It is finally time to move into a bigger vehicle! We are planning on buying this next one, instead of leasing, so I want to make sure we make as informed a decision as possible.
We have a 1 year old and a 2 year old who are still in, obviously, bulky car seats. We currently have a VW Passat and with the two car seatsin it is impossible to fit more then two people in the car at a time. We currently go more place with additional adults, as opposed to children, and need a car that can comfortably seat anywhere from 3-5 adults of various sizes. I know in the future we will travel more with additional children but the car NEEDS to be able to accommodate adults. Also, my husband is 6' 3" and needs ample leg room which can be hard to come by with a car seat behind him. We have ruled out Minivans and Wagons, for various reasons. We also intend to go with leather seats and a couple of the package options. Mainly I need advice on the quality, comfort and durability of the cars we have narrowed it down to (listed below).
Mazda CX 9
Volvo XC 90
Acura MDX
Buick Enclave
Thanks!
I have the Chevy Traverse and I love it. I have 2 boys both in car seats and I can fit 1 person in between and still have the 3rd row avaliable. Good on milage too.
S.
Have 3 kids under age 6 and we love our 2009 CX-9. Drives like a car, rather than a van. Wonderful safety rating, affordable, and plenty of room for a growing family. Very comfortable ride and excellent use of space.
If I could pick any one vehicle right now, I would choose the CX-9. In fact, we are hoping to get a few more miles out of my vehicle and look for a gently used CX-9 to replace it. I have test driven the 2010 and they are nice. PLENTY of legroom in both rows, and the 3rd row WILL fit an adult albeit probably one that's not 6 feet tall. The body space is fine, but leg space is a little snug back there. The average mpg is pretty fair for an SUV/Crossover (not great! but not horrid either). And I love brand. My husband has a Mazda 6 Speed that he bought new in 2003. Has 210,000 miles on it. He was hit by a head on driver last November and only scratched up his arm from air bag deployment. (It was a low speed impact, but head on). The car was valued over $7,000 value at that time. It was repaired, and still running well. Still looks sharp and handles snappily. Still FUN to drive! Zoom Zoom!!
In the 8 years he's had it, he has had minimal repairs... all (except from accidents - hitting deer, collision, etc) were normal wear and tear (after 200k miles some things wear out, lol) and not defective or broken.
Drive a CX-9. You'll be impressed.
Acura MDX is a great crossover and is very comfy to drive. We looked at it pretty seriously when I was test driving b/c my husband drives a TL. Having said that they are really pricey to maintain and repair. If cost isn't an issue, go with the Acura. It's been out long enough that they have worked out the kinks!
Honda Pilot, Honda Pilot, Honda Pilot. :) I'm married and have a 9 year old, 2.5 year old and a 9.5 month old and I wouldn't trade it for the world!! It seats up to eight, but when we travel a long ways we put all three kids in the middle row and lay down the back and have a TON of room for luggage, strollers, dog, etc. It's great! And it's not a minivan! :) LOVE ours!!
check the reliability ratings on msn autos. I also use carcompliant.com
I just went through this actually and ended up with a CX9. The 2nd row seat can move forward or backward and I liked that feature, so you can adjust how much room is in the 3rd row. It is a comfortable ride as well.
We have an Acura RDX, which is a slightly smaller version of the MDX and LOVE it! What a wonderful car and it has a lot of room. You won't need to invest in major package upgrades because almost all of the add-ons are included (we just had to buy a ski rack and trunk liner). Top of the line stereo system is standard, which thrilled my audio-buff husband.
Dealing with Acura is also a pleasure. I'm not kidding. It was the last stop on our car-buying tour of dealers and it was just plain pleasant. No pressure at all to buy and when we did make an offer, they said, "That's fair" and the deal was done. No games at all. Very, very classy company to work with. Overall, they've been fantastic, and all of the people we know who have Acuras say the same thing about their dealers.
Good luck with the decision!
Go to the library and check out Consumer Reports reviews of cars, trucks, and minivan's. Their reviews are VERY accurate and I wouldn't buy any vehicle without checking with them first.
We were in the same situation half a year ago,looked ,drove all these cars.
Buick Enclave won us over- nothing can compare with the luxury of american car inside(I used to be a Toyota fan)+ back seets are the most roomy and comfy then other cars.
Acura MDX -great car(more money).
love my xc90 it is a 2005.. we bought it used certified.. one year old at the time.. great warrenty.. no major problems.. love the option of 3rd row seating.. super fast and sporty.. great in snow.. we do have the v8 engine.. like the built in booster seat and cup holders.. my husband is 6 ft 3 as well..
we also have the rubber floor mats and cargo mats and those have been a lifesaver and helped keep the carpet clean.. try and negoticate those in the deal.. as they can be expensive.. but so worth it.. we have owned 3 volvos and loved them all.
L
