sonyfever

Honestly, I was a bit surprised you went for Toyota after having Lincoln and Acura. Ignoring all other factors, the refinements here and there are just at a different level, even though Acura is far from the best. I think 22 Advance (or any non-hybrid premium+ SUV, to be honest) would serve you well besides mpg. Yeah, at some point, the purpose of money is to serve you and make you happy without the small if or but.

JB in AZ

@sonyfever Yes, before I ever owned an Acura or Lincoln, I thought highly of Toyota, having owned 3 previous Highlanders from new...and the 35+ MPG and guaranteed being able to purchase it...well, obviously that wasn't the right choice. There are some obvious differences between the feel of things (doors, switches, etc) that show it isn't a premium brand, yet some things are very nicely done.

hans471

I wish there was a perfect car, but there is not. All cars have to be built to a price that matches the market segment they are in and will still generate a positive return to the company. (losing money on cars doesn't keep you in business).
I recall being in meetings in Detroit where the engineers talked about how there around 5,000 parts in an average car back then and that they had to do cost studies on every last nut,bolt and screw. I recall once an engineer talking about how they had to reduce the price of a hatch hinge by twenty-five cents to meet a target. Its a very complex process.
The Highlander is a fine vehicle but its "below" a Lexus. They have to cut somewhere to get its price down. On the other hand a buddy and his wife took a ride with us in our RDX. She has a new model Chevy Equinox. First time she got in the RDX and shut the door she opened it right back up and shut it again. She was surprised at the quiet sound and the nice feel of the door closing. (She is an engineer and notices things like that). The look on her face said it all....the RDX was built much better then her Equinox and she had instantly noticed the better "feel" of the car.