Daydream future what SUV/pickup thread

So down the line, I am wanting to get another SUV or truck to fill a few uses for the family. Towing/camping/back up car

Requirements

• "Cool". It is like p0rn I know it when I see it. I know it is vain but I really want something that I think is cool. Basically something a bit different then what you see everywhere.
• Able to handle rough gravel roads or such to get to camp sites or bike trailheads. Not doing super serious offroading.
• Either able to seat 7 people for short distances or a two row pickup.
• Has A/C and somewhat modern driving. Thinking early 90s to mid 2000s. Possibly newer.
• Automatic (wife needs to be able drive)
• Not a van (my wife wouldn't drive it)
• Enough towing capacity to tow my Civic and lightweight trailer. Civic will end up being around 2000lbs hopefully. The Civic is remaining road legal and to be honest, I really don't see myself having the time to travel to autocrosses outside town anytime in the near future. So thisn't isn't massively important.
• Reasonably reliable
• Not too worried about gas mileage it probably isn't going to get more then a couple thousand miles a year.

Thoughts I had

Land Cruiser. Either J80 or J100 including Lexus versions. Matches everything I think but a bit pricey so it would take longer to be able to get one. Really seems the best option though

Land Rover Disco. Had optional jump seats so barely means the 7 people requirement but reliability seems a fail. Same with classic Range Rovers.

Suburban and Expedition. Not cool and not really interested. To be honest, I am not an American car fan but if someone has something American to convince me go for it.

Modern Toyota Tacomas. Some of the fancier versions look cool but the seats are so bad and once again pricey. Not really unique either especially at mountain bike trail heads.

What am I forgetting?

Edit: This would be used and an absolute max budget of $15k but preferably less.

06-07 LC/LX. The 100 series is much better than my 21 Tacoma. Good luck.

I have an excursion that's slowly finding its way onto the market. If you get the blockoffs for the rear AC lines it could have functional AC again too, but checks all the rest of the boxes as it sits.

In reply to 93EXCivic :

Chevy from the late 90's through 2000 were stone reliable,  decent fuel mileage,  ( averaged 20 mpg ) simple to work on, parts everywhere.  weakness? Avoid rust belt trucks!  
      Fords from 2016- 2020  great reliability. The most popular pickup made ( and for a good reason)  better fuel mileage than competition. Aluminum body and from 2018 aluminum frame. ( mil Spec Aluminum)  so rust isn't a problem. 
    Crew cab anything doesn't matter which brand will kill fuel mileage.  Plus parking really becomes difficult.
   So don't be disappointed if you get fuel mileage in the teens.   And loaded in the low teens.  
Regarding  imported trucks?  Aren't most made here?   Full sized trucks just seem too big for foreign markets. 

frenchyd said:

In reply to 93EXCivic :
Regarding  imported trucks?  Aren't most made here?   Full sized trucks just seem too big for foreign markets. 

Yeah I meant more trucks/SUVs from the big three. To be honest, I am more leaning SUV but a two row truck that can seat a full size adult might also be an option which to be honest mostly means more modern trucks. And to be honest, those trucks are imo missing a bit of the cool factor. I see them everywhere. I am wanting something a bit more unique and "cool". A bit outside the norm.

I am down south so rust less of a worry.

Mitsubishi Montero?  Can tow 5000 lbs, so you're covered on towing the lightweight car and trailer, and you never see them.  Which is good if you have one, bad if you're trying to buy one.  

Domestically, the Jeep Commander is another one that would fit the bill, and even has seating for seven.  

In reply to Puddy46 :

I was kind of looking at the Montero. Did you they have a small third row option or anything? Basically something that a couple people could squeeze into for a short drive to diner or something.

I am pretty set on this either being able to fit a couple extra people or having a bed for mulch/home depot runs without a trailer.

In reply to 93EXCivic :

The 2nd and 3rd gen Montero did have 3rd row jump seats like the Land Rover Discovery. I believe you can fold them out of the way when not in use. The v6 is a little bit underpowered but mostly durable. The 3rd gen has a 2 stage intake with a butterfly valve which has been known to lose its screws and drop them down the intake, but that can be removed or you can loctite the screws.

The Kia Telluride has won every major award an accolade of the past few years. No personal experience, but if I was in the market, this is what I would go for. 

In reply to 93EXCivic :

I loved my 3rd Gen Montero, The Sumo Wrestler.  I named it that because it was not a Nija like a WRX might be but rather large, slow and imposing.  Strong not in speed or big engine but stout in gearing and locking center differential grunt.  

Really comfortable on the road (hyw) but surprisingly capable when the road ended (off-road.)  Rated for 5,000lb but a Toyota Avalon on a Uhaul tow dolly had it at its max capability.  It did it for a 2 hour drive (1 hr each way) but it really was at its max making the trip "nervous."  

The 3rd row is "jump seats" for two.  Not a place for kid car seat mounting so best for kids 5-12 or adults similar to that size.  Odd quirk for my 2001 Montero.  Though the rear seat is built for 3 and has 3 seat belts, it only had LATCH attachments for 2 car seats.  This seemed to be a result of how the rear seat folded 60/40 and the void where the seat divided would be where the LATCH attachment would need to be if you used 3.   I put two kids in that second row so the 3rd was never an issue.  

I am also very intrigued by the stretched 2nd Gen Tracker/Vitara know as the Suzuki XL-7.  Stretched to give it a tiny 3rd row.  Real offroad chops.  Even better with a slight lift.  

https://expeditionportal.com/feature-vehicle-2002-suzuki-xl-7/

In reply to John Welsh :

Yeah the jump seats would be occasionally used by adults. Only one car seat to contend with. Thanks for your experience.

The Suzuki is something I had forgotten about but the tow capacity is on the lower side.

Toyota Sequoia (essentially the Tundra SUV):

Nissan Armada (the Titan SUV):

Kia Borrego:

The truck-based SUVs will have decent aftermarkets to mod to your taste. The Borrego probably does not, but is pretty uncommon so...?

Import a Pajero or Nissan Petrol 

I drive a Silverado and wifey has a Honda Pilot (7 passenger).  I'm cool with the Pilot but I keep calling it a minivan.

Combine the two - BAM! Honda Ridgeline Black Edition I got this week for a rental car from Enterprise.  Seats forward you wouldn't know that it's not a Honda Pilot. You're only seating 5 though.  

Tons of positive features and a bunch of cool Honda features that make it cool - factory speakers in bed?  Wild! 

Negative is price - the AWD Black Edition starts at $48,000 plus options and tax?  You can get a nice Silverado for $50's.......

In reply to Datsun310Guy :

I am looking at a lot lower price then that. Like $15k max and that will take a while to get to if I go that high.

Pre-covid I was heading toward a recent Nissan Armada. Would have been a great Montero upgrade. Will tow tons with 5.6L

Not all Armadas we're 4wd. Many were 2wd (rear). Look for 4wd knob on center console.

Sequoia is a great answer.

frenchyd said:

In reply to 93EXCivic :

Chevy from the late 90's through 2000 were stone reliable,  decent fuel mileage,  ( averaged 20 mpg )

You are smoking rocks if you think you can get 20mpg out of a 2000s suburban easily. A 2wd 4.8 short bed Silverado might squeak out a 20mpg average but my 2003 Yukon XL Denali is lucky to get 15mpg with a tailwind.  Over the last 2 years and 20k miles it has averaged 13mpg quite reliably, 8mpg while towing 7k lbs across the country twice.

yupididit said:

Import a Pajero or Nissan Petrol 

Patrol ;)

In reply to mr2s2000elise :

LoL damnit

In reply to yupididit :

Now that you are rich man with your Rivian - you forget how us little Y62 people live ;)

In reply to mr2s2000elise :

Okay Mr Taycan lol. 

yupididit said:

Import a Pajero or Nissan Petrol 

RHD would be a no go for my wife.