And the most comfortable car 2016 award goes to...

[HDA]

Hi primers!

I recently became a father of a gorgeous little girl, named Isabella. I am also the proud master of 2 fleabags, Peanut and Olliedacollie...hence the natural search for a family vehicle.

One thing I really value in a car is how comfortable it is. If I want something relatively fast, loud and uncomfortable I have the NSX :biggrin:

Do you have any experience of cars in the $35-40k range, wagon or SUV, that you found to be extremely comfortable? To give you and example, the previous Honda Pilot was HORRIBLE, took a trip on it and my back was sore for days. Same for the BMW X5 (2012 model).

Any suggestion?

Thanks!

 

[BTL3.0]

Congrat on your baby girl.
I too hated the Honda pilot. Can't help much since we only have a base model rav4 2010. Decent, much more comfortable then pilot. But its pretty noisy..
Good luck with your se3arch.

 

[BAVARIA]

Buddy had a Ford Fusion Titanium rental -- shockingly comfortable but not mushy. Possibly a bit too small for your needs. I just left the Acura fold (no, not my NSX -- my beloved DD 2006 TL with 140,000 trouble-free miles) for Audi A6 3.0T. Fabulously comfortable, quiet and quick (3.0T engine). New it is above your upper price threshold but plenty of CPO cars out there that are likely at the upper end of your range. I looked at the Acura TLX and was not impressed and it was just too small. Congrats on the addition to your family!

 

[HDA]

Buddy had a Ford Fusion Titanium rental -- shockingly comfortable but not mushy. Possibly a bit too small for your needs. I just left the Acura fold (no, not my NSX -- my beloved DD 2006 TL with 140,000 trouble-free miles) for Audi A6 3.0T. Fabulously comfortable, quiet and quick (3.0T engine). New it is above your upper price threshold but plenty of CPO cars out there that are likely at the upper end of your range. I looked at the Acura TLX and was not impressed and it was just too small. Congrats on the addition to your family!

Thank for the feedback! I really like the A6 but it needs to be a wagon/SUV in order to be considered. I can't understand why wagons are not popular in the US.
My next best choice would be the MB E63 Wagon but they are WAAAAAAAAAAAAY out of my budget, even used.

Don't kill me, but I like this thing in Ecoboost form...:redface:

 

[BAVARIA]

I've been out of the American car scene for a few decades. However, being a member of the "old dads club" I took my 11 year old son and 5 of his friends to Kalahari indoor water park in OH (I live in MI) for his birthday. I rented a Ford Expedition -- huge thing that accommodated 8 of us. It had the ecoboost 6 cylinder and was stupendous. 20 mpg on hwy (70-75 mph) and had lots of power. I don't need a beast like that but Ford did a great job with that vehicle. Flex has tons of room. You could do much worse. I find the new Ford Explorer to be a very handsome SUV -- looks like the Range Rover. Good luck with your search. At least your roads there should be better than the bombed out things that pass for roads here in MI -- the Motor City -- my *ss. Although I took the plunge with the Audi, my preference still lies with Mother Honda for a pleasant (read: non-wallet draining) ownership experience post-warranty. Thus, I'd steer clear of any of the German iron unless a CPO car with lots of warranty left. My A6 (purchased new 3 months ago) is a 5 year ownership proposition at best -- I will leave the maintenance/non-warranty repair fun and games to its next owner! I'm less afraid of the American cars which in recent years have gotten much better IMHO.

Best,
Jeff

 

[DocL]

I have 3yr old twins and have two SUVs for kid hauling. The primary SUV is a 2010 Ford Explorer. We bought it CPO with low miles Nov 2014 for $19k and have been very happy with it. The main reason why it's our primary kid hauler is because it's the last of the Explorers built on the truck platform. We had a Mercury Mountianeer before it that was totaled in a bad crash with our kids in it and it protected them extremely well. The two other cars involved in the crash were also totaled and the occupants went to the hospital. It's comfortable and our Eddie Bauer has every option except the tv. We go to Disney a few times a month and 3hrs behind the wheel is no problem. It only has the v6 rwd, but it cruises comfortably @ 85 on the highway.

Our other SUV is a 2013 Lexus RX350. We just got it this summer as a CPO to replace our 2011 that was totaled. The car did an excellent job of protecting my wife and that is why we got the same model again. It is very comfortable around town. The interior is a bit feminine, but it's my wife's DD and is also used for kid hauling. Of course it's a Lexus and the customer service is excellent.

I think you are doing the right thing looking for a n SUV. I initially wanted a minivan but having two SUVs involved in crashes the past year, no other vehicle is safer for your children.

 

[Ponyboy]

Hi primers!

I recently became a father of a gorgeous little girl, named Isabella.

Congrats on the new addition! I have a bias as our oldest, 13, is named Isabella as well. Per your request, we did quite a bit of research at the time and chose an 2010 Acura MDX with the Advance trim level. Don't regret it one iota. It's been a great car for the family overall. The model has some things that you need to watch out for: the mag shocks are expensive to replace though if one does go, you only need to replace that one. Some engines eat oil (our does). The relatively short wheelbase makes for some strange stability feelings.

However, it has plenty of power, comfortable to drive, the SH-AWD gives it great traction and handling, good mpg, lots of room, good seat coolers, and it's obviously well made. I'd love to get another one for me once I relegate the M5 to "project" status.

 

[BamaFan]

Check out the Nissan Pathfinder. Nice ride, huge inside, and an attractive exterior design. I'm considering the Infinity. Also, the Volvo XC 70 is about to be discontinued. Nice wagon, beautiful interior. You should be able to get a good deal.

 

[davidf]

FWIW, Eco-boost is a great choice. I've driven both the F150 and Expedition, both eco-boost. Lots of useable power, both 87 octane.:wink:

 

[flaminio]

I've driven my Odyssey thousands of miles, all over the southwest, without any discomfort whatsoever -- and I suffer from fairly severe back pain. It's the second most comfortable car I've owned (after the NSX).

I realize that minivans aren't particularly "cool", but for comfort, practicality (8 seats + 17 cupholders), gas mileage, etc. -- it's tough to beat.

 

[Jinks]

I agree with PonyBoy, as I also own a 2010 MDX with the advance package. It has plenty of power when you learn how to use the S shifter. It's roomy and yes the cooled seats kick ass. It also sports very close to nsx spec wheels. The only downfall is the Bluetooth. It never worked right until I got the iPhone. Now it seems to work better. It's not 2016 but still a great car. It's very safety advanced as the seat belts tighten and loosen upon hard braking and road obstructions. It's definitely a great buy.

 

[Miner]

My wife and needed something bigger than her Ford Escape as we are expecting our second daughter in about a month. We looked and drove a bunch of 3 row SUVs and really liked the infiniti QX60. We found a 14 with low miles and were able to pick it up for $36,500. It is super smooth on the higheay and with all the fratures it is nice. The only thing i dont like is the CVT. It works fine, just a little vague. Otherwise we are very happy with it.
And congratulations on your daughter. Our older daughter is Izabella, too.

 

[steveny]

Hi primers!

I recently became a father of a gorgeous little girl, named Isabella. I am also the proud master of 2 fleabags, Peanut and Olliedacollie...hence the natural search for a family vehicle.

One thing I really value in a car is how comfortable it is. If I want something relatively fast, loud and uncomfortable I have the NSX :biggrin:

Do you have any experience of cars in the $35-40k range, wagon or SUV, that you found to be extremely comfortable? To give you and example, the previous Honda Pilot was HORRIBLE, took a trip on it and my back was sore for days. Same for the BMW X5 (2012 model).

Any suggestion?

Thanks!

I recently went on a wine tour, rent d a van and driver, I was pretty comfortable in the van. It was a loaded dodge caravan. I didnt drive it so I don't know preform and but Im Guessing there wasn't any.

Seems like in your price range you could get a used rover. I'm uncertain of reliability though on the newer rovers. I know the older ones were very unreliable.

If it doesn't have to be an suv or wagon I'd suggest a used s class. Most comfortable! Get the extended warranty!

- - - Updated - - -

My wife and needed something bigger than her Ford Escape as we are expecting our second daughter in about a month. We looked and drove a bunch of 3 row SUVs and really liked the infiniti QX60. We found a 14 with low miles and were able to pick it up for $36,500. It is super smooth on the higheay and with all the fratures it is nice. The only thing i dont like is the CVT. It works fine, just a little vague. Otherwise we are very happy with it.
And congratulations on your daughter. Our older daughter is Izabella, too.

Oh god, the CVT. I had a vehicle with the CVT, only kept it a month. The car made me nauseous. Seriously.

 

[type-j]

I have a 2015 Lexus rx350 and its pretty comfortable and smooth. The new 2016 model coming out soon also looks pretty nice with the updated interior and exterior.

 

[HDA]

Isn't the Lexus a more luxurious Toyota? If yes, they should have the same frame of the 4runner, which I like the way it looks but hate the way it drives. Comfortability unknown.The Flex was turned down as being a "hearse" or "death mobile"...too bad, it was very comfortable inside and had the torque that does not let you get bored.It is impossible to understand if the car is comfortable or not during a 15 minutes test drive at the dealer. And going to the dealer is one of the most annoying things to do...!

 

[Miner]

I recently went on a wine tour, rent d a van and driver, I was pretty comfortable in the van. It was a loaded dodge caravan. I didnt drive it so I don't know preform and but Im Guessing there wasn't any.

Seems like in your price range you could get a used rover. I'm uncertain of reliability though on the newer rovers. I know the older ones were very unreliable.

If it doesn't have to be an suv or wagon I'd suggest a used s class. Most comfortable! Get the extended warranty!

- - - Updated - - -



Oh god, the CVT. I had a vehicle with the CVT, only kept it a month. The car made me nauseous. Seriously.

I am not going to say it is that bad on our QX60. But it does take a moment to spool up when downshifting. A bit worse than a 5 speed handamatic.

 

[robr]

Check out the Nissan Pathfinder. Nice ride, huge inside, and an attractive exterior design. I'm considering the Infinity. Also, the Volvo XC 70 is about to be discontinued. Nice wagon, beautiful interior. You should be able to get a good deal.

We have a 2014 Pathfinder Platinum 4WD (which is a CVT, but tbh, it's not noticeable unless you floor it, then it sounds like the transmission is slipping). It's comfy, but not enough that I'd say it's amazing. My wife and I both miss our Odyssey. We didn't think we would, but we have a little bit of regret about getting rid of it (and before we bought it, neither of us wanted to be seen in a minivan). OTOH, the Pathfinder is much better in the snow. I still don't understand why Honda hasn't made 4WD Odyssey. Seems like a no-brainer.

 

[Miner]

We have a 2014 Pathfinder Platinum 4WD (which is a CVT, but tbh, it's not noticeable unless you floor it, then it sounds like the transmission is slipping). It's comfy, but not enough that I'd say it's amazing. My wife and I both miss our Odyssey. We didn't think we would, but we have a little bit of regret about getting rid of it (and before we bought it, neither of us wanted to be seen in a minivan). OTOH, the Pathfinder is much better in the snow. I still don't understand why Honda hasn't made 4WD Odyssey. Seems like a no-brainer.

My brother in law has a 15 Pathifinder and it is overall a great car too. The QX60 has a few nicer features and all wheel drive, power liftgate and panoramic sunroof, but is pretty much the same drivetrain. Both have great access to the 3rd row; which is why we picked it over an MDX.

 

[robr]

Not sure where my reply went... I was curious what features differentiate the qx60 from the Pathfinder platinum as the platinum has everything you mention pretty much but I can go google.

 

[Miner]

Not sure where my reply went... I was curious what features differentiate the qx60 from the Pathfinder platinum as the platinum has everything you mention pretty much but I can go google.

Not sure what else is differnet, if any. QX has keyless touch locks, nav, collision intervention, all around cameras, lane departure corrector. Not sure which are avail on the platinum Pathfiner. QX has a bit smoother line, but that is subjective.

 

[robr]

You hit on a couple of things there. Pathfinder Platinum has keyless touch locks and keyless push button start, power liftgate, factory remote start, nav, all around cameras, two TVs, heated front and 2nd row seats, cooled front seats, two moonroofs, tow package, but lacks the collision intervention and lane departure corrector.

Still rather have the Odyssey Touring we used to have though, if only it had 4WD.

 

[BamaFan]

I just went through the same exercise. I ordered the Mercedes GLE yesterday (used to be called the ML). Very solid car, confidence-inspiring, and supremely comfortable for my wife and kids.

If it was my money, however (the Mercedes will be my company car) I would have chosen either the Infinity/Pathfinder or the Acura MDX. I was really impressed with the MDX in ways I have not recently been impressed by Acuras lately. It definitely was the most driver-oriented SUV I tested.

For pure passenger comfort at a reasonable price, the Infinity/Pathfinder won.