Debating a Full-Size SUV

"WiscoProud" (wiscoproud) 02/26/2020 at 12:00 • Filed to: None

0

31

So my family is already 5 deep (2 kids and a 70lb dog) and we’re debating having another. As much as I love my Land Cruiser, we can’t even fit the two kids and dog comfortably into the back seat, which is surprisingly tight. So I’ve been debating trading it in or buying a full size SUV than can comfortably seat 6 and carry all our stuff.

Requirements: Seats 5-6, with room for cargo. 4wd and transfer case, ideally with an off-road package including skid plates and what not. I do like to explore forest roads, which i realize will be tougher in something this size. Gets 20+ MPG highway, which is a 50% improvement over what i currently get. I commute 50 miles daily, and the LCs mileage hurts. I’d love to have captains chairs in the second row for ease of getting to the third. My dog also likes to lay between them in our van. I’d love to keep the purchase price under $35k.

Current Vehicles: 2004 Toyota Land Cruiser, with 215k miles. All maintenance is up to date, but I’ll probably need new tires in the next year. My wife has a 2013 Sienna AWD that hauls everyone fine, but can be sketchy in snowstorms to/from my in-laws cabin. I also can’t explore the woods in it.

While I do not relish DDing something as big as a Suburban, its no bigger than the full-size pickups that are everywhere here. I strongly debated a 2018+ Ram 1500, since there should be enough rear seat leg room, so let my dog lay on the floor, but I’m thinking I’ll get a lot more use out of a third row than a truck bed.

Leading Contenders:

2015-2018 Tahoe or Suburban with Z71 package.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

This one is pretty much perfect. It even already has a leveling kit and the front air dam deleted. Unfortuately, its in Texas. This one is closer, but also 20% more

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

On the Tahoe front, this one popped up. Downside is that is costs just as much as the Suburban, and the third row is kids only, per reviews I’ve read. It is 20" shorter than a Suburban, while still being a foot longer than my LC.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

2018+ Ford Expedition with FX4 package

I really like the look, power, and options of the newest generation of Expedition, but as they’re still very new, $45k is about as cheap as they go, and that’s for the normal size one. Expedition Maxs are roomier, but currently bottom out at $50k. I presume if I wait a year, a lot more will come off lease and the price will drop. We got a prior gen Expedition El as an upgraded rental a few years back, and my wife loved it.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

2018+ Ram 1500 with Off-Road Group

I think this would probably work, since it would allow my dog to lay on the floor, but I’d have to try it to see. I hate the rims on this one, but otherwise its just what i’m looking for.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Others:

I’ve looked at most of the other full size SUVs, and have test driven the lastest gen Armada and Sequoia. Disappointingly, I had head room issues in both (i’m 6'5" and prefer to sit upright in trucks). The sequoia has 4" less headroom than my Land Cruiser even.

What do you guys think? Anything i’m overlooking?

Long Shot: Keep my Land cruiser or get a small pickup, and buy a small fun commuting car. I wouldn’t be able to fit the family into it for up-north fun, but there’s a new 4wd group that’s trying to do more stuff by me.

functionoverfashion > WiscoProud 02/26/2020 at 12:54

1

Kinda hard to beat a Suburban on this one. My father in law gets around 17mpg in his (he’s had several). It’s enormous, and there’s not much else to say. 

Textured Soy Protein > WiscoProud 02/26/2020 at 12:59

0

Define “explore forest roads.” How paved or not are these roads? A typical unibody 3-row crossover has more room inside than these BOF options while being much more manageable size on the outside . If you’re not towing, there are plenty of them that have enough ground clearance and driveline options for light off-roading.

whatisthatsound > WiscoProud 02/26/2020 at 13:09

0

I live in rental vehicles and I anyways gravitate towards getting an expedition over a tahoe and we do some nonsensical things in them. 

WiscoProud > Textured Soy Protein 02/26/2020 at 13:17

0

Zero paving, rutted, tight, almost certainly have mud holes, etc. The only maintenance they receive is people removing downed trees.

While I don’t have regular towing needs, it does come up on occasion, and we’ve talked about getting a camper. I don’t need 12k pounds of towing capacity, but 7k+ would be nice. 

WiscoProud > functionoverfashion 02/26/2020 at 13:19

0

Even 17 mpg combined would be 25% better than what i get. I’d love to get a plug-in hybrid, but there aren’t really any options in this space. 

WiscoProud > whatisthatsound 02/26/2020 at 13:21

0

the newest generation seems to have almost universal praise from reviewers, its just too new, so the prices are high. I really like the FX4 package on the new ones too. I don’t plan on taking it to Moab, but its nice to have the capability in the case of blizzards or mud holes. 

Jason Spears > Textured Soy Protein 02/26/2020 at 13:23

0

I recently learned the Toyota Sienna is available with AWD. If towing and ground clearance aren’t a factor, maybe this is the non-SUV for the job?

adamftw > WiscoProud 02/26/2020 at 13:32

1

Keep the LC, get a commuter? My plan is something like that. I’d lean towards an Ecoboost Expedition over a Tahoe, and I’m a Chevy guy through and through. If you don’t plan on getting the bed dirty, get a SUV. I never use my truck bed.

A level, air dam removal and ATs will drop the Tahoe MPG from 20-22 highway to 17-18 maximum. The Chevys get great MPG, but they need to be 100% stock for that to happen.

Shift24 > WiscoProud 02/26/2020 at 13:37

0

Im not a Ford guy but the Ecoboost motors have been proven to be decent and way better on gas. To give you an idea, our company rented 2 SUVs, one Infiniti QX80 and the other a Expedition. I received the I nfiniti and the other group got the Ford for our 3+hour trip

Loaded down with 5 people the F ord got 22.3mpg. Infiniti was 17.6 and took premium.

With that though, the damn near bullet proofness of the Suburban is always a sticking point on why get anything else.

Sequoias are ancient and iirc still have 4 speeds with highway mpg in the 15 area.

Only others would be like a durango but thats not going offroad much 

avalonian > WiscoProud 02/26/2020 at 14:01

0

Maybe a 4runner, Land Rover discovery ? They h old kids pretty well, and the dog goes in the back right? I’m 24, I know squat about these problems lol.

WiscoProud > Jason Spears 02/26/2020 at 14:19

0

We have an AWD Sienna. It works well and is obviously reliable, but unfortunately towing and ground clearance are factors for me. 

WiscoProud > Shift24 02/26/2020 at 14:23

0

The Sequoia has a 6 speed currently, but just got it in 2010. The mileage is bad from what i’ve read though. I like the ecoboost, and they updated it in 2018 adding port injection which is supposed to improve mileage while cutting down on carbon fouling. I just have to wait for the first batches to come off of lease. 

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > WiscoProud 02/26/2020 at 14:27

0

I’ve driven the newest Expedition and it is very very nice, I love that ecobost motor, and  It does not feel as large as it actually is. The suburban and Tahoe actually feel as large as they are. That being said the Suburban is more of a “truck” than the expedition and may be more robust when it comes to towing and forest trails.

WiscoProud > adamftw 02/26/2020 at 14:29

0

I’m like the Expedition more too, but the $20k price difference is tough to swallow.

I lifted my LC 1.5" and put bigger AT tires on it, which dropped my combined mileage less than 1 mpg. I have seen that those changes are supposed to have a bigger effect on the Suburban though. 

WiscoProud > avalonian 02/26/2020 at 14:33

0

The 4Runner isn’t nearly big enough. My BIL has a 2015, and my truck is roughly the same length, but 4-5" wider. Back seat leg room is just as tight though. I would love an LR4, and had an LR3 in the past, but without a giant roof top carrier, it wouldn’t work either. The Discoverys are nice, but their styling never did much for me. I love the new Defender though. 

WiscoProud > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 02/26/2020 at 14:34

0

Yeah, that seems like the main trade off. Honestly, it’ll be on-road way more than it is off-road, so that’s not the worst thing. 

Wacko > WiscoProud 02/26/2020 at 14:42

0

Crew cab eco diesel with bench seat seats 6 and gets great mileage for a truck of that size.

WiscoProud > Wacko 02/26/2020 at 14:51

0

I’ve definitely looked at them. From a mileage standpoint its hard to argue with. Not sure I’d pay the premium for diesel in a new vehicle, but the gap is much smaller on the used market. 

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > WiscoProud 02/26/2020 at 15:01

0

I really  want to say Ford Edge with the twin turbo ecoboost and AWD, but I don’t know how good that would be on forests roads.

WiscoProud > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker 02/26/2020 at 16:06

1

It looks like a decent vehicle, but its smaller than my current land cruiser. 

Saracen > WiscoProud 02/26/2020 at 16:20

0

Discos are shit to drive, and you have zero luggage room behind the (optional) third row seats.

WiscoProud > Saracen 02/26/2020 at 16:23

0

I really liked how my LR3 drove, but there was no space behind the third row either. 

Textured Soy Protein > WiscoProud 02/26/2020 at 16:59

0

The towing will probably put you in a truck platform. Most of the 3-row crossovers from mainstream brands are 5000 lbs or less of towing capacity. The one exception is the Dodge Durango which I classify as a crossover because it’s a unibody platform shared with the Grand Cherokee and previous generation Mercedes ML/GLE-class. It’s rated for 7200 lbs with the 5.7 Hemi. But, i ts third row and cargo area behind the 3rd row aren’t all that big .

There are some luxury 3-row models with higher tow ratings, namely the Audi Q7, BMW X7, Land Rover Discovery and Mercedes GLS. But none of those are cheap and generally speaking none of them is particularly big for a 3-row option.

WiscoProud > Textured Soy Protein 02/26/2020 at 17:28

0

Yeah, I’m a Mercedes and Land Rover fanboy, but for my needs, something big and domestic fits the bill. I wish the sequoia was updated and had decent head room. 

The Compromiser > WiscoProud 02/26/2020 at 20:39

0

Durango . Have one. Five of us to PEI from Ontario. No issues. Real leg room in the third row. Basically a grand Cherokee with a big ass.

adamftw > WiscoProud 02/26/2020 at 21:04

0

What about the previous gen Expedition? Still get the 3.5 on the later ones. Offroad, you’ll see compromises with either, but if you’re just doing fire roads and not stretching out the suspension and lifting tires, you’ll be fine with the G80 autolocker in the GM stuff.  The windows are small in the GMs compared to the LC too.

What kinda fuel mileage you getting with the LC?

WiscoProud > adamftw 02/27/2020 at 10:33

0

My last two tanks have been 13-13.5 combined, which is inline with the EPA estimates, so yah? That’s with a small lift and 33" tires. Highway I can maybe squeeze out 16-17, so the 21 mpg highway for the Suburban 4x4 sounds great to me.

We had an Expedition EL as a rental a few years back. The power was intoxicating and my wife loved it, but I thought the interior and exterior were pretty bland. If they had offered an Fx4 version of that generation, i’d probably consider it though. 

WiscoProud > The Compromiser 02/27/2020 at 10:36

0

I like the looks of the newest generation. Is there any cargo space when the third row is used? That seems to be a limiting factor on many of them. My LR3 had a great third row, but you could maybe put a duffel bag behind it. 

adamftw > WiscoProud 02/27/2020 at 10:47

0

16-17 highway seems pretty great to me for a LC100. A stock Burb will blow right through the EPA highway numbers. It’s pretty easy to get 23 in my father in law’s 1500 Silverado cruising at 72-73. His “best” 50 miles is like 26 or 27. I can squeeze 18 out of my ‘05 on 33" BFG ATs.

Agreed on the previous gen blandness. It’s typical Ford, but it will age well.

WiscoProud > adamftw 02/27/2020 at 11:13

0

Yeah, i keep up with all the maintenance, which helps. I will say that to get that, you need to be staying around 60mph, like on a county highway. 70+ drops you back down to 15.

I would kill for mid-20s highway. Even my wife’s minivan only gets into the low 20s.

The Compromiser > WiscoProud 02/29/2020 at 19:43

1

My 17yo,14yo, an d 9y o with us driving for 27 hours straight. Oldest in the 3rd row. Floor c ookies are not his.