Hunting 4x4 options

EPointer=Birdss

Well lads.
Thinking of changing the car for a 4x4 for the coming season.
Curious as to your set ups & what you feel is the best option.

It will be my main vehicle so need 4 seats & someway economical to run. I.e mpg, tax etc

Hunting wise I'd rather a closed in back to lock in the dogs, gear etc

Any opinions or recommendations??

tfox

No real 4x4 is economical to run, dont expect to get much more than 30mpg.

If you want 4 seats you either go the crewcab route with canopy in which case you have to prove you're using it for commercial uses and that you have more than 2 employees to justify the extra seats.

Or you go for a passenger model in which case you can expect to pay upto 2k on road tax !!

I'm a landrover man, 1 crewcab and 1 swb commercial, the crewcab is handy with the back seats and the body totally seperate so you dont getthe smell of wet dogs coming through, plus it means ya can blat out the heat on the way home stalking and not have to worry bout keeping the carcass cool in the back, in saying that its not the handiest thing in a tight spot !!

Swb is very handy, 3 front seats, dog guard and nice and handy down tight lanes.

If I was doing it agagin I'd prob go for a 4wd VW transporter, need the space for work and still 4wd, can fit the quad in the back and everything :rolleyes: not too high for hauling in big reds too

Alchemist2

Hi EP,
Have a landy disco meself td5 shes actually a seven seater but the rear seats fold into the side giving you huge boot space.. its more comfortable than a defender and every bit as good off road.. but tax is close to 1000€.. if you are not encountering serious terrain any of the suvs are more than capable the vitara springs to mind.. but i always look at the running costs and land rover parts are about as cheap as they come...admittedly they have reliability issues but you cant go far wrong with the td5 stay away from the puma versions 07 onwards major gearbox troubles.. many documented cases of 5+ GB's been changed out on same model in one year

landkeeper

td5 disco is a piece of **** , land rover couldn't make a door or a sunroof that kept out water so then they go and develop a vehicle with more feckin electrics than the space shuttle + the newest of them is 7 years old now
if you want a good reliable yoke that will keep yourself the family and the dogs happy buy a crewcab hilux with a canopy

pheasntstalker

was hopin to invest in a landy disco myself this year but, she who must be obeyed put the kiybosh on that,had a seat inca van for a while ,lack of work she had to go,now have to get a car,:mad::mad:but i wont be given up on the landy yet,ah maybe nxt year if things pick up

pheasntstalker

lk have to agree with u there,sure is a sh"%te 4%4 i,d be goin for the older model more reliable ,buddy has one never gave much trouble

Alchemist2

agree with the leaky sunroof bit but i do me fair share of wading and doors are fine... every car or 4x4 has its faults im sure if you do your research landkeeper you will see tons of hilux for sale with small mileage and landcruiser owners will also say the same... oil starvation from blocked gauze filters.. plus they sound like a panzer tank tickin over..

landkeeper

all i know is i have driven land rovers for thirty years and the 03 td5 we have at the moment is the most troublesome awkward expensive piece of crap
i have a 300 tdi disco too and that is far more reliable
the td5 has had a gearbox / clutch /flywheel /maf /window mechanism /wheel stub cos you cant buy a bearing /throttle positionsensor/3 front pinion oil seals that wont seal so now have to do a complete flange kit /, the injectors are leaking fuel into the engine oil /various electrical problems and a whole pile of other ****e i'm lucky that i can do alot of it myself and have a bud with diagnostic gear if i was reliant on main dealers i'd be finished
saying that it's a nice car to drive but i hate the abs and traction control would i buy another would i f**k when it dies i'll replace it with a low milage late 300tdi with a throttle cable and no abs

Tackleberrywho

Crew cabs can be awkward to tax without a C2 number or a herd number for first time users.

If you are a big time hunter a cewcab is ideal as you can power hose her out.
30mpg is the average fuel consumption, which translates into €94 a week or so if you do 350 miles or so a week.
Tyres for off road range from €110 a tyre to €200
If you have a Herd number/pig number/flock number/Vat Number you can register her commercial and tax her for €289 a year.
If you go commercial you need to DOE her every year also.
I have "heard" that if you buy a vehicle that is taxed commercial and is transferred into your name you may stay commercial tax.

Best Crew cabs, Hilux,Dmax,L200,Navara, Mazda in that order

Dusty87

Tackleberrywho wrote: »

Crew cabs can be awkward to tax without a C2 number or a herd number for first time users.

If you are a big time hunter a cewcab is ideal as you can power hose her out.
30mpg is the average fuel consumption, which translates into €94 a week or so if you do 350 miles or so a week.
Tyres for off road range from €110 a tyre to €200
If you have a Herd number/pig number/flock number/Vat Number you can register her commercial and tax her for €289 a year.
If you go commercial you need to DOE her every year also.
I have "heard" that if you buy a vehicle that is taxed commercial and is transferred into your name you may stay commercial tax.

Best Crew cabs, Hilux,Dmax,L200,Navara, Mazda in that order

the tax thing tack, dosn work. It all depends on your barracks. Some give trouble, some stamp it no questions. Usual ****e, ya know yourself.
I would put mazda before navara though as it is really a ford ranger (much prefer a ranger though, personal opinion). The navara's like the juice and afaik the gearbox gives problems. The dmax are heavy on juice but iv heard the l200 are a pig so no complaints about the top 3 there. The strada i had was the best of the lot regards fuel, but parts were a bitch and be prepared to pay double for them new, thats when they gave trouble. Have a van now, but when the years insurance is out will be buying one of tack's top 3 if i cannot source a Strada..

ring 20

put 40 thousand on a disco 2 with no problems, all i done was change brake discs and pads, also put a set of bfg all terrains on it. reccomend one to anyone, except landkeeper!!

Tackleberrywho

Dusty87 wrote: »

the tax thing tack, dosn work. It all depends on your barracks. Some give trouble, some stamp it no questions. Usual ****e, ya know yourself.
I would put mazda before navara though as it is really a ford ranger (much prefer a ranger though, personal opinion). The navara's like the juice and afaik the gearbox gives problems. The dmax are heavy on juice but iv heard the l200 are a pig so no complaints about the top 3 there. The strada i had was the best of the lot regards fuel, but parts were a bitch and be prepared to pay double for them new, thats when they gave trouble. Have a van now, but when the years insurance is out will be buying one of tack's top 3 if i cannot source a Strada..

Dusty, if you let your TAX run out you have to go to the Barracks, other than that it is a normal renewal. Same goes for getting Vehicle weighed if tax is out when you buy it.
I know a guy who has the same barracks as you and got it He gave his herd number and that was that

I have even heard of guys giving their PPS number and getting it.

The Greens are gone now so they prefer some tax rather than no tax!:eek:

Alchemist2

if you buy a crew cab or commercial for private purposes i believe you should pay full tax.. god knows there's enough ppl giving out about other ppl avoiding tax.. anyhoo i think we're getting off topic again

browning 12 bore

i had a grand vitara great jeep by the way as well it was a comercial as well then i changed ovver to mazda b2500 single cab great little jeep no smell at all inside as it would be open back also you can get the mazda in a king cab which has 2 small little seats in the back but still classed as single cab not crew cab no need for crew cab declaration

Dusty87

Tackleberrywho wrote: »

Dusty, if you let your TAX run out you have to go to the Barracks, other than that it is a normal renewal. Same goes for getting Vehicle weighed if tax is out when you buy it.
I know a guy who has the same barracks as you and got it He gave his herd number and that was that

I have even heard of guys giving their PPS number and getting it.

The Greens are gone now so they prefer some tax rather than no tax!:eek:

yea, i know all that, what has that got to do with my post??

J.R.

Depends on what 4X4 use you intend to put it to.


I've a Nissan X-Trail passenger (petrol) & can't fault it. Ideal for light 4X4 use.

Available in 4X4....commercial or passenger.

Petrol does 35-37 m.p.g. (tax €642) & diesel 45+ m.p.g. (tax €850ish)

Reliable & parts are cheap / reasonable.


I had a Honda CRV before it & couldn't fault it either. 4 wheel drive cuts in when needed. Very reliable & economical but parts can be expensive. Sold mine with 147,000 miles on it ....was going great.....never cost me a penny besides normal servicing.......wouldn't have changed if I knew there was a recession coming!!!

Tackleberrywho

Dusty87 wrote: »

yea, i know all that, what has that got to do with my post??

dusty
I don't want to derail the thread so I will talk with you offline regarding this.

Tackleberrywho

EPointer=Birdss wrote: »

Well lads.
Thinking of changing the car for a 4x4 for the coming season.
Curious as to your set ups & what you feel is the best option.

It will be my main vehicle so need 4 seats & someway economical to run. I.e mpg, tax etc

Hunting wise I'd rather a closed in back to lock in the dogs, gear etc

Any opinions or recommendations??

Is the tax rate an issue for you, or can you afford €1000 ish a year?
JR made a valid point about the lite 4x4's.
Will you be doing serious offroad or just the odd forrest track?

For deer hunters a crew cab is great as deer can be kept seperate.
For the shotgun man, many lads are happy enough with teh towbar attachment.
None of them are very cheap to run.

Many Farmers loved the Old daihatsu Fortrax's , but you say you want to seat 4.

a 2006 Crew cab will cost you ~ €6000 mark depending on condition. A van type commercial will be cheaper.
A passenger 4x4 will also be cheap to buy but dear to tax.

Dusty87

Tackleberrywho wrote: »

dusty
I don't want to derail the thread so I will talk with you offline regarding this.

tack, i replied to you so im not taking the thread off topic. You said crew cabs are awkward to tax. They are no more awkward to tax than a van without a c2/herd/flock etc number, depending on the station who stamps it. There is no hidden meaning to my posts. They are as clear as i write them. The last few times you've replied to me you mentioned things nothing got to do with what i said, to make me look like i 'dont know about it' for some reason..

Tackleberrywho

Dusty87 wrote: »

tack, i replied to you so im not taking the thread off topic. You said crew cabs are awkward to tax. They are no more awkward to tax than a van without a c2/herd/flock etc number, depending on the station who stamps it. There is no hidden meaning to my posts. They are as clear as i write them. The last few times you've replied to me you mentioned things nothing got to do with what i said, to make me look like i 'dont know about it' for some reason..

Dusty, we are not talking about Tax.
We are talking about best 4x4 for a guy who wants it as his main vehicle.

We could talk about Taxing them until the cows come home.
The guy will have to cross that bridge when he comes to it...

Tawny Owl

I have a 3Ltr Nissan Navara Frointer It takes around € 75.00 to fill at the moment it will do 600 Kms for this full tank they are small in the back if you are a tall person but they are great truck to use I am also a qualified Diver and have had 3 sets of full gear 6 x cylinders weight belts and food for a weekend trip to Galway with 3 persons inside and it pulls like a train if you dont mind throwing in an extra few bob for Diesel there great for shooting,can also keep you Dog in the back.

dermot218

i have a hi lux crew cab myself 03 great jeep cant fault it.

Dusty87

Tackleberrywho wrote: »

Dusty, we are not talking about Tax.
We are talking about best 4x4 for a guy who wants it as his main vehicle.

We could talk about Taxing them until the cows come home.
The guy will have to cross that bridge when he comes to it...

ok, fair enough tack, but i only mentioned tax after you did in your first post of the thread.

EPointer=Birdss

Thanks for posts lads.
It wouldn't be serious off rd. Here & there but if I had it I'd find places to go in it where normally it's awkward. Be mostly for me, gun, dogs & gear on crappy lanes etc but somethin someway easy on the eye for job purposes so not too old.
A van would work also but there's odd place it would get stuck & they're not my thing.
As far as the closed in backs like the L200 etc is it removable as needed to make a pick up?
Heard great things about hilux but they're thirsty.

I don't mind once off annual payment of tax within reason if running costs someway ok. Are any of the non commercials subject to lower tax rates based off lower emissions etc?
The lite ones aren't bad but the crew cab is appealing.

Keep the comments coming lads it's helping me narrow it down...

dermot218

iv had an l200 in the past and deisel wise there much the same as the hi lux .the removeable canopys are very handy and most are held on with four clamps

poulo6.5

have you considered a suzuki vitara or grand vitara they come in a few different engin sizes from 1.6 petrol and 2.0 diesel 5 seats and genuine off road ability

thebull09

Surly not a bad deal
http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/commercials/2118011

Ive a Santa fe 4x4 passenger cant fault it has done everything i needed it to do althought i wouldnt be off road too much but when ever i did it had no problems,

Birdnuts

tfox wrote: »

No real 4x4 is economical to run, dont expect to get much more than 30mpg.

o

I came to that conclusion a while back - I was looking for something to haul the dogs around in locally. Ended up with a focus hatch in which I removed the back seats. Worked out a treat:).

PS: In general diesels are not cost effective unless you are putting up serious milage. Also give alot more engine trouble(especcially the newer ones) to the inexperieced and that is why I plumbed for the petrol focus

kildarejoe

VW are making a new pick up crew cab,
http://www.volkswagenvans.ie/ie/en/Models/amarok.html
Could be worth a look if you are thinking of splashing out on a new yoke, being 2ltr might not be to bad on tax and juice.

Or a grand vitara 2ltr diesel would be reasonable to run and not bad off road as they are light enough and stick a good set of tyres on it and you will be suprised where you can get in it.

Otherwise, keep the car and try to pick up a vintage 4x4, 1981 or older qualifies, tax is just €48, cheap insurance deals, and no doe or nct required, you could pick up a landrover in the uk, in reasonable nick for reasonable money.
No complaints from the rest of the family about the smell of dogs or sh 1 t or dirt or bangs and scrapes.
Lots of ex army ones that are petrol but plenty with perkins diesel engins as well. Some old hilux's making that age now as well.
The good thing about them is there is nothing complicated to go wrong with them and it is not going to cost you anything if it sits in your shed doing nothing for most of the year.

tfox

just to add to my initial pst, I cannot reccommend mazda b2500 or ford equivelant enough. I had a company one for 2 yrs, pulled horse lorries out of a hunter trials with it, all elec mod cons, never skipped a beat and seem to b cheapn as chips :rolleyes:

EPointer=Birdss

That amarok looks a good option once it Launches.
Got the pick up style to it but 2.0 engine.
Guide price will be saucy no doubt!

EPointer=Birdss

On carzone 32-40k for 2011

Tackleberrywho

VRT went back up pre 2001 levels recently so new crewcabs are very expensive.

I have often considered a passenger 4x4, but they are High Tax still AFAIK.

I owned a Nissan teranno and found them to be very soft, lots of problems.

The yoke I am driving cranks out 167bhp and has to be used at times when collecting deer, or bringing me to my deer permissions.
Traction control is a gift
Road tyres are for the road.
I have used General Grabber and Currently using BF Goodrich A/T and they are both a savage tyre off road.
Towbars can be a pain off road, they can turn ito a land anchor easily :eek:

The Skoda yeti is getting mixed reviews, low tax, small engine size and yet good Fuel MPG and reasonable price new.
Not sure if a pair of dogín's would work in it though.

I like when i am out hunting to have my wheels stored well off the beaten track as stalking can often involve being away from her for hours, so I park welll in off the road hidden behind a ditch.

The Subaru forrestor is supposed to be an animal, AFAIK the ERU have a couple of them.

they got a great write up a few years back on the Indo motoring section

http://www.carsireland.ie/county/dublin/subaru/forester/detail.php?ad_id=668637&r=s.php%3Fm%3D83%26o%3D696%26l%5B%5D%3D10%26g%3D0

Birdnuts

The most popular 4x4 in the Aussie outback is the Dahaitsu Fourtrek - the favourite of the vast sheep stations and Roo hunters alike. This suggests its tough as nails and reliable to say the least.

PS: Whoever says the price of Crewcabs and like have tanked - is right!! - the local dealer here has a barely used 2008 Ford Ranger for less then 7K:eek:

Tackleberrywho

Birdnuts wrote: »

The most popular 4x4 in the Aussie outback is the Dahaitsu Fourtrek - the favourite of the vast sheep stations and Roo hunters alike. This suggests its tough as nails and reliable to say the least.

PS: Whoever says the price of Crewcabs and like have tanked - is right!! - the local dealer here has a barely used 2008 Ford Ranger for less then 7K:eek:

I'd argue that the Toyota was the most popular 4x4 in Oz


other than that, a 2008 Ranger for 7K? Seems OK
That's about what they make.
The rangers had a very low resale.
I almost bought one in 2008 as they were the cheapest pick up second hand.

Birdnuts

Tackleberrywho wrote: »

I'd argue that the Toyota was the most popular 4x4 in Oz


.

Maybe overall if you include the type of "Chelsea Tractors" you see in the cities and suburbs - I'm talkin more about the work horses that are used in the outback. I remember Top Gear did a feature on this a while back which is why it sticks in my head.

PS: Theres a chap on Carzone recently trying to flog a 4.5 LT Petrol Ford F5 pick-up if your interested:pac:;)

Tackleberrywho

Birdnuts wrote: »

Maybe overall if you include the type of "Chelsea Tractors" you see in the cities and suburbs - I'm talkin more about the work horses that are used in the outback. I remember Top Gear did a feature on this a while back which is why it sticks in my head.

PS: Theres a chap on Carzone recently trying to flog a 4.5 LT Petrol Ford F5 pick-up if your interested:pac:;)

I know a lot of farmers who have 1990 Models still going.
Boxy, but good

Not as good as a Toyota though :D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnWKz7Cthkk

Birdnuts

For what its worth the Irish Army use Pajeros mostly:)

Glensman

I have a Daihatsu Fourtrak. Nothing mentioned on the thread would touch one for reliability, ruggedness and off-road ability.
But the key word there is ruggedness, for your needs I would recommend the Nissan X-trail with a 2.0 DCi engine. A guy on our shoot has a class looking one and I was impressed with its off-road ability. My mate’s ma has one too and I was impressed with its on-road ability!

EPointer=Birdss

The X-trail are in the running. I would rather keep to 2.0 as not doing huge pulling & dragging.
My only gripe is they are an estate type rather than a pick up/ crew cab.
I will need this as every day car too for work, family etc & would be afraid of dog smell in the car. I like the idea of being able to hose out the back. At the mo the amarok is fore runner as hits a few bases but must read up on it & source 1 with a canopy. 2.0 & Efficient as 4x4s go from what I've read so Far. They are a 2011 which adds cost & lack of history but tdi & a warranty so not so bad.
What you guys think of them from what you can see...

Glensman

EPointer=Birdss wrote: »

The X-trail are in the running. I would rather keep to 2.0 as not doing huge pulling & dragging.
My only gripe is they are an estate type rather than a pick up/ crew cab.
I will need this as every day car too for work, family etc & would be afraid of dog smell in the car. I like the idea of being able to hose out the back. At the mo the amarok is fore runner as hits a few bases but must read up on it & source 1 with a canopy. 2.0 & Efficient as 4x4s go from what I've read so Far. They are a 2011 which adds cost & lack of history but tdi & a warranty so not so bad.
What you guys think of them from what you can see...

The 2.0 was the more reliable of the 2 engines... I can see where you're coming from about dogs, but I have my pointers in the back of the Fourtrak and they don't seem to smell it up.
I throw a bed or a blanket in for them to lie on and then just take it out.

It's not like they are springers! :P

tfox

The Amorak had a gr8 review in the shooting times recently. Saw one at the Royal Ag Show in Belfast, nice looking bus :rolleyes:

EPointer=Birdss

Glensman wrote: »

It's not like they are springers! :P

Well my springer does his best to find the filthiest drain he can on arrival & departure so he's partly to blame for this. It might be cheaper to trade him in

Cass

I have the Nissan Navara, and you'll all be happy to hear the "shiney wheels" are gone.

They're a good jeep, but they do have their draw backs.

Pros

• 2.5tdi engine.
• 175bhp - standard.
• 400nM Torque
• Roomy enough for me drving and 6'2" mate in the back.
• Back seats fold up to provide extra carrying room.
• All the mod cons (leather, electric everything, SatNav, Cruise control, etc, etc)
• Large back bed
• Economical enough compared to most 4x4s (mine is doing 35.8 mpg (57.6KpG)
• Large towing capacity
• 750kg carrying capacity in rear bed
• Reliable (going on my own i've never had to bring her to the garage for any faults)
• Parts are cheap (recently oil, oil flt, fuel flt, wipers, air flt, pollen flt, brake pads, plus labour, VAT, etc cost €245)

Cons

• Back end is very light. causes problems with grip if using road suitable tyres only.
• With the extra torque and rear wheel drive (road driving) she can step out if accelerated too hard.
• Poor turing circle. When i worked on the motorways i needed all three lanes to do a U turn.
• The shifter for 4 wheel drive is electronic. May not cause problems, but i prefer a stick shift.
• Back seats, while roomy enough, have a low sitting position. Knees higher than ass situation for anyone rather tall.
• Back door, while wide in itself, does not allow for alot of "room" for getting large object in and out. Can be done but if you need to put something big/wide into the back seat it can be a PITA.

I went for the Navara because at €42,000 for the top of the line model it was cheaper than it's competitor's (HiLux, D-Max, etc). I'm not a huge off road person so it does me for what i need when i need it.

Glensman wrote: »

.........., for your needs I would recommend the Nissan X-trail with a 2.0 DCi engine. .......!

+1.

In all the car shows and magazines, inlcuding TopGear, Fifth Gear, etc the X-Trail came out tops when compared to other brands of similar build, price, etc. By a long shot at that. Would be easy enough to section off the back part and place a temp. mat down for the dogs. Qucik clean and she is good to go for the family needs.

EPointer=Birdss wrote: »

.............At the mo the amarok is fore runner .............What you guys think of them from what you can see...

Like the majority of ye i've never seen one, let alone driven one, but going on the stats on the VW page i wouldn't be convinced - just yet. The fuel figures, etc look good, but i'd be mre convinced with an actual test drive/review. I mean its 3 ton weight being driven by a 2.o ltr engine. That alone screams poor fuel economy. The figures they give are for urban and "extra" urban driving. Nothing about off road or dragging/towing economy. The fact that the fuel economy drops by 20+% just between these two is "concerning".

The price is good though. At €38,000 for the top of the line, all the bells and whistles model, its good value.

Suppose we'll have to wait and see.

Tackleberrywho

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmexSclIcOY

I remembered why I am not a fan of the X-Trail, this video shows her in action, but it also shows how many exposed parts are below her, especially the exhaust muffler which if she bottoms out can be expensive to replace,

Most of the hardier 4x4's are more protected on the sump areas as driving in grass you never know if there is rocks just below the visible surface.

You'll also notice road tyres are useless off road.
If you just have springers get one of these


Install a mat inside and Hinge the door.
The X-trail has a 60/40 folding rear seat or what ever they are called; barrel will slide in and doggy will be very happy in it.
My mate had a barrel like this, with holes drilled in the lid for air and an old sleepingbag for the mut to lie on.
Take barrel out when not in use and smell stays in barrel. My mate made a box frame for barrel o stop it from rolling, but he had it in the back of a Pajero comm

lb1981

Anybody know of a" way" of taxing a Jeep as a commercial with out a vat number?

Cass

Give in your PPS number instead of VAT/C2 number. Its accepted.

EPointer=Birdss

So instead of shooting fish in a barrell Ill go shooting with a springer in a barrell
I'd build a decent unit for gun ammo dogs the lot & either treat it or fiberglass it. Springer would fit in it but the pointer would be none too impressed.
He'd give me the aul "dude, you gotta be kidding me look"

kermitpwee

kildarejoe wrote: »

Otherwise, keep the car and try to pick up a vintage 4x4, 1981 or older qualifies, tax is just €48, cheap insurance deals, and no doe or nct required, you could pick up a landrover in the uk, in reasonable nick for reasonable money..

Yes you will get the cheap tax alrite but anything after 1979 must now be nct'd even if its 30 years old. I would get a pre 1980 landie and keep the car you have, it doesn't make sense to have one vehicle. Cheap tax, insurance and no nct.

Glensman

You're right insaying the X-trail does not have a lot of ground clearance. But they are a great gripping thing and if I had to hop in something to go to dublin in 5 mins- I'd rather go in an x-trail than my jeep or yours!

You have to compromise off-road performance when you have a family and fuel economy is a concern...

Cass

Just to add to Glensman's point you cannot compare an X-Trail to the likes of the Navara, D-Max, HiLux or any other pick up. They are two different types of vehicles with similar yet different purposes in mind when being designed.

The X-Trail has all the hallmarks of a family SUV, with off road capabilities. The pickup is a work horse. Only recent trends of having them for non working purposes makes the newer pick ups be considered by non working people.

I remember talking to my dealer about the ~Navara, and he told me that 70% of his sales were for non working people. They were a fantastic choice for those that wanted the room, size and power of a jeep, but cannot afford the Land Cruiser (LC5), Volvo C90s, Range Rovers, etc. Most top of the line pick ups are half the price of the equivilant full passenger Jeep/SUV.

To that end, and going on what i've seen, heard from owners, and seen in reviews by top motor magazines/shows the X-Trail really is the bees knees. Beats all other motors in the same categories such as Honda HRV/CRV, BMW X3, RAV 4, VW Tiguan, etc.