-Conference
Jul 10, 2021
1,544
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About to get serious on getting rid of minivan and looking at midsize SUVs with decent gas mileage and a roomy 3rd row seat. Any sixpackers have a recommendation? Really liking the Palisade right now .
I'm waiting to see the new GMC Acadia before we take the plunge. The 2024 is redesigned and is a good bit larger. Started production this month so they should hit the lots soon. Photos look really good.
 
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cowboydawg

Junior
Dec 23, 2009
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Telluride has tons of room for a midsize SUV. We just took 6 comfortably to Dallas from Hernando with 6 bags packed each for a week. Even brought back 2 puppies…ha. A lot of upscale features and drives great. We have previously owned a Highlander which doesn’t have near the amount of room or drive as good.
 
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Aug 15, 2006
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Just downsized from a VW Touareg to an Infiniti QX50. Smaller, faster, drives more like a car vs a truck. Initially I thought I made a mistake due to the size, but that's why I got it (duh).
Not better gas mileage though, 3.7L v6 has 325hp/awd...vroom. Still waiting for technology (electronic/hydrogen) to have the mileage distance needed (backwoods mtbike treks) and lack of infrastructure support.
 
Nov 16, 2005
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Telluride has tons of room for a midsize SUV. We just took 6 comfortably to Dallas from Hernando with 6 bags packed each for a week. Even brought back 2 puppies…ha. A lot of upscale features and drives great. We have previously owned a Highlander which doesn’t have near the amount of room or drive as good.
It’s kinda crazy how much room is in a telluride and palisade. I was shocked when we went to look at them.
 

jdbulldog

Junior
Oct 27, 2007
2,594
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Drove a Mazda CX-5 for a few days. Drives great for an SUV, and comfortable.

Also, you’ll never go wrong with a Toyota SUV.
My wife has a CX-5 and loves it….our first ever Mazda product and after 25k miles it has been perfect. It is really upscale inside and lot of fun to drive. However, it is more of a compact SUV. There is no third row. The Acura MDX should not be overlooked!
 
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RockyDog

All-Conference
Jan 2, 2023
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That’s not what midsize SUVs were designed for.
I get that, but in the mid-2000s Ford Explorers, Pathfinders etc were SUVs built on truck chassis and were still capable of some decent towing.

Now they have all been lumped into the same vehicle that all look the same and are, like you said, now just glorified station wagons.
 

Jeffreauxdawg

All-American
Dec 15, 2017
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I get that, but in the mid-2000s Ford Explorers, Pathfinders etc were SUVs built on truck chassis and were still capable of some decent towing.

Now they have all been lumped into the same vehicle that all look the same and are, like you said, now just glorified station wagons.
Yep. There is no frame. Literally, the body components are welded together. 15+ years ago Explorers and Pathfinders sat on ladder style pickup frames.
 

Double Dawg

Freshman
Mar 3, 2008
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It is my understanding that the 4-Runner & Wrangle are the last 2 mid-size SUVs built on truck frames. Has anyone else heard different? What is the new Bronco sitting on?
 

Jeffreauxdawg

All-American
Dec 15, 2017
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It is my understanding that the 4-Runner & Wrangle are the last 2 mid-size SUVs built on truck frames. Has anyone else heard different? What is the new Bronco sitting on?
The Bronco, Lexus GX, and new Land Cruiser are all BOF as well. Where we live it's kind of a non starter to have a unibody. The only 3rd row of the whole group is in the GX, but it only comes on trims with 20" or larger wheels (which are also a non starter.)

Wife's getting antsy for a 3rd row to haul kiddos around to wrestling tournaments and football games. We are definitely going full size when we pull the trigger after looking into it.
 

Irondawg

Senior
Dec 2, 2007
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We went with the bench in our pilot, but the middle of that 2nd row is removable if you really needed it to for some reason. Interesting feature that I'm not sure we'll ever really use, but it's there.

The new Lexus that's basically the Grand Highlander with some extra bells and whistles looks nice as well, but was coming out a few months later than we wanted to buy and was just outside what I was willing to spend.
 

HumpDawgy

All-Conference
Apr 6, 2010
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I would stick with Toyota/Lexus, Honda/Acura, Mazda, or Subaru. Go with what fits you out of that group.
 

BreckyBratt

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Nov 5, 2022
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DeeEE!

Redshirt
Dec 19, 2023
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Does anyone have a Kia Carnival? Seriously looking at one. Minivan I know I know, but just that phase of life.
 

vhdawg

All-Conference
Sep 29, 2004
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About to get serious on getting rid of minivan and looking at midsize SUVs with decent gas mileage and a roomy 3rd row seat. Any sixpackers have a recommendation? Really liking the Palisade right now .
Wife has had a Palisade for almost 3 years, I'll echo what DCD said, we've had no issues with it and it's at nearly 60k miles now. Just replaced the factory tires a month or so ago.
 

Crazy Cotton

All-Conference
Aug 26, 2012
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Does anyone have a Kia Carnival? Seriously looking at one. Minivan I know I know, but just that phase of life.
I rented one to haul a bunch of kids down to Florida for Spring break. Pretty impressed. A lot of the vehicles people have suggested in here are available as rentals if you have an airport handy, or sometimes can be rented through a dealer for a weekend. It's a good way to get a feel for the car before taking the plunge.
 
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Sep 30, 2022
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About to get serious on getting rid of minivan and looking at midsize SUVs with decent gas mileage and a roomy 3rd row seat. Any sixpackers have a recommendation? Really liking the Palisade right now .
I have a Used Nissan Pathfinder Premium I will sell you. Great car but I am about to buy the Land Cruiser First Edition in like month.