You can see the archived poll results on the Wayback Machine:
https://web.archive.org/web/20221220093741/https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/72565
Heres a comparison from 2011 reviewed by MT.
We're in the market for an suv/crossover. We just have the mazda left to test drive, again. (yes, we are a pita for the salespeeps). You have to insist on taking it up to frwy speeds, going over railroad tracks (if closeby), doing u-turns and my most important, testing with a near-full load (this is when we bring the whole family, parents and all). Most have those instant mpg 'puters so you can sorta get an idea.
We got a preapproval from our CU, so its nice to be able shop w/o dealing with any pressure. Edmunds.com's quote request is your friend. Its a buyers market so we've received alot of great deals, some at or near invoice (which in NOT what the dealers paid contrary to belief).
Anybody here have any of the current models?
And sorry this question will only apply to N Americans.
having driven all of them id vote durango or highlander. actually i havent driven the newest model explorer. it was a 2010 or '11 and it was..mediocre. the updated one looks better though.
its a little more expensive than the rest but im in love with the new infiniti jx
I have a CX9 Touring AWD. I really liked the way it drives in the city and out in the country roads. Nimble and quick, great visibility and with the back camera its easy to park. It is real comfortable on long trips. I would not say it is a SUV though , sort of a crossover not ment for offroading.
Fishmaniac, I have a Jeep Wrangler, which isn't on the list, so take what I'm going to say with a grain of salt.
I have two relatives that each have a Honda Pilot. One is actually on his second. This guy is super anal about things and nit picks nearly everything in his life. But he can't stop singing the praises of the Pilot. Plus, I think being a repeat buyer says something about the depth of his feelings.
My sister, on the other hand, isn't a car person, per se, so you never get a detailed and cogent review, but I know she thinks it is very accommodating to her herd (4 kids).
I would avoid the Dodge and Chevy just based on principle (bailouts), but you may feel differently about that. In fact, I've owned a Wrangler my entire adult life and my Father always had one too, but the one I have now will have to last the rest of my life for the same reason.
Sorry for the little rant. Have fun shopping and pick well.
Lincoln Navigator or Navigator L
Buy a used one that still has a remaining factory warranty. You'll be much happier...
A few Qs:
- Will you be doing much towing?
- How important is off-road capability?
- How important is MPG?
- How long do you plan on keeping the vehicle? Do you trade-in after a few years, or do you drive them until they go to the big junkyard in the sky?
- Do you live in the city or country? (distance to dealership)
Get whatever is right for you. Best time to buy would be around Memorial Day weekend or the 31st. Next week, get the Friday/Saturday newspaper really early and look for loss-leaders, then drive to the dealership right before they open to snag the deal.
X, i will not be off roading necessarily, nor do towing with it since i already have a truck for that. I live in west socal so very urban. MPG is always important but i understand that im not about to buy a small sedan thats gets 35mpg. Besides, i think these all have around the same ave mpg give or take. And lastly, all my cars are kept until they fall apart...lol.
I had a 2012 Explorer rental for a week recently. I loved everything about it except it was front wheel drive if that doesn't bother you than I can highly recommend it.
None of the above, Volvo XC-90.
Still can't understand why they made that thing into a front wheel drive minivan. I guess we could call it a manivan since it still looks macho.
Lol, actually the only one that looks like a minivan to me is the Traverse. Also, the Durango is the only RWD of the bunch.
Hmm. I have driven a Pilot and it was ok, (I'm not really an SUV person). I did own a 2003 CRV and it drove much like a car would. To me it seems Honda in the last 15 years has really jacked up the price on some of it's models.
Not knowing much about the Highlander the fact that you can get a Hybrid (if Hybrid is an attractive option) for about the same as the Pilot in real world dealer prices makes this a hard choice to vote on , so I won't. I Can not comment on the Dodge or the Chevy , but I did own a Mazda 6 and had nothing but probs with it. Not to put Mazda down as a car company of the fact that the 6 was basically Ford made, many car companies are just rebranded something or other.
Edmunds as you mentioned is a good research start, but I would find enthusiasts sites of the cars (SUV) you are researching and look for chronic problems, the good the bad , and fixes. Also look for maintenance notices that the dealer puts out to service depts., not recalls but just heads up to service depts. that there has been an issue with something and expect to get many tickets on. I think they call them different things depending on the company, But if I recall correctly Mazda called them TSB. These are public info , but most times customers will not be contacted about them like a recall, you have to look them up yourself.
Anyhow, Good hunting. Get the one that works best for your family :)
toyota highlander. IMHO. Budget. Quality. Lasting.
It's not that I have anything against front wheel drive. Probably great in a lot of applications. But I am always a little sad when a truck gets neutered. Might as well drive a Smart Car at that point. Really looking forward to the day when F350s go FWD. That will make an awesome work truck. 
The info I have seems to indicate that the new engines Ford is building are some of the best on the market. A car is more than just an engine but those Ford motors are pretty advanced stuff. Seems like Toyota is resting on their past and haven’t really advanced like the American and Korean companies.
So my little info is Ford has good engines and Toyota is not what it used to be. Take that for whatever it is worth. I drive a Subaru Forrester 2009 and love it. Handles like a sports car with the low center of gravity and AWD. I can take corners at speeds that will flip any of the SUVs on your list.
Rear wheel drive is great in the snow. You get to know the tow truck driver well enough to get frequent tow discounts.
Check out the Acura MDX you can get one for a very comparable price to the Pilot, at least here in Canada, I dont know close the prices are in the States.
But I like the Honda Pilot.
From that list, and your input, I would choose either the Pilot or Highlander.
Good luck with your choice !