FX vs. Audi Q5 - Volvo XC60 - BMW X3 and X5

Hi all - the OP here. Just a quick update. After driving the 2011 "demo" for a weekend my wife has eliminated it from contention (sorry guys, it is what it is). It had a lot of nice qualities, but ultimately she wasn't as comfortable with its size and staring out over those fender humps in front. Since that time she went back and test drove another Volvo XC60 T6 (an R-design as a matrer-of-fact) and continues to really like it. About an hour ago (w/o me) she test drove two Audi Q5s...the 2.0 liter turbo 4 and the 3.2 liter V6. The test drives weren't terribly long, but her feedback is:

1. The Volvo and Audi were definitely in the same class from a "solid feel" perspective.
2. Audi was gorgeous - outside is great / inside is great.
3. She preferred the earlier high flat torque curve of the 2.0T over the pricier (but slightly smoother) V6 (hey, who doesn't like torque).
4. Car was the right size for her, but side mirrors were ridiculously big and actually a visual impariment
5. Rear seat comfort seemed better in the Volvo.
6. Power felt better in the Volvo (it is a 3.0 liter turbocharged inline 6)
7. Overall driveability seemed a tad better in the Volvo (the Audi was a touch disappointing for her in this regard as it gets such rave reviews)
8. Overall, if the Volvo and Audi were priced identically she might, just MIGHT choose the Audi over the Volvo, but would not be willing to pay a premium for it as the delta between the two wasn't compelling enough. She indicated she would (as an example) not pay 2 or 3 grand more for the Audi.


She is headed over to drive a RAV4 (V6) now and will probably drive a 2010 Lexus RX350 one more time "just to be sure" (surely, all those Lexus onwers can;t be wrong...can they?) ;>) I expect the RAV4 will have good power, and, well...that's about all that will be compelling about it, but we'll see (I think the dash is hideous).

The 1st Gen FX is still on the list as an option and our bigger question is likely to be "Do we pay $22-26K for a car or $29-$36K" (a question only we can decide based on our budgets and the merits of each vehicle). I'm still refusing to drivea BMW X3...just on principal.

Didn't want to leave you guys hanging...more to come.
 
I actually had the same feeling....when I first drove the 2009 FX, it felt huge to me and it was really big for my wife too. Now it almost feels like it shrunk for us and doesn't feel big at all. Very weird.
 
I test drove a '09 FX50S too and the interior is much larger and open. It felt like I was driving something big like a QX. The 1G FX interior is much more snug and more like a race car cockpit compared to the 2G interior.
 
The FX has never felt big to me. Yes, my 2006 sort of wrapped around you which I liked but the 50S seemed just a bit wider but not overall much bigger. (if that makes sense). The cargo space on the FX does remind you the utility sacrifice it's gorgeous lines force. One trip to the golf course with a buddy reminds me how relatively 'ok sized' it is. Not complaining as we know what the car is meant for and it is not 2-3 golf bags or a trip to Costco (without folding the rear seats)
 
Hey the hood is my favorite part of this car lol. I like being able to see the gigantic fenders from the driver seat. Only issue I have though is when I freshly wash it and since mine is black is causes a glare on to my face when driving in direct sunlight. No big deal though since it's not bad. Everytime someone gets in their first comment is how nice the view is of the hood from any seating position.
 
That's another thing I love about the FX from behind the wheel too. The big and curvy hoodlines and fenders. I love the big shoulders the car has. It's hard to believe the G1 FX design is ten years old now and still looks fresh and better than a lot of cars out there. :smug:
 
AeroBFA said:
That's another thing I love about the FX from behind the wheel too. The big and curvy hoodlines and fenders. I love the big shoulders the car has. It's hard to believe the G1 FX design is ten years old now and still looks fresh and better than a lot of cars out there. :smug:
Click to expand...

Japanese design FTW!!!
 
Well, since I hate it when threads never resolve, I figured I would post the outcome of the "SUV" search for my wife. Last night we purchased a 2012 Volvo XC60 T6 R-Desgin (Turbo Inline 6 - 325HP, 354 lbs ft of torque). It really came down to the smaller SUV/CUvs - the Audi Q5, BMW X3, and XC60 (I won't bore you with any more details on those). Interestingly enough, I myself might actually consider an FX as the replacement for my own car at some point so I could be back here ultimately!

A couple of quick pics I snapped this morning before we head out:
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Looks great! I like the style of the xc60 though I think its definitely geared more towards the females. I was wanting my mom to consider one but even it is too big for her lol.

How does she drive?
 
Nice color! The XC60 is definitely one of the nicer Volvo designs to come out in a very long time. You know out of all of your choices, you couldn't really had gone wrong with any of your choices! :top:
 
Noce choice, although I think it's more of a station wagon than an SUV, kin dog like Subaru Outback. But still a sexy sleek design and am sure your wife will enjoy it! Congrats!
 
Thanks - it is more of a Crossover than an SUV...although those lines are so blurry these days it is hard to say where one starts and the other stops. The Audi/Volvo/BMW were all within an inch size wise in length and width. The Volvo is actually the "tall" one of the bunch "towering" 2 inches taller than the other two (although stylistically you'd never guess it). Ride and handling are actually very similar to an FX, but with more of an FWD bias (it is AWD). Ride comfort more than a bit firmer (esp with the 20" rims on the R-Design), but that was a trade-off we were willing to make. The FX is still more "sports car" than the XC60 for sure (and more so than any of the 3 we narrowed it down to). We really need a few weeks of seat time to make a solid evaluation. We did test drive all of these more than once.
 
Congratulations on your purchase..enjoy the SMiles...
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Been away from the forum for some time now - want to leverage this thread to share my post-FX purchase re-evaluation period and the at ease situation that we finally concluded with. I bet guys seeking comparison information will be pounding on this thread in future..hoping my experience will be useful to them.

I've had my Acura TL for quite some time and bought my 2010 FX35 in Jan 2010. at that time We test drove MDX, RX350, Highlander, ML350, X5, SRX, Murano, Venza)...my wife liked the utility/decent power of a Murano...we liked the FX drive..& luxury beating all else...midnight mocha with wheat interior came home.:top:

A year after getting the FX from a utility standpoint (more trunk-space, 7-seater capacity) I sure was glancing at the newer Explorer, Durango, Cherokee, didn't want to try Q5 (too small), Q7 (not our style)...we wanted to go check out those and went on a couple of lengthy test drives over a 6 month period.

Conclusion: Me and my lady were on the same page - we were in absolute love in how the FX drives & always were looking for that drive in everything that we tried, more luxury than any other competition we looked at & we'll put up with the less than 5% of occasions where FX is a utility constraint. We are always looking forward to our ride in the FX even after two years....:nerd (2):
 
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Congrats on the purchase!!! Even though its not a fx, glad that iS was able to help you! Btw the m5 looks good 8)
 
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