Which Luxury SUV For My Parents?

The Atlas is quite a large vehicle. If your dad is a big guy, this will suit him well. However it is not a luxury marque, so mom is not happy. I had a recent model Touareg, and the Atlas is noticeably larger than the Touareg. The Mercedes GLE is the comparably-sized model to the Atlas and the BMW X5. I have a GLE350 and like it a lot. The base model seats are relatively flat and large-bottomed. I imagine larger folks will find the seats comfortable. I am 6' and average/leaner than average build, and find the seats enjoyable. For that price and year(s), the model will likely not be highly optioned. The GLC and C-Class are nice vehicles in my view, nice looking and fun to drive, but are lower to the ground and have a smaller feel, might not be the best for dad. E-Class generally carry higher price tags, so either older or higher mileage examples would be expected. While larger than the C-Class, the E-Class doesn't feel to me like a "big" vehicle. The S-Class is the ultimate big guy car with very comfy seats, but expensive and complicated suspensions that are expensive to maintain as they age. 40k S-Class will be a few years old with high-ish miles.

448.0 mi. on the highway. What is the EPA city and highway mileage estimate for the 2013 Acura RDX? The EPA mileage estimate for the 2013 Acura RDX is 20 mpg in the city, 28 mpg on the highway. What is the turning circle of the 2013 Acura RDX? The 2013 Acura RDX's turning circle is 39.0 ft.. How many horsepower does the engine in the 2013 Acura RDX have? The 2013 Acura RDX's engine produces 273 hp @ 6200 rpm. How long is roadside assistance included with the 2014 Acura RDX? The 2014 Acura RDX includes 4 yr./ 50000 mi. How long is roadside assistance included with the 2008 Acura RDX? The 2008 Acura RDX includes 4 yr./ 50000 mi. How long is roadside assistance included with the 2011 Acura RDX? The 2011 Acura RDX includes 4 yr./ 50000 mi. How long is roadside assistance included with the 2009 Acura RDX? The 2009 Acura RDX includes 4 yr./ 50000 mi. How long is roadside assistance included with the 2012 Acura RDX? The 2012 Acura RDX includes 4 yr./ 50000 mi. How long is roadside assistance included with the 2010 Acura RDX? The 2010 Acura RDX includes 4 yr./ 50000 mi. How long is roadside assistance included with the 2007 Acura RDX? The 2007 Acura RDX includes 4 yr./ 50000 mi.

Humans have trouble trusting other humans. But apparently, we have no trouble at all trusting machines. And even if these machines fail, as they tend to ever so often, we blame the humans operating them. As carmakers race towards removing drivers from the steering wheel, who do we blame when things go wrong with an autonomous vehicle? The existential question arises as I wrestle with the new Volkswagen Touareg for control. The flagship Volkswagen's lane-keeping program is the most forceful one I have come across, yanking the wheel this way and that with the finesse of a petulant two-year-old. Yet, should you abdicate your role at the helm, the system will remind you to keep your hands on the wheel. Barring its incomprehensibility in this area - which you can avoid altogether by deactivating the system - the latest Touareg is as peachy as full-size sport utility vehicles (SUVs) go. Slightly smaller than the BMW X5 (and substantially lighter), the big Volkswagen all-wheel-drive serves the urbanite well with its super smooth drivetrain, light and responsive throttle, tight turning circle - thanks to all-wheel steer - and easy-to-modulate brakes.

Hence, its positioning as the brand's new flagship, replacing the discontinued Phaeton limousine, is not at all frivolous. With a plush interior, cushy and supportive seats, an expansive boot and a suite of electronic amenities, the Touareg is as accomplished as rivals in the luxury segment. Front seats of the R-Line variant tested here come with a massage function, which, again, is quite apt for a flagship. 50,000 less than an equivalent X5 - makes it even more alluring. Despite wearing 21-inch wheels, the R-Line car affords a superb ride quality. Its dynamic chassis control, which uses electrically adjustable dampers, gives it an uncommon all-roundedness. Whether cruising on the expressway, negotiating twisty lanes or traversing rutty stretches, the Touareg is unshakeably calm. Within speed limits here, the Volkswagen is as creamy on the go as SUVs that cost twice as much. Its level of refinement is impressively high - with noise, vibration and harshness kept well at bay at expressway pace. It is a tad more agile in the city like other big SUVs, but does not seem to coast as freely. On board, its 15-inch infotainment screen is one of the largest in the business and blends almost seamlessly with its digital instrument screen. This digital cockpit comes with a head-up display, but strangely, not a 360-degree camera system. But with semi-autonomous Park Assist, you do not really need an all-round camera system. I say "technically" because the system will still ask you to keep your hands on the wheel. It seems the machine does not quite trust itself.

Local Subaru distributor gave me another glimpse into the murky world of turbocharged automobiles and fuel grades compatibility, right after the eye-opening Impreza WRX STI Ver.10 and its RON95 dietary requirement. This time around their new sales manager gave a hard-hitting statement that all their Subarus are filled with RON 97 and nothing lesser. I must say. Of course, I had no chance to witness the actual refill for the Forester, since the nice metallic grey tester was filled with approximately 30% of petrol in tank when I took it. What I didn't notice were the missing plastic cover at the rear window angle (adjacent to C-pillar) on the inner right side. While the similar cover was cracked on the left (or was it vice versa?). C'mon, I can sure as hell pay for that little bit of plastic had I caused it to go missing! After spending thousands on my Porsche Cayman mods and maintenance, and being a privately practising professional would I stoop that low as to lie on this? And returning it the next day at 11:15am was both a hassle and harrassment. I got a distress call from this same fella named Owen, alleging that there were some 10 guys waiting to test this car after 12 noon and they needed the Forester back urgently. Was I born yesterday (to buy all this load of bull)? Now, I know why my other esteemed COTY judges don't bother with Subaru test cars. So how good is the new Forester? To sum it up: it's a comfy soft roader with lots of torque, making it nicely responsive to drive. Safe and decent handling too with full-time, symmetrical AWD. However, the confusion remains regarding RON95 versus RON97 for these boxer powered cars.