u/FAM2024

Hi everyone,

Hoping for some help from everyone here! The lease on our 2024 Hyundai Palisade is up in November of this year. We don't plan to buy out the lease, in part because the buyout price far exceeds the KBB value.

I'd like to finance our next car. Here are some criteria/background, followed by a list of cars I've been looking at online. Hoping you all can weigh in on the list and recommend whatever else comes to mind.

Criteria and background

• Looking to put about 2k down (willing to go to 3) and keep payments at or below $500/month. Have access to a credit union and have excellent credit.
• Love the storage space of the Palisade but can go a little bit down. No need to increase it.
• Pretty sure I prefer an SUV over a minivan because we take trips up North to the Catskills and Vermont pretty often and find ourselves in snow and on dirt roads. Also a little thrown by the recent reports of poor crash ratings on minivans.
• Enjoy luxury over sporty but not looking for a true luxury car like BMW.
• Have a 3yo and may have another kid on the way (and then we close up shop!)

Cars I've been looking at

1. 2022 Acura MDX Technology AWS trim - good price; positive reviews; luxury feel at a steal; seems reliable.
2. 2022 Toyota Highlander XLE - nice interior; reliable; highly regarded. Slight concern over issues with unserviceable transmission/oil filter. Not sure it has luxury feel.
3. 2023 Mazda cx-90 (not a PHEV model) - seems like a great car. I enjoyed the 2024 but we didn't get it. Has luxury features, good storage, seems reliable as long as not PHEV.
4. 2022 Lincoln Nautilus - not clear if reliable, but seems nice (at least ClaudeAI thinks so...). Not a 3 seater but that's not a deal breaker if the trunk storage is equivalent to a 3 seater with the 3rd row down.
5. 2022 Honda Pilot - We didn't like the 2024 when we saw it but open to the 2022 based on positive reviews.

Thanks, everyone!

Mike