The logo is ok, but the tri-color clashes and sticks out.

What do you mean “that kind of money”??? This is cheap for a new car today, and has a cheaper starting price than a Ford Escape! I would argue this is a bargain if it is even remotely “luxurious” considering it is Escape money. A BMW x1 starts at $39k so I think you are a little out of touch with what realistic car…

And many of those drivers now think that Putin is a good guy thanks to right-wing media. 

By contrast, all American pickups: “I am Putin. The left lane is Crimea.”

Aftermarket LED bulbs for standard headlights are a major issue as well. They scatter light horribly because they are not optimized for the reflectors, or even output only on one side. So the driver can’t see past 30 feet, and the surrounding cars have blinded drivers. BUT THE LUMENS BRO.

Well shit. Better hose it down with PFAS laden fire suppressives just to make sure they really fuck it up.

$4000-4500, tops, and that includes the HBO surcharge. A salvage title is a salvage title.

It was a little too steep before we got to the salvage title.

I was a reluctant NP until the salvage title thing.  ND.

It was about 48 minutes after moving from NYC to the tree lined streets of suburban New Jersey that we realized one car isn’t going to be enough (even when it’s a most excellent Volvo V60 Polestar) and we need a second one.

Under $20k but has to be a prestige marque, woe-is-me-my-finances-are-such-a-problem, and oh by the way, my au pair will need to fit in my budget luxury SUV.

Add $1k more to your budget and you can pick up a current-shape Volvo XC90 like this $21k from CarMax, which should fit in nicely in the leafy suburbs of Jersey.

Go for the best Sienna SE you can find for $20k. It’s a Toyota, so everything will continue to work no matter how long you keep it. Ignore the miles too, unless it has north of 500,000, you’re fine. You get leather and some niceties, power everything, and power doors that are the key to not wanting to choke your kids…

Prestige brand, 20K SUV. Who are you fooling beside yourself ?

Here ya go. Luxurious, safe, reliable, and it might still be worth $18,000 when you sell it in a year. 2013 Lexus GX.

Easy, XC90 V8. You’ve already got the Polestar for fun duties, the Yamaha V8 is relatively reliable because Japanese, and they’re old enough that $20k should be enough to find a good one and even do some preventative maintenance.

Prestige brand SUV and Jersey already has me in snark mode. My personal recommendation would be the nicest possible Mazda5 but that’s neither prestige nor SUV. More seriously a used Lexus RX is the best balance of badge “luxury” and running costs. Or possibly an equivalent Acura. Either one gives you some fanciness…

“and as reliable as one can expect...”

Still an absurd amount but

I would guess the rate of EV fires will no doubt increase as the average age of EV’s on the road increases.