Audi Q7 vs Lexus RX 350 vs BMW X5

[Deleted]

Well if it's basically "I just want a pretty SUV" go with the Audi imo.

[Jakexe]

I'm not really a car person (moto's ftw) but I've actually driven 2 X5's, a '07 and a '11 model I think. For what it was I enjoyed the drive, although on the freeway I found it terrible but that's prob more of a me thing than the cars fault. I haven't driven the other cars but seeing I happen to have had experience with the X5 thought it was worth while letting you know.

[ovm33]

Since you're going to lease I won't argue with you about not buying American. (You'd be shocked to learn how fast imports depreciate. And just how expensive they are to maintain.) Actually... nvm, you already know.

As such, I would buy a Q7. This is based solely on aesthetic appeal.

[Unionoob]

I'm just interested why he NEEDS to choose one of those 3. Especially with a shitty credit history.

can't say anything about this situation, but from where I am many people are buying those cars only to "increase there status", especally before crisis many of them couldn't afford to live without parents but hell, they had X6...

But can't say anything about this.. but really if you got shitty credit history why can't he just get something cheap like even Suzuki grand Vitara which will be way cheaper then anything you mentioned but still good car.

-sorry about my english.

[Bolson13]

Well, I need an SUV, and those are the ones i've narrowed my choices down to, i'm a car man always have been, i would never be happy with a Rav 4, so after searching through all the options from overlands, and escalades, through ML and Acuras, these are the three class leaders who's reliability, look, comfort, engines and style fit the criteria of what i'm looking for best.

And as I later explained better it's not a crappy history, it's just i'm an english immigrant in america so don't have much history, i come up as good now, but basically to get a Range you need to have leased a car before or owned a house before and I've only been here three years.

So why not an ML? I kind of like the look of it and another family (an uncle of mine, I have a big family ) ownes one and swears by it. And I like the looks of it as well. A little more the shape of a Range I would say.

[Sorraxe]

I dont know how popularity works in the Usa, but in Europe, especially Sweden, Xc60 is a very nice popular Suv. Less cheap than X5, lexus and the Q7. Here in Sweden we save from 15 000 $ to +30 000$ between Q7 vs Xc60 (counting all new 2013 with decent upgrades), and still you get a nice Suv with good looking design. Not to mention you do get quality, its a Volvo after all.

You can get the Xc60 R modell still cheaper than Q7 and maybe still cheaper than X5?

[Deleted]

....but where I live is only accessible with an SUV or a decent off road capable saloon, so it's SUV world for me....

I'd definately consider a Touareg, probably also the car with the least depreciation.
Don't expect an Q7 todo any decent in rough terrain, as they wont, in fact, none of the cars you want to choose from have a reputation of doing any decent in rough terrain.

Shame you refuse to drive an American as a Grand Cherokee or a Explorer makes every other SUV eat dust when it comes to that part... hey even a Nissan Pathfinder or a Subaru Forrester will do better then a Q7/X5/X350

[RüneRS]

For looks I'd go with the Audi, because the Lexus is just fugly and the BMW makes you look like a cock.
As for driving, I haven't driven any of these cars, even that type of car (because I think those type of cars are unnecesary unless you live in a place with rough terrain and not a lot of good roads, if you drive one in town you're an asshole)
but if you want some really good reviews I suggest you watch Top Gear UK because those guys know what they are talking about and talk about it in a hilarious way

[Spectral]

If I was set on the idea that I was purchasing one of those SUVs, I'd buy the Q7. It's the best looking of the bunch (in my opinion) and generally less generic feeling than the other two. There's nothing you're really getting in an RX that you can't get in a Toyota Highlander, and non-performance BMWs are just really mediocre (IMO of course).

Really though, I wouldn't consider any of these vehicles. Cars are just a terrible way to spend big money, in my opinion, unless you can swing the genuinely expensive ones without any difficulty.

[vaeevictiss]

I will echo what others have said. If you have shitty credit, i would not buy any of these unless you are paying in full with cash. Having a shitty credit history will also greatly raise your insurance rate, which will already be high on these vehicles. Even if you are loaded, it is still stupid to just throw away money.

if you must tho...get the audi. BMWs are for yuppies and a lexus is just a toyota

[Aftonflickan]

(Overlooking the aforementioned reasons not to buy an over-sized city-SUV which seems to devour gasoline)
I'd go with the Audi Q7, partially because it looks nicer and partially because it has, by far, the best interior / sound system. Plus, if you really want to go bonkers (ie. you inherited X millions), it comes with a bi-turbo V12 which is just... yea... "I-haz-more-cylinderz-than-uuu"

[Shakadam]

Although I'd never buy a SUV for reasons already listed, if I HAD to buy one I'd probably get a Porsche Cayenne. Similar price as those you've listed, any reason you left it out?

[Conno]

Although I'd never buy a SUV for reasons already listed, if I HAD to buy one I'd probably get a Porsche Cayenne. Similar price as those you've listed, any reason you left it out?

I used to own one, I never liked the ride comfort in it, it was trying a bit too hard. Also I know they're fantastic pieces of engineering and all but i just find the Porsche design philosophy so lazy, same as bmw, they just all look the same to me.

[tcfoo]

Lexus RX350 or Infinity FX37. I'm not much for European automobiles. I deal with all of them except for BMW on a daily basis.

[Skizo]

I haven't had much luck with audi's, they tend to break quite often compared to other cars in my experience

[aztr0]

Now I understand this is probably the absolute worst place possible to ask this kind of question as i'm sure a lot of our readers are probably non drivers, too young or just flamers, buuuuut, it's also the only online community i'm a part of so here goes.

I need to choose one, they're all fine, they're all reasonably pretty, they're all my second choice behind a Range sport which i can't get because of shitty credit history. so does anyone out there own one of these cars? and if so would you be so kind as to say yay or nay.

If you're looking at those cars, why are you going for a X5 and not the X6? I have a Lexus RX and I love the ride. I haven't experienced the others you have mentioned. They all look sexy in their own way, best is to go to the dealer and take it for a whirl and decide then.

[Conno]

So many people keep talking about the X6, i don't understand how anybody could possibly like that car. ugliest mini suv on the market.

[aztr0]

So many people keep talking about the X6, i don't understand how anybody could possibly like that car. ugliest mini suv on the market.

Just like you think X6 is ugly, I think X5 is ugly. And that is why making a thread like this is kinda pointless at the end of the day. I just noticed your initial post states that you got a shitty credit history... judging from that standpoint, should you really be purchasing a luxury car?

[jaimelannister]

http://images.dealer.com/jdpa/charts/2012008-1.jpg

^ That's one of the main reasons I've been a Lexus guy for the past few years. You'll also get the best resale value on the Lexus, if that's important to you.

I've personally owned BMWs and Acuras (in the luxury segment), and between friends/family/etc. I've had second-hand experience with all of the luxury brands. Of my relatively small sample size, Audis are by far the least reliable/enjoyable. None of my friends/acquaintances who've owned them have ever recommended them (that's not to say they were all completely unhappy, but none have been blown away by the ownership experience, and plenty have had all kinds of mechanical problems). BMWs and Lexus seem to be equally loved by their owners.

Thing is, if you're talking RX350 vs. X5, you're really talking about completely different price-points for similarly-equipped vehicles. The RX starts around $40k, whereas the X5 starts almost $10k higher. If you want all the cool options, your price spread will only grow, as the option packages in a Lexus are generally cheaper than the BMW packages. The X3 is really the direct competition to the RX350, but personally I think it's butt-ugly, so I've never even considered it when looking at SUVs.

My bias: The wife drives a 2011 RX350 and I have a 2013 GS350 (and we both LOVE our vehicles). Compared with BMWs for both purchases and we just found we got so much more car for our money with the Lexus, plus our local Lexus dealership is AMAZING with their customer care, and that really should be a factor for you to consider as well, because it's definitely a large part of the ownership experience.

I recommend the Lexus, but don't get me wrong, a BMW is a great automobile. I do think, however, that you lose some of the main appeal of a BMW when you get an SUV; BMWs are meant to be driven, and you just can't drive an SUV the way you can a car. If you were comparing sports cars (say the 3-series vs. the IS), I think the BMW would win out every time.

[Conno]

I had a RX350 a couple years ago, or well my girlfriend at the time did and I did like it which is why it's part of the option, i think the X5 by general consensus is out the window.

So it's the Q7 vs the rx, they're not that different price wise, 700 dollars a month lease to 800 dollars a month lease. Which for the similar buck surely it's worth getting a 30k more expensive car? I hear such mixed things on the Audi, some love it some hate it, but the RX is an underwhelming drive for sure.