SUV Ratings

Anan1

Del2005 wrote: »

It doesn't mater what type of 4x4 system is fitted if you're got the wrong tyres and a big right boot anything can get stuck.



Would you not be better off investing in proper winter tyres/wheels and chains for the 360 days of half decent weather and then buy a cheap proper 4x4 with proper winter tyres for the few days of bad snow we get.

Don't forget we've only had 2 bad winters in 20 odd years.

Running a second car costs in depreciation & maintenance, even for limited use. IMO it'd make more sense to buy a petrol Subaru and a set of winter wheels and pay the extra tax & fuel bills.

dedaw

Anyone know about the Hyundai Tucson? Can get one fairly right price.
And definitely not the Antara? Thanks.

colm_mcm

Most Tucsons are 2wd, don't get a petrol, it'll eat you out of house and home.

dedaw

No, I'm looking at a confirmed 4wd and it's a 2.0L diesel. Cheers.

comanche_cor

dedaw wrote: »

As I said in my original question, I live on the side of a mountain almost. We are 15 mins from the nearest town on a clear day, live on a road which has never been cleared by the council.
In fact, the road can have depths of up to a foot of snow/ice/compacted everything. So, when tracks are eventually formed by tractors and the like, a car on snow tyres will just have the undercarriage ripped to shreds.
I lost 2 weeks annual leave this year due to the weather and even had to move out to save the rest of my hols.
So, my request for info is not just for a "yummy mummy" or anything like that. But I would like some comfort in the SUV, it won't be just parked up waiting for the flakes to fall.
Top price of 15k, prefer 2.0, 2.2L.
Cheers guys.

Would you consider keeping what you have and taxing a landrover defender or the like for 3 months of the year?

Else park and the bottom and get the ski lift up - may require installation of said ski lift

dedaw

You don't know how right you are, ski lift has 'jokingly' been proposed before! Open it and charge for the privelage

Don't really believe in having a vehicle parked up for 10 months a year, whatever I get will be used.

Cheers!

techie

I have a 2006 Kia Sportage (Based on same platform as Tucson) and it is great, mine is 4x4 also, it was great last winter in the snow, could go up hills where a lot of cars were stranded at the bottom.

It has great room inside, back seats fold fully flat at the press of a lever and also the front passenger seat folds flat too, handy for the Ikea trips (Wifes)

Mine is petrol and does approx 650km to a full tank, diesel obviously will give you more, hope this helps.

Good luck with yours if you get it.

dedaw

techie wrote: »

I have a 2006 Kia Sportage (Based on same platform as Tucson) and it is great, mine is 4x4 also, it was great last winter in the snow, could go up hills where a lot of cars were stranded at the bottom.

It has great room inside, back seats fold fully flat at the press of a lever and also the front passenger seat folds flat too, handy for the Ikea trips (Wifes)

Mine is petrol and does approx 650km to a full tank, diesel obviously will give you more, hope this helps.

Good luck with yours if you get it.

Thanks Techie, just the kind of info I need!

Looking at the Tuscon (opinions?), Sportage and Sorento. Is the Antara a no no?

techie

Well how are you getting on with the search? Did you test drive the Tucson you were posting about?

Drive On

I'd check out the reviews and comparison tests in the car mags.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/carreviews/

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-reviews/#

As has been pointed out already though, you need to have the right tyres fitted. Although that said I had little trouble getting about during the snow, in a pajero with well worn crappy Bridgstone H/T tyres, even off road during the snow wasn't a problem.

Eric Cartman

dedaw wrote: »

Thanks Techie, just the kind of info I need!

Looking at the Tuscon (opinions?), Sportage and Sorento. Is the Antara a no no?

the sorento 2003-2006 model (only got an interior facelift for 2007-2009) is a lovely 4x4 to drive, nice power out of it and if your going for an automatic the 5 speed box is nice , not too bad on fuel and fairly reliable. Theres plenty about , id look for XS / XSE models as they have all the kit (leather, wood trim, climate control, headlight washers, sunroof, heated seats) on them. The seats are comfy and the driving position is nice, lots of space in them and theyre not too bouncy

dedaw

Eric Cartman wrote: »

the sorento 2003-2006 model (only got an interior facelift for 2007-2009) is a lovely 4x4 to drive, nice power out of it and if your going for an automatic the 5 speed box is nice , not too bad on fuel and fairly reliable. Theres plenty about , id look for XS / XSE models as they have all the kit (leather, wood trim, climate control, headlight washers, sunroof, heated seats) on them. The seats are comfy and the driving position is nice, lots of space in them and theyre not too bouncy

Only problem. Isn't the sorento 2.5L? So higher to tax, and run? Am i right? Cheers thou, great info.
Freelander has been recommended by a Landrover enthusiast. Reckons it is the dogs.
So, hhhhmmmmmm.....

Zubeneschamali

dedaw wrote: »

Freelander has been recommended by a Landrover enthusiast. Reckons it is the dogs.

He means the dogs dinner.

ShadowHearth

Anan1 wrote: »

I think you may be right that the Volvo awd system isn't up to much - I saw a clip of an XC70 online and it was exactly as you describe. That said, i'm not sure that the OP realizes that the correct tyres will make more of a difference than awd. We tend to get a lot of people on here thinking they need an SUV so as not to get stuck in the snow, whereas in many cases they'd actually be better off putting the right tyres on the car they have.

This. I came from country where we have deep winters with -30 temperatures. Snow and ice. Everyone using normal cars, only rich are going for awd SUVs. In some cases 4wd with summer gyres is more dangerous then 2wd car.

Op, get any normal car and order winter tyres. Or even better, a second set of wheels with winter tyres, so you can just jack up your car in driveway and put on winter/summer shoes yourself.

Too much panic with snow lads. You don't need SUVs, you just need winter or Demi-season tyres.

tk123

ShadowHearth wrote: »

This. I came from country where we have deep winters with -30 temperatures. Snow and ice. Everyone using normal cars, only rich are going for awd SUVs. In some cases 4wd with summer gyres is more dangerous then 2wd car.

Op, get any normal car and order winter tyres. Or even better, a second set of wheels with winter tyres, so you can just jack up your car in driveway and put on winter/summer shoes yourself.

Too much panic with snow lads. You don't need SUVs, you just need winter or Demi-season tyres.

Sorry to hijack but does this mean in theory if I was to switch from my old AWD RX300 to say a 2WD Tucson and get winter tyres I'd have the same grip on the ice?

E39MSport

Yup. Grip on the ice is not so much a function of number of driving wheels but what's making contact with the ice.

Of course, if you have 4 wheels driving and all wearing winter tyres than you're in a better place than 2wd.

But 2wd winter tyres on ice is better than 4wd on summer rubber.

ShadowHearth

tk123 wrote: »

Sorry to hijack but does this mean in theory if I was to switch from my old AWD RX300 to say a 2WD Tucson and get winter tyres I'd have the same grip on the ice?

like post before said: its a matter of tyres, not drivetrain.

if you dont do some extreme driving, you wount notice difference on 2wd with winter tyres and 4wd with winter tyres.

4wd with summer tyres is as useless ( if not worse ) as 2wd with summer tyres. 2wd will be atleast predictable.


Now i am saying winter tyres, but holy **** lads dont go over extreme like it was last winter on boards.ie. there were mentioned spiked tyres. we did used them back in my country, but it WAS NOT A MUST. It was handier on pure ice, but it was worse on pure snow. spiked tyres DESTROY roads, so please dont buy them for 2 days of snow per year. those tyres are illegal during summer too.

Anan1

tk123 wrote: »

Sorry to hijack but does this mean in theory if I was to switch from my old AWD RX300 to say a 2WD Tucson and get winter tyres I'd have the same grip on the ice?

Better, IMO.

tk123

Thanks guys! Sorry for hijacking OP -I'm thinking of coming down in engine size 3.0 -> 2.0ish to save some money. And a Tuscon caught my eye at the weekend but it was 2WD

finbarrk

We have a Mitsubishi Outlander, 2.0l diesel 140bhp. Would recommend. Economical to run.

BnB

colm_mcm wrote: »

Just get a 1.3 Jimny for €1500, tax it for 3 months in the winter and use whenever.

2 Things I'd like to say

1) I know the OP already ruled it out, but I'd agree with Colm McM above. An aul' jeep is always handy when you're living out in the sticks. Especialy one that you're not too concerned about keeping clean. There's always a load of timber to pick up or recycling to be brought somewhere or etc etc etc. I am lucky that I have the use of my fathers whenever I need it. But he's talking about parkin it up at the end of it's next MOT and if he does, I'll buy something myself. Muck away with it all year and have your car for your everyday driving - And if the weather comes as bad as it did last year, the jeep will be there for backup.

2) On a seperate point, why do people have to justify if they want a 4X4. If you suggest you want a 4X4 you'll always get a load of people logging on to rant about snow tyres in Sweden etc etc etc. Listen, the man has made up his mind he'd like a 4X4. Why does he need to justify it to anyone ?

Anan1

BnB wrote: »

2 Things I'd like to say

1) I know the OP already ruled it out, but I'd agree with Colm McM above. An aul' jeep is always handy when you're living out in the sticks. Especialy one that you're not too concerned about keeping clean. There's always a load of timber to pick up or recycling to be brought somewhere or etc etc etc. I am lucky that I have the use of my fathers whenever I need it. But he's talking about parkin it up at the end of it's next MOT and if he does, I'll buy something myself. Muck away with it all year and have your car for your everyday driving - And if the weather comes as bad as it did last year, the jeep will be there for backup.

Unless you're doing really rough stuff, I don't see the point. I've a Forester and it's done dump runs, furniture moving etc etc - it's just a matter of folding the rear seats and covering the inside with blankets. It's safer than an old 4x4, more comfortable, better on snow, and it saves on the costs associated with a second car. I just don't see the point in having two cars if one can cover all bases.

BnB wrote: »

2) On a seperate point, why do people have to justify if they want a 4X4. If you suggest you want a 4X4 you'll always get a load of people logging on to rant about snow tyres in Sweden etc etc etc. Listen, the man has made up his mind he'd like a 4X4. Why does he need to justify it to anyone ?

He doesn't, but he did ask for advice. I was in a Disco on all-weather tyres in the snow last year, and it was appalling compared to my own car on winters. A 4x4 is better for heavy towing or serious off-road use, but the likes of a Subaru or Audi quattro is just so much better for snowy/icy roads.

dedaw

Hi all,
I haven't taken the plunge yet, still looking. Have seen a reasonable freelander but much disapproval here.
For anyone who has joined the thread, a car on tyres from Everest will not suffice. My road can have serious depths of snow and falling into tracks formed by tractors and quad would rip. the undercarraige to shreds.
So tyres are not the issue, well not the only issue, clearance underneath is a major concern.
Bottom line I will be getting a 2.0L 4x4 and was just looking for opinions and advice not to be suggested as someone going OTT!! 4/5 foot drifts at your front door, garden furniture buried are not to be sniffed at!!
Rant over, back to the recommendations!

langdang

dedaw wrote: »

4/5 foot drifts at your front door, garden furniture buried are not to be sniffed at!! Rant over, back to the recommendations!

Hovercraft!

Gets you to the shops, and if you anchored it to something solid and revved it up I reckon it would clear the driveway and all for ya.

dedaw

I know people have said it is a no-no but the jeep compass is a fine looking baby. Definitely not????

Zubeneschamali

BnB wrote: »

2) On a seperate point, why do people have to justify if they want a 4X4.

They don't.

But if you come and ask "I need a jeep, which is best?" people will ask "Why do you need a jeep?". If the answer is "I think they look cool" then we'll recommend a Qashqai. If the answer is "I need to tow a horse-box up a muddy mountain, we won't.

shortys94

dedaw wrote: »

I know people have said it is a no-no but the jeep compass is a fine looking baby. Definitely not????

We've had the jeep compass for 4 years and never had a problem with it, great with the snow and comfortable

The new model looks great too!