Luxury SUV conundrum

[SirGrotius]

I drive a BMW X3, which I enjoy a lot but my family's grown to the point where I'd like a vehicle with three rows (2 kids, but we have lots of guests).

I'm considering a LR4 and an X5. I'm not a huge Mercedes guy, and while I like the Cayenne it's a little small for my needs.

Here are my thoughts on the aforementioned vehicles, any other insights from drivers, outsiders?

LR4 Pros

• 3rd row seat is very roomy
• Great acceleration
• Real off-roading (I would go off road maybe once or twice a year, so it's more the idea)
• Smooth driving on the highway
• More unique, more prestige (I'm superficial)?
• Heated front windshield
• Subwoofer

LR4 Cons

• Not nimble, especially on turns
• Touch screen is a disaster (slow, no scrolling through sat radio stations)
• Owned by an Indian company (strikes me as a bad thing), although still produced in the UK
• MPG (13-15) laughably bad
• Family car?

X5 Pros

• Drives great in city, highway
• iDrive navigation is better than Land Rover
• German
• Sleeker look
• Probably less expensive (though optioned out could be equal)
• Better audio quality (I always get premium sound in vehicles)
• Good gas mileage (19-20 mpg, IIRC)

X5 Cons

• Not going to be as good in bad weather, off road
• Everyone has one
• New model comes out soon (redesign)
• 3rd row seats less comfortable

Any other comments? That may have been the most long-winded post of my SF career. Oh yes, I live on the East Coast of the US (outside Philadelphia), so we have some weather but nothing major.

 

[Joffrey]

I think you should be aware that BMW X5 (and your X3) are made in the usa. You don't sit in the third row, so why do you care about whether it's comfortable? Any twerps lounging back there should be glad they're cruising in a bimmer. From your pro and con list I'd go with the X5

 

[GreenFrog]

I've driven a lot of rental cars and the single most aggravating 'technology' that has found its way into current American cars is touchscreen technology. I only get these cars for three days at a time and by the end of the first day I want to blow my brains out at how terrible these touch screen interfaces are.

I guarantee you you're going to HATE the LR4's navigation system. It just doesn't belong on a car (for now).

The X5 clearly makes the most sense, in your circumstance.

 

[Piobaire]

A shame you don't like MB as the GL is the best choice for you. The nav is also not touch screen but rather has a nice scroll mechanism.

FWIW, I liked some parts of the navigation system when I had an LR3. The off road portion was really pretty cool, particularly that screen that shows the yaw and pitch of all four tires and how much your front tires are turned.

 

[suited]

The new GL550 is the best looking SUV on the market IMO.

 

[SirGrotius]

It is pretty good looking. I like that old-school boxy one they have better but starts at 110k or something and I can't resist the options.

 

[Piobaire]

You can get a nicely equipped GL450 for about 80k. I hear they've upped the horsepower for 2013, and as someone with a 2012, I can tell you that you'll never want for power.

 

[VirtruviusR]

Have you considered the Audi offerings at all? I'm not to familiar with them from a personal experience standpoint, but surely the Q7 is more than big enough to accomodate your needs?