Salmonbum

No experience with the Genesis but looks promising. I know 2 yrs ago at auto show the only car that really impressed me as far as interior quality was the G80. That thing was bad ass. I have experience with the Audi Q7 which will pull that weight but plan in seeing the dealer just a bit less the if it was an Escalade. Other options thats very nice inside but low key is a Touareg. Buddy found an almost new TDi for a killer deal. Thing is solid pulling up the mtns of Colorado.

JKBrad

We recently traded a Lexus GX460 for a 2020 Lincoln Navigator. At 450 HP and 505 ft lbs of torque, the high output 3.5 Ecoboost is a monster. It is a pleasure to pull my my 22’ boat That weighs in at about 4k lbs loaded. 3 adults and all of the gear for a 3 day weekend with effortless and drama free towing.

By the way, the only 2 Lexus body on frame SUVs that have been available for most of this past decade, are the smaller GX460 (4.6 V8) and the larger LX570 (5.7 V8).

Buttapollock1010

Lincoln Navigator, has the raptor motor. Prolly the nicest SUV that can tow. If you want just luxury go with the navigator. I you want to keep it forever go land cruiser! Test drive them all.

kawakx125

I'm not extremely well versed in some of these SUV's, but it does appear that you'll be at/near capacity with alot of them. A longer wheelbase vehicle like the suburban/expedition max/navigator will provide much better towing manners than any of the smaller ones, especially if you will be doing any longer trips

rogermd

Infinity QX80 or the Nissan Armada. I have the Armada. tows up to 8k. Great vehicle.

Parthery

Armada/QX tow pretty well, but the fuel tanks are incredibly small. An 18 gallon tank, when towing, will necessitate fuel stops every 150 miles or so. Even around town, you will be hard pressed to get much more than 225 miles out of tank.

I'd look hard at the Navigator....with the 3.5EB it's a beast.

71Outrage

in theory a longer wheelbase is better. However my Land Cruiser tows much better than the Tahoe it replaced. It is the best towing SUV I’ve had in 35 years of towing with them. I feel that wheelbase is overrated and vehicle weight is underrated when considering tow vehicles.

That said, the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator are very nice vehicles and I’m sure they will tow very well. I will never own another GM again, at 10 years mine rode like a bucket of bolts and burned oil by the gallon. I keep vehicles forever, my Toyota and Lexus vehicles drive like new at 12+ years.

michaels74

What about a Ford Superduty Platinum you can either go gas or diesel and you cant beat the luxury.

On the Half Shell

It depends on your priorities and how you weight them.

- Towing experience
- daily driver performance
- resale, maintenance, and total cost to own
- Seat comfort and ergonomics
-room for passengers and cargo
- interior design and exterior design
- infotainment interface and performance
- how much it just excites you


Only you can determine how to weight criteria. How my wife weights the criteria and how I weight them are not the same. When I think about towing the boat or week long family vacations then the Expedition / Navigator Max seems to make the most sense. When I think about driving it everyday including to work then the X7 or GLS sounds better to me. If the world was coming to an end and I needed something to last as long as possible in the zombie apocalypse I guess I would be buying a Land Cruiser.

Btw, the GLS has a longer wheelbase and weighs slightly more than a 2021 Yukon / Tahoe. GLS wheelbase is 123.4" with a curb weight listed at 5412 lbs. A Yukon / Tahoe's in 120.9" with a curb weight listed at 5356 lbs.

The only place the Expedition / Navigator and the Yukon / Escalade actually compete against an X7 / GLS is in the school pick up line. I'm not saying people don't cross-shop them or go from one to the other, I'm saying they are designed for different things. The big US SUVs above have unmatched cargo room, tow well, and drive well... just not as good as a BMW. The large German SUVs drive like a German sport sedan, have a lot of room but not compared to a Suburban, The GLS tows well too. The Japanese SUVs off-road well and but don't drive on the road as well as the Germans, don't tow as well as the US, but will likely outlast them all.

So what's important? Can you live with 7/10 luxury everyday for the best towing one day a week... or can you live with 7/10 towing for the best luxury driving experience the other 6-days a week? No wrong answers.

76 Mako 23

She is currently driving my Denali HD with the duramax.

2labdad

I have a limited Expedition max and I love it. I tow ( When I tow) a grady white 232 with twins and it does fine. never had a problem on the road or the ramp with it. I ordered a set of seat covers from a company that covers the back and seats to protect them from the dogs nails. i think the company name was either pintail or canvass back... great company the name is just escaping me rt now.

76 Mako 23

Thank you for taking the time to respond.

The boat is on a lift so towing is not the main focus. Luxury first towing 2nd. I just want the option to tow the boat if and when it’s needed.

Patton222

Yukon Denali, navigator and Escalade are all very nice and will do what you need. If budget allowed I’d go with a land cruiser personally, but they’re on the more masculine side and she may not be into it. My wife is driving a newer Infiniti QX80 and I wanted to not like it, but it has won me over. The 5.6 is a beast and it is very fun to drive, the tank can’t be 18 gallons as I pumped 20 in hers the other day and the fuel light was not on but it is a small tank 22-23 gallons to me that’s the only down side.

**Per quick search the fuel tank is 26 gallons in the QX80. I’m spoiled with my last few trucks have all had 36-38 gallon tanks so it seems small to me, but you probably won’t be finding anything much over 26 in a nice SUV. Check out the QX, ours has been a great vehicle so far.

Roswell

i have the same truck as you. I was only driving my 2015 Cayenne Turbo to tow but it couldn’t haul my big boat at 10k. When the truck came I couldn’t part with the Cayenne. It is the most reliable car I’ve ever owned and it’s an absolute beast (zero to sixty in under four) and it’s extremely comfortable. Wife drives a Tesla and weekend car is an Audi RS4 cab. The Cayenne is all of them in one, but mostly used for skiing. I would seriously look at the Cayenne.

JExpedition07

For 6,000+ pounds if it doesn’t say Suburban or Expedition (Escalade or Navigator) on the back forget about it. If you are used to a pickup you want the weight and wheelbase if the full size American offerings. The 6.2L V8 and 3.5 EcoBoost are both towing monsters too.

On the Half Shell

If I still lived in TX I may consider it but in south FL's parking lots, garages, drive thru's etc. No way would I drive a Suburban, Yukon XL, Expedition Max, etc everyday if I was only towing "if and when needed".

If you were towing 2-4 hours round trip twice a month like I do, or shorter trips several times a month, then the largest US SUVs may be the way to go. Infrequent towing I would be looking at something more enjoyable on a daily basis.

HatchieLuvr

"What's luxury?"

My wifes hard loaded 2015 Suburban tows my bayboat fine. (Loaded my boat is appx 5500# and our condo on Okaloosa Island is 500 miles from home) Any Tahoe would tow that rig as well. My wifes Sub is nearing 140k on it now & our "kids" are all 20 and older as well as away at college so we honestly don't need a "soccermom mobile" anymore. I thought she might want something a little smaller in her next vehicle. But she's already let me know, she wants another Sub! She loves the safety, capacity and comfort of her "battle wagon".

Want a little more "zoot and suit"? Then either length of the GMC Denali or Cadillac Escalade would handle 6k like childsplay since they have the 6.2 engine.

The Ford Exped Max Lmtd/Lincoln Nav with the Ecoboost would snatch a bayboat as well and certainly have plenty of luxo toys onboard.

I'm 6'4" (and my boys are taller than I) so luxury also means room/space to us. So smaller SUVs just don't flip my trigger no matter how "luxo loaded" they might be. BUT some ladies (your wife might be one that is such?) just have an aversion to FULL size SUVs? If she's "on the fence" then ask a buddy to let her use theirs for a day or perhaps rent one for a day? Hell any dealer wanting a sale, would likely put her in a used one overnight if you are reasonably certain you are going to get her something?

"Rolling down the road in your living room" is truly the definition of luxury!

On the Half Shell

Speaking of room.... according to Car & Driver's specs' of a 2020 MB GLS and a 2021 Suburban

Rear leg room (virtual tie)
MB GLS: 41.9"
Suburban: 42.0"

Rear Head room (MB wins)
MB GLS: 40.2"
Suburban: 38.9"

Rear Shoulder room (GM wins)
MB GLS: 58.5"
Suburban: 64.8"

The only place the GM has an advantage is 6" more width and of course more cargo room. That cargo advantage doesn't really factor into 2nd row comfort and if you're' using 2nd row captains chairs or no one is sitting in the middle of a bench seat that's a moot point.

How they drive is nothing alike. Although power is the least of concerns when it comes to towing, since you brought up engines...the GLS 580's 483HP and 516 lbft at only 2000 rpms beats the 6.2L in my GM truck (and all GM SUVs)

autobaun70

How do they hold up long term (and what does maintenance cost look like) if you run one to high mileage? Also resale value? Looks like they start off about 20K higher, and at the 3-5 year mark have similar resale to an same age GM.

On the Half Shell

That's a whole different part of the equation but we're talking luxury not practicality. I was replying to comfort and size aspect of luxury and pointing out that Suburban's and clones are not the only SUVs with passenger room

Every MB, BMW, and even Audis I ever had were all far more reliable than my current GMC truck. I once had a MB E-class for 180K miles with just services and an alternator. Never kept the others past 100K. My GM is the biggest POS I've ever owned and it was like that from 2000 miles on the odometer.

If you're prioritizing resale and the most reliability then buy a Land Cruiser or an LX570.

Though since a GLS costs so damn much there is just no way around losing your ass in deprecation. You're going to lose your ass on an Escalade too though.