I'd wait for the 2013 Ford Escape....the CX-5 with AWD felt too sluggish for my liking.

http://image.motortrend.com/f/346298...e-quarters.jpg

Here's MT's review.

2013 Ford Escape EcoBoost First Drive - Motor Trend

x3 or even x1?

Planning to own the suv,

Bimmer, are good for lease.

:toot:

seriously? if money really wasn't an issue, why the hell would the mazda and hyundai even be considered? go test drive the cars and you'll realize how stupid of a thread this is. EX or RDX, take your pick.

seriously? you don't throw money at the most expensive SUV you can get even if you have the money. I don't see Bill Gates drives a Koenigsegg Agera R. There is a lot more to it. Some people actually have experienced or Mazda or Acura, and that is what forum discussions are for. People share their experiences. Of course I will test drive them all, but I am also listening to other people's preferences and maybe they make sense

Go troll somewhere else

LOL I had no idea it was the same guy. I thought his username looked familiar...

OP, better bring 10 jerry cans with you to Point Roberts next time. The EX isn't so great on gas :lawl:

really? then why would you explicitly ask people which SUV they'd take if MONEY WASN'T AN ISSUE? maybe you should reword your original post so you don't sound like an idiot who drives to Point Roberts to get gas every weekend. oh wait...

God Damn, Charlie! LOL! OP is gonna get torn a new one. :rofl:

just got the topics sake ill chime in.
i don't really like the ex. pig of gas (gets avg of 14l/100km according to people i've talked to that own it) and not that large. does sound pretty good though.
cx-5 is great so i've heard. driven it only a handful of times, seems somewhat underpowered (only 155hp) but one guy i know gets 8l/100km all highway driving.
tuscon is great, it's the best value of the bunch.

I haven't driven the rdx but of the 3 i've driven, I'd have the ex if "money was not a problem" but the nicely loaded tuscon if i was tight on budget.
juding from your "other posts", I'd go with the new crv or rogue.

btw you said

it's kinda hard to give you serious advice when you're complaining about gas prices and being tight on money, then saying you're looking for a "luxury suv", and then putting an infiniti on the list with a hyundai.
the ex is 2x more than the tuscon

i'd say stick with your civic

As far as maintenance costs and whatnot, when my mom picked up her brand new ford (this last weekend, Thanks Troy and Kaleb from Coastal! </shamelesplug>), she got a 6-year extended warranty/extended maintenance package. Mom pays for the car, and then nothing except gas and insurance for six years. And even wear items were covered in it (no tires, but wipers, brakes, etc).

actually, include the upcoming escape to my list too

I've driven the EX35 as a courtesy car a lot of times. It's a really good car to drive around in the city. Power from the VQ is great and it even sounds nice. Interior is also great, as is the list of tech included (which is typical of the brand). Thing to note that it is nearing its current cycle so it will be totally redesigned fairly soon.

They are not SUV's...

Anyways, stay away from the EX.

Hit up NICO and check the reviews...

Following is my personal opinion from what I have driven/driving.

CX-5, there is no feedback from the steering wheel (felt like driving a game console steering wheel with no feedback) , accelerates like a CVT 4cycl Forester. The interior is decent but other than that, it isn't that fun to drive. It is a decent family car, but totally not fun to drive.

Now's the perfect time to lease a GLK. (2.9% lease rate?) Note that it is not race car, it drives like a tank. If you step on it, there is a umph and sounds great with that merc note. Handling is some what sluggish beacuse TANK. Interior space is kinda small, especially in the passenger compartment. Perfect for kids and a family or trucking in laws around. (note its hard to get in, back doors are smaller)

I drive a 2010 X3, didn't have time to drive the 2011 one. I believe driving characteristics should be around the same other than 6 over 8 gear box. The X3 is a solid product other than BMW problems, but then u would just go complain to the maintenance department :lawl:. Steering has ample feedback, sport mode is actually a sport mode that downshifts. Traction control is decent enough for snow and grass. BOTH BENZ AND BMW cannot offroad, don't bother trying.

X1, back seats feel weird. Other than that should be similar to >2010 X3. Same engine, same factory.

^Bad idea, OP makes 40k pretax? and pays for rent, tuition, and living expenses? so unless he has the full amount saved up or his parents are helping him financially, not only are the EX and RDX choices he listed bad ideas, but so is encouraging him to look at a Benz or BMW suv.

My family had a Infiniti QX4 back in the day and have gotten an X3 as a loaner and I felt they both eat gas, though this is probably the case with any SUV. Jumping from a civic to any of these cars is going to be a big change, expect to pay at least 100 per tank and have to fill up roughly every 5-7 days (estimate as it will always depend on how much you drive of course).

^ then op shouldnt even refer to a luxury SUV and just get a crv/rav4/outback or forester/cx5/kia/hyundai

Using a V8 with 5AT and I6 with 6AT of course is going to eat gas. I drove to PDX with a GLK and then a X3, GLK 7th gear saved around $50 in gas. There is a obvious trade off with cost luxury and performance. I did not recommend him to buy any of the above cars, I am just sharing opinions on two SUVs that I am extremely familiar with and can be alternatives to EX/RDX.

Wait, you're a student and you want a NEW car?

No wait, you're a student and you want a brand NEW "luxury" CUV?

http://www.mememaker.net/static/images/memes/18350.jpg

:fulloffuck:

I can already feel the gray hair coming.

So Bill Gates have to run by you on everything he buys? You don't see Bill Gates drive doesn't mean he doesn't have it.. He and Paul Allen were the only Americans that splurged on a 959 when it was in production.

Being a 2011 MDX owner myself, I'd say go for the RDX or the EX.
The 2013 RDX is sick, comes with everything you need, can't go wrong with it.
EX would be my 2nd choice, solid engine, good builld quality.

Edit: OP, I just realized that you're the same guy who was going to Pt Roberts for gas.
Maybe just get the cheapest of the bunch...honestly.

Neighbour just bought a 2013 RDX, looks nice, drives nice, and the v6 can shut a few cylinders off to save gas. Not bad.

Real question is:
Which car has the most amount of trunk space for Jerry Cans?

We have a 2011 EX35 with nav.

We were considering between the X1, Mini Countryman and RDX. Ultimately went for EX35 for the feel of it.

Now, after driving it for almost a year
Pros:
Build quality seems great. I have yet had any problem. (knock on wood)
Engine is smooth. Power whenever I need it.
Attessa ET-S with snow tires have been excellent in East Coast winter. Able to get out of some decent snow packs and great for start/stop.
Gas mileage isn't as bad as I thought. I average 11L/100KM combined. (40/60 city/hwy) Which is less than my 328@12L/100KM
The all-around camera is super handy when you try to park in tiny places or you are simply not very good parking (in my wife's case, she has never scratched the rims again)

Cons:
The trunk could be a bit bigger. But I only notice that when I travel and have to carry luggage.
Rear seats can be a bit small for adults. But unless you are always loading 5 people for your trips down to Portland, I don't see it as a problem.
Nav system UI needs some improvement. It's not exactly intuitive and can be a bit slow if you have to input new address often (I just save most of the places in address book)
Also, the GPS input is pretty much useless once you start moving. It disables almost everything :fuckthatshit:

I have no complain so far. I think I'd still have picked the EX if I were to buy it again.

FWIW - I was looking at those exact same cars... until I drove a Ford Edge - yeah yeah, (flame suit on) it's a Ford... but the fit and finish, as well as the Microsoft integration is beyond the capabilities of all the other cars I looked at.

I also painted the cladding to give it a more luxury type appearance...

Do u find the running boards weird? They dont run along the whole length of the car :heckno:

Dont mean to thread jack, its kinda on topic though.

Whats the best compact SUV with good fuel economy?

Only ones that come to mind is the Nissan Rogue and the Mitsubishi RVR.

Any of those two worth buying? We're kinda interested in the RVR even it has little to no power.