Stinking SUV's

Stallingrad

Thanks to peoples obsession with driving these elevated dustbins it looks like we are going to be deprived of some really striking saloons like the 2021 K5 Optima (not coming to Europe). I know it's a dying market but kudos to the Asians for making the effort.

Who would chose a magnolia Passat over this?!

AMKC

That's a stunner. Hard choice that a dull, boring unreliable VW or a stylish, well made, stunning looking Kia Optima. I know what my choice would be.

coolisin

The latest Kia car offerings have being great looking on the road, with the correct spec.
That is a pity we wont see that.

Shefwedfan

I think you mean Crossovers and not SUV. Just to be pedantic :-)

This is replicated across the World. VW have not released the new ID electric car in the US, they will only release the Crossover because that what the US buys :-)

Eric Cartman

Shefwedfan wrote: »

I think you mean Crossovers and not SUV. Just to be pedantic :-)

This is replicated across the World. VW have not released the new ID electric car in the US, they will only release the Crossover because that what the US buys :-)

+1 . Theres very few actual SUV's left on the Irish market, mostly just awd crossovers.

the Touareg, most of LandRover's offerings and the land cruiser are all I can think of really. Even BMW doesn't call the X5 or X7 an 'SUV'

punisher5112

The Kodiak 4x4 returns terrible mpg.

Why are people so set on buying guzzlers when we are meant to be trying to save the planet

Shefwedfan

Eric Cartman wrote: »

+1 . Theres very few actual SUV's left on the Irish market, mostly just awd crossovers.

the Touareg, most of LandRover's offerings and the land cruiser are all I can think of really. Even BMW doesn't call the X5 or X7 an 'SUV'

The new Discovery Sport and Evoque are pushing more towards a Crossover than SUV.



More and more vendors are shifting towards Crossover etc. The US market for cars is dead, Europe is starting to go the same direction.

Eric Cartman

punisher5112 wrote: »

The Kodiak 4x4 returns terrible mpg.

Why are people so set on buying guzzlers when we are meant to be trying to save the planet

the kodiaq is nice, but I agree with the above, unless its something truly worth having a bit of power, the 3.6 V8 diesel in my Range Rover is lovely and the 270 horses make that tank move. But yes other people should buy Priuses to offset my emissions.

s1ippy

The interiors are cheap tat but are the warranties for ages? Is that still the case if you buy one second-hand? SUVs are indeed a plague on humanity.

That said I would not be rushing out to buy a car for at least a year or two to get a sense of the need for one in future. Also electric seems like a must given the fact that there will be ever-increasing penalties for emissions and fuel.

Eric Cartman

Shefwedfan wrote: »

The new Discovery Sport and Evoque are pushing more towards a Crossover than SUV.



More and more vendors are shifting towards Crossover etc. The US market for cars is dead, Europe is starting to go the same direction.

that they are, which is sad. Gone be the good old days when the Freelander was LR's least capable lowest end vehicle and even then it was still capable and pretty decently spec'd

Stallingrad

s1ippy wrote: »

The interiors are cheap tat

I think you are living in the 80's.

colm_mcm

To be fair, the likes of the i40 or outgoing Optima model aren’t up to the standard of the class leaders in terms of interior. They’re not a million miles off of course, and describing them as cheap tat is an extreme opinion.

tc20

very strong similarity at the front end to the current Pug 508 - which is a cracking looking car (imho) for its market segment

Outkast_IRE

Toyota interiors were looking very dated for most of the last decade, but people wouldnt call them cheap tat. They were well behind with their use of plastics and interior fabrics yet Irish people lapped them up. It was only some the latest model revisions that corrected it.

Shefwedfan

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

Toyota interiors were looking very dated for most of the last decade, but people wouldnt call them cheap tat. They were well behind with their use of plastics and interior fabrics yet Irish people lapped them up. It was only some the latest model revisions that corrected it.

The new Rav4 and Camry are a serious step up. I never liked the Toyota interior but it is actually decent for once

Toyotafanboi

Stallingrad wrote: »

I think you are living in the 80's.

To be fair, it looks good in the photo but it's almost a certainty if you sit into that car and sit into a Passat or whatever, the Passat will feel a better finish.

The Koreans are definitely getting there in terms of how to design good looking things but IMO they still lack substance. Dash is Toyota-esque very hard plastic, carpets are thin, seat coverings are hard etc, even in higher spec stuff.

Was in a new Kona recently and couldn't believe how **** it felt for a car that gets a lot of acclaim.

Edit: should say I'm not necessarily defending the Passat as such, just I'm not sure if Hyundai/ Kia have nailed quality fit and finish yet.

Dravokivich

I recon someone who is only driving the car for a couple of days and putting out a review, wouldn't go out of their way to think what would come up if they had to live with it.

KaneToad

There is a reason that SUV or crossovers sell very well. People like them.

Most drivers don't give a fig about mpg, handling, engine response, boot practicality etc...

They just want to sit up high in an A/C cabin. These cars fill that niche.

punisher5112

KaneToad wrote: »

There is a reason that SUV or crossovers sell very well. People like them.

Most drivers don't give a fig about mpg, handling, engine response, boot practicality etc...

They just want to sit up high in an A/C cabin. These cars fill that niche.

Sort of ruins it when everyone else is sitting high so benefits are lost for seeing over the others....

KaneToad

punisher5112 wrote: »

Sort of ruins it when everyone else is sitting high so benefits are lost for seeing over the others....

I don't disagree with you!

punisher5112

KaneToad wrote: »

I don't disagree with you!

Missed a trick there.... Driving over others.... ;-)

Shefwedfan

KaneToad wrote: »

There is a reason that SUV or crossovers sell very well. People like them.

Most drivers don't give a fig about mpg, handling, engine response, boot practicality etc...

They just want to sit up high in an A/C cabin. These cars fill that niche.

No matter waht people say on here, putting young kids in and out of the back of a Crossover is massively easier

TheBoyConor

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

To be fair, it looks good in the photo but it's almost a certainty if you sit into that car and sit into a Passat or whatever, the Passat will feel a better finish.

The Koreans are definitely getting there in terms of how to design good looking things but IMO they still lack substance. Dash is Toyota-esque very hard plastic, carpets are thin, seat coverings are hard etc, even in higher spec stuff.

Was in a new Kona recently and couldn't believe how **** it felt for a car that gets a lot of acclaim.

Edit: should say I'm not necessarily defending the Passat as such, just I'm not sure if Hyundai/ Kia have nailed quality fit and finish yet.

I'd rather a Kia with the hard plastic dash and have confidence in it's reliability than a VW with soft touch plastic, leather and a warning light on the dash and limp mode every other week. Fúck that.
Are people really that hung up on interior finishes? the average Irish motorist couldn't give a bollox about such things and only care about mpg, is she daysul, chape tax, and a colour that will be easy to sell on.

KaneToad

There is also a huge swathe of the driving public that have zero interest in cars and just buy something that seems common/popular on the premise that if so many people have them, they must be ok...

listermint

Bring back the SportsWagon / Estate I say.

Shefwedfan

listermint wrote: »

Bring back the SportsWagon / Estate I say.

Awful looking yokes!

Eric Cartman

KaneToad wrote: »

There is also a huge swathe of the driving public that have zero interest in cars and just buy something that seems common/popular on the premise that if so many people have them, they must be ok...

Basically this, its why its quite common to see something super affordable like a kajar or sportage and half of any given housing estate has them , ‘how is it jim’ ‘its grand bill, 200 euro a month on pee cee pee’ ‘ill get ine so jim’

ednwireland

listermint wrote: »

Bring back the SportsWagon / Estate I say.

i hear ya !



just wish i could have found a 3 or 4 tech spec for the price ! (the radio looks old but its got my whole music collection on usb and bluetooth so it does everything it needs to

Toyotafanboi

TheBoyConor wrote:

I'd rather a Kia with the hard plastic dash and have confidence in it's reliability than a VW with soft touch plastic, leather and a warning light on the dash and limp mode every other week. Fúck that.

Let's not act like Kia is some kind of bastion of reliability. They are middling at best. A different kind of unreliability to VW, granted.

TheBoyConor wrote:

Are people really that hung up on interior finishes?

Why would you want to own something that isn't nice?

punisher5112

I don't tend to spend much time looking inside as the car doesn't tend to drive itself....

Interior have improved loads though....

coolisin

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

Was in a new Kona recently and couldn't believe how **** it felt for a car that gets a lot of acclaim.

The Kona is shocking interior wise.
Kia is attempting to please the European market with the latest interior design, they have actually designed some.
Still cheap plastic don't get me wrong.

whisky_galore

punisher5112 wrote: »

Why are people so set on buying guzzlers when we are meant to be trying to save the planet

Irish mindset: saving the planet is for other people, not me. Shur they should go after China and India, not my faintly comical Noddy car on steroids.

colm_mcm

punisher5112 wrote: »

The Kodiak 4x4 returns terrible mpg.

Why are people so set on buying guzzlers when we are meant to be trying to save the planet

Some context needed.

alias no.9

SUV's are an American emissions dodge, light trucks with a passenger body, classified as light trucks for emissions. What we get are crossovers or more simply fat hatchbacks.

To bastardise some Nissan marketing speak, the Qashqai is a Fatchback

colm_mcm

alias no.9 wrote: »

SUV's are an American emissions dodge, light trucks with a passenger body, classified as light trucks for emissions. What we get are crossovers or more simply fat hatchbacks.

To bastardise some Nissan marketing speak, the Qashqai is a Fatchback

What does the F stand for?

I have a few possibilities, but I don’t think they’re the correct answer.

listermint

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Awful looking yokes!

Possibly the sillyest comment ever to be made.


I guess some folks were born with poor taste.


https://www.google.com/search?q=alfa+159+sportwagon&oq=alfa+159+spor&aqs=chrome.0.0j69i57j0l2.5072j0j7&client=ms-android-samsung&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#imgrc=Af_r8E9mM2CXCM:

alias no.9

colm_mcm wrote: »

What does the F stand for?

I have a few possibilities, but I don’t think they’re the correct answer.

Do you no longer speak Micra? Fat Hatchback - Fatchback

colm_mcm

I only did ordinary level Micra in the Junior Cert.

Totally forgot about that.


They invented the word Fugly.

alias no.9

colm_mcm wrote: »

I only did ordinary level Micra in the Junior Cert.

Totally forgot about that.


They invented the word Fugly.

This may only have happened in my head but I think that campaign died when a death when a Nissan was described as Shiny and Bright on Top Gear

galwaytt

Well my SO has spent more than a week plotting and scheming to get rid of her (GT) estate (which is great btw) and buy a GLC. One short test drive later and...........she's not. Road noise. 'Boaty handling' were her actual words. I have trained her well

But, the fact she drove to the test drive in a 996 probably coloured the 'handling' lol.

So, bank for buck, shmooze, comfort......an E-class look and drove the way she thought the GLC would.

Like the Optima, I think too many people overlook a good 'saloon' - do we still call them that ?

Miscreant

galwaytt wrote: »

..... Like the Optima, I think too many people overlook a good 'saloon' - do we still call them that ?

Best handling vehicle I ever owned was a saloon so I would agree that they should never be overlooked. Despite the trend over the last few years to call them "sedans", I think I'll stick with the time honoured tradition of them being "Saloons" too

I will admit, however, that last year I was pleasantly surprised with the handling of my sister in law's new VW Tiguan as I expected it to be a boat of a thing. Still wouldn't convince me to spend money on one though!

Stallingrad

More of it, the Lexus IS200, always an attractive leftfield choice compared to the cookie cutter Germans is not coming to Europe either.

Shefwedfan

Stallingrad wrote: »

More of it, the Lexus IS200, always an attractive leftfield choice compared to the cookie cutter Germans is not coming to Europe either.

That’s because nobody bought it

Philb76

Lexus its the Japanese Mercedes as Alan partridge said ðŸ˜

Widdensushi

Miscreant wrote: »

Best handling vehicle I ever owned was a saloon so I would agree that they should never be overlooked. Despite the trend over the last few years to call them "sedans", I think I'll stick with the time honoured tradition of them being "Saloons" too

I will admit, however, that last year I was pleasantly surprised with the handling of my sister in law's new VW Tiguan as I expected it to be a boat of a thing. Still wouldn't convince me to spend money on one though!

Tiguan is not really high on the road though, not sure you can put it as an suv along with the big range rovers etc

colm_mcm

Crossovers aren’t really SUVs. They’re slightly jacked up cars which are capable of roughly the same economy as a car.
Have a look at an American SUV and compare.
People don’t buy ‘gas guzzlers’ in Ireland.

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime

Who said estates are ugly !

Volvo V90


Volvo V60


Volvo V70


SAAB 9-3


SAAB 9-5

Widdensushi

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime wrote: »

Who said estates are ugly !

Volvo V90


Volvo V60


Volvo V70


SAAB 9-3


SAAB 9-5

Are you married to a swede

PsychoPete

I do like the height of SUVs mainly because you get to see over ditches

ednwireland

PsychoPete wrote: »

I do like the height of SUVs mainly because you get to see over ditches

because your bonnets buried in it

Someone on here was calling their Dacia duster a Jeep a while back.