Looking for a Good SUV

I have the Vovlo suv XC90 and love it. It's one of the, if not the, safest suv in the market. There is nothing negative about it. It's worth the money.

HTH

C.

Hi, I'm looking into getting a new "mommy" car soon. I have two children. I have a Honda SUV and it is not big enough for our growing family. If you plan on having more than one child I would seriously consider getting a minivan. I said that I would never drive a minivan but that is probably what I will end up with. My friends have the Lexus and I find it very hard getting the carseat carrier in and out of the car. Also the hieght of most SUV's is an issue. I used to drive a Porsche, Boxter (before kids) now I'm considering a Minivan. Life is funny!

Hi, i have 2 children and we travel back to Boston once a year during the holidays. I had a GMC Envoy for 4 or 5 years, but traded it in last October because it had almost 100k miles on it and now we get visitors(grandparents etc.,) and i needed even more room for us all to go out. I checked out the expeditions, Tahoes(a bit like the size of the Envoy), Escalades, Suburbans, and a few others. What it really came down to was 1. roomy interior 2. nice ride 3. price, and 4. (and most important) a salesman that didn't try to rip me off.
My suggestion: go to Edmunds.com. Find out the value of your vehicle. Print it out. Find out the value of the top three vehicles you want to test drive with all the options you need. When you go to the dealer, don't tell him you have a trade. First just get the best deal on a vehicle you want. (Know your credit score as well, as that will determine what interest rate you deserve.) When you have negotiated to the lowest possible price for the vehicle, take the offer back to your vehicle and subtract the value of your car, and you will have the price you want to finance or buy for outright.
Also, i love my Suburban. I got it at a dealer near my house that i went to on a Sunday at 3pm. They were gettiong ready to close after a 2 day weekend sale and the woman i dealt with was really wanting to sell me a vehicle. I got the exact price i wanted because i was ready to walk away if she couldn't do it.
My suburban has a third row, and the middle seats are captains seats so i put the girls in those. It's great on gas because it runs on flexfuel(when ethanol comes to the area) but it changes from v8 power to v4 power while i'm driving to use less fuel. so i get better gas mileage than my smaller Envoy. I got the DVD player(had to have it) and i got 4 wheel drive for the weather up north just in case.
It is such a nice ride. Good luck with your car hunting!!

Hi Kristy,

I have very little experience with SUV's, but I do have the Toyota Sienna minivan. I know...a minivan. I did the same thing, but it worked out so well in my life with two kids, two big dogs and doing some art shows. I love my Sienna. The back three doors open by remote which is wonderful when your hands are full of babies and bags and the back seat folds down into the floor with the two second row seats being removed completely. It is really versatile! I'm very impressed with Toyota cars. Not too happy with the service from any of the dealerships around Orlando, but the features are great. We also have a Volvo (not an SUV,though) and the one dealership in Winter Park is really awful. My niece has the Volvo SUV and said that she wouldn't get another one. I hope this helps.

KarynG

Hi Kristy,

I know you said that you would like an SUV. Have you thought about a minivan. Most smaller SUV's are not going to be big enough for what you are talking about. I am a bit of a car nut and I have looked and learned about alot of vehicles. If you are set on a SUV ou should definitely look on the larger scale and not the mid to small.

Good Luck
S.
SAHM of 3 boys, 12, 4 and 22 months

hi

i don't drive any of those i have a honda odessy but i really want the lexus rx 330 which i will get one day. but with having many cars i would not trade yours in if you can i would sell it by your self you will get more money. thats what i did and before we sold it we had been saving money and with the money i sold my car we where able to buy the car in cash we don't like to have car payments.one more thing which ever car you choose do all of research like how much the car is really worth and what the resale value is.hope this helps

I have a Honda CRV & I like it but it sounds like it would be too small for you.
Personally, I would look at the mileage you can get. THe Hummer gets only like 16miles to the gallon or something- I'm sooo bad with numbers, LOL but I know that a Hummer is a GAS GUZZLER!

I know this isn't one of the ones you are looking at, but I have a 2006 Nissan Armada. I absolutely love it. It does not ride like a truck, it is big, but it rides like a car. I have two children, an 8 yr old, and a two yr old in a car seat and there is more than enough room. You can put the passenger seat all the way back and still have plenty or room. Over the summer we fit 5 adults and the two kids, along with a stroller and luggage for all of us for a week in the Dominican Republic and were not even cramped. You seem to be looking at higher end cars, you should check out the Infiniti QX56 which is the same as the Armada. Happy car shopping.

I also looked around when I had my kids. I picked the Expedition. It had everything I wanted (DVD Player, Roomy, and 3rd row seats) It also drives really nice and the turn ratio is great. It now comes with the extended back so it's even bigger in the back if that is what you need. I have two car seats in the middle row and I still can put down the other set for people to load into the third row. And all rows are comfortable. Also the other thing to think about is do you tow anything. My husband and I when looking around we considered a mini van but the towing capacity is not very good. We have a small boat so we had to look for a SUV. Just another thing to think about. Good luck.

I work for a place that does truck and auto accessories so I get to see and sometimes drive many different vehicles. Of the ones you listed and based on the value for the dollar, I would go with the Toyota. I has a 4Runner for a weekend and even with carseats in the back we had plenty of room-- Plus, the Sequoia is actually bigger than the 4Runner. Lexus would be my other pick, but have you heard of, or seen the Lexus RX400h... It is one of few Hybrid SUVs... getting 31mpg. and on the note of Hybrid, I believe the Toyota Highlander is available as a hybrid.

and just a word from someone who gets to see them everyday... stay far away from Chevy / GMC.