The Soccer Mom SUV Thread

I don't do SUVs, but friends of mine drive some combo of everything you've listed plus a few more to consider:

Grand Cherokee
Rover
G Wagon
Q7
CX-9
Macan S

plus
Alfa Romeo Stelvio
BMW X7
Infinity QX60
VW Atlas
Mercedes GLS
Tesla Model X
Tahoe/Suburban
Escalade
Explorer

Also, the Raptor has become a favorite of the husbands of said soccer moms.

Feedback: The CX-9 owner did a lot of shopping around and concluded that it was the one they liked most and did not have the luxury brand price tag attached
The Stelvio owner appreciated it being unique and different and not "another Audi or BMW"
One of the GLS owners upgraded from a Tahoe and at first didn't like it then grew to appreciate the finer points of the Benz, aside from losing towing capacity
No consensus on X7 vs Q7. A lot of switching back and forth from one to the other.
Lots of love for the Escalade.
The Tesla driver wanted the bigger battery. It's a very nice ride for sure.
There is an appreciation for the new aggressive grille on the Tahoe.
Suburbans are like the "do everything" nice SUV.
I was personally impressed with just how damn nice the Cherokee was inside.

I can't think of anyone I know in a Lexus SUV or Toyota one still... None of those cars listed suck. No one takes theirs off road. The off roading is done in jacked up Jeep Wranglers or Ford Raptors.
 
Buy American, please. At the very least, buy a foreign brand that is made by your fellow Americans somewhere in our beautiful country.

USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA
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American vehicles mostly are overpriced garbage...even after the government bailed out the US auto industry (GM, Chrysler) in 2008. US auto makers have no incentive to make better vehicles because the government will bail them out if needed.
 
In the process of grinding my Highlander into dust…265K on it, and I have been very happy with it. Mrs. Fish is the car person in the family, and she “selected” it for the ride, which is very comfy and quiet. She is currently researching compact SUV for replacement, since our daughters are not currently real big on giving us grandkids to haul around, and I have long since tired of hauling shit for people.

I’d be perfectly happy with something used, (having turned into a borderline minimalist in my advancing age) but the prices are ridiculous right now, as we all know…,
 
Wife has a 2018 Highlander. Very happy with it overall but we also don't actually have "weather" down here.

My mom has the Audi crossover and she loves it. Too small for a family car for us but more than good enough for the days where she picks up my kids.

I'm still rolling my shitty Dodge Dakota but at this point there's so much I've replaced on it myself I'm not real worried about it. It's good for offroading and beating the shit out of without worrying about scratching the paint. After dropping the pan and being able to replace a large part of the trans for $200 the wife has finally come around on why I value having a vehicle that I can work on myself and easily get parts for.
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You need to take the Dodge to Mako. The paint needs a touch up.
 
Not sure about the Sequioa, but you couldn't pay me to drive a Highlander or 4-Runner because the interiors are so long in the tooth. I believe most Toyota SUV models in 2022 or 2023 are finally being updated, but that 4-Runner has been the same car for 12+ years now.

We're on the wait-list for a Telluride SX. Yep, a fuckin' Kia that has won basically every Best Of award for 3 years running and had a wait-list before the chip crunch hit and wait lists became cool. CX-9, Explorer, Highlander, etc all had much less cargo space with three rows up, and the third row in each of those is too small.

2022_Kia_Telluride_12.jpg


If I had my druthers and the cash I would've stuck the Mrs. in a Durango Hellcat. Sucky interior and it's a Dodge, but it has 3-rows and 797 horsepower.

2021-dodge-durango-srt-hellcat-361-edit-1606323501.jpg
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The knock on the Sequoia in the reviews is the same at the 4 Runner. The interior is long in the tooth. This isn't something I couldn't give two shits over personally speaking.

 
Bought the wife a 3 yr old Pilot. Great fucking car, tons of room, fits up to 8 if necessary. Put both kids through HS and dozens of soccer tournaments all over the PNW.

Yakima/Thule box on top and ski trips are a breeze. Fast, reliable, great mileage, very fast 0 to 60, great visibility, good stereo, fucking thing goes anywhere and everything works. All I've done is change the oil, filters and changed the plugs once.

Also found a handful of my son's Trojan wrappers behind the back seat, so it's good for that, too. Great family car, indeed.
 
I have always advocated keeping at least one vehicle around that you can still wrench on in a garage without 50K worth of diagnostics equipment and specialty tools. Everything bought from the early 90's on except some basic Jeeps and trucks are going to be paperweights after the Zombie apocalypse.
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I think this fear is blown out of proportion. In a lot of ways, it's been a long time since car repair at home has been as accessible. To me, the absolute worst time period for working in an engine bay was the late eighties/early nineties: crammed in and absolutely smothered in a spaghetti noodle pile of vacuum hoses and wiring harness to make carburetors and early primitive fuel injection systems meet new emissions standards. Nowadays, a well designed vehicle can be pretty simple to work on with basic tools and a $10 code reader. Computer diagnostics (coupled with trouble code help from good ol' Google), easily unplugged sensors, etc., make things easy to diagnose and repair.

I had an E46 BMW that was the most brilliant car I've ever worked on. Fuel pump swap was ten minutes. Water pump was a half hour and a half dozen common tools. VANOS seals was an afternoon (stock photo):

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Only thing I've needed special tools for is F150 spark plug removal, but I guess I already have a lot of tools.

As the self-appointed President of the HH Porsche fan club you now have my complete attention.
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I'll believe you're club president when I hear you say the name with the proper number of syllables...

Speaking of Porsches, I flipped a CRX end over end a few times when I was 20. Used the insurance money from that to buy a Porsche 931 (which is the less embarrassing way to say "924 Turbo") that I spotted with a for sale sign in the window. Fucking loved that car. That was the car that really started me down the road of turning my own wrenches, as I found out that if you take one to a Porsche dealer, they turn their nose up and say it's not worth their time. Swapped out the camshaft, followers, and fuel distributor on the side of the road next to the Porsche dealer in Tucson because those dicks wouldn't even let me do the repair on their property after telling me they wouldn't touch the car themselves. At least the VW mechanics were cool enough to help me push it out of the lot and onto the road...
 
Wife has a 2018 Highlander. Very happy with it overall but we also don't actually have "weather" down here.

My mom has the Audi crossover and she loves it. Too small for a family car for us but more than good enough for the days where she picks up my kids.

I'm still rolling my shitty Dodge Dakota but at this point there's so much I've replaced on it myself I'm not real worried about it. It's good for offroading and beating the shit out of without worrying about scratching the paint. After dropping the pan and being able to replace a large part of the trans for $200 the wife has finally come around on why I value having a vehicle that I can work on myself and easily get parts for.
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You need to take the Dodge to Mako. The paint needs a touch up.
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I prefer taking it to the mojave and putting another layer of dust on it.

Plus, having a shitty looking truck helps prevent breakins which we get more and more of spilling over from LA county.
 
Soccer mom's largely don't drive minivans. They're the most practical vehicle for a family, and also completely dorky. Tried to convince my beard to get one and she will not be caught dead driving one.
 
Soccer mom's largely don't drive minivans. They're the most practical vehicle for a family, and also completely dorky. Tried to convince my beard to get one and she will not be caught dead driving one.
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I know, I was kidding. And I know exactly what you're talking about. I have a brother and at least four friends who REALLY want one. In every case, it's the wife putting the foot down. Marketing has convinced them that they'll immediately become less sexually attractive and independent if they get behind the wheel of a minivan.

The reality that escapes them is that they already got less sexually attractive and independent when they had kids and got fat, so they might as well drive something that makes their lives easier...
 
Buy American, please. At the very least, buy a foreign brand that is made by your fellow Americans somewhere in our beautiful country.

USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA
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American vehicles mostly are overpriced garbage...even after the government bailed out the US auto industry (GM, Chrysler) in 2008. US auto makers have no incentive to make better vehicles because the government will bail them out if needed.
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Scotty is on the spectrum and a well known Toyota dick sucker.

Most any new car built today will last a long time. The stuff about crap GM versus the Japanese quality is schtick at this point. Some cars are better than others as far as touch/feel of interior parts, but there aren't many new models built today that are junkers off the lot. Example from JD Power on long-term dependability. Most manufacturers are right at or below average these days. VW, Alfa, Jag, and Land Rover are all shit still, which is par for the course.

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I do agree on the overpriced comment for a lot of US automaker cars I looked at recently. Seems like most are $2-3k more than the Japanese/Korean equivalents.
 
Soccer mom's largely don't drive minivans. They're the most practical vehicle for a family, and also completely dorky. Tried to convince my beard to get one and she will not be caught dead driving one.
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I know, I was kidding. And I know exactly what you're talking about. I have a brother and at least four friends who REALLY want one. In every case, it's the wife putting the foot down. Marketing has convinced them that they'll immediately become less sexually attractive and independent if they get behind the wheel of a minivan.

The reality that escapes them is that they already got less sexually attractive and independent when they had kids and got fat, so they might as well drive something that makes their lives easier...
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So I live in the Mercedes Sprinter Van capital of the free world. What did they do to make those cool? I feel like the mini van could be made to be cool, but they are just generic looking blob of steel at the moment except for VW.
 
Soccer mom's largely don't drive minivans. They're the most practical vehicle for a family, and also completely dorky. Tried to convince my beard to get one and she will not be caught dead driving one.
Click to expand...

I know, I was kidding. And I know exactly what you're talking about. I have a brother and at least four friends who REALLY want one. In every case, it's the wife putting the foot down. Marketing has convinced them that they'll immediately become less sexually attractive and independent if they get behind the wheel of a minivan.

The reality that escapes them is that they already got less sexually attractive and independent when they had kids and got fat, so they might as well drive something that makes their lives easier...
Click to expand...

So I live in the Mercedes Sprinter Van capital of the free world. What did they do to make those cool? I feel like the mini van could be made to be cool, but they are just generic looking blob of steel at the moment except for VW.
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The Kia minivan is actually ok looking.

2022-kia-carnival-mmp-1-1617634070.jpg


Sprinter vans are great for contractors. Not sure about as a daily-driver. I think they're pretty spartan inside.
 
Soccer mom's largely don't drive minivans. They're the most practical vehicle for a family, and also completely dorky. Tried to convince my beard to get one and she will not be caught dead driving one.
Click to expand...

I know, I was kidding. And I know exactly what you're talking about. I have a brother and at least four friends who REALLY want one. In every case, it's the wife putting the foot down. Marketing has convinced them that they'll immediately become less sexually attractive and independent if they get behind the wheel of a minivan.

The reality that escapes them is that they already got less sexually attractive and independent when they had kids and got fat, so they might as well drive something that makes their lives easier...
Click to expand...

Wife actually previously had a minivan that we loved but basically all minivans on the market have issues at this point since it's such a niche.
 
So anyway, what does HH think about the coolest, best, most reliable, or best value (whatever your chief criteria is) soccer Mom wagons out there?
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So going back to this, to cut to the chase:

You said in another thread where you got married. You have a young baby. The list of vehicles which fit your profile based on that are the following:

Top Tier:
Audi Q7
BMW X7

Second Tier:
Cadillac Escalade
Infinity QX60
Volvo XC 90

You're not rolling up to RBC in anything else.
 
So anyway, what does HH think about the coolest, best, most reliable, or best value (whatever your chief criteria is) soccer Mom wagons out there?
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So going back to this, to cut to the chase:

You said in another thread where you got married. You have a young baby. The list of vehicles which fit your profile based on that are the following:

Top Tier:
Audi Q7
BMW X7

Second Tier:
Cadillac Escalade
Infinity QX60
Volvo XC 90

You're not rolling up to RBC in anything else.
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Appreciate the response but I'm not looking for an SUV. I legit have 5 cars at my house. For two people. And I still like my Grand Cherokee. I even shelled out for the lifetime warranty they no longer offer. I'm driving that fucker until the wheels fall off. Yella and I had been discussing SUVs generally recently and I really liked that Macan at the Porsche dealer so I figured I'd just throw this out as a fun discussion thread.

If I was in the market, and this is without full research mind you, I'd be focused on:

Money no object? Porsche Macan S all day e'ry day

Not too hot and not too cold pick? Audi Q7

Value buy? Grand Cherokee or one of the Toyotas

I've heard bad things about Volvo since the Chinese yellow bastards bought them but that's all anecdotal. Would NEVER own a Range Rover because every single person I know (and that's a fair amount) who has owned one has had major problems with it. Dream pick is a G wagon - people like to call them rich dick wagons but those things are capable as hell. But I'd never actually drop 130K on one. 10K-20K more gets you a decently optioned Carrera 2S 911. No way in hell I'm ever buying a G Wagon over a 911. Ever.
 
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Last one we had was aa 2010RX and the one before that was a 2004GX470 black w/black interior - easier to look on line than to find my pictures of it
pilvy6mcmpu2.jpeg
best vehicle I have ever owned, roomy, decent mpg (22), power, good stereo was the fancy one that I can't remember the name of.
The RX350 got worse gas mileage if you can believe it but was great for the Mrs to cruise around in. Me, I drove my farm truck F-250
 
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