The LX is pumped by a 5.8 V8 engine capable of achieving 383 HP and 0-60 MPH in 7.4 seconds. It comes with an automatic six-speed sequential-shift automatic Electronically Controlled Transmission (ECT). While the LX is not shy of power and performance, the beastly V8 can only achieve 12 MPG on the city and up to 18 MPG on the highway for a total of 14 MPG combined. This does not place it above the Chevy Traverse, capable of achieving up to 24 MPG on the highway.

When it comes to an eye-turning vehicle, the LX has the looks to steal stares anywhere you drive through. Luxurious body molding and aggressive looking grille give the LX an unassailable presence. Chrome-plated door handles complete the luxury look. Other standard features include a backup camera, power rear door, tow hitch, and a wide-view front/side monitor to improve driving visibility. One interesting feature is the SmartAccess system, allowing owners to lock or unlock the doors and start the engine without utilizing traditional keys. The LX is available in six different exterior colors.

The LX’s interior has all you would come to expect from Lexus in luxury. An impressive illuminated stainless-steel scuff plate gives accent to the remarkable interior highlights. The leather and wood-trimmed interior, steering wheel and shift knob scream out personality. Exclusive luxury features like voice recognition, telephone capabilities and a modern multi-information display add to the elegant speedometer and tachometer. Not surprisingly for the price tag, the LX comes packed with Bluetooth® and USB Audio support, power second- and third row seating, rear-seat entertainment system, Mark Levinson® Reference Surround Sound Audio System and Lexus Enform® with Safety Connect®. The traditional luxury colors and wood trim displayed in the interior may not make the vehicle as attractive to a younger population and it is significantly comparable to the less-expensive Honda Pilot.

lexus lx interior

Lexus has a serious approach to safety in all of their vehicles, and the LX is no exception. With their comprehensive airbag system, the LX offers 10 airbags to keep passengers safe; the most airbags in its class. The side curtain air bags extend all the way to the second and third rows. Rain-sensing wipers activate upon the presence of rain on the windshield and adjust to proper speed.

Everything the Lexus LX has in performance, luxury and style, unquestionably lacks in warranty. Lexus only offers an unexceptional 48 months or 50,000 mile warranty, whichever occurs first. This is one of the lowest on the industry, especially when considering the price tag and the vehicle’s resale value. Additionally, Lexus warranty has many restrictions to its application, overall making it inappropriate.

Although the warranty, price tag, and gas mileage would situate it below eager competitors like the Honda Pilot, Chevy Traverse, and Toyota Sequoia, the Lexus LX simply has too many outstanding features that far outweigh the competition. Overall, the Lexus LX it can be entitled the best 8 passenger suv on the market.

The LX 570 prides itself with a rough and full-bodied look and an overhauled brake system. Equipped with the latest sophisticated technologies combined with deluxe features, this 8 passenger SUV has it all.

Its engine is a 5.7 L V8 that produces 383 HP and 403 lb-ft of torque. It has a new Craw Control feature that is automatically controlled for increased throttle control when maneuvering over rough surfaces and steep slippery slopes. Other standard features include 20-inch wheels, a hard-drive based navigation system that is voice activated, a keyless entry and ignition, leather upholstery, and a power lift gate.

The Lexus LX 570 has a fuel capacity of 12 mpg in the city, 18 mpg on the highway, and comes with 6 automatic gears. Its towing capacity is 8,500 lbs.

Infiniti 2011 QX56

This luxury 8 passenger SUV offers versatility and proves to be a family vehicle that helps with safety and practicality. It has a refined, sleek, and spacious interior sheathed in wood and leather. It comes in two models with either a rear-wheel drive system or an all-wheel drive system, which distributes the torque evenly.

It boasts of a tri-zone entertainment system, Bose premium sound system, Infiniti hard-drive navigation system, blind spot warning system, safety shield, and lane departure prevention. Other standard features include top-view camera system, Bluetooth and USB connectivity, a power lift gate, xenon headlights, and climate control for three zones.

The QX56′s 5.6 L V8 engine delivers 400 HP and 413 lb-feet of torque with direct fuel injection. Its fuel capacity is rated at 14 mpg in the city and 20 mpg on the highway while the towing capacity is 8,500 lbs.

Honda 2011 Pilot

The Honda 2011 Pilot is a pleasant, family-friendly vehicle with roomy third row, smooth V6, and smart interior storage features. But other than that, it is merely an average car with its poor braking performance, not-so-remarkable fuel capacity, and slow-moving acceleration.

Nevertheless this affordable 8 passenger SUV offers latch system, advance compatibility engineering, tire pressure monitoring system, anti-lock brake system, and vehicle stability assist. Other standard features include off road tracking and rear view camera, Bluetooth hands-free, tri-zone automatic climate control with air filtration system, and rear DVD entertainment system.

The Pilot’s engine has a 3.6 L V6 that produces 250 HP with a 5-speed automatic transmission. Its fuel economy, on the other hand, is rated at 17mpg in the city and 23 on the highway.

Toyota 2011 Sequoia

The Sequoia is a comfortable and luxurious option for individuals looking for an 8 passenger SUV. It boasts of its user-friendly features, versatility, massive interior with flexible seating, and excellent refinement.

The standard engine of the vehicle is a 4.6 L V8 that creates 310 HP with a 6-speed automatic transmission and a 327 lb-ft of torque. Its fuel capacity is 14 mpg in the city while 20 mpg on the highway and 16 mpg combined.

For individuals looking for luxury, this SUV offers a voice activated touch screen DVD navigation system, 3-zone climate control, audio system with Bluetooth and iPod compatibility, rear-seat DVD system, dynamic laser cruise control, and keyless entry. It also provides advance airbag system, 3-point seatbelts, side impact door beams, break assist, and anti-theft system for safety.

Let’s take a closer look at four of the top rated 8 passenger SUVs.

The 2012 Nissan Armada tops the list in pricing, coming in at close to $44,000. The 2012 GMC Yukon and the 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe are each priced at just under $40,000. Finally at the lower end of the scale is the Honda Pilot which comes in at about $31,000, making it the most affordable alternative.

Nissan Armada

Built for families, or business owners in need of space to transport crews, these full-size SUVs have a lot going for them. Of course, you can easily seat eight in the spacious interiors that are the hallmark of an 8 passenger SUV. Best of all though is you can do that without sacrificing either comfort or cargo space.

In full-size SUVs there is simply more room overall, so you can be comfortable wherever you’re sitting. Each model has bucket seats in the front. Second row seating in all but the Armada is 60-40 split benches with lots of leg room and head space. The Armada comes with a 40-20-40 split-bench for even more passenger comfort.

The third row of seating in smaller SUVs is often cramped and flat out uncomfortable. But in these full-size SUVs, there’s plenty of leg room, more than ample hip space, and lots of room overhead.

Both the Armada and the Pilot come with a 60-40 split bench set-up, while in the Yukon and the Tahoe the third row is set-up with a 50-50 split bench. There are advantages and disadvantages to both of these arrangements.

If you find that you need more room for cargo, the 50-50 bench seats in the Yukon and the Tahoe are removable. But passengers end up with less seating room with this configuration. With the Nissan Armada, getting extra cargo room is as easy as folding down the second and third row seats. This is a lot more efficient than having to remove a bench seat.

The Armada has the most spacious arrangement, providing passengers with more shoulder space and a full six inches more leg room in the third row, compared to the other SUVs.

The sleek appearance of this new generation of SUVs replaces the boxy look of earlier SUVs. Along with the re-design comes a better safety rating. The roll-over problems that plagued SUVs in the past have been addressed, and safety ratings are at an all-time high.

GMC Yukon

All four of the 8 passenger SUV models we are looking at have taken safety to a new level, and as a result have earned close to perfect safety ratings.

Each of these SUVs includes airbags in four critical areas: front, driver side, passenger side, and overhead. All have side impact bars, as well as anti-locking brake systems. To minimize the possibility of a roll-over, electronic stability technology has been installed. The system used varies from one manufacturer to another.

Of course the main drawback of driving a full-sized SUV is fuel efficiency. Because these vehicles are bigger and heavier, they come with a more powerful engine. It’s no surprise that a bigger engine goes hand in hand with greater fuel consumption.

The 2012 GMC Yukon has a 5.3L V-8 320 HP motor. The 2012 Nissan Armada comes with a 5.6L V-8 317 HP engine. The 2012 Chevy Tahoe is powered by a 5.3L V-8 320 HP engine, while the 2012 Honda Pilot has the smallest motor at 3.5L V-6 250 HP.

Gas mileage is affected accordingly. Coming in at the top of the list for best fuel economy is the Honda Pilot with an estimated MPG of 18-city and 25-highway. Both the GMC Yukon and the Chevrolet Tahoe get an estimated 15 mpg in the city and 21 mpg on the highway. The Nissan Armada gets 12 mpg in city driving conditions and 18 mpg for highway driving.

Your best bet is to visit each dealership and take a test drive to see for yourself which one you prefer. With lots of extras available in all models, you can customize your ride the way you want it, and choose the look that appeals to you. There is really no bad choice when it comes to an 8 passenger SUV. It comes down to getting what you need.

Crossovers are in fact, usually built upon the frame used for a car. The body is that of a smaller sized SUV. The only drawback is that you lose some of the power, ability to tow and off roading capabilities. For those who simply want more room and some more power than what a car offers, though, a CUV is a great option.

The Honda Pilot 8 Passenger Crossover

If the number of your family or friends requires you to have something as large as an eight-person SUV or CUV, the Honda Pilot is an option you may want to consider. The Pilot is known to be durable and reliable, not to mention stylish. Reviews indicate the interior is roomy and comfortable, even for an eight-person crew on board.

You get above standard fuel economy with the Pilot because of the vehicle’s Variable Cylinder Management (VCM). What this does is deactivate cylinders so that, even with a six-cylinder engine, the power can be dropped to work as low as a four or even three cylinder engine. This conserves energy. So, with the Honda Pilot Crossover you get 23 miles per gallon when driving on the highway and 17 for city driving.

GMC Acadia

One of the features that gets the most praise, when it comes to the Acadia Crossover, is the cargo capability. In addition to that, the responsive handling and comfortable ride is comparable to that of a car. The engine powering this good-sized vehicle is a 3.6 liter V6 and there are five various trim levels available, depending on your wants, needs and budget.

The fuel efficiency is average, with a 24 highway and 17 city miles per gallon rating. There are a good number of safety features, as well. You get anti-lock brakes, electronic traction with stability control and the appropriate number of air bags for the size of the vehicle and number of passengers. There is also the rearview camera to help prevent accidents.

The Chevrolet Traverse

Another top choice in the eight-passenger crossover category is the Chevy Traverse. It, along with the GMC Acadia, comes with, possibly, the most power in its division. The Traverse is front wheel drive and ready to work nearly as hard as a standard sports utility vehicle. It comes with a 3.6 liter V6 engine, which is impressive for a crossover.

The Chevrolet Traverse Crossover Utility Vehicle also has a tow rating of 5,200 pounds. The city driving miles per gallon is 17 while the highway driving is 24. That means you get the combination EPA rating of 20 for both city and highway driving.

Pricing for These Crossovers

As with anything, you get quite a variety in price, based on the make, model and standard features of the vehicle. These three, though, are actually quite close in the price range. That is also because all three retain some of the same standard features and abilities.

So, when considering the Honda Pilot 2011, you are looking at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $28,320. The 2011 Chevy Traverse is attached to a MSRP of $29,370. Of course, you can look at the price difference and think about the difference in even just towing abilities of both. The Traverse crossover has a tow rating of 5,200 while the Honda Pilot only has a tow rating of 3,500. Of course, it still depends on how much towing you need and if the less than $1,000 difference is that big a deal.

Finally, the GMC Acadia steps it up a bit with the highest price tag of the three. The 2011 Acadia Crossover has a MSRP of $32,000. It is known to have better overall power, though there are so many similarities between the GMC Acadia and the Chevy Traverse, that the GMC is practically just the slightly bigger brother of the Chevy. Still, though if you want maximum power in your eight-passenger crossover vehicle, you may want to opt for the one with the highest sticker price, in this case.