Question: My manager at work is looking at getting a new SUV. He has been in a Honda Pilot for years and is looking to up the anti on his next ride. The car he is really looking at right now is a Land Rover Discovery. His second choice is the Audi Q7. Do you have any thoughts on either of those?
Or do you have any alternative SUV thoughts for something good?
(He's around 50, has a young daughter, plays hockey on weekends as a goalie so he needs enough space for an absurd amount of pads)
Answer: First of all - the Honda Pilot has been a great vehicle with pretty good fuel efficiency, superb interior space and generally pretty good handling given the really soft suspension. It has often been thought of as a minivan without the sliding doors.
There are lots of options when looking for a large new SUV - limited only by your views on styling, name recognition, power/fuel economy, and of course, cost.
Here are some of the new SUV “contenders” that he should look at.
- Mercedes GLS- 3.0L 362hp - Storage 49.4 cu/ft to 2nd row seats
- Audi Q7 - 2.0L 252hp - Storage 37.5 cu/ft to 2nd row seats
- Lincoln Navigator - 3.5L 450hp - Storage 54.4 cu/ft to 2nd row seats
- Ford Expedition - 3.5L 400hp - Storage 63.6 cu/ft to 2nd row seats
- Acura MDX - 3.5L 290hp - Storage 43.4 cu/ft to 2nd row seats
- Volvo XC90 - 2.0L 250hp - Storage 41.8 cu/ft to 2nd row seats
- Chevy Suburban - 5.3L 355hp - Storage 76.7 cu/ft to 2nd row seats
- Chevy Tahoe - 5.3L 355hp - Storage 51.7 cu/ft to 2nd row seats
There are several others such as Discovery;Toyota Land Cruiser; Lexus LX; Honda Pilot; GMC Yukon that you can also consider.
To respond to your specific question on comparing the Mercedes GLS and Audi Q7. I have always liked the Q7 for style and all around comfort and handling. The rear storage space is less than the GLS but still more than adequate for most situations.
I would recommend that you take your daughter’s hockey equipment along to the dealer and “test drive” how comfortably you can load and unload the gear. Things like remote tailgate lift and height of the rear storage floor are important when your hands are full.
I would also really concentrate on the rear seat space, comfort and ease of entry/exit. I am assuming that despite these being 3-row vehicles, that you would rarely use a third row. If the third row seats are going to be used, then the Suburban is the best choice for space.
The Mercedes GLS is also a great option with excellent space, style,comfort, etc. You really can’t go wrong with either one.
Finally, the “Discovery” is also a good vehicle but I would double check the rear space and also 2nd row seat comfort/space. Despite thus being a wonderful machine, I have found that the infotainment and navigation technology to be somewhat dated and the rear seats to be cramped (except for the top of the line version that is also quite expensive).
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