Our Chrysler Town & Country Limited has been great and has served us well, but our lease is coming up and it’s time to move on. Even though our kids are still young, we’re ready to move back into a midsize SUV. Prioir to the Town & Country we leased a Honda Pilot, which I absolutely loved. But as our friends started having kids, minivans started infiltrating the ranks, so we succumbed. So what next?
I’ve always like Lexus, and if it weren’t for Infiniti, I would probably be driving one myself. There are a lot of choices in the midsize luxury SUV market, and with a strong entry by Buick with the 2008 Buick Enclave, even some domestic manufacturers are worthy of consideration. (Too bad our good friends and neighbor just bought an Enclave, so that probably rules us out).
Enter the 2008 Lexus RX 350. With a sticker price very close to that of our fully loaded 2006 Chrysler Town & Country (hard to believe isn’t it) the RX 350 offers a ton of value for the price. The ‘08 RX 350 remains relatively unchanged from the 2007 model with updates to the exterior and interior including a new front grill, chrome exterior door handles and some really sweet looking 7-spoke, 18-inch alloy wheels (optional).
The RX 350 is available in either an All Wheel Drive (AWD) or Front Wheel Drive (FWD) model. We live in Michigan where the winters can be brutal at times. AWD is a nice option, but you have to ask yourself if its worth the extra price.
Upon introduction, the FWD is equipped with a standard 3.5-liter, V6, 270-horsepower engine that achieves 18-mpg in the city and 23-mpg on the highway (this is comparable to our MiniVan, which after 3 years has an overall average of 18.7mpg). The AWD is equipped with a standard 3.5-liter, V6, 270-horsepower engine that achieves 17-mpg in the city and 22-mpg on the highway. A 5-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is standard on both trims.
For those considering a hybrid vehicle, the Lexus offers the RX 400h. Lexus has sold more than 50,000 units since its introduction in 2006 and accounts for more than 20 percent of total RX model sales. Though the long-term cost-benefit of owning a hybrid vehicle is still a matter of discussion, hybrid enthusiasts should give the RX 400h a look.
Kid Tested, Mother Approved
Leather interior? Check. Rear-seat DVD player? Check. Do I look good while driving this? Check. While I know we’re going to miss some of the amenities of our minivan (power sliding side-doors, stow-and-go seating, and the hundreds of cup holders) we’re ready to tackle the city in something a little more sporty and luxurious and safe for the kids, with yet enough cargo room to take home the occasional “large” item.
So what do you think? What has been your vehicle of choice when moving on from owning a minivan?
Be sure to check out www.autofigures.com to get pricing information or a dealer price quote on a 2008 Lexus RX 350.
[tags]lexus, lexus rx350, lexus rx 400h[/tags]
