What other cars did you consider?

[Madmexican]

Mazda CX-5. Size wasn’t a big factor. Just wanted a great suv. Telluride and cx5 both #2 in consumer reports in their class. Subaru #1 in both, but no sex appeal. Some big selling cars get very low scores when objectively evaluated. Eye opening.

Traded in my CX5 for the Telluride.

 

[suzukichic]

When I first decided to start looking at new rides, I was focused on the 2020 Explorer. Of course there weren't any to test drive yet, so we did the rounds and test drove most of the main 3 row SUV's available. Hit Kia, Ford (drove a 19 sport explorer), VW, and Honda. When I got to the VW, I wasn't planning to stop but something told me to. It was very nice and I spent the next week deciding between the Telluride and the Atlas. Yesterday, we put $1k to order an SXP when available. I'm confident I made the right choice. I haven't had a new car since I bought my 2008 Civic. I will miss the manual transmission, but I think this vehicle is just beautiful, inside and out.

 

[Wildcatt76]

Headed in to decide between the Tahoe and Traverse from Chevrolet. Had seen the Telluride and thought it looked good so did a little research. Test drove the Telly “just to say I ruled it out”. Went back to the Tahoe premier and Traverse redline edition and just didn’t like them nearly as much. Ran the numbers and decided I liked them even less.

 

[DRK]

None. Seriously, I had decided to buy a Telluride in 2017 when it was a concept car. At that time, my brother (R&D engineer at Hyundai) told me they were preparing new 3-row SUVs, became Palisade and Telluride now.

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[FordGuy]

2019 Pilot EX-L, 2019 Atlas SEL trim, Telluride S trim, Telluride EX trim, 2019 Subaru ascent limited, 2019 Toyota Highlander xle trim.

Highlander had a clunky mechanism for moving the seats in the second row. 3rd row not comfortable.

Subaru assent limited drove really nice. but the third row is practically unusable. Headroom of like 37 in.

Atlas SEL trim, and we also looked at and test drove the atlas SEL with r-line badging. We came very very close to purchasing the atlas SEL r-line. The interior is not very refined. Has a great warranty of 6 years 72,000 miles though. Bumper to bumper. Second row seats very clunky to move when you have to lift up on this lever to move the seat forward, and then pull on the lever again to pull/lock the seat back into position. Had a very roomy 3rd row though.

Pilot EXL was our favorite. We went with that one. Overall I liked it more than to Telluride. As if my wife and our little one.

While the Telluride is a fine vehicle, I absolutely hated the chrome treatments on all of the buttons below the display screen. reminded me of the chrome face panels and knobs on old stereo equipment from the 1970s. and when manufacturers startied making their audio equipment all black, with black knobs, it looked so much better. And they are still doing it that way today. why Kia went with the chrome treatments, or I guess they're aluminum, is beyond me. I think it actually detracts from the interior look.

The pilot has black leather interior. I really love that all black look.

Not knocking to Telluride overall. just chiming in since the question was asked what else did we consider.

 

[ibmax]

When I first decided to start looking at new rides, I was focused on the 2020 Explorer. Of course there weren't any to test drive yet, so we did the rounds and test drove most of the main 3 row SUV's available. Hit Kia, Ford (drove a 19 sport explorer), VW, and Honda. When I got to the VW, I wasn't planning to stop but something told me to. It was very nice and I spent the next week deciding between the Telluride and the Atlas. Yesterday, we put $1k to order an SXP when available. I'm confident I made the right choice. I haven't had a new car since I bought my 2008 Civic. I will miss the manual transmission, but I think this vehicle is just beautiful, inside and out.

Test drive the EX, you might save yourself 5k

 

[MariAnn Racz]

I traded in my 2014 Town & Country minivan for the Telluride. I got a SX Limited w/nappa in Dark Moss. I waited almost 3 months for delivery my Telluride. I didn't really want a minivan anymore as I had been driving them for 10 yrs. I looked at the VW Atlas, Ford Expedition, Ford Explorer, Mazda CX-9, Buick Enclave & Chevy Traverse. The second I test drove the Telluride I was in love! I've only had it it for 8 days and I find any excuse to go out for a drive. lol

 

[Owner]

2019 Pilot EX-L, 2019 Atlas SEL trim, Telluride S trim, Telluride EX trim, 2019 Subaru ascent limited, 2019 Toyota Highlander xle trim.

Highlander had a clunky mechanism for moving the seats in the second row. 3rd row not comfortable.

Subaru assent limited drove really nice. but the third row is practically unusable. Headroom of like 37 in.

Atlas SEL trim, and we also looked at and test drove the atlas SEL with r-line badging. We came very very close to purchasing the atlas SEL r-line. The interior is not very refined. Has a great warranty of 6 years 72,000 miles though. Bumper to bumper. Second row seats very clunky to move when you have to lift up on this lever to move the seat forward, and then pull on the lever again to pull/lock the seat back into position. Had a very roomy 3rd row though.

Pilot EXL was our favorite. We went with that one. Overall I liked it more than to Telluride. As if my wife and our little one.

While the Telluride is a fine vehicle, I absolutely hated the chrome treatments on all of the buttons below the display screen. reminded me of the chrome face panels and knobs on old stereo equipment from the 1970s. and when manufacturers startied making their audio equipment all black, with black knobs, it looked so much better. And they are still doing it that way today. why Kia went with the chrome treatments, or I guess they're aluminum, is beyond me. I think it actually detracts from the interior look.

The pilot has black leather interior. I really love that all black look.

Not knocking to Telluride overall. just chiming in since the question was asked what else did we consider.

I guess to each their own. I saw the all black interior instrument/radio panels in the current Toyotas and Mazda’s and VWs and I thought they look a lot like the ‘04 Tahoe I sadly just had to depart with due to age and replaced it with a Telluride. I Loved that Tahoe for 15 years but wasn’t looking for something similarly outdated. I think the Telluride’s cabin is years (literally) ahead of anything else in the price range I was willing to spend for a vehicle. The Pilot was never a consideration for me due to exterior styling so I don’t know what the current model interior looks like to be honest. I am curious to see what the new Bronco will become. Was trying to hold out for that when they first announced it was coming back 2 years ago but when I saw the Telluride I had to get one as soon as I drove one. Have fun with that Pilot.

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[YEH]

Atlas SEL trim, and we also looked at and test drove the atlas SEL with r-line badging. We came very very close to purchasing the atlas SEL r-line. The interior is not very refined. Has a great warranty of 6 years 72,000 miles though. Bumper to bumper. Second row seats very clunky to move when you have to lift up on this lever to move the seat forward, and then pull on the lever again to pull/lock the seat back into position. Had a very roomy 3rd row though.

FYI - VW is cutting 2 years off their warranty, but are adding 2 years of maintenance.

 

[njchpd]

My top 3 choices were the 2020 Highlander Hybrid , the Telluride and the Palisade. I ended up with a Palisade and am overjoyed with the decision. Great vehicle AND company.

 

[FordGuy]

FYI - VW is cutting 2 years off their warranty, but are adding 2 years of maintenance.

Indeed. That's what the sales guy at the Volkswagen dealership told me. Starting in 2020 they were reducing the warranty.

glad I did not buy the VW. It looks like they've had some reliability issues in the past.

 

[Greengoblin]

I trust we’re allowed to name them.

Explorer, Aviator, Traverse

The Explorer is the most overpriced vehicle I've ever seen. The Aviator is amazing but I'm not dropping an extra 30k for "status" and the Traverse has a huge ass

Love my Telluride. Price, style, comfort, and utility. It has it all

______________________________

 

[ibmax]

Indeed. That's what the sales guy at the Volkswagen dealership told me. Starting in 2020 they were reducing the warranty.

glad I did not buy the VW. It looks like they've had some reliability issues in the past.

They have had issues as long as I can remember and some pretty big class action law suites. They were as reliable as Fiats were 30 years ago

 

[Elayex]

Really everything in its class, probably the Explorer in particular, but when I stumbled across the Telluride it blew them all out of the water and I've never looked back. In my mind there's no competition.

 

[CYa]

Hyundai Palisade Ltd, Lincoln Corsair Reserve, Lincoln Nautilus Black Label, and Ram 1500 Limited.

1A. My first choice is probably the truck, with the Ramboxes and a tonneau it is just as functional for my needs as an SUV and the frost interior in the Ltd looks terrific. Nice big 12" infotainment screen. But there are a lot of reliability issues in their forum and Consumer Reports is down on that, too. Plus the size and turning radius issues can be a pain at times. Was worried about fitting in narrow lanes like in construction zones but it is only 4 inches wider than a Telluride. Ram had huge incentives in June, some were getting up to 25% off MSRP for Limiteds and Longhorns. $65K trucks for $49K. That's over but we'll see what they do in Sept and some are still getting 15-18% off MSRP. 2020's are already shipping to lots.

2. The Palisade looks like a great bargain and the cream interior of the Limited is very nice (better than the Telluride, IMHO) but the giant grill is terrible. No need for a 3rd row so lots of space under the cargo cover. Should be reliable and has a long warranty. I'm not yet convinced on their paint quality (black or their blackish-blue) and may have to wait a few months if have to order (refuse to pay over MSRP less incentives.)

3. The Corsair looks terrific inside and out, but I haven't seen one in person yet, nor even pics of some of the interior color options. Trunk space may be too small. Don't know if they'll have incentives and will negotiate (not going to pay the $58K MSRP for something that small.) A bit concerned about Lincoln reliability, but they've been improving in initial quality.

4. The Nautilus with the Black Label cashmere interior looks really sharp (though maybe a little too over the top? Like I should wear a Caddyshack captain's hat while driving...) That console doesn't look so great, though, and the screen quality is meh (especially the surround view and backup camera.) Really like the grill redesign of the new Lincolns. MSRP on the Black Label seems overpriced, but we'll see how much they are willing to deal. One thing about Black Label is that it basically includes prepaid maintenance for the 1st 4 years/50K miles (and that's also the length of their bumper to bumper warranty, not that far off Kia and Hyundai). Together with 4 annual free detailing and anytime free car washes it prices out to about $3K+ of equivalent services (I plan on owning it for at least 5 years.) So that drops the MSRP price gap over the Reserve to about $5k. Worth it for the better looking interior. Also 0% financing for 60 months can save about $2K in interest. The Reserve is nice, but a bit plain inside. It looks more like something to drive to Luby's Cafeteria for the Early Bird Special (I read that as of a couple of years ago 85% of Lincoln MKX (the pre-redesign Nautilus) buyers were Baby Boomers or older.)

Zero interest in the long-term high-cost maintenance risk of Audi, BMW, Mercedes. Plus the reliability issues with many of the Europeans, and now Acura has become terrible. Lexus RX350 exterior is not the best look (2020 slightly better and they finally get a touchscreen, but hey, it's a chick car) and GX460 is years behind in tech. Infinity looks nice but still won't offer Android Auto or Apple Carplay in 2020, so easy to rule out. Ford Explorer's top trim interior still looks plain, certainly not worth the price. F150 even worse in both regards. Jeep has poor reliability, quickly gets overpriced, and still doesn't have surround view cameras in any trims? Cadillac is ugly, GM's unreliable.

1B. I'm excited to read that Telluride SX-P orders are open again. Am hoping it reduces the wait time for orders in a month or so. May be my first choice if I don't have to wait until next year when ordering in mid-Sept. Love the exterior, but some elements of the interior are just ok. But overall a great value. White exterior with light gray SX-P is the only option I'm looking for, so my hunch is the wait time could end up pushing me to the Palisade, Lincolns, or Ram 1500. But it does feel great that after months of research and being very picky I still have options that I'd be completely happy with and know one of those will come through. It's a good time to be buying a vehicle.

Edit: Over the last few months I've visited close to 30 dealerships. The best were Lexus and (with 1 exception) Lincoln, but the worst, by far, were Kia (only 2 were ok). That may play into my decision.

Wow, I pretty much just wrote 'War and Peace'.

 

[ibmax]

Hyundai Palisade Ltd, Lincoln Corsair Reserve, Lincoln Nautilus Black Label, and Ram 1500 Limited.

1A. My first choice is probably the truck, with the Ramboxes and a tonneau it is just as functional for my needs as an SUV and the frost interior in the Ltd looks terrific. Nice big 12" infotainment screen. But there are a lot of reliability issues in their forum and Consumer Reports is down on that, too. Plus the size and turning radius issues can be a pain at times. Was worried about fitting in narrow lanes like in construction zones but it is only 4 inches wider than a Telluride. Ram had huge incentives in June, some were getting up to 25% off MSRP for Limiteds and Longhorns. $65K trucks for $49K. That's over but we'll see what they do in Sept and some are still getting 15-18% off MSRP. 2020's are already shipping to lots.

2. The Palisade looks like a great bargain and the cream interior of the Limited is very nice (better than the Telluride, IMHO) but the giant grill is terrible. No need for a 3rd row so lots of space under the cargo cover. Should be reliable and has a long warranty. I'm not yet convinced on their paint quality (black or their blackish-blue) and may have to wait a few months if have to order (refuse to pay over MSRP less incentives.)

3. The Corsair looks terrific inside and out, but I haven't seen one in person yet, nor even pics of some of the interior color options. Trunk space may be too small. Don't know if they'll have incentives and will negotiate (not going to pay the $58K MSRP for something that small.) A bit concerned about Lincoln reliability, but they've been improving in initial quality.

4. The Nautilus with the Black Label cashmere interior looks really sharp (though maybe a little too over the top? Like I should wear a Caddyshack captain's hat while driving...) That console doesn't look so great, though, and the screen quality is meh (especially the surround view and backup camera.) Really like the grill redesign of the new Lincolns. MSRP on the Black Label seems overpriced, but we'll see how much they are willing to deal. One thing about Black Label is that it basically includes prepaid maintenance for the 1st 4 years/50K miles (and that's also the length of their bumper to bumper warranty, not that far off Kia and Hyundai). Together with 4 annual free detailing and anytime free car washes it prices out to about $3K+ of equivalent services (I plan on owning it for at least 5 years.) So that drops the MSRP price gap over the Reserve to about $5k. Worth it for the better looking interior. Also 0% financing for 60 months can save about $2K in interest. The Reserve is nice, but a bit plain inside. It looks more like something to drive to Luby's Cafeteria for the Early Bird Special (I read that as of a couple of years ago 85% of Lincoln MKX (the pre-redesign Nautilus) buyers were Baby Boomers or older.)

Zero interest in the long-term high-cost maintenance risk of Audi, BMW, Mercedes. Plus the reliability issues with many of the Europeans, and now Acura has become terrible. Lexus RX350 exterior is not the best look (2020 slightly better and they finally get a touchscreen, but hey, it's a chick car) and GX460 is years behind in tech. Infinity looks nice but still won't offer Android Auto or Apple Carplay in 2020, so easy to rule out. Ford Explorer's top trim interior still looks plain, certainly not worth the price. F150 even worse in both regards. Jeep has poor reliability, quickly gets overpriced, and still doesn't have surround view cameras in any trims? Cadillac is ugly, GM's unreliable.

1B. I'm excited to read that Telluride SX-P orders are open again. Am hoping it reduces the wait time for orders in a month or so. May be my first choice if I don't have to wait until next year when ordering in mid-Sept. Love the exterior, but some elements of the interior are just ok. But overall a great value. White exterior with light gray SX-P is the only option I'm looking for, so my hunch is the wait time could end up pushing me to the Palisade, Lincolns, or Ram 1500. But it does feel great that after months of research and being very picky I still have options that I'd be completely happy with and know one of those will come through. It's a good time to be buying a vehicle.

Edit: Over the last few months I've visited close to 30 dealerships. The best were Lexus and (with 1 exception) Lincoln, but the worst, by far, were Kia (only 2 were ok). That may play into my decision.

Wow, I pretty much just wrote 'War and Peace'.

Wow, great job, terrific overview.

______________________________

 

[Quattrokai]

2016 LX570

 

[LindsayLou]

I am really drawn to the tech features/options, driving safety features, and general overall comfort and luxurious feel.

My current vehicle is a 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan that I bought brand new and have put over 240k miles on. I haven't driven it much at all in the last year as my husband and I carpool to work and it well, needs replaced. I've been doing research for about 2 years deciding between a Dodge Challenger and a 3-row SUV. So we've driven nearly every non-full size 3 row except a Tesla. Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, VW Atlas, Hyundai Santa Fe, Hyundai Santa Fe, Mazda CX-9 (HARD pass), Dodge Durango SXT, Ford Explorer, GMC Acadia, Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, Volvo XC90, Acura MDX, Mercedes GLE, Nissan Pathfinder (no captain seats in the 2nd row, but the most comfortable seats I've tried so far)...and I've also looked at the new Cadillac XT6, Lexus GX, & Lincoln Aviator.

So really I've tried them all. I am really leaning toward the Telluride (if I can just get over the darn Kia brand/name--I know they've come a long way since inception). I really love the proven track record and safety features of the Honda...but it resembles a minivan too much on both the inside and outside, so it just isn't my favorite. I really didn't like the feel of the Toyota, so that was out.

I love the Tesla X, but I could buy two of some of these other vehicles for that price, so I will hold off on that for now--maybe next time. I'll likely have this vehicle for 8-10 years, so it's just a matter of deciding. My husband recently asked me what my second choice was to the Telluride right now and I think it may be the Challenger which doesn't help. HA! I do like the Chevy Traverse Redline as well, but (1) I am not a big fan of black interior and that's all it comes in and (2) to get similar features as the Telluride, you pay quite a bit more. So I keep coming back to the Telluride!

 

[hammick]

Palisade and the hot rod 2020 Explorer ST. Never drove the Explorer once I got the Telluride bug. Plus it was damn expensive. The Palisade looked too much like a Lexus.

 

[Nsrg]

I was really into the cx9 but then the xc90 was my favorite... Then the explorer st and telluride (briefly cross shopped the pallisade). Then I nearly bought a jaguar wagon with plans for a roof rack.
Kids forced the telluride in the end. Great travelling car, but I love my tesla model 3 and 911tt around town! Suvs are just not fun to drive but nice for families!