Ls430 Vs Rx330 Two Small Kids?

[Gmachine]

I just sold my wife's 02 accord & would like to replace it & pay cash. I'm looking at LS430 or RX330. I think the kids would be easier to load (higher roofline) in the RX, but I belive the LS is the better car. I'm not sure she would feel comfortable driving the LS, given its size. So, has anyone had experience with two car seats in either vehicle? It seems a LS can be had for less as well. I'm guessing the LS is also the safe car when it comes to accidents.

[datarecovery]

This is my own opinion, but in the end it comes down to what your wife will want.

Women want something high, feels safer, something smaller seems easier to maneuver and park.

I prefer the 430: rides better, better technically/technologically, better gas mileage - 17 vs 24 highway, fits the car seats way better - more space between each car seat means less fights, and safer from a crashworthiness

Just MHO

[Gmachine]

She's driven a sequoia before & liked it, but that could be due to its higher seating position too. I was thinking the higher roofline of the RX may aid in loading the kids in & out. I've bumped by son's (2years old) head by accident on the roof of my car (98 M3) loading him in & out.

[1990LS400]

The Sequoia, RX330 and LS430 are vastly different types vehicles. The LS430 is certainly the most comfortable but will be far more expensive to maintain. An RX330 hatchback would be good for carrying "kid stuff" like strollers, highchairs and toys that you could never squeeze into an LS430.

The only Sequoia I have ridden in (too many times!) had a very jiggly ride. The RX ride is certainly better. I thought that the best feature of the Sequoia was that it had three rows of seats even if the third row was tight. Bro-in-law dumped the Sequoia for a Toyota Venza hatchback as soon as his oldest kid moved out.

If you are interested in the RX, I suggest you consider a Toyota Highlander FWD V6. It has the same Camry-based drivetrain as the RX, better outward visibility, more cargo space and "usually" costs less than the RX to buy and maintain. The reason I say "usually" is that areas often have a lot of Toyota dealers competing but far fewer Lexus dealers. For example, the metro area where I live has nine Toyota dealers but only one Lexus dealer. Lexus dealers often charge way more for an RX part than the same part costs at Toyota dealers.