SUV type car - suggestions please?

Lex Luthor

I was talking to my brother in law today and he is loooking for a SUV type car. He has a budget of about 20k. Has to be diesel and no bigger than 2.0

I suggested an estate as he'd have a bit more to choose from, but he's been driving the family MPV for years and is used to driving from the higher seat position of an MPV so wants to continue that way.

Car has to have a reasonable size boot aswell, not the glove box size one of the Kuga.

Must be a decent driver aswell if possible....no Quashqai/Rav4's/Tucsons/Santa Fe/Spotages. I suggested X-Trail 2.2dci because I was standing beside one while I was talking to him. Any opinions on these? Forester diesel is about 8k above budget but is basically what the benchmark is if it was available in price range.

colm_mcm

X trail isn't particularly nice to drive.

veetwin

How about the Mitsubishi Outlander? The new model came out in 2007 and early models should be available for around 20k. It has a 2L VAG derived engine, decent enough driver(for what it is) and approx 40mpg. Plenty of space in the rear and the boot.

galwaytt

Outlander is awful. Cheap 50c plastic dash, and old noisy VAG engine.

Current model Santa Fe very nice, well finished.

X-trail 2.2 is, as said, not nice !

Question, though - if he's used to MPV's, why now the SUV ? He'll get one that'll be worse at everything than he's used to. A high spec Galaxy would be better, imho......

robdig

ssangyong kyron for sale for €10,000 if your interested!!! matches your demands!

Lex Luthor

galwaytt wrote: »

Outlander is awful. Cheap 50c plastic dash, and old noisy VAG engine.

Current model Santa Fe very nice, well finished.

X-trail 2.2 is, as said, not nice !

Question, though - if he's used to MPV's, why now the SUV ? He'll get one that'll be worse at everything than he's used to. A high spec Galaxy would be better, imho......

he's keeping the MPV for the wife...he just doesn't have the use of the company SUV anymore. The MPV is a Grandis so he is familiar with Mitsubishi but was looking for a change

colm_mcm

Opel Antara 2.0 CDTI?

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Opel/Antara/2.0CDTi-/200840190263030/advert?channel=CARS

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Opel/Antara/2.0TD-El/200840190251287/advert?channel=CARS

Should be buyable for 20k.

Lex Luthor

colm_mcm wrote: »

Opel Antara 2.0 CDTI?

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Opel/Antara/2.0CDTi-/200840190263030/advert?channel=CARS

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Opel/Antara/2.0TD-El/200840190251287/advert?channel=CARS

Should be buyable for 20k.

Not bad Colm....boot might look a little small and I read somewhere that the mpg figures are not as good as expected, but worth considering

Eric Cartman

Hyundai Santa Fe or a Kia sorento - both great cars, the hyundai handles more like a car than an suv , both are ok on fuel and very reliable. If you can find a full spec one all the better, the leather is nice in the kia but i think the cloth in the kia feels cheap, the hyundai is quite nice aswell.

Guy:Incognito

The Renault Koleos is based on the X-trail. I've only seen one or two about. Better looking than the X-trail anyway.

colm_mcm

The Kia Sorento is an absolute dirtbox to drive, the gearchange is nasty and it pitches and rolls all over the place, it's a real old school 4X4. plus it's 2.5 litre.

you'll have to get a 4WD Santa Fe if you wanna enjoy driving it. most will be 2WD, and all are 2.2
The leather pack on the Santa Fe is also bundled with 4WD, bigger wheels and automatic transmission.

I don't know enough about the Chevrolet Captiva or Dodge Nitro to recommend them, the Chev is based on the Antara isn't it?

mle1324

colm_mcm wrote: »

I don't know enough about the Chevrolet Captiva or Dodge Nitro to recommend them, the Chev is based on the Antara isn't it?

yes, some of the chevrolet are based on opel/vaxuall

colm_mcm

I know yeah, but I think the Captiva shares a platform with the Antara, only bigger. My only fear is that the interiors and general desirability are as dismal as any other Chevrolet I've had the misfortune to encounter.

bazz26

A bit outside the budget but the Ford Kuga seems to tick alot of boxes:
http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=1332299

Another one maybe is the Suzuki Grand Vitara:
http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=1387938

L-M

+1 on the Santa Fe. As long the engine size isn't due to restriction (Ie. if it's a company car and they won't leave him buy more than a 2.0), but the extra .2 of a litre won't hurt any more. I know a lad with a 7 seat (full cream leather), auto etc. etc. Santa Fe and it's a gorgeous car.

Does he need 7 seats?

Eric Cartman

colm_mcm wrote: »

The Kia Sorento is an absolute dirtbox to drive, the gearchange is nasty and it pitches and rolls all over the place, it's a real old school 4X4. plus it's 2.5 litre.

the manual gearbox is awful but the 5 speed auto is quite nice ,

in comparison to other 4x4s like the discovery its not bad on the roll front, but its built on a ladder frame so its basically a truck. i wouldnt say the insurance would be worse on a 2.5 in comparisson to a 2.2

CharlieCroker

Suprised nobody has suggested one of these, one of the best diesels on the market. Also well built, reliable and fairly good (by normal standards, very good by SUV standards) to drive. Plenty within the budget on Carzone too.
http://www.carzone.ie/search/Honda/CR-V/2.2-i-CT/200836189879209/advert?channel=CARS

Alz®

Those Ford Kuga things are absolutely minging, horrible and not one to be seen day to day!!!

The Opel Antara is a lovely 4x4 SUV, worked ina Opel garage so had the pleasure of doing some test drives etc

Honda CRV/HRV are nice too

Hartyk87

VW sharan maybe........
Great car to drive and seats can be removed if needed.

L-M

Alz® wrote: »

Those Ford Kuga things are absolutely minging, horrible and not one to be seen day to day!!!

The Opel Antara is a lovely 4x4 SUV, worked ina Opel garage so had the pleasure of doing some test drives etc

Honda CRV/HRV are nice too

The Kuga may be "minging" in your opinion, but I've seen more of them on the roads than the Opel Antara. Infact, the only Antara's I've seen were sitting on dealer forecourts.

R.O.R

colm_mcm wrote: »

the Chev is based on the Antara isn't it?

The Captiva is a re-badged Antara, but also had the 7 seat option. I drove a top spec auto when it was launched and was totally underwhelmed and could think of much better ways to blow close to €50k :eek:

I had an Outlander over the weekend and it's a huge improvement over the old Pajero Sport for on road use. Plastics weren't too bad and the engine is probably one of the best in the smaller 4x4's (VAG 2.0Tdi 140ps PD engine) - it's probably one of the most fuel effecient ones out there.

If he's looking for something with decent boot space then he's probably going to have to go for one of the larger 4x4's. Would it be worth coming down in years to go for an X5 3.0D? Avoid the ML though as the old model was a heap.

thegen

Limerick man wrote: »

+1 on the Santa Fe. As long the engine size isn't due to restriction (Ie. if it's a company car and they won't leave him buy more than a 2.0), but the extra .2 of a litre won't hurt any more. I know a lad with a 7 seat (full cream leather), auto etc. etc. Santa Fe and it's a gorgeous car.

Does he need 7 seats?

+1 on that. I bought one last year for the missus 4wb, all leather, auto box, air con, 7 seater. It is lovely to drive. Kids wont go near my e200 now.

Lex Luthor

Limerick man wrote: »

+1 on the Santa Fe. As long the engine size isn't due to restriction (Ie. if it's a company car and they won't leave him buy more than a 2.0), but the extra .2 of a litre won't hurt any more. I know a lad with a 7 seat (full cream leather), auto etc. etc. Santa Fe and it's a gorgeous car.

Does he need 7 seats?

7 seats are not needed but I wouldn't have thought the new shape SFe would be possible for that money. Its a personal vehicle but was hoping to keep it capped at 2.0litre. The reason he dismissed the SFe originally as he thought the older shape was only in his price range but I don't think he's too gone on them anyway

Eric Cartman

http://www.carzone.ie/search/BMW/X5/3.0d-SE-/200919192737817/advert?channel=CARS X5

http://www.carzone.ie/search/KIA/Sorento/GLS-TOP-/200920192807100/advert?channel=CARS 2007 Sorento, Full Spec

mad dave

there is some good deals on the kia sportage at the moment.
great trade offers. my friend got 5000 trade in on an 01 clio.
havent driven it yet but its looks very nice

colm_mcm

mad dave wrote: »

there is some good deals on the kia sportage at the moment.
great trade offers. my friend got 5000 trade in on an 01 clio.
havent driven it yet but its looks very nice

Did you even read the original post?

Drummerboy08

The 2.2DCi engine isnt available in the new model X trail. Its a new unit - available in 150 and 170bhp units, with a 6 speed manual box, or 5 speed Auto.
The SVE model is well specced - Leather, heated seats, 17" Wheels, Climate Control, just to name some of it.
They are a big improvement on the previous model, and are quite comfortable on long journeys.

I'd be looking at this or the Kuga. If he needs a seven seater, i'd suggest steering away from the jeep-style vehicles, and look at an S-Max.

mad dave

sorry,

missed that bit.

dave

Lex Luthor

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

The 2.2DCi engine isnt available in the new model X trail. Its a new unit - available in 150 and 170bhp units, with a 6 speed manual box, or 5 speed Auto.
The SVE model is well specced - Leather, heated seats, 17" Wheels, Climate Control, just to name some of it.
They are a big improvement on the previous model, and are quite comfortable on long journeys.

I'd be looking at this or the Kuga. If he needs a seven seater, i'd suggest steering away from the jeep-style vehicles, and look at an S-Max.

so whats the new XTrail like compared to the old one? I think he looked at one but it was too expensive. Right now I'm trying to steer him to think about a petrol one. I think he'd find a lot more available to him for what he has to spend but he's a bit of a diesel freak. Saw a nice few Foresters 2.0 for well within budget.

Lex Luthor

colm_mcm wrote: »

X trail isn't particularly nice to drive.

galwaytt wrote: »

X-trail 2.2 is, as said, not nice !

Been reading a few websites and the X-Trail doesn't seem to get the slating that you lads are giving it. What Car gives it a good rating and recommend it it as 2nd best used 4x4 to buy.

Whats so bad about it? Are you talking about the latest one or the previous one?

R.O.R

Lex Luthor wrote: »

Been reading a few websites and the X-Trail doesn't seem to get the slating that you lads are giving it. What Car gives it a good rating and recommend it it as 2nd best used 4x4 to buy.

Whats so bad about it? Are you talking about the latest one or the previous one?

I picked up an 06 2.2Dci Elegance in Swords on Friday and brought it back to base. Handled like a slippery Pig on rollerskates and I could not get the driving position to suit.

Presume that's the previous gen model but there isn't much visual difference between the 2.