Honda's luxury three-row splits the difference between sport sedan reflexes and family hauler practicality, torque-vectoring AWD that actually makes winter fun, a V6 that runs forever, and enough cargo space to shame the Germans. The catch is a generation-specific landmine: 2016-2020 V6 models grenade their rod bearings at 30k-60k miles, stranding owners with five-figure engine replacements now covered under recall 23V-751. Avoid that window entirely. The current 2022+ generation sidesteps the issue and earns genuine owner loyalty, but it drinks premium like a pickup (16-21 MPG real-world) and costs nearly X5 money while delivering a noticeably less plush cabin. Buy it if you value sharp handling and Honda durability over German badge prestige, and you're fine burning a tank every 350 miles. Skip it if fuel economy matters or you need that third row for actual adults.
Audi's three-row flagship is caught between two truths: the 2016-2020 models delivered some of the finest interiors the brand ever built, tactile, sophisticated, genuinely special, while newer examples cheapened out with creaky piano black and the platform itself now trails refreshed rivals by a generation. The safety systems will phantom-brake you through roundabouts with alarming confidence, and the base 2.0T four-cylinder has no business hauling 5,000 pounds of German SUV plus seven passengers. But the 3.0T V6 pulls strong, Quattro handles winter without drama, and long-term reliability has been solid across the second generation. Hunt for a pre-2020 model if you want the good bones, skip the four-cylinder entirely, and budget time to neuter the driver assistance, families prioritizing space and mechanical competence over cutting-edge screens will find a capable workhorse here.