Opinions on a new wife vehicle

Caleb

Well-Known Member
Location
Riverton
Disclaimer: In the end it's for my wife and so she get's what she ultimately wants, I'm just looking for some opinions from the masses.

My wife is on the hunt for a new vehicle. She hates driving the GTI (I think because it's a hatchback, but she won't say exactly why...I also think because she got stuck in the parking lot of her work recently puts a distaste for it in her mouth). She previously drove a Land Rover LR3 and really liked it. So we were pretty sure she wanted to go back to an SUV (she likes being a little higher up and in something a little bigger). We've been looking at the smaller SUVs. We've looked at the Range Rover Evoque and she really really liked it. We went to look at the Lexus RX 350 but was underwhelmed by it (it's a grandparent car is how she described it). While there, the IS caught her eye. So she test drove a 2014 IS 250 AWD and she really liked it. I thought she was going to make a deal right there on it. She wants it with the F Sport package so she likes the sportiness about it. However, she's not looking for a race car, I know the BMW 328i, the Cadillac ATS, the Audi A4 are all quicker cars. If she was wanting a quick car she'd be keeping the GTI. With the said, we went and looked at the BMWs as well, the 328i with xDrive or the 328d with xDrive would be the car from that mfg in cars or the X3 or X5 in SUVs. I've always liked the look of the Audi, but I know they used to have problems (I think it was head problems, it seems everyone I know that had one was having their head redone). Have they over come this? According to Consumer Reports, Audi is now number four in overall customer satisfaction (behind Lexus, Toyota, and Acura in that order). The biggest requirement is AWD. But reliability, total cost of ownership, features, and styling are all important too.

So if you have any input on the following models, speak up :D

SUVish vehicles
Range Rover Evoque
Acura RDX
Acura MDX
Lexus RX350
BMW X3
BMW X5
Audi Q5

Cars
Lexus IS 250 AWD F Sport
BMW 328i
Audi A4/6
Cadillac ATS (don't think I could ever buy a GM product, but it needs to at least be considered)
Mercedes CLA45 AMG

Any others similar to those I've missed that we should be considering? I don't like Infiniti so the Q50 is out.
 
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Cascadia

Undecided
Location
Orem, Utah
Hands down a new TDI Q5. If you're looking for new. We have been holding off on ordering ours until we figure out building our new home. They are awd. Offer everything you could ever want and get awesome mpg. On top of that they're super quick. We've loved everything about them and are excited to get into one. Test drive one and decide for yourself though.

Weve had 5 audis and have never had any weird issues. Just general maintenance and a clutch in our tt.
 

Caleb

Well-Known Member
Location
Riverton
Hands down a new TDI Q5. If you're looking for new. We have been holding off on ordering ours until we figure out building our new home. They are awd. Offer everything you could ever want and get awesome mpg. On top of that they're super quick. We've loved everything about them and are excited to get into one. Test drive one and decide for yourself though.

Weve had 5 audis and have never had any weird issues. Just general maintenance and a clutch in our tt.

That looks very interesting. I'll add that to the list and we'll go give it a test drive, we can drive the A4/6 while we're at it.
 
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Cascadia

Undecided
Location
Orem, Utah
Yep. But once you drive the q5 you won't want to drive the a4. Haha. It's an SUV so you're up a little higher but you're still pretty low to the ground for performance and handling. Real world numbers on the q5 mpg are quite a bit higher than what sticker says. Sticker is 24 and 31. But most people are reporting about 28 and 35. We were on the verge of ordering a 2.0 when we heard there may be a tdi. So we held off a year. Then when they finally arrived we decided to list the house and build. I'd rather live in the q5. :D
 

roverrocks

Active Member
Location
Montose,CO
One of my sons bought a new 2013 Cadillac ATS with a 6 speed manual. It is an awesome car. Handles and accelerates very well. Very sporty but gets quite good gas mileage. His is black with a red accented interior. Pretty awesome car. He loves it. The CTS is probably even more amazing.
 

skippy

Pretend Fabricator
Location
Tooele
my wife drove a 2010 Cadillac CTS until she totalled it and after owning that car I am ready to get back into new Cadillac such an amazing car the newer ones are even better Im sure. That is the only vehicle I have ever owned that I drove every day and didnt want anything else, I never wished anything was different about it.... Just plain loved it!


I say buy a cadillac
 

Caleb

Well-Known Member
Location
Riverton
my wife drove a 2010 Cadillac CTS until she totalled it and after owning that car I am ready to get back into new Cadillac such an amazing car the newer ones are even better Im sure. That is the only vehicle I have ever owned that I drove every day and didnt want anything else, I never wished anything was different about it.... Just plain loved it!


I say buy a cadillac

Honestly, of the list of all the vehicles, I think the Cadillac is the last on the list for her. However, if it's not on the list then they're below the cadillac, so it's still top ~10 :D I can't stand GM as a company and while I know they are still separate to some degree, I would have a hard time buying anything that closely related to GM :)
 

roverrocks

Active Member
Location
Montose,CO
Honestly, of the list of all the vehicles, I think the Cadillac is the last on the list for her. However, if it's not on the list then they're below the cadillac, so it's still top ~10 :D I can't stand GM as a company and while I know they are still separate to some degree, I would have a hard time buying anything that closely related to GM :)
Maybe it's time you and the wife test drove a new Caddy. These ain't the Caddies of old. They build a heck of a sports sedan these days. Pretty darn amazing rigs. I've driven my son's ATS and was highly impressed. My son loves it and I'm jealous (no not really).
 

N-Smooth

Smooth Gang Founding Member
Location
UT
My BIL has a CTS V wagon and it's ridiculous fast. It's technically his wife's car but he always ends up driving it and she drives his DMax. It seems to be really quality and all that stuff I wouldn't expect from an American car. The only issue I have with it is that it's not comfortable for tall people.
 

Caleb

Well-Known Member
Location
Riverton
My BIL has a CTS V wagon and it's ridiculous fast. It's technically his wife's car but he always ends up driving it and she drives his DMax. It seems to be really quality and all that stuff I wouldn't expect from an American car. The only issue I have with it is that it's not comfortable for tall people.

How tall? My wife is 5'11" so quite tall for a female.
 

N-Smooth

Smooth Gang Founding Member
Location
UT
I'm 6'6" and I'm not the narrowest guy out there either. It's really the combo that's bad news. My BIL is like 6'3" and he doesn't have an issue with it but he's a bean pole. 5'11" would be just fine. It's a quick car
 

Caleb

Well-Known Member
Location
Riverton
Well, the wife finally made a decision. We went and test drove a ton of cars. The ATS, CTS, a 335xi, 328xi, X3, X5, Q5, etc...pretty much every car in the list and then some. She like the Lexus more than any of them. So yesterday we went and picked up her 2014 AWD IS250 F-Sport. I told her I'd get the 350 but it was up to her on what she wanted and the 250 was her car. It goes in for tint on Friday. :)

Couple pics at the dealership:

IMG_0802.jpg IMG_0801.jpg
 

Caleb

Well-Known Member
Location
Riverton
See!? They are the business.

yeah, I've been a fan of the IS for years. Infact here's a thread from 2009 where I said we'd be getting my wife one :p She hasn't been a fan until seeing the new 2014 body style and then finally driving one.

Quite the step up from a GTI.

Well, to be fair, she's been driving a fully loaded Land Rover for the last few years. It's only been the last couple months that she's been driving the GTI. However, yes it is a fair bit nicer :D
 
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