Three seven-seat luxury crossovers with all-wheel-drive and generous discounts

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On the two middle Fridays every month, Graeme Fletcher combines manufacturers’ incentives from Unhaggle.com with resale value, dependability and overall ratings to find you the best deal for your money in new cars.

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This week, we look at seven-passenger luxury crossovers with all-wheel-drive. The hot deals are on the 2019 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid, Audi Q7 Progressiv and Lexus GX 460.

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Three seven-seat luxury crossovers with all-wheel-drive and generous discounts Back to video

2019 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid

Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price: $69,990
Acura Canada Incentive*: $6,195
Unhaggle Savings: $1,500
Total Savings: $7,695
Mandatory Fees (Freight, Govt. Fees): $2,205
Total Before Tax: $64,500

The third-generation Acura MDX mostly carries over for 2019. The Sport Hybrid is lavishly attired with leather seating and powered everything including a moonroof. The MDX’s dual-screen infotainment setup is not the most intuitive, but it delivers quick access to the navigation, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and it has one of the better voice recognition systems. For good measure, the Hybrid’s rear entertainment system keeps the kids entertained with a large 16.2-inch screen.

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The middle row has plenty of space; the third is best left to the youngsters. The cargo space measures 447 litres with the third row up; and 1,087 litres with it folded flat. The space maxes out at 2,575 litres, which is the same as the non-hybrid models.

The MDX Sport Hybrid arrives with forward collision warning with auto braking, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning with keep assist, adaptive cruise control, rain sensing wipers and auto high-beams.

The Hybrid’s 3.0-litre V6 engine produces 257 horsepower and 218 foot-pounds of torque. It works with Acura’s three-motor Sport Hybrid Super Handling-All Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system and a 1.3-kilowatt/hour lithium-ion battery. Up front a 47-hp motor is built into the seven-speed twin-clutch transmission, while two 36-hp motors drive the rear wheels. The system combines to deliver a maximum output of 321 hp and 289 lb.-ft. of torque.

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When cornering, the rear electric motors deliver more power to the outside rear wheel while using regenerative brake to add some drag to the inside rear wheel. The result is real-time torque vectoring and much better handling. It should be noted the system is designed to improve on-road handling, not off-road ability.

The MDX Sport Hybrid has a run to 100 kilometres an hour of 6.4 seconds and a posted average fuel economy of 9.0 litres per 100 kilometres. Towing is not recommended.

The Hybrid is agile and then some. Depending upon the drive mode selected (Comfort, Normal, Sport and Sport+) the adaptive damping and steering feel changes accordingly. In Comfort it is a compliant highway cruiser; Sport+ transforms it into a corner-carver.

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The Acura MDX Sport Hybrid arrives with a generous combined Unhaggle discount of $7,695 and a pre-tax sticker of $64,500.

2019 Audi Q7 2.0 45 TFSI Quattro Progressiv

Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price:

Audi Canada Incentive*:

Unhaggle Savings:

Total Savings:

Mandatory Fees (Freight, Govt. Fees):

Total Before Tax:

$71,120

After a full rework in 2017, the second-generation 2019 Audi Q7 carries over — the new 2020 model is being readied for market. The cabin is graceful in its execution with quality materials and a host of features including heated/cooled front seats and heated middle row seating; an over-sized panoramic moonroof; and Audi’s MMI Plus with navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It remains one of the best simply because it can be used without referring to the owner’s manual.

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The first two rows of seating offer plenty of space, the third row not so much — it’s really only for kids. The cargo space measures 419 litres with the third row in use; and 1,062 litres with it folded down. It maxes out at 2,027 with everything folded flat.

Blind-spot monitoring, Audi pre sense basic and a top-view camera are standard equipment. To get lane-keep assist and auto high-beams requires the $1,000 Driver Assist package. Adaptive cruise control with stop/go functionality, traffic jam assist and Audi pre sense plus, among other things, requires the $3,900 Driver Assist Plus package.

The featured Q7 arrives with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine that pushes 252 horsepower and 272 pound-feet of torque at 1,600 rpm through an eight-speed automatic transmission and quattro all-wheel-drive. The latter sends 60 per cent of the drive to the rear wheels and 40 per cent to the front under normal driving conditions. However, it can transfer as much as 70 per cent to the front wheels and up to 85 per cent to the rears when needed, and it does so in a seamless manner.

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The Audi Q7 runs to 100 km/h in 7.5 seconds; it has a posted average fuel economy of 11.0 L/100 km and a towing capacity of 2,000 kg.

The Q7 remains one of the more dynamic rides in the segment — it feels light on its P255/55R19 tires, there’s minimal body roll and the response to steering input is both fast and reassuring. On the flip side, it cruises the highway in fine fashion. There are Comfort, Auto and Dynamic drive modes, each progressively ramps up the responsiveness of the drive.

The Audi Q7 Progressiv has a sticker price of $71,120 after the combined Unhaggle discount of is applied.

2019 Lexus GX 460 4WD SUV

Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price:

Lexus Canada Incentive*:

Unhaggle Savings:

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Total Savings:

Mandatory Fees (Freight, Govt. Fees):

Total Before Tax:

$73,335

The second-generation GX 460 carries over — the reworked 2020 model is waiting in the wings. Inside, the GX mirrors other Lexus models with rich materials and a lavish level of equipment — leather-wrapped heated/cooled front seats and heated outboard middle row seats along with a heated steering wheel. The nit is the infotainment system does not support Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

While the second row seating has plenty of space, the third row is for kids or an emergency. There is 328 litres of cargo space with the third row up; and 1,322 litres with it powered down. It maxes out at 1,832 litres. While the tailgate glass opens independently to allow small parcels to be dropped in, the side-opening tailgate is hinged on the passenger side of the vehicle, which is the wrong side for North America.

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Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert and rain-sensing wipers are standard. However, pre-collision, dynamic cruise control, lane departure alert and a driver monitoring system are part of the $3,150 Technology package. The comprehensive Lexus Safety System+ suite of safety technologies is standard on the upcoming 2020 GX model.

The GX 460 is powered by a 4.6-litre V8 that makes 301 hp and 329 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,400 rpm. The power is relayed through a six-speed automatic transmission and a full-time four-wheel-drive system that uses a Torsen centre differential to apportion the power. It sends 40 per cent to the front wheels and 60 per cent to the rear wheels under normal driving conditions. When off-road, the centre differential can be locked, and there’s a low-range gear set for gnarly sections of trail. It also has hill descent control. The combination gives the GX near unstoppable off-road ability.

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The GX 460 has a run from rest to 100 km/h of 7.9 seconds, a posted average fuel economy of 14.6 L/100 km and a tow capacity of 2,948 kg.

The GX 460’s body-on-frame design means it feels more truck-like than modern crossovers — this comes through in the steering feel. However, the load-leveling rear air suspension and Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS) limits body roll when on-road and helps in an off-road situation — KDSS essentially disconnects the anti-roll bars, which allows longer wheel travel.

The Lexus GX 460 has a combined Unhaggle discount of $3,270 and a sticker price of $73,335.

The verdict

Transport Canada lists three recalls for the Acura MDX. The first (#2019179) says, “On certain vehicles, the teeth on the timing belt may separate due to a manufacturing issue.” Dealers will to inspect the lot number on the timing belt. If it is within the affected range, the belt will be replaced and inspect the engine for internal damage. The second (#2019159) states, “On certain vehicles, water could enter the tail lamps located on the tailgate.” If either lamp is not working, the dealer will replace both lamps and inspect/replace the fuse. If both lamps are working the dealer will modify the lamps and install an updated gasket and wiring. The third (#2018602) says, “Certain vehicles may fail to conform to Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) 135 — Light Vehicle Brake Systems. A problem with the rear brake system may cause gas bubbles to form in the brake fluid.” Dealers will bleed the rear brakes.

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There is one recall for the Audi Q7 (#2019076). It states, “On certain vehicles, the front shock absorber forks may crack. This may allow the shock absorber to come loose and cause the tire to contact the wheel housing.” Dealers will dealer replace the affected shock absorber fork(s).

There are no recalls for the Lexus GX 460.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awards the Acura MDX its Top Safety Pick for the Good scores in all crash tests, a Superior rating for forward collision prevention and an Acceptable score for headlight performance. The Audi Q7 has Good crash test scores across the board, a Superior score for forward collision prevention, but a Marginal rating for headlight performance. Neither the IIHS nor the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) list any crash test ratings for the Lexus GX 460.

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The projected resale value of these luxurious crossovers in 2022, after being driven an average of 20,000 km/year, is $33,250 for the Acura MDX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD, $37,100 for the Audi Q7 Progressiv quattro and $38,150 for the Lexus GX 460 all-wheel-drive.

The hot Unhaggle deal this week is the Acura MDX Sport Hybrid. It is comfortable, accommodating and sporty thanks to the adaptive dampers and SH-AWD. It also has, given its size and utility, better fuel economy than most. The caveat is if towing is an important factor, it is the wrong ride — here the Audi Q7 walks the middle ground offering enough towing capability to satisfy most situations.