We are looking at a softroader from either Honda or Nissan but diesel

Has anyone any owned either and what are your opinions

I must admit after working for Honda in Swinedoom I am swayed towards the honda

Not had either myself but I have mates who both own the diesel CRV and X-trail. They both swear by them and neither have had any major problems. I found when I have been in them the Honda more car like and refined but the Nissan more rugged

Boss at work has a CRV – it has had endless suspension issues – but other than that seems good. Certainly better in the snow and ice than I expected, and his wife took it properly offroad up the field/hillside up the side of our drive one day when an accident blocked it. Again, did better than expected.

Limited experience to date with the X-Trail here, having bought a diesel 2.2 07 model (mk1 I guess) a couple of weeks ago and covered about 1000 miles so far.

I like it. But I would say that.

Easy to drive, engine has good torque and the 4WD has worked well when needed. It’s pulled a semi-loaded 8×4 twin axle mini-digger type trailer with ease. Very smooth at motorway cruising and it really does handle more like a car rather than a boat.

I have the Columbia option, so no leather, but well equipped with sat nav, a/c, elec windows yadda yadda. The interior is ideal for me to double up as a mobile tool/workshop duties in the week with seats folded (big wide load area with no lip) and seats up at weekends for family stuff.

Given it’s design spec, it handles really well, not much body roll, steering has feedback and suspension seems to have been thought out well too.

The Renault diesel engine and 6-speed box are good – reports of dodgy dual-mass flywheels abound, but AFAIK, they were limited to 03/04 models but it could be anyone’s guess/luck of the draw on that one.

From my research, it boiled down to either the RAV4 or the X-Trail, but I needed reliable 4WD and towing capability and also didnt fancy the image I have of the RAV4 as a ‘hairdresser’s’ car.

The reason I didnt pursue the Honda was towing ability.

I’m sure both would be a good option. Hope this helps

Kia Sorrento ?

I had a CRV a couple of years ago (new shape) but didnt get on with it, coming from a Accord Tourer Type S a bit different though.

Found it a bit van-like to drive, bit too dining-room chair rather than comfy chair (ie very upright seating) and quite wallowy round corners. The inside was very plasticky, and it marked really easily too. Also far less boot space than I was used to (the accord was huuuge!). Struggle to get bikes in as not quite wide enough, deep enough or tall enough. And too tall for litte (5’10) me to lift stuff onto roof rack.

Now back to ordinary estate (passat) and much better for loads, comfort and economy. CRV was 36mpg, passat circa 50mpg.

Adaptive cruise control was cool though, i could cruise on the motorway with my legs crossed!

’03 X-Trail here and no problem thus far. We should be celebrating it’s 200k on our xmas visits across the continent.
The new model is alot quieter inside the car, but that wouldn’t be difficult 😀

I had an 05 X-Trail as a company car and loved it. The next version cost far more and you hardly see any of them about – poor decision by Nissan.

Why a soft-roader?

I had an x-trail, an 06 2.2 Columbia, and loved it. I heard some had turbo problems but never had any bother with mine over 2 years / 60K miles. Switchable 4wd is handy, I used to switch it on on-road sometimes if I was ‘pressing on’, it tidies up the handling a bit. Would have liked the mkII with 170bhp but way too expensive, I ended up with a Seat Freetrack which is the softest of soft roaders but packed with toys and very fast.

You get lots of forum comments about turbo failures on the xtrail but they seem to be of the type’my second cousins aunts neighbour blah blah blah’

My experience is that I’m at 170k miles other than discs and pads I’ve had to fit two new rear anti roll bushes (£35)…..

It’s been absolutely excellent no rust 10 yrs old…. Saved our lives when a Turkish lorry driver let his truck roll back in too us…. Would have been seriously injured in our other car (accident investigators opinion…)

Why a soft-roader?

Fair question tis the wife who wants one here in devon we do suffer from a few floods but I prefer the idea of a C5 estate alot cheaper better on fuel etc

One word answer realy women[/u]

Petrol CR-V here, most reliable car I’ve ever had, 56 plate and had it from new. Good in snow and off-road, decent ground clearance too. Boot isn’t as big as I’d like, interior isn’t super high spec but does seem to clean up well and contrary to comment above hasn’t marked.

The reason I prefer the Honda is because I once worked at the Honda plant in Swinedoom I have seen first hand the quality control that goes into the cars and I would not hesitate in buying one

Fugging horrable place to work at though I hated it

Go get a Honda then 🙂

Ive done 35000 in my Nissan x trail 58 plate with no dramas, its a good drive obviously its no Audi or BMW for comfort as you have a bit more wind noise and body roll

The boot is massive I can get 2 bikes in with the wheels of and my bags and tools, Fuel wise it does 36 at the very best

If you dont need a massive boot then a more economical estate car would be better, stick a set of winter tires on an Audi A4 or A6 or similar and you will be in just a good a position but save on fuel and road tax

Skoda Yeti?

Toyota RAV 4?

I prefer Toyota though …

Had a 55 x-Trail (ex mobility) with 20k when I had it at 3 years old. Kept it for another 4 until it had 75k. Turbo did expire a week into my ownership but Nissan paid half of the bill which was only £200. After that nothing went wrong. Tyres quite expensive, brakes not the best (on mine anyway).

Never towed anything but the bike trailer. Folding rear seats down made it easily carry a bike or two. Nice to drive, comfy, decentish pokey engine, 4×4 good for here as in the snow only me and tractors get up our hill.

Swapped it for a Yeti which is far nicer to drive (it’s new which helped) but is way smaller. Getting bikes in is more of a challenge.

Saladdodger – what sort of vintage are you looking at?
I have an ’03 XTrail and really like it but if you’re looking at new(ish) vehicles then my opinion isn’t really relevant.

Higgo

03-05 possably up to 07 is our budget range

I’ve got an 02 coming up for sale in the next few weeks. Swapping it for a 7 seat xc90. Will be sad to see it go to be honest

Funky – you’ll love theXC90 though!! The 7 seats are all “proper” seats too. If it has the stock continentals on it, dont get the same when they wear out, which they will very quickly on the outer edges!

Had an 02 CRV for about 4 years – great family car we owned and surprisingly capable as a 4×4; the roads around here are atrocious and it coped fantastically with two winters of heavy and deep snow. Was super-reliable, plenty of room for 2 kids + dog and cleaned up nicely despite the aforementioned toddlers and animal trying repeatedly to trash the interior.

It was the 2L V-TEC petrol and whilst a lovely car, we sold in the end because it was too thirsty for the school run.

My Dad had the diesel version for 3 years – no problems with reliability either.

As to the XC90 – good luck! Both people I know who’ve had one hated the things within 6 months – lovely inside but issues with build quality, reliability and massively thirsty. I’ve fond memories of watching a friend lose his rag at his in a comedy John-Cleese fashion after having to push the plastic trim from under the nose of the car back on for the nth time (having had it ‘sorted’ by Volvo for ££ previously).

If she is worried about flooding, look up the wading depth of those cars vs the normal cars.

Had an X Trail from new in 2004, I’m a crap, careless driver and its got 205,000 miles on the clock and going well. I have had to stop using cheap supermarket diesel as the car was dying so now I use the pricey clean diesel on long runs and its made a huge difference, much better than adding Red-X. The turbo problem was in the 2004 to 2006 period and is now part of folk lore.