Best 4x4 with a 2.2 diesel engine or smaller.

Jimmy Garlic

I would be thinking Nissan X Trail. Seems to be a good all rounder. Anyone think otherwise?

logie101

Jimmy Garlic wrote: »

I would be thinking Nissan X Trail. Seems to be a good all rounder. Anyone think otherwise?

I wouldn't rate the Nissan X Trial too highly.

What about a Subaru Legacy Tourer? Or an Audi all road (although I think they are 2.7 units)

pippip

Theres also the Hyundai Santa Fe which is 2.2 diesel.

There was a thread recently about them saying they aren't the best for towing, weak clutch/Flywheel. Apart from that not too bad.

SachaJ

I have a 4x2 X-Trail 2009 and I absolutely love it. Can't speak for the 4x4 though

pete4130

Subaru Forester or Subaru Outback. Easily the best in their field for an AWD that handles like a car, is capable off road and is comfortable. IT's got good road clearance, smart AWD system. The Outback is larger, bigger boot space but might only come in a 2.5 engine?

The forester is shorter but a bit taller and has the option of a semi low range (drops about 15% rather than about 50% of a real 4X4).

dantastic

Do you need a 4x4 or are you looking for something for the school run?
The current generation Land Rover Defender sports a 2.2l diesel.

biko

As said above, "best" for what?

markoire

Honda crv should fit the bill.. Unless you're planning on some serous offroading!! If so, land rover defender!!

pete4130

If you don't need or won't use a 4x4 then its pointless getting one. If its just school runs and city driving 4x4's are a bit pointless. The Forester and Outback are made to be everyday cars with the added stability of an AWD system.

walus

pete4130 wrote: »

Subaru Forester or Subaru Outback. Easily the best in their field for an AWD that handles like a car, is capable off road and is comfortable. IT's got good road clearance, smart AWD system. The Outback is larger, bigger boot space but might only come in a 2.5 engine?

The forester is shorter but a bit taller and has the option of a semi low range (drops about 15% rather than about 50% of a real 4X4).

Both Forester and Outback (Legacy) since 2008 come with 2.0 diesel boxer engines. If it is an all-road ability that you are after you can not find a better car.

74merc

Subaru made the clutches out of chocolate for the boxer diesel. They're only just introducing an automatic option for the diesel now.

Jimmy Garlic

pete4130 wrote: »

If you don't need or won't use a 4x4 then its pointless getting one. If its just school runs and city driving 4x4's are a bit pointless. The Forester and Outback are made to be everyday cars with the added stability of an AWD system.

It wouldn't be for school runs or city driving. It would be for towing, bad roads and the odd bit of off road, but no serious off roading.

Renegade Mechanic

Gonna go out on a limb here and suggest an Opel Frontera B 2.2 Dti long wheelbase. They are hit and miss on fuel pumps however and (though not as often as the petrol 2.2) head gaskets. Get a good one and youll have it for some time.

Jimmy Garlic

logie101 wrote: »

I wouldn't rate the Nissan X Trial too highly.

I hear they are fairly reliable yokes. I think they look the business too, a lot better than a Hyundai Tucson at any rate. The freelanders patchy reputation puts me off a bit.

Jimmy Garlic

Renegade Mechanic wrote: »

Gonna go out on a limb here and suggest an Opel Frontera B 2.2 Dti long wheelbase. They are hit and miss on fuel pumps however and (though not as often as the petrol 2.2) head gaskets. Get a good one and youll have it for some time.

I haven't seen one of those for ages. They must be out of production nearly 10 years now.

O.A.P

Jimmy Garlic wrote: »

It wouldn't be for school runs or city driving. It would be for towing, bad roads and the odd bit of off road, but no serious off roading.

Subaru forester fits that bill better than any other.
**** I forgot about towing how much (heavy)?

bazz26

What about a Suzuki Grand Vitara, most engines are 1.9/20d.

visual

Move up to 2.5 engine and your into full size 4x4 with transfer boxes and real ability to tow and go off road.

Mpg even on the diesels isn't wonderful as these things weigh over 2 ton and have the aerodynamics of a brick.

dgt

It won't be great for towing. As above move up to 2.5 or 3.0 something that's comfortable towing.

We use a 2.8 van for towing, even though it's a non turbo (and hideously slow at times) the van keeps driving as if there's no load, extra weight makes no difference to it

logie101

Two other cars I just thought off are the Skoda Octavia combi 4x4 or the Fiat Panda 4x4.

dantastic

Or get a Land Rover Defender. One of very very few vehicles on the market that is plated to tow a full weight trailer (3500kg).
It has a 2.2l engine
It's brilliant off road.

Has low range and all the stuff you want.

Tea 1000

dantastic wrote: »

Or get a Land Rover Defender. One of very very few vehicles on the market that is plated to tow a full weight trailer (3500kg).
It has a 2.2l engine
It's brilliant off road.

Has low range and all the stuff you want.

Great off road until it breaks down, which it will.

Renegade Mechanic

The 2.2 in the Defender is a Transit engine now, is it?

visual

I like the Defender but they aren't everyones cup of tea. The are better suited for farm work or modified for off road but as a daily driver on roads and motorways its not ideal.

O.A.P

Renegade Mechanic wrote: »

The 2.2 in the Defender is a Transit engine now, is it?

No its a mondeo engine , the last defender (from 2007 - 2011) had a transit engine the puma.

pete4130

walus wrote: »

Both Forester and Outback (Legacy) since 2008 come with 2.0 diesel boxer engines. If it is an all-road ability that you are after you can not find a better car.

Thats true. If you go pre-2008 you can get absolute bargains with good spec & reasonable mileage if you look hard enough.
Sadly, Foresters & Outbacks always seem to look like they've had a hard life and not looked after because of their tough 4x4 reputation so you have to make sure you do your research and get a good one.

dantastic

visual wrote: »

I like the Defender but they aren't everyones cup of tea. The are better suited for farm work or modified for off road but as a daily driver on roads and motorways its not ideal.

For OP's needs it couldn't be better really. Not everyones cup of tea but the current generation is a lot quieter. If you have a requirement to tow heavy loads and do a bit of off road and stick with a smaller engine you don't have much else in the pot.

Eric Cartman

"best 4x4" and any engine under 2.5 will never go together. There is no replacement for displacement and if your going to be doing any towing or serious offroading you will need a bigger engine, the 2.2 in the santa fe is starting to rear its head with head gasket failures in 06-07 models now , and it feels underpowered to drive when youve been in something with propper grunt.

fl4pj4ck

Renegade Mechanic wrote: »

Gonna go out on a limb here and suggest an Opel Frontera B 2.2 Dti long wheelbase. They are hit and miss on fuel pumps however and (though not as often as the petrol 2.2) head gaskets. Get a good one and youll have it for some time.

thats what I wanted to suggest

If you are buying something new or nearly new a VW Amarok would fit the bill perfectly and they are a lovely machine too. Its 2.0 litre so well inside your criteria, the 160bhp model is rated to tow 2800kg which around the norm for a crew cab (more than some with bigger engines) and more than likely loads for most situations, they are also known to be good off road and with the 2.0 litre will be more economical then most alternatives.

jmrc

"What about a Suzuki Grand Vitara, most engines are 1.9/20d. "

good yoke, have one and ok its not brilliant on the open roads but it will pull a 10ft twin axel sheep trailer in the hills of Wicklow.