In the near future my wife and I will be looking to replace her 2007 Chevy Equinox which is on its last leg with ~180,000 miles. She would like to stay in the same size vehicle so we are targeting all the popular/highly rated midsize SUVs based on some preliminary research: Toyota Highlander, Kia Sorento, Honda Pilot, Ford Explorer, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Durango, etc. Past personal and family experience has soured me on GM brands, but we might also consider the Chevy Traverse if it turns out to be better than my initial research suggests.

Some additional background information:

• We haven't decided whether the third row of seats is a must-have yet, but it would be nice to have that option. We are still 2+ years from having kids and don't anticipate having more than 2-3, but a car-seat/family friendly car is still important.
• We probably won't spring for 4WD in any model but we are considering getting the V6 upgrade for the additional towing capacity (if it isn't standard for a given model like the Kia). Would this generally be sufficient for light-duty towing or are there additional towing packages that would have to be tacked on as well?
• We are buy-and-hold type people so we're less concerned about short-term and mid-term depreciation, and more concerned about longevity, reliability, and maintenance costs (in addition to the usual stuff like safety and fuel economy). We are fine with paying a higher price upfront if it means long-term savings on maintenance on the back-end. My ideal vehicle would last for 12+ years/150,000+ miles.
• We are most likely going to purchase new unless we can find a really great deal on a used car. However, I find that unlikely given the increase in demand for used cars post-Harvey.
• Edit to add: We don't care about all the technological bells and whistles. We want a relatively affordable car that gets us from A to B. Thus, we will likely be going with a base trim level or perhaps one step up.

Neither of us are auto-savvy people and we are first-time car buyers so we greatly appreciate any and all insight. Additionally, it would be great to know if there are any particularly good rebates, offers, financing options, etc. in the Houston area (though again, I'm guessing the demand from Harvey means dealerships aren't struggling to move inventory). Thanks!

My 2 cents:

Add Hyundai Sante Fe (2 or 3 row seating)

Remove Jeep / Dodge

If your towing needs are light, add the Mazda CX-9 to your list. Engaging to drive (relative to its class), 3 rows when you need them, great mid-row legroom when you don't, etc.

https://www.edmunds.com/mazda/cx-9/2017/

Longevity and cheap to own point to the Highlander.

Telling us more regarding your towing needs.

Might have thrown people off base with that comment...towing needs are pretty minimal/infrequent, but it would be nice to have the option to tow a light UHAUL or small travel trailer if needed given that our other vehicle is a Camry. I guess it might make more sense financially to just rent a truck if the occasion arises though.

longeryak said:

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Longevity and cheap to own point to the Highlander.

Telling us more regarding your towing needs.

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If he has to upgrade to v6 highlander for towing then he should look at a base 4Runner, will be roughly the same price as v6 highlander

Honda Pilot EX-L. Meets every criteria you mentioned.

Watch out for crappy CVT designs in some models.

We have a 2012 Highlander Base/Sport and that seems like it would fit the bill for you. We have gotten use out of the 3rd row and are glad we got it. Maybe consider going with a gently used hybrid - just not sure on the towing with that.

AgOutsideAustin said:

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Honda Pilot EX-L. Meets every criteria you mentioned.

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I would agree with this.

One comment. When you say you plan to have 2-3 kids, I will tell you that when it comes to your family vehicle, there is a huge diff in 2 kids versus 3. 3 kids makes the third row a virtual have to.

We are in a similar situation (replacing my wife's 2003 Highlander with 150K miles on it), but we have two kiddos, and we are looking at only three row vehicles. Right now, the Highlander would probably be your best bet, but they are not cheap. We are in the DFW area, and our preliminary search found that a two year old Highlander, mid-level trim package will set you back around $33K to $35K. For that price, you can get a new Kia Sorento, which was a fairly decent ride, but I'm not sure about the longevity.

We drove the Honda Pilot (I drive a Honda and love it), but my wife felt that the ride was not nearly as smooth as the Highlander (it did ride like a bigger vehicle, even though it is practically the same size as the Highlander). We also drove the Mazda CX-9, which rides like a sedan, but I found the front passenger seat to be a bit cramped with the leg room (the center console is huge and pushes into your leg room on both sides), and the new ones are all four bangers with a turbo.

We are probably going to pull the trigger on the Highlander towards the end of the year. I think it's the best option in the mid-sized SUV class. Toyota's are tough to beat.

I wouldn't worry about the Jeep or Dodge either. all of mine have been rock solid.

You might add the Ford Flex to your list if you like the styling.

If you decide you don't want a 3rd row then check out the Edge and the RX350

Thanks Cibalo, I completely forgot about the Ford Flex. We got one of those as a rental and I really loved it, but my wife thought it looked like a hearse. If you can get past the looks of them, they are really nice out on the road and they have a ton of room. Our kiddos sat in the third row and had plenty of space (my five year old was in a booster seat but my eight year old wasn't). Like I said, I would drive one but the looks were a deal breaker for my wife.

Brand new 2017 mid level trim Pilot in DFW can be had for 34-35K. Highlanders are nice too.

Highlander or Santa Fe

I have a 15 Durango and LOVE it. I'm coming from the world of the bigger family haulers. Great value for the size... I've never needed more room (through 3 moves) and it's got a roomy 3rd row with still some cargo room. I wouldn't discount them... I looked at many comparable models of cars before deciding on it.

Another vote for the Pilot...but I don't like the new design from the last couple years with the sloped-off rear. We had a 2005 Pilot EX-L that had to be replaced due to Harvey. We just picked up a 2011 EX-L last week.

JP76 said:

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longeryak said:

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Longevity and cheap to own point to the Highlander.

Telling us more regarding your towing needs.

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If he has to upgrade to v6 highlander for towing then he should look at a base 4Runner, will be roughly the same price as v6 highlander

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Towing capacity is the same on the V6 Highlander and the 4Runner; 5,000 lb. However the 4Runner is RWD and comes with the tow package. It's an added option for the Highlander

10andBOUNCE said:

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We have a 2012 Highlander Base/Sport and that seems like it would fit the bill for you. We have gotten use out of the 3rd row and are glad we got it. Maybe consider going with a gently used hybrid - just not sure on the towing with that.

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Hybrid towing is 3,500 lb

Thought I might bump this thread instead of starting a new one. We have a baby and will be adding at least one more kid in the life of our next car. Plus, if we have a couple of visitors our Sonatas won't seat everyone. Midsized SUV is the way to go, I think.

On new vs used, as when we bought our new Sonatas four years ago, I'm not seeing much cost advantage in buying used. Spotting the car 30k miles seems to only get you a few thousand dollars in the bargain. Is this a typical conclusion?

My other question is about the Kia Sorento. Consumer Reports is pretty high on it. I know it's a "tweener" SUV that is bigger than a crossover, but smaller than say a Santa Fe or Highlander. We just need it for city driving and hauling kids around. Value seems really high. I know Kia has made great strides, but does it really live up to the billing?

Unsure if we're going to try and keep this car for four years or fourteen, but if we go shorter term, the Sorento's price point and good reviews are appealing.

AliasMan02 said:

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Thought I might bump this thread instead of starting a new one. We have a baby and will be adding at least one more kid in the life of our next car. Plus, if we have a couple of visitors our Sonatas won't seat everyone. Midsized SUV is the way to go, I think.

On new vs used, as when we bought our new Sonatas four years ago, I'm not seeing much cost advantage in buying used. Spotting the car 30k miles seems to only get you a few thousand dollars in the bargain. Is this a typical conclusion?

My other question is about the Kia Sorento. Consumer Reports is pretty high on it. I know it's a "tweener" SUV that is bigger than a crossover, but smaller than say a Santa Fe or Highlander. We just need it for city driving and hauling kids around. Value seems really high. I know Kia has made great strides, but does it really live up to the billing?

Unsure if we're going to try and keep this car for four years or fourteen, but if we go shorter term, the Sorento's price point and good reviews are appealing.

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Personally, I think the Sorento is one of the best values around. My wife had a 2012 base LX with the 4 banger for almost 7 years. One dead battery, that was it as far as repair. Of course I had to replace things like shocks and brakes, but that is standard (so is a battery). Great, great vehicle.

We traded that in last week for a 2018 Sorento EX V6 (leather trim, touring package, etc.). Definitely a little more pricey, but still significantly less than say a Highlander or Explorer with similar options. Size wize, I don't think it's very far off the other competitors in its class. They come with 3rd row seating that is also stowable, standard.

Other things I like is that it's assembled in the US, they have a sweet maroon color called Sangria, and their warranty blows away the competition. I would at least check them out.

How does it handle a couple of car seats, if you happen to know? That's going to be a big factor, I think.

We have one car seat for a toddler, forward facing. Plenty of room, two should be fine as well. One nice thing on the newer models is the rear seats can adjust for legroom. Definitely opens it up a bit more. Also nice that it has ac vents for all three rows standard.

Wife and I test drove a Sorento and strongly considered it based on ratings and pricing. Two big issues ended up pushing us away from this car:

1). Third row seats were extremely tight and incredibly difficult to get in and out of. Probably fine for kids, but I would hate to have to fit an adult back there.

2). Rear window: when driving, I just didn't feel that I had good vision through rear view mirror and back window. Seems a bit trivial perhsps, but I just didn't feel like I had a good field of vision.

When you test drive put both car seats in and see how they fit and how easy it is to access third row. My experience is that most bench second rows make the third row almost inaccessible with two car seats.

JGC with a hemi

Toyota 4Runner for sure.

We might be buying mom's Sequoia next. We curre.try have an '09 JGC and it is quickly becoming way too small with twins.

I may have missed the other thread. Did you get one?

Has anybody looked at the VW Atlas or Subaru Ascent? Thoughts?

I was excited for the Atlas, but Consumer Reports doesn't like it so we scratched it off our list.

Atlas is getting a lot of good reviews aside from modest power

Any opinions on a Lexus NX Turbo?

AliasMan02 said:

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I was excited for the Atlas, but Consumer Reports doesn't like it so we scratched it off our list.

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I don't know if I would say they don't like it, it just doesn't stand out in a massive and popular vehicle segment. Maybe the most popular segment.

They also typically don't recommend first year models since they have no history.