The Lexus GX470 she bought new in 2006 has been unimpressive. It's narrow and awkward, the side-folding third row seats occupy cargo space, the side-opening rear hatch is terribly impractical especially on windy days or when parallel parked, the Mark Levinson sound system from that era is bland (and likes to choose its own volume as if a ghost is playing with the knob -- dealer cant figure it out) and it's riddled with strange electrical glitches. The navigation system is terribly dated, even when it was new.
The creamy ride, mostly high quality interior, and ultra-refined V8 are its saving graces. It has 91,000 miles now with a trade-in value of $20k-$23k.
IMPORTANT CRITERIA:
SUV with AWD or 4WD and ample cargo space with the second row up.
Luxury badge.
Rear seat entertainment.
Three rows of seating.
Reasonably attractive.
V8 engine strongly preferred.
Dependability.
Bigger is better.
Brand new, no CPO or used. Demo models and 2011 leftovers are okay.
Under $70k
NOT SO IMPORTANT:
Fuel economy -- Why would you buy a luxury car if you were a miser? Duh.
WHAT HAS BEEN RULED OUT:
Jeep Grand Cherokee -- Its awesome inside and out, but she doesn't trust Chrysler.
Mercedes ML -- Too small for the price.
Infiniti FX50 -- That second-gen face looks like a hideous deep sea creature. Years ago she considered a first-gen FX45 but the cargo space was too small for child strollers and everything else she lugs around town, and the same is true of the FX50.
Cadillac Escalade -- She's interested, but I know she'll dislike the cheap interior. It has the look and prestige she wants but lacks refinement, and that transmission is a turd. It would be a contender if she was into leasing, but she intends to pay cash and keep whatever she buys for 200,000 miles.
Audi Q7 -- Audi no longer offers a V8 in the Q. She doesn't trust Audi anyway.
Volkswagen Touareg -- That whole trust/reliability problem, and the badge.
Lexus GX460 and LX460 -- Ugly as sin. Interiors got noticeably worse with the new generation. Toyota apparently stopped giving a s***. The outstanding Lexus service experience doesn't make up for these rolling abortions.
Porsche Cayenne -- No third row. Smallish cargo space. Costs an arm and a leg for a V8 engine.
Lincoln Navigator -- The Lincoln dealers around here are terrible. The current generation's exterior styling looks as if a Ford Expedition got the Vatozone treatment.
Land Rover/Range Rover -- Style and prestige are high. Reliability is seriously lacking.
CONTENDERS SO FAR:
Acura MDX -- She's owned two first-gen MDXes; one was excellent (wrecked by some guy in a Saab) and the other was poorly made. If I can convince her that a 300hp 3.7L V6 is enough, its by far the best bang for the buck. That nasty silver beak is a bit of a problem. Also, no V6 engine, even as good as Honda designs them, is going to sound or feel like any V8. The local dealer Acura dealer offers excellent service, though the brand itself is lacking in prestige.
Mercedes GL450 -- Expensive, but sharp looking with a beautiful interior. Can be had with rear entertainment and a V8 for a hair under $70k, making it a bit expensive. Reliability is a question mark.
BMW X5 -- Quite expensive with a V8, but if she could settle for a twin turbo six, it would be the nicest driver of the bunch.
Infiniti QX56 -- It looks better in person especially in black (to hide the awful bulges), but overall, its spectacularly ugly. Outstanding interior, gobs of technology, 400hp V8, and arguably the best bang for the buck out there. Did I mention how f**king ugly it is? Holy hell, was Infiniti serious?
Any other ideas?
The second-generation Cadillac SRX is too small and doesn't *appear* to offer a rear entertainment system for 2011, nor does it have a V8. The first-generation SRX with the Northstar 4.6 and revised 07+ interior would have probably been the perfect car for her, but GM decided it wasn't appealing enough to the lip gloss crowd so they replaced it with the rolling equivalent of a woman's shoe.
), this might fit her bill. The top of the line "Limited" version is quite nice and the V8 is torquey. It's a tad bigger than the MDX but it might surprise you. It's also well made and dependable. Certainly worth a look. 
